New Rulebook on Drinking Water Quality Increases Maximum Allowed Chemical Levels in Balkans
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Government
The Ministry of Health has amended the Rulebook on drinking water quality to allow higher levels of ammonia, boron, chloride, and sodium. The new rules, which entered into force at the end of April, were met with criticism from the part of the public, while the Ministry and experts claim there is no reason to fear.
By Vladimir Spasić, Balkan Energy News
The maximum allowable ammonia level has been increased from 0.1 to 0.5 milligrams per liter of water, boron from 0.3 to 1 mg/l, sodium from 150 to 200 mg/l, and chloride from 200 to 250 mg/l.
The use of drinking water from the local waterworks in Zrenjanin was prohibited back in 2004 over increased levels of arsenic. After a lot of problems, a new water treatment plant has recently been tested, but only for a brief period, because the water quality was not satisfactory.
The Ministry of Health has responded to criticism by saying that the previous Rulebook was adopted in 1999 and that the World Health Organization (WHO) has since recommended the drafting of a drinking water health safe plan as the first step towards securing drinking water health safety.
In accordance with the third edition of the WHO drinking-water quality Guidelines, published in 2004, many countries have changed their drinking water regulatory framework.
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