ESA is a member of European Drinking Water industrial alliance (EDW) who are a group of industry associations (like Europump) who have agreed to act together to assist in the finalisation of the test procedures for materials and products used with potable water.

The first plenary meeting of EDW was held on 18th May (during the ESA AGM in Barcelona) and the next plenary meeting was held on 25th September. Unfortunately ESA was unable to attend either of these meetings.

The main areas of attention are as follows:

  • DG Environment and the review of the Drinking Water Directive (DWD) article 10.
    Both EDW and Eureau have issued draft responses to the initial documents issued by DG, on withdrawal of article 10 regulation, to be replaced in the new DWD.
    ESA has replied to both these responses and asked for the inclusion of assemblies and for the addition of “a mix of aramid and mineral fibres, with fillers and binders” to be added to cover AF sheet cut gaskets commonly used on water services. This request has been taken on board and these two items are now in the responses.
    ESA has also asked that sealing devices should be considered for a separate cluster in the testing regime. We will see what happens here.
    EDW supports whole-heartedly the concept of one single harmonised test procedure to be used throughout Europe.
  • DG Growth and the revision to Construction Products Regulation (CPR). Again, EDW has responded to the various missives from DG. ESA has endorsed the EDW reply, which raises concerns over CPR, and its application to DWD.
  • 4MS progress on tests for minor and assembled products. Unsure where this now stands
  • DG Growth consultation on Mutual Recognition. There appears to have been little support for the concept of Mutual Recognition throughout the community, and the EDW policy is NOT to support this, and focus instead on ONE SINGLE harmonised test procedure throughout Europe.
  • Products task force. No progress to date.
  • Plastics task force. Work has nearly been completed
  • Elastomer group. Work has started
  • Metals group. There was a meeting in Brussels for this group of technical experts, which ESA was not able to attend. DG Environment called a technical meeting for Metals on 4th October in Brussels.

David Mitchell, Standard and Legislation Director

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