The recent royal decree on drinking water introduces tighter controls on the presence of unauthorized pesticides. At this moment, tap water is more strictly regulated than bottled water when it comes to banned or unlicensed pesticides.
The new standard aims to safeguard public health. It obliges the use of safe, effective chemicals and filter media, and it requires careful management of various water treatment methods to minimize health risks for users.
The document notes that greater consumer awareness, clearer information, and more transparency will boost confidence in the water supplied and the related services, which in turn should encourage more people to rely on tap water.
Ecologists in Action welcomed the decree, calling tap water safer thanks to a reduction in banned and unlicensed pesticides.
The decree maintains the previous limit for allowed pesticides at 0.1 micrograms per liter, but introduces a stricter cap for banned or unauthorized pesticides at 0.03 micrograms per liter. This tighter limit, formerly applicable to only four substances, now applies to all pesticides unless explicitly permitted.
A significant change
Ecologists in Action emphasizes that this is a major shift because unauthorized and prohibited substances tend to be more toxic and dangerous to health and ecosystems.
Bottled water in supermarkets is pictured as part of the broader water choice landscape. The image caption notes the contrast in pesticide controls between tap and bottled water according to the decree and NGO commentary.
Interestingly, the royal decree regulating the exploitation of mineral waters, natural waters, springs, and packaged waters for human consumption keeps the same limit of 0.1 micrograms per liter for both permitted and non-permitted pesticides. This inconsistency draws attention from Ecologists in Action, who point out that tap water has stricter pesticide controls than bottled water when substances are banned or too toxic.
The NGO explains that consumers choosing bottled water may pay significantly more—often more than three times the cost—while facing looser pesticide restrictions compared with tap water in many areas.
The environmental group stresses that authorities must ensure the new standard is put into practice on every tap. It calls for correct water management to guarantee a healthy supply across all populations.
The protection agency has long drawn scrutiny over how European and Spanish regulations handle substances like HCH and lindane, noting gaps between drinking water limits and environmental water quality standards. Critics say legislation should align these values more closely.
There is a call to revise drinking water legislation so that the uptake of these limits becomes consistent across all contexts.
Criticism of the Ministry of Consumption
The NGO notes that discussions around European directives on drinking water quality began in 2018, with initiatives forwarded to the Spanish Parliament and the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge in 2020. Representatives also held meetings with the Ministries of Health and Consumption to push for changes.
Despite this push for stronger protection of tap water, Ecologists in Action regrets that bottled water regulation has not kept pace with the goals for tap water, and they urge action from the department led by Alberto Garzón. They hope regulations will be extended to all autonomous communities and properly enforced.
The decree is framed as a dual effort: it creates a legal framework to protect health by preventing contamination of drinking water, and it supports the United Nations declaration on the human right to water and sanitation, as stated by the government in the introductory lines of the text.
For those seeking the royal decree, the official text is referenced as a source document. [Citation: Royal Decree 3/2023 on drinking water for human consumption].