Guidance Document on reporting under the Drinking Water Directive

Complementing the regular information to consumers, drinking water quality has in three year cycles to be reported to the European Commission. The scope of reporting is set out in Commission Decision 95/337/EEC; reporting obligations cover all drinking water supplies serving more than 5000 citizens or supplying more than 1000 m³ a day. The Commission assesses the results of water quality monitoring against the standards in the Drinking Water Directive. After each reporting cycle the Commission produces a synthesis report, which summarises the quality of drinking water and its improvement at European level.

The synthesis reports are available to the public and can be downloaded on this site for the reporting period 1996-1998, for the period 1999-2001, for the period 2002-2004 and for the period 2005-2007.

Following a decision by the Drinking Water Committee in 2005, a Guidance Document on reporting under the Drinking Water Directive  has been developed by Member States' experts. It was endorsed by the Drinking Water Committee on 8 May 2007. Following the 2005-2007 reporting exercise the Guidance Document was revised. In addition to the changes made, the document was divided into Guidance Document on reporting and Guidance Document on derogations. The two documents are going to be used as reference for the 2008-2010 reporting exercise.

It presents a new, table-oriented way of reporting, in line with the Drinking Water Directive and with the WISE approach for reporting.

Future electronic reporting of drinking water data

Based on the Guidance Document and Decision 95/337/EEC, 2008 saw development and endorsement of the future electronic reporting tool under WISE, in joint work between Commission, Member States and European Environment Agency. The new electronic reporting tool will be available for the drinking water data for the period 2005-2007.  It will make optimal use of WISE (Water Information System for Europe)  to improve management and availability of data. It will also reduce the administrative burden, based not least on experience already gained with integrating other water-related Directives into WISE (e.g. Bathing Water Directive, Water Framework Directive).