As an associate member representing the European Sealing Association (ESA), we had the pleasure of attending the 5th Symposium on Materials and Products in Contact with Drinking Water, organized by the European Drinking Water Association (EDW) in Brussels.
This important event brought together representatives from the European Commission, national authorities, certification bodies, laboratories, industry associations, and manufacturers from across Europe to discuss progress towards the implementation of the Drinking Water Directive (EU) 2020/2184 and its harmonised requirements for materials and products in contact with drinking water.
European Drinking Water (EDW) continues to fully support the objectives of the recast Drinking Water Directive, particularly Article 11, which aims to ensure high hygienic standards for all products in contact with drinking water across the European Union. Harmonised rules among Member States will strengthen public health protection, consumer confidence, and the functioning of the internal market.
The European Commission’s objective is to ensure clean, resilient, and affordable water for all citizens.
The EU Drinking Water Directive (DWD) Water Resilience Strategy aims to promote simplification and harmonisation across Member States by establishing a single EU-wide standard. This approach is expected to improve consistency, enhance water resilience, and reduce compliance and operational costs.
Manage the maintenance of the Positive Lists (EUPL) and support applicants for DWD notification.
Implementation timeline for EUPL.
The group, initially established by the European Drinking Water Initiative, brings together future notified bodies under the EU Drinking Water Directive and related regulations. Its mission is to support the harmonization of hygiene requirements for materials in contact with drinking water by contributing technical expertise and promoting consistent implementation across Europe.
The group develops and maintains guidance documents to help ensure a clear, uniform, and practical interpretation of the Directive and its implementing acts. Its goal is to facilitate a transparent, efficient, and harmonized conformity assessment process for drinking water products throughout the European internal market.
Minimum hygiene requirements for materials that come into contact with water intended for human consumption.
The DWD EU 2020/2184 document is available on the ESA website.
As the supporting document is quite technical and very comprehensive, and difficult to understand without the relevant prior knowledge, the need for a document tailored to industrial processes was already addressed at the drafting stage.
A small group within the EDW WG Products has taken on this task and, over several months, produced an industry guide designed to assist all companies in implementing the requirements of the EU Drinking Water Directive.
The Industry Implementation Guide is now available with a practical, product-oriented focus. It includes real-world examples, flow diagrams, and audit preparation guidance. The full document can be downloaded on the ESA website.
These initiatives are coordinated through the EDW platform, supported by 35 associations—including the European Sealing Association (ESA)—and numerous companies representing the full value chain: from raw materials (e.g., chemicals) to final products (e.g., pipes, valves) and covering all drinking water system applications from treatment to public and domestic distribution across the EU.
The symposium provided a valuable platform for exchanging knowledge, discussing challenges, and aligning on practical approaches to support the ongoing European harmonisation process.
We extend our sincere thanks to the entire EDW team for bringing together key stakeholders from across Europe for this important discussion. Sharing experiences, identifying common challenges, and working towards practical solutions are essential to ensuring an effective and workable transition for all stakeholders involved.
Sandy Van den Broeck,
ESG Director, ESA