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BOOK OF ABSTRACTS 2005

International Conference on New water Culture of South - East European Countries 38

COPPER AND DRINKING WATER

Kostas Tsapras

Chemist, Director of Hellenic Copper Development Institute

Messogeion av . 2-4 Athens tower-building C.

115-27, Athens

Phone: +210 686 1590

Fax: +210 686 1589

Copper is an essential nutrient and therefore international agencies (WHO, US EPA) have recommended minimum daily intakes around
1 mg/day for an adult.
A comprehensive risk assessment exercise demonstrated that for the general population in the EU, especially, elderly people are potentially at risk from copper deficiency and recommends further research to assess deficiency risks for other potentially sensitive sub-populations.

This conclusion confirms the WHO (1998) statement that there was a greater risk from copper deficiency than from copper excess. 
On the other hand, the EU Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC) is a key EU regulation, currently being implemented by EU Member States. To further ensure the good quality of the drinking water in Europe, a European Acceptance Scheme (EAS) for products in contact with drinking water is currently under development.
Both EU initiatives are important for the materials used for drinking water circulation. Existing information on copper releases to drinking water has indicated that copper tubes are compatible with the EU Drinking Water Directive guideline for copper
(2 mg/L as a weekly average), with some exceptions related to the chemistry of the incoming water.

Information on the microbial growth induction of material is required under the EAS and information on copper tubes, reducing biofilm formation and growth of pathogens in the drinking water, are being used in these discussions.