Drinking water worldwide regulation

Drinking water intended for human consumption is the most protected foodstuff worldwide and thus many national and international regulations have been introduced to assure a safe drinking water supply. In general, drinking water must be of a quality that under no circumstances would present a hazard to human health. In many countries, such as Germany, standards for water resources that may be used for drinking water production are specified [1]. 

Worldwide, the greatest unresolved water quality concerns are in countries with the fewest resources, where demand for water is growing and research and restoration funding sources are scarce. The fate of aquatic resources in the world s poorest countries should be of concern to all countries. Because the toxicity of drinking water often increases with nutrient enrichment, excess nutrients should be treated as toxic substances and banned. There is an urgent need for the universal regulation of nutrients to protect drinking water supplies and aquatic biodiversity. 

TABLE 3 Worldwide Regulated Levels of Lead in Drinking Water... 

---