General obligations
Article 4
1
Without prejudice to their obligations under other Community provisions, Member States shall take the measures necessary to ensure that water intended for human consumption is wholesome and clean. For the purposes of the minimum requirements of this Directive, water intended for human consumption shall be wholesome and clean if it:
a
is free from any micro-organisms and parasites and from any substances which, in numbers or concentrations, constitute a potential danger to human health, and
b
meets the minimum requirements set out in Annex I, Parts A and B;
and if, in accordance with the relevant provisions of Articles 5 to 8 and 10 and in accordance with the Treaty, Member States take all other measures necessary to ensure that water intended for human consumption complies with the requirements of this Directive.
2
Member States shall ensure that the measures taken to implement this Directive in no circumstances have the effect of allowing, directly or indirectly, either any deterioration of the present quality of water intended for human consumption so far as that is relevant for the protection of human health or any increase in the pollution of waters used for the production of drinking water.