European Union

What is the Purpose of Drinking Water Quality Guidelines/Regulations?

What is the Purpose of Drinking Water Quality Guidelines/Regulations?

First off, it’s important to understand the discrepancy between the terms “guideline” and “regulation”, as this difference is critically important. The term guideline, can be defined as follows: “a line by which one is guided: an indication or outline of policy or conduct” (MerriamWebster, 2008). Meaning, a guideline is often a benchmark that should be followed, but technically, isn’t lawfully required to be followed.