The European Union (EU) has announced plans to overhaul its water quality rules in order to reduce plastic consumption and avoid new potential health hazards.
Specifically, the new rules will attempt to make drinking water access for citizens that is alternative to bottled water. The new regulations will also try to better educate citizens about water quality from any source, according to the European Commission.
The aspirational endgame is to shift as many citizens from significant water bottle consumption towards higher usage of standard tap water. Substantial reduction in water bottle consumption would have positive environmental effects, relating to both plastic production and plastic pollution.
According to Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans, “if people know what is cheaper for them and not hazardous to their health, they might make a different choice.”
Tap water only costs a fraction of a euro cent, rather than the much steeper price of producing bottled water.