EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations make amendments to the Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2017 (the “Public Supplies Amendment Regulations”) and the Water Intended for Human Consumption (Private Supplies) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 (the “Private Supplies Regulations”), pursuant to the further implementation of—

  • Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption6 including, in particular, the amendments made by Commission Directive (EU) 2015/1787 amending Annexes II and III to Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption7; and
  • Council Directive 2013/51/EURATOM laying down requirements for the protection of the health of the general public with regard to radioactive substances in water intended for human consumption8.
The Public Supplies Amendment Regulations make various changes to the Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 20149 (the “Public Supplies Principal Regulations”), including inserting a new schedule 3 (methods of analysis), relating to the methods of analysis to be used in monitoring water quality.

Regulation 3(3) amends the Public Supplies Amendment Regulations, so that the characteristics of methods of analysis which are inserted into the Public Supplies Principal Regulations by the Public Supplies Amendment Regulations are amended as follows—

  • the prescribed minimum uncertainty of measurement value for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is amended from 30 to 50; and

  • the prescribed minimum limit of detection value for oxidisability is amended from 25 to 10.

Regulation 4(7)(b) and (c) make the equivalent amendments to schedule 4 (methods of analysis) in the Private Supplies Regulations.

Regulations 3 and 4 also make further minor amendments to the Public Supplies Amendment Regulations and the Private Supplies Regulations respectively.

No business and regulatory impact assessment has been prepared for these Regulations as no further impact on business, charities or voluntary bodies is foreseen.