Citizens Advice Scotland welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Scottish Government’s consultation on changes to the Scottish Public drinking water quality regulations. It is anticipated that these changes will align the current legislative framework more closely with the EU’s Drinking Water Directive.
Citizens Advice Scotland gave a general welcome to the proposed changes, but also requested clarification from the Scottish Government on certain issues. These include the steps the Scottish Government will take to raise awareness of the new offences being introduced under the regulations given their potential impact upon voluntary organisations and community groups. Other significant areas in which Citizens Advice Scotland is seeking clarification are issues around how local communities will be notified about problems with their local water supplies, and issues regarding the risks of contamination in drinking water supplied through lead and copper pipes.