The Water Supplies (Water Quality)(Scotland) Regulations 2014

1. Introduction

1.1 What is this consultation about?

1. A very high standard of drinking water quality is important for Scotland. Not only for the health of the people living in Scotland but also for the large number of visitors coming to Scotland each year. It is therefore important that we continue to ensure the standard of water in Scotland is the best it can be.

2. The Council Directive 98/83/ EC (the Drinking Water Directive) sets the standards for drinking water quality. Our 2001 and 2010 legislation (as referred to in 2.2) transposes this Directive; however, the changes we intend to make will allow us to make clearer connections with the Directive. This also provides an opportunity for the correction of any errors in the original Regulations. Please note that these regulations do not transpose the Directive with regards to bottled drinking water for sale. This is transposed in other legislation.

3. The purpose of this consultation paper is to set out the Scottish Government's draft proposals for amendments to the 2001 and 2010 Regulations and to encourage the water industry and all other interested parties to comment on the proposals and the specific issues raised. These comments will help inform the Scottish Government on the final amendments to the Regulations.

4. The consultation also seeks views on the transposition of Council Directive 2013/51/Euratom by means of subsequent amendments to these Regulations. These views will help inform the Scottish Governments final transposition of this Directive.

1.2 Responding to this consultation paper

We invite written responses to this consultation by 13 July 2014, this consultation will run for 6 weeks.

1. This consultation, and all other Scottish Government consultation papers, can be viewed online on the consultation web pages of the Scottish Government website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations.

How to respond

2. When responding please clearly indicate which questions or parts of the consultation paper you are responding to. This will aid our analysis of the responses received.

3. When responding you must complete the Respondent Information Form and return it to us with your response (please see handling your response below).

Please send your response to: regulator@dwqr.org.uk

Or by post to:

Handling your response

4. We need to know how you wish your response to be handled and, in particular, whether you are happy for your response to be made public. Your completed Respondent Information Form , which forms part of the consultation questionnaire, will help us to treat your response appropriately. If you ask for your response not to be published we will regard it as confidential and we will treat it accordingly.

5. All respondents should be aware that the Scottish Government is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and so would have to consider any request made to it under the Act for information relating to responses made to this consultation exercise.

Comments and Complaints

6. If you have any comments about how this consultation exercise has been conducted, please send them to the contact details above.