New drinking water rules agreed, but trouble for UK on landfills
Climate change and a revision of existing rules on drinking water quality dominated the EC Environment Council on 16 October. The new Directive on drinking water tightens up some standards, notably for lead, pesticides and disinfection by-products, but may result in some reduction in current safeguards for public health. Ministers' discussions also suggest that the UK is losing its battle to exclude targets for a reduction in landfilling of biodegradable wastes from the new landfill Directive.