28/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - Greater flexibility granted to member states for analysing drinking water quality. On Wednesday 28 October, the European Commission amended the Drinking Water Directive in order to give greater flexibility to member states in their analysis of drinking water quality. On the basis of a risk analysis that already exists in the food hygiene sector, member states will now decide which parameters to monitor, given that some drinking water supply zones do not pose any risk for finding hazardous substances. The member states can now choose to increase or reduce the frequency of sampling in water supply zones, as well as to extend the list of substances to monitor in case of public health concerns. The Commission says that its move is one of the responses to the European Citizens' Initiative, Right2Water, which asked the Commission to recognise access to water as a universal human rights (see EUROPE 11384). The Commission is continuing its assessment of the Drinking Water Directive, which should be finalised by the end of the year. (MB)