The EU Framework Directive on Water proposals were published in February 1997. the purpose of this Directive is to establish a framework for EU policy in terms of quality and quantity. The scope of this legislation covers ground and surface waters. Drinking water quality is outside the scope of this. It will be necessary to implement the main objectives of this legislation, predominantly of maintaining a high quality of ground and surface waters and implementing systems for recovering all water quality remediation costs, will need to be implemented by 2010. The Directive will focus upon the problems concerning over abstraction and pollution.

Drinking water quality controls will be given by the EC Directive on Drinking Water. This was the first proposed in 1988, and the latest (third) amended proposal was published in 1997. A Common Position was reached in 1997, mainly in the areas of lead and pesticide contents of drinking water.


Further Reading
Read the DETR's short summary of the current regulations/legislation:
and also: Economic Instruments for Water Pollution (DETR).
Also look at this Summary of the relevant legislation.
You may also find that:

• Fresh Water Fish Directive (78/659/EEC).
• Shellfish Directive (79/923/EEC).
• Bathing Water Directive