For two decades, European drinking-water markets have used different national approval frameworks, including WRAS in the UK, UBA requirements in Germany and ACS in France. A document for one destination does not establish acceptance in another. The recast Drinking Water Directive replaces that patchwork with one set of rules. In April 2024 the European Commission published the six acts that make it work in practice, and they apply in general from 31 December 2026.
Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/367 sets European positive lists of the starting substances, compositions and constituents that may be used in materials in contact with drinking water. Decisions 2024/365 and 2024/368 set how substances and final materials are tested and accepted. Delegated Regulation 2024/369 sets how a new substance is added to the lists, 2024/370 sets the conformity assessment procedures and the rules for designating assessment bodies, and 2024/371 sets a harmonised marking for compliant products.
The scope is broad. It covers products used to abstract, treat, store or distribute drinking water in new installations and in repair work, which explicitly includes supply pipes and fittings. Compliant products will carry an EU declaration of conformity and the new EU marking. A substance that is not yet on the list can be added, but the applicant must first notify the European Chemicals Agency, usually at least twelve months before applying.
What it means for multilayer pipe
In a multilayer pipe the water touches only the inner plastic layer, so that layer carries most of the compliance burden: the base resin (PE-X, PE-RT or PP-R), any stabilisers and processing aids, and any colour masterbatch. The aluminium core and the adhesive layers sit behind it, but importers will still want to know what they are made of.
The practical consequence is traceability. A supplier must be able to show, batch by batch, which resin grade went into the inner layer and that it matches the material that was assessed. Changing a resin grade or a masterbatch without telling the customer will no longer be a small purchasing decision.
What buyers should ask now
Before signing contracts that run into 2027, ask your pipe supplier for the resin grades used in each layer and the raw-material supplier declarations, confirm how batch numbers on the pipe link back to those materials, and agree who carries the cost of testing for your market. Then check the transitional provisions in the acts, and whether a national approval is still needed, for each country you sell into.
The SUSLiD view
SUSLiD records the resin grade of every layer against each production batch, and the batch number is printed on the pipe. For EU drinking-water projects, send us the destination country and we will prepare the material information your test laboratory needs.
Source: Drinking water to become safer thanks to new EU-wide hygiene standards for materials and products in contact with water · European Commission, 2024-01-23
