The evolution of the EU drinking water policy towards a source-to-mouth approach

Abstract

The four-decade evolution of drinking water policy of the European Union is analysed using a policy change framework through documentary analysis and in-depth interviews. Our findings suggest that this policy has always targeted the protection of human health while inching closer to the concept of ‘safely managed drinking water’, which implies the protection of the sources of drinking water and the application of a risk-based approach to the entire water supply chain. Influenced by a variety of factors, it has experienced incremental changes leading to more comprehensive provisions while seeking flexibility to accommodate the diversity of Member States forming the Union.