Mandatory Harmlessness and Quality Requirements for Drinking Water, and the Procedures for Monitoring and Control Thereof

Issued pursuant to
Section 4, Paragraph two and four
and Section 19, Paragraph five
of the Law of the Supervision of the Handling of Food

I. General Provisions

1. These Regulations prescribe the mandatory harmlessness and quality requirements for drinking water, procedures by which conformity of drinking water to requirements of these Regulations is evaluated, as well as procedures for the monitoring and control of drinking water.

2. These Regulations shall apply to surface and ground water that either in the original state thereof or after special treatment is intended for human consumption, food preparation, or utilisation in household, trade, as well as utilisation in the food industry (for treatment, processing, preservation) regardless of the manner of supply (by water pipelines, tankers or in containers)(hereinafter - drinking water).

3. The monitoring of drinking water shall be implemented by regular laboratory examinations of drinking water in order to acquire information regarding conformity or non-conformity thereof to the harmlessness and quality requirements of these Regulations, as well as regarding changes in the drinking water. Regular monitoring and audit monitoring shall be performed in accordance with Paragraph 23 of these Regulations. Regular monitoring of drinking water supplied by water pipelines to inhabitants shall be performed by a performer of economic activities of water supply (hereinafter - water supplier), but the audit monitoring shall be performed by the Health Inspectorate (hereinafter - Agency). In food production undertakings, except for water suppliers, both the regular monitoring and audit monitoring shall be organised by the owner or manager of the undertaking (hereinafter - merchant).

[6 December 2005; 28 July 2009; 29 September 2009]

3.¹ The responsibility of the water supplier and owner, possessor or merchant of the water pipeline for internal pipelines shall be determined by regulatory enactments (construction standards) regarding internal pipelines and drainage system.

[28 July 2009]

4. The duty of a merchant referred to in Paragraph 3 of these Regulations to organise the regular monitoring and audit monitoring shall not apply to retail companies which do not manufacture food or deal with preparation or processing thereof.

[6 December 2005; 28 July 2009]

4.¹ The audit monitoring shall not be performed, but the regular monitoring shall be performed once every two years:

4.¹.1. if the drinking water quality cannot impact upon the harmlessness and wholesomeness of food products and the health of consumers:

4.¹.1.1. in honey packaging undertakings;

4.¹.1.2. in cereal intervention warehouses;

4.¹.1.3. in cereal first stage processing, storage and milling undertakings;

4.¹.1.4. in bread and bread product production undertakings;

4.¹.1.5. in plant origin product processing and packaging undertakings;

4.¹.1.6. in fatty substance production undertakings; and

4.¹.1.7. in other food undertakings if the drinking water is not utilised as a component of food; and

4.¹.2. undertaking involved in the handling of food, for which drinking water is supplied from public water supply systems.

[6 December 2005; 28 July 2009; 29 September 2009]

5. These Regulations shall not apply to:

5.1. natural mineral waters and medicinal waters, which have been recognised as such by the Food and Veterinary Service in conformity with regulatory enactments regarding the mandatory harmlessness and labelling requirements for natural mineral waters and spring waters, and natural mineral water distribution permits; and

5.2. medicinal mineral waters, which have been recognised as such by the State Agency of Medicines according to the procedures specified in regulatory enactments regarding the registration of medicinal products.

[3 January 2006]

6. The requirements of Regulations shall not apply to drinking water obtained from separate places of abstraction or supply which are used by less than 50 persons or the amount of supply of which does not exceed 10 m³ per 24 hours.

[28 July 2009]

7. Application of harmlessness and quality requirements for drinking water shall be mandatory for drinking water obtained from the places of production and supply referred to in Paragraph 6 of these Regulations if drinking water is marketed or otherwise utilised for commercial activity or public buildings and structures.

[28 July 2009]

8. Harmlessness and quality requirements for drinking water shall not be applied to drinking water obtained from places of production or supply which are utilised in such a way that does not directly or indirectly cause a threat to the health of consumers, and an opinion of the Health Inspectorate has been received regarding it.

[29 September 2009]

9. The supplier of drinking water is responsible for the provision of appropriate and precise information to inhabitants regarding the quality and harmlessness of drinking water supplied to them, regarding corrective measures taken by the supplier to ensure the quality or harmlessness of drinking water, as well as regarding possible corrective action to be carried out by inhabitants themselves. The merchant or water supplier may not inform the consumer regarding non-conformity of drinking water to the quality and harmlessness requirements, if the control authorities have recognised such non-conformity as being insignificant and harmless to the health of the consumer.

[6 December 2005; 29 September 2009]

10. The Health Inspectorate shall prepare informative materials in order to inform the public regarding the harmlessness and quality of drinking water, measures in cases of contamination, as well as consult consumers, merchants, water suppliers and owners of water pipelines regarding possible corrective action for the improvement of the quality of drinking water or measures to be taken for the rectification of the non-conformity of drinking water with requirements of these Regulations.

[6 December 2005; 29 September 2009]

11. Any action or measures taken to ensure compliance with these Regulations may not reduce the quality of drinking water or increase the contamination of water supply points.

II. Mandatory Harmlessness and Quality Requirements for Drinking Water and Procedures by which Conformity of Drinking Water to Specified Requirements are Evaluated

12. Drinking water may not contain micro-organisms, parasites and substances in such amount (number or concentration) as causes a threat to the health of consumers. Mandatory harmlessness and quality requirements for drinking water are specified in Annex 1, Paragraphs 1 and 2 of these Regulations. If the control parameters referred to in Paragraph 3 of Annex 1 of these Regulations do not conform to permitted norms, action shall be taken in conformity with the requirements specified in Paragraphs 17, 19.² and 40 of these Regulations.

[27 March 2007; 28 July 2009]

13. Non-packaged drinking water at the following points shall comply with the requirements specified in Annex 1 of these Regulations:

13.1. at the point at which drinking water flows from a tap if drinking water for human consumption is supplied from a water pipeline;

13.2. at the point at which drinking water flows from a tap if drinking water is utilised for public needs, for example, at the educational, medical treatment and public catering institutions in accordance with Sub-paragraph 17.2 of these Regulations;

13.3. in the external water supply network and distribution system of the water supplier in accordance with Sub-paragraph 17.1 of these Regulations;

13.4. at the point at which drinking water flows from a tanker if it is supplied in a tanker;

13.5. at the food production undertaking where drinking water is filled in bottles or other containers if drinking water is packaged in bottles or other containers; and

13.6. at the point where drinking water is utilised in a food production undertaking.

[28 July 2009]

14. If, in determining the microbiological parameters of drinking water (Annex 1), Escherichia coli, enterococci or coliform bacteria are found in the sample of water, the supplier of drinking water or, in performing epidemiological surveillance, the State Agency "Infectology Centre of Latvia" shall carry out a repeat examination of the water without delay. If the total number of coliform bacteria in the sample of water repeatedly examined exceeds 2/100 ml, or Escherichia coli or enterococci are found, it shall be determined whether there are pathogenic enterobacteria in the water.

[29 September 2009]

15. If there are well-founded suspicion regarding possible presence of pathogenic micro-organisms and toxic substances not referred to in these Regulations in drinking water in such amount (number or concentration) as causes a threat to the health of consumers, the supplier of the drinking water shall immediately notify the Health Inspectorate, as well as ensure an examination of drinking water and take corrective measures (for example, by relevant treatment methods) in order to ensure harmlessness of the drinking water. Measures taken may not reduce the quality of drinking water.

[19 May 2008]

16. Water supply systems must conform to regulatory enactments regarding requirements set out for construction standards. Repairs and changes of water supply facilities may not reduce the quality of drinking water or cause a threat to the health of consumers, and the drinking water must comply with the requirements specified in these Regulations. Water supply facilities (for example, reservoirs, water towers, pressure boilers, settlers) shall be washed, cleaned and disinfected prior to commencement of service and after repairs of accidents, as well as preventatively not less often than twice per year.

[6 December 2005]

17. If non-compliance with the requirements specified in these Regulations or changes in organoleptic indicators are determined, corrective measures shall be taken in order to rectify the non-compliance or possible threat to the health of consumers. Depending on the place where non-compliance has been determined the corrective measures shall be performed by:

17.1. a water supplier - public service provider who owns a water supply infrastructure and provides populated areas with drinking water. The water supplier shall be responsible for the service provided up to (and including) the water metering unit created on the input in a building or group of buildings in accordance with regulatory enactments (construction standards) regarding internal water pipelines and drainage systems of buildings;

17.2. an owner, possessor or merchant of the water pipeline - a recipient of the service in the property of which there is the internal water pipeline of the building ensuring water supply from the infrastructure of the public service provider up to the drinking water taps of a consumer; or

17.3. an owner, possessor or merchant of the water pipeline in cases other than referred to in Sub-paragraphs 17.1 and 17.2 of these Regulations, if the drinking water is abstracted from the groundwater deposit and is marketed or otherwise utilised for commercial activity or supplied to public buildings and structures.

[28 July 2009]

18. If the water supply system is disinfected, the water supplier shall control the parameters specified in Annex 1, Sub-paragraphs 3.3 and 3.5 of these Regulations, efficiency of the disinfection, presence of residues of chemical reagents used in disinfection and co-ordinating the particular inspection programme with the Health Inspectorate.

[29 September 2009]

19. If drinking water in the relevant geographic territory does not comply with the requirements of these Regulations, but it does not cause a threat to the health of consumers and if the referred to non-compliance cannot be rectified within 30 days, as well as the supply of drinking water cannot be ensured in any other way, the Minister for Health may specify reduced harmlessness or quality requirements (hereinafter - special rules) for a time period not exceeding three years, taking into account the following conditions:

19.1. drinking water does not comply with the requirements chemical parameters specified in Annex 1, Paragraph 2 of these Regulations or additional parameters which are not included in Annex 1 to these Regulations;

19.2. drinking water does not comply with the requirements of control parameters specified in Annex 1, Paragraph 3 of these Regulations

[6 December 2005; 3 January 2006; 28 July 2009]

19.¹ A merchant, water supplier, local government or another applicant (hereinafter - applicant) shall submit an application regarding the setting of special rules to the Health Inspectorate. The Health Inspectorate shall examine the application, provide an opinion and submit the opinion to the Ministry of Health.

[28 July 2009; 29 September 2009]

19.² The application of the special rules referred to in Sub-paragraph 19.1 of these Regulations may be extended for three years if the Ministry of Health submits the report and justification for a decision to the European Commission regarding the necessity of the second extension. In exceptional case the application of special rules may be extended repeatedly for another three years, if the Ministry of Health submits the report and justification for a decision to the European Commission regarding the necessity of the third extension. The Ministry of Health shall, within two months, notify the European Commission regarding each water supplier for whom special rules have been determined (Sub-paragraph 19.1 of these Regulations) and who supplies at least 1000 m³ of water on average per day or supplies more than 5000 persons therewith. The information referred to in Paragraph 20 of these Regulations shall be attached to the report.

[28 July 2009]

19.³ The Ministry of Health may specify the application of special rules referred to in Sub-paragraph 19.2 of these Regulations for a time period which does not exceed three years. If necessary the application of special rules may be extended for three years and in exceptional cases this time period may be extended repeatedly. In deciding regarding the extension of the time period for the application of special rules, the Health Inspectorate shall assess whether the corrective measures have been performed during the previous time period in order to eliminate non-compliance of water with the requirements of these Regulations.

[28 July 2009; 29 September 2009]

19.⁴ The Health Inspectorate shall assess threat to the health of consumers determined in the water supply system of the supplier and non-compliance with the requirements for water quality. The Health Inspectorate shall prepare a report regarding rectification of non-compliance and the corrective measures taken.

[28 July 2009; 29 September 2009]

19.⁵ An applicant shall, within a month before the end of each time period of application of the special rules referred to in Sub-paragraphs 19.1 and 19.2 of these Regulations, submit the information to the Health Inspectorate regarding the corrective measures taken. If the corrective measures are inadequate and the compliance of drinking water with requirements of these Regulations is not ensured, the applicant shall submit the explanation to the Health Inspectorate. A water supplier, owner, possessor or merchant of water pipeline shall take appropriate corrective measures in accordance with Paragraph 17 of these Regulations, depending on the place where non-compliance has been determined, as soon as possible in order to rectify the non-compliance of water with the requirements of these Regulations.

[28 July 2009; 29 September 2009]

19.⁶ If special rules are specified, the control authorities referred to in Paragraph 39 of these Regulations may increase the frequency of the performance of controls and monitoring, as well as additionally determine the parameters of the regular monitoring, including them in the decision referred to in Paragraph 19 of these Regulations and in the monitoring plan.

[28 July 2009; 29 September 2009]

19.⁷ If the violation of water quality requirements and the necessity to protect the health of consumers have been determined or the corrective measures have not been taken in order to rectify the non-compliance of water with the requirements of these Regulations, the Health Inspectorate shall inform the relevant local government and the division of the Food and Veterinary Service in writing thereof. The control authorities shall act in accordance with Sub-paragraph 40.2 of these Regulations.

[28 July 2009; 29 September 2009]

20. Upon submission of an application for the determination of special rules for drinking water, an applicant shall indicate the following information:

20.1. grounds for the determination of special rules and proposals regarding the maximum permitted special rules and the monitoring time period intended thereof;

20.2. results of previous monitoring and control regarding the parameters for which special rules are intended to be applied. If the application is submitted for the extension of the specified special rules time period, information shall be indicated also regarding the corrective measures performed in the time period of the application of the previous special rules;

20.3. regarding the territory in which special rules are to be applied, and the number of inhabitants in such territory;

20.4. regarding the amount of drinking water supplied within a twenty-four hour period;

20.5. regarding the possible effect of the determination of the special rules on food production;

20.6. a summary of the plan of corrective measures for ensuring the quality and harmlessness of drinking water in which the following information shall be included:

20.6.1. the corrective measures for ensuring the quality and harmlessness of drinking water on the basis of testing results of the water supplier regarding determination of the place of non-conformity and drinking water testing results at the end of the tap, in the external water supply network and at the place of water abstraction pursuant to the parameters to which special rules were applied. The test shall be arranged by a water supplier. The water supplier shall be responsible for the correctness and veracity of the provided information;

20.6.2. the prepared projects for organisation of a water supply system;

20.6.3. the planned financial resources for ensuring the implementation of the project (cost estimates);

20.6.4. the planned measures within the framework of the project, as well as the work schedule with certain terms for fulfilment of measures;

20.6.5. a revision or update of the corrective action plan. The corrective action plan shall be reviewed, where appropriate, and updated at least once a year; and

20.7. regarding the time period during which the special rules shall be applied;

[6 December 2005; 3 January 2006; 27 March 2007; 28 July 2009]

20.¹ On the basis of a request from the Health Inspectorate, the Food and Veterinary Service shall evaluate the possible impact of the specification of special rules upon food production.

[3 January 2006; 29 September 2009]

21. Special rules shall not be determined for packaged drinking water.

22. If the control authorities have recognized the non-compliance with the requirements of Annex 1, Paragraph 2 of these Regulations or additional parameters which are not included in Annex 1 to these Regulations as insignificant and harmless to the health of consumers and it may be rectified by corrective measures within 30 days after detection of non-compliance, the control authorities or the Ministry of Health shall determine the maximum permissible values of the relevant parameter (hereinafter - maximum values) for this particular time period and the fulfilment of appropriate corrective measures. If non-compliance with the values of the referred to parameters has been present for more than 30 calendar days during the last 12 months, Paragraph 19 of these Regulations shall be applied.

[3 January 2006; 28 July 2009; 29 September 2009]

22.¹ If special rules have been determined for drinking water in accordance with Paragraphs 19 and 20 of these Regulations, the applicant shall inform consumers regarding the quality and harmlessness, parameters of drinking water to which the special rules or maximum values have been applied, as well as reference to the regulatory enactment which regulates it, including warnings in the information for specific groups of inhabitants if such special rules or maximum values may cause them health problems. The information shall be published, without delay, on the Internet home page of the water supplier or the relevant local government, in the local publications and placed in the house management establishments.

[28 July 2009]

III. Monitoring and Control of Drinking Water

23. Types of monitoring of drinking water:

23.1. regular monitoring (regular inspections) in order to obtain information regarding microbiological, organoleptic and physico-chemical parameters in conformity with Annex 2 of these Regulations, as well as for obtaining information regarding the efficiency of the treatment of drinking water; and

23.2. audit monitoring (audit inspections) in order to determine whether the drinking water conforms to all quality and harmlessness parameters specified in these Regulations. In performing an audit monitoring, all parameters shall be determined for drinking water except for the cases if the water supplier or a merchant proves or if the Health Inspectorate has adequate information that such a substance concentration that may exceed the maximum permissible level of the relevant parameter is not possible at the particular water sampling point. Then such a parameter need not be determined in the audit monitoring.

[6 December 2005; 29 September 2009]

24. The monitoring of drinking water in water-pipes shall be performed by taking a sample in the premises or institution from a tap at the same place where the consumer uses drinking water. If drinking water fails to comply with the specified requirements, a water supplier or the Health Inspectorate shall take a drinking water sample from the external water supply network and distribution system in order to determine the place of non-compliance. A water supplier shall ensure the possibility to take drinking water samples up to the water metering unit, on the input in a building or group of buildings. The water supplier shall, upon the request of a merchant, inform regarding the testing results in the external water supply network and distribution system.

[28 July 2009]

25. In other cases samples of water for drinking water monitoring and control shall be taken:

25.1. at the place from the tap where drinking water is utilised for food production;

25.2. at the place from the tap where drinking water is filled in bottles or other containers if drinking water is packaged;

25.3. at the place where drinking water emerges from a tanker if water is supplied in a tanker for long or short periods; and

25.4. at the place where drinking water flows from a tap if drinking water is utilised for public needs, for example, at the educational, medical treatment and public catering institutions.

[6 December 2005; 28 July 2009]

26. In the cases referred to in Paragraph 24 of these Regulations, the regular monitoring shall be financed by the water supplier, but an audit monitoring shall be financed from funds from the State budget. In the cases referred to in Sub-paragraphs 25.1 and 25.2 of these Regulations monitoring shall be financed by the merchant. In the cases referred to in Sub-paragraphs 25.3 and 25.4 of these Regulations, the monitoring shall be financed by the water supplier or the merchant supplying the water.

[6 December 2005; 28 July 2009]

27. The Health Inspectorate shall develop a drinking water monitoring programme (if necessary, supplement or delete any parameter therefrom) and after the adoption of the State budget for the current year shall approve it. The monitoring programme shall include regular monitoring and audit monitoring in accordance with the requirements of these Regulations, as well as specify the particular undertakings, institutions and premises in which it is planned to take samples.

[27 March 2007; 29 September 2009]

28. Suppliers of drinking water and merchants shall develop a monitoring programme each year (by the beginning of current year). A water supplier and merchant shall co-ordinate it with the Health Inspectorate. The Health Inspectorate shall establish and maintain a database in which the co-ordinated monitoring programmes are reflected. In the monitoring programme, a water supplier and a merchant may also include such water testing results that are obtained within the framework of a self-control system performed by a water supplier and a merchant, in performing a test in the laboratories referred to in Paragraph 37 of these Regulations if the methods used therein conform to the requirements referred to in Paragraphs 37 and 38 of these Regulations.

[6 December 2005; 27 March 2007; 19 May 2008; 29 September 2009]

28.¹ Prior to the co-ordination of the monitoring programmes developed by water suppliers and merchants, the Health Inspectorate shall co-ordinate with the Radiation Safety Centre of the State Environment Service the radioactive level indicators to be measured and the places where the monitoring of such indicators shall be performed.

[6 December 2005; 29 September 2009]

29. In the implementation of a monitoring programme, a specialist of the Health Inspectorate is entitled (upon the presentation of a service identification document) to visit any object in Latvia irrespective of the ownership thereof.

[29 September 2009]

30. A water supplier shall notify the Health Inspectorate regarding the results of the regular monitoring. The water supplier is liable for the correctness and truth of the information provided. The Health Inspectorate shall notify the water supplier regarding the results of audit monitoring.

[6 December 2005; 29 September 2009]

31. A merchant shall notify the Health Inspectorate and the Food and Veterinary Service regarding the results of monitoring. The merchant is liable for the correctness and truth of the information provided.

[6 December 2005; 29 September 2009]

31.¹ Paragraphs 28 and 31 of these Regulations shall not apply to merchants to whom drinking water is supplied from public water supply system.

[28 July 2009]

32. If non-conformity of drinking water to the requirements of these Regulations has been determined while performing monitoring and:

32.1. the monitoring was performed by the Health Inspectorate, it shall notify the relevant division of the Food and Veterinary Service in writing;

32.2. the monitoring was performed by the water supplier, it shall notify the Health Inspectorate in writing; and

32.3. the monitoring was performed by the merchant, he or she shall notify the Health Inspectorate and the relevant division of the Food and Veterinary Service in writing.

[6 December 2005; 19 May 2008; 29 September 2009]

33. If during the performance of the monitoring, contamination was determined in the drinking water which causes potential threat to the health of consumers, the performer of the monitoring shall immediately notify also the other authorities referred to in Paragraph 32 of these Regulations.

34. The Health Inspectorate shall compile the results of the monitoring, prepare the relevant report once a year and submit it to the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of the Environment, the Food and Veterinary Service and publish it on the Internet home page of the Health Inspectorate.

[6 December 2005; 27 March 2007; 19 May 2008; 28 July 2009; 29 September 2009]

35. In compiling and analysing data in the State and regions, the Health Inspectorate shall, once every three years (hereinafter - a reporting period), prepare a public report starting from 2005, regarding the quality and harmlessness of drinking water in order to inform consumers. The Health Inspectorate shall publish the relevant report on the Internet home page of the Health Inspectorate. The public report shall include accurate information regarding drinking water supplied on average in the amount of 1000 m³ (and more) per day or supplied to more than 5000 persons, regarding the number and type of objects examined, the number of water samples inspected specifying how many of them fail to conform to the mandatory harmlessness and quality requirements, as well as regarding corrective measures, results thereof and special rules or maximum values granted in accordance with Paragraphs 19.² and 22 of these Regulations. The Health Inspectorate shall provide the public report regarding the quality and harmlessness of drinking water to consumers within a calendar year after the end of the current reporting period.

[28 July 2009; 29 September 2009]

35.¹ The Health Inspectorate shall, within two months after publication of the information referred to in Paragraph 35 of these Regulations, send the public report to the European Commission. The Health Inspectorate shall send a copy of the report to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Environment.

[27 March 2007; 28 July 2009; 29 September 2009]

36. The Health Inspectorate shall ensure accessibility of such drinking water monitoring data that are necessary for the implementation of State functions in accordance with the Law On State Information Systems.

[29 September 2009]

37. A laboratory test of drinking water shall be performed in a laboratory, which has been accredited by the Latvian National Accreditation Bureau of the limited liability company "Standardisation, Accreditation and Metrology Centre" in conformity with the standard LVS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 "General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories", or in another European Union Member State institution regarding which the Ministry of Economics has published a notice in the newspaper Latvijas Vēstnesis [the official Gazette of the Government of Latvia]. Drinking water shall be tested utilising the methods specified in Annex 3 to these Regulations, taking into account that:

37.1. the laboratory has the right to utilise methods not referred to in Annex 3, Paragraph one of these Regulations if the results acquired are comparable to the results acquired by the testing methods referred to in Annex 3, and if the limit of determination, accuracy and reliability of results are as high as by other testing methods;

37.2. any method of analysis may be utilised for the parameters referred to in Annex 3, Paragraph two of these Regulations if such method complies with the requirements specified in Annex 3;

37.3. a particular method of analysis has not been specified in determining the following parameters:

37.3.1. colour;

37.3.2. odour;

37.3.3. taste;

37.3.4. total organic carbon; and

37.3.5. turbidity. In determining the turbidity in samples of treated surface water, the method of analysis used must be capable of measuring the referred to parameter values with a reliability of 25%, a precision of 25% and a lowest determination sensitivity of 25%.

[3 January 2006; 29 September 2009]

38. The taking of drinking water samples and transportation to the laboratory shall be performed in accordance with the standards LVS EN ISO 5667-3:2007 "Quality of water - Sampling - Part 3: Guidance on the preservation and handling of samples"; and LVS ISO 5667-5:2007 "Water quality - Sampling - Part 5: Guidance on sampling of drinking water from treatment works and piped distribution systems".

[3 January 2006; 27 March 2007; 19 May 2008]

39. Compliance with these Regulations shall be controlled by:

39.1. the Food and Veterinary Service - by examining drinking water utilised in food undertakings, except for water supply undertakings; and

39.2. the Health Inspectorate - public drinking water supply objects from the water supply points to the consumer.

[6 December 2005; 19 May 2008]

40. If the non-compliance of drinking water with the requirements specified in these Regulations or parameters, which are not included in Annex 1 of these Regulations, has been determined, or the substantiated suspicions regarding threat to the health of consumers has arisen:

40.1. the Health Inspectorate and the Food and Veterinary Service shall without delay decide regarding further action, upon evaluation of the possible threat to the health of consumers, taking into account the parameters exceeded and by how much the maximum values are exceeded;

40.2. the Health Inspectorate and the Food and Veterinary Service has the right to restrict or prohibit the supply or use of drinking water in conformity with the Epidemiological Safety Law and the Law on the Supervision of the Handling of Food, as well as to apply a penalty in conformity with the Administrative Violations Code;

40.3. the Food and Veterinary Service or water suppliers, if necessary, shall consult with the Health Inspectorate in order to evaluate the possible threat to the health of consumers which may be caused by restriction or prohibition to supply or use drinking water; and

40.4. the Health Inspectorate shall ensure the notification of consumers regarding restrictions or prohibition to supply or use drinking water, but the Food and Veterinary Service - regarding the prohibition to use packaged drinking water . The Health Inspectorate shall control the fulfilment of Paragraphs 9 and 22.¹ of these Regulations.

[19 May 2008; 28 July 2009; 29 September 2009]

IV. Closing Provisions

41. In populated areas where the number of inhabitants exceeds 100 thousand, by the year 2008, in populated areas where the number of inhabitants is from 10 to 100 thousand, by the year 2011 and in populated areas where the number of inhabitants is less than 100 thousand, by the year 2015, in non-packaged drinking water:

41.1. the content of bromates (Sub-paragraph 2.7 of Annex 1) shall not exceed 25 mg/l;

41.2. the overall content of trihalomethanes (Sub-paragraph 2.24 of Annex 1) shall not exceed 150 mg/l;

41.3. the content of aluminium (Sub-paragraph 3.1 of Annex 1) shall not exceed 0.5 mg/l;

41.4. the content of iron (Sub-paragraph 3.7. of Annex 1) shall not exceed 0.4 mg/l;

41.5. the content of manganese (Sub-paragraph 3.11 of Annex 1) shall not exceed 0.2 mg/l; and

41.6. oxidizability (KMnO₄) (Sub-paragraph 3.13 of Annex 1) shall not exceed 8 mg l/O₂.

42. Paragraphs 23, 25, 26, 30, 31, 35 and 37 and Sub-paragraphs 32.2 and 32.3 of these Regulations shall come into force on 1 July 2003.

42.¹ [28 July 2009].

[27 March 2007; 28 July 2009]

43. In the cases referred to in Paragraph 24 of these Regulations, the Health Inspectorate shall perform the audit monitoring from funds assigned by the State budget law.

[29 September 2009]

44. Cabinet Regulation No. 63 of 23 February 1999, Mandatory Harmlessness Requirements for Drinking Water (Latvijas Vēstnesis, 1999, No. 57/59) is repealed.

Informative Reference to European Union Directives

These Regulations contain legal norms arising from Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption.

[3 January 2006]

Prime Minister E. Repše

Minister for Health I. Circene

[28 July 2009; 29 September 2009]

Annex 1
Cabinet Regulation No. 235
29 April 2003

Mandatory Harmlessness and Quality Requirements for Drinking Water

1. Microbiological Parameters

2. Chemical Parameters

3. Control parameters for monitoring of drinking water and corrective action.

[27 March 2007]

Minister for Health I. Circene

[28 July 2009; 29 September 2009]

Annex 2
Cabinet Regulation No. 235
29 April 2003

Parameters to be Determined for Monitoring of Drinking Water and Frequency of Analysis

1. Parameters to be determined for a regular monitoring (regular inspections):

2. Minimum frequency of sampling¹ and analysis of water:

Notes.

¹ Samples shall be taken in the places specified in Paragraph 13 of these Regulations in order to ensure that drinking water conforms to the requirements of these Regulations. If drinking water is supplied from water pipelines, for the determination of special parameters, samples may be taken in a supply zone or in treatment plants if it may be proved that a significant difference does not exist between the relevant parameters.

² A supply zone is a geographically defined area in which the drinking water is supplied from one or several resources and in which the quality of drinking water is considered as being approximately uniform.

³ Volume of water is calculated as an average volume in a calendar year. The number of inhabitants in a supply zone may be utilised in calculation of water volume assuming that the water consumption is 200 litres a day per capita.

⁴ In the case of short-term supplies, the Health Inspectorate shall determine the frequency of the control of drinking water supplied in tankers.

⁵ In order to determine the compliance of drinking water to the harmlessness parameters of drinking water determined in Annex 1 of these Regulations, the frequency of analyses may be reduced if so determined by the Health Inspectorate and the results over at least two successive years have been stable and better than prescribed in Annex 1. The frequency of analyses may not be reduced by more than 50 per cent.

⁶Samples shall be taken regularly in order that the results of analyses be characteristic of the average annual parametric values determined for drinking water.

⁷ In order to determine the compliance of drinking water with the harmlessness and quality parameters of drinking water specified in Annex 1 of these Regulations, the Health Inspectorate may reduce the frequency of audit inspection, but not by less than up to one sample within a six year period. The Health Inspectorate shall determine which parameters referred to in Annex 1 of these Regulations need not be determined during the audit inspection in accordance with the requirements of Sub-paragraph 23.2 of these Regulations.

Minister for Health I. Circene

[19 May 2008]

Annex 3
Cabinet Regulation No. 235
29 April 2003

Methods for Determination of Harmlessness and Quality Parameters of Drinking Water

1. Parameters for which particular methods of analysis have been determined:

2. Parameters for which efficiency characterisation has been determined¹:

Notes.

¹ The efficiency characterisation of parameters specified in Paragraph 2 of this Annex shall be such that methods of analysis may be used by which at least as high a limit of detection, precision and reliability is achieved as specified in this Table.

² Irrespective of the sensitivity of the method of analysis used (lowest limit of detection of the method), results shall be expressed using at least the number of decimals for parametric values as specified in Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Annex 1.

³ LVS ISO 5725-1:2006 + TC1 "Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results - Part 1: General principles and definitions", LVS ISO 5725-2:2006 + TC1 "Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results - Part 2: Basic method for the determination of repeatability and reproducibility of a standard measurement method", LVS ISO 5725-3:2006 + TC1 "Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results - Part 3: Intermediate measures of the precision of a standard measurement method", LVS ISO 5725-4:2006 "Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results - Part 4: Basic methods for the determination of the trueness of a standard measurement method", LVS ISO 5725-5:2006 + AC "Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results - Part 5: Alternative methods for the determination of the precision of a standard measurement method", LV ISO 5725-6:2006 + TC1 "Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results - Part 6: Use in practice of accuracy values" - systematic error expressed as the difference between the true value of the parameter and the mean value obtained as a result of a sufficiently large number of repeated measurements.

⁴ LVS ISO 5725-1:2006 + TC1 "Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results - Part 1: General principles and definitions", LVS ISO 5725-2:2006 + TC1 "Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results - Part 2: Basic method for the determination of repeatability and reproducibility of a standard measurement method", LVS ISO 5725-3:2006 + TC1 "Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results - Part 3: Intermediate measures of the precision of a standard measurement method", LVS ISO 5725-4:2006 "Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results - Part 4: Basic methods for the determination of the trueness of a standard measurement method", LVS ISO 5725-5:2006 + AC "Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results - Part 5: Alternative methods for the determination of the precision of a standard measurement method", LV ISO 5725-6:2006 + TC1 "Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results - Part 6: Use in practice of accuracy values" - the random error expressed as the standard deviation (within or between batches) of the average value of the parameter specified. The acceptable precision is twice the relative standard deviation.

⁵ Lowest limit of detection - three times the relative standard deviation of a control sample of natural water with the lowest concentration of the relevant parameter, which is determinable by the method utilised, or five times the relative standard deviation of a control sample.

[3 January 2006; 27 March 2007; 18 May 2008]

Minister for Health I. Circene

Translation © 2009 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)