Working Groups
Plumbosolvency control (Working Group 1)
The topic area is justified by the complexity of this single issue and its importance on how best to deal with a widespread problem of historic origin. The following scientific aspects will be covered:
- The occurrence of lead piping and the evidence for lead in drinking water problems will be reviewed
- Causative factors will be evaluated, particularly water quality influences (such as organics)
- The suitability of various sampling methods will be further evaluated by reference to practitioner experience and the risks of making erroneous conclusions about regulatory compliance will be assessed
- The availability of other investigative techniques will be reviewed
- The relevance of metal speciation will be reviewed
- Collaborative research will be promoted, particularly in relation to improvements in investigative techniques (for example, refinement of zonal emission modelling methods)
- Demonstration studies will be promoted, which utilize the range of control methods available within a clearly structured investigative framework and which include an appropriate range of circumstances (water quality, type of housing stock, etc)
- State-of-the-art reports and appropriate codes of practice will be prepared
- The potential risks to human health arising from lead in drinking water will be assessed, in the light of the above.
There is already sufficient information about the behaviour of pH and alkalinity in relation to lead solubility so that further work on this aspect is unlikely to be necessary.
Chair: Dr Colin Hayes (UK)
Cuprosolvency control (Working Group 2)
The topic area is justified by the complexity of this single issue, by the continued widespread use of this material and by the major uncertainties about its future use. The following scientific aspects will be covered:
- The occurrence of copper piping and the evidence for copper in drinking water problems will be reviewed
- Causative factors will be evaluated, particularly water quality influences (such as pH, alkalinity and organics)
- The suitability of various sampling methods will be further evaluated by reference to practitioner experience and the risks of making erroneous conclusions about regulatory compliance will be assessed
- The availability of other investigative techniques will be reviewed
- The relevance of metal speciation will be reviewed
- Collaborative research will be promoted, particularly in relation to improvements in investigative techniques (for example, development of rapid cuprosolvency test procedures, development of zonal copper emission models)
- A scientific basis for restricting the future use of copper pipe-work will be considered
- State-of-the-art reports and appropriate codes of practice will be prepared
- The potential risks to human health arising from copper in drinking water will be assessed, in the light of the above.
Chair: Dr Joseph Klinger (DE)
Other metals and related substances (Working Group 3)
The focus will be on arsenic removal, the control of iron discolouration from water mains, determining the significance of nickel and the ramifications of the European Acceptance Scheme. The following scientific aspects will be covered:
- The occurrence of arsenic problems and the performance of corrective treatments will be evaluated
- The extent of nickel problems and causative factors will be reviewed
- The extent of iron discolouration problems and the scientific methods used in remediation will be reviewed
- The suitability of various sampling methods will be further evaluated by reference to practitioner experience and the risks of making erroneous conclusions about regulatory compliance will be assessed
- The availability of other investigative techniques will be reviewed
- The relevance of metal speciation will be reviewed
- Collaborative research will be promoted, particularly in relation to improvements in investigative techniques (for example, development of rapid nickel-solvency test procedures)
- A scientific basis for restricting the future use of nickel in water fittings will be considered
- State-of-the-art reports and appropriate codes of practice will be prepared
- The potential risks to human health arising from other metals and related substances in drinking water will be assessed, in the light of the above
- The relevance of the European Acceptance Scheme will be tracked as it is implemented.
The occurrence in drinking water of the other metals and metalloids included in Directive 98/83/EC (that is: Sb, Cd, Cr, Hg and Se) are considered to be much less of a problem, but will be assessed for significance.
class="wg_chair">Chair: Professor Mustafa Ersöz (TR)
Environmental and socio-economic impacts (Working Group 4)
The topic area is justified by the scale of the issues, particularly plumbosolvency control involving the use of phosphate corrosion inhibitors, and the common ambition to find sustainable solutions to problems with metals and related substances in drinking water, for the maximum benefit of the European society and its environment.
The following scientific aspects will be covered:
- The environmental impact of the wide-spread dosing of ortho-phosphate (and other corrosion inhibitors) to water supplies will be quantified as far as possible by reference to practitioner experience
- The environmental impact of metal residues in drinking water will be evaluated in relation to sewage sludge disposal routes
- The environmental impact of wide-spread lead pipe replacement will be evaluated, particularly for City and Town environments (disruption to water consumers, disruption to communities, disposal of old pipes, etc)
- Collaborative research will be promoted, particularly in relation to the better quantification of environmental and socio-economic impacts (for example, the development of catchment or City-wide impact models, further evaluation of public health impacts (as appropriate), quantification of the commercial impact of restrictions, etc)
- State-of-the-art reports and appropriate codes of practice will be prepared.
Chair: Dr Mátyás Borsányi (HU)