The Romanian Senate silently adopted, on Monday, March 23, a draft law that stipulates the obligation of public institutions, schools, sanitary units, economic operators that manage railway stations, airports, metro stations to ensure free access to drinking water for citizens, by placing water dispensers.
On March 19, the deadline for debate and vote came to an end. On Monday, the deadline being exceeded, the project is considered adopted, to be sent to the Chamber of Deputies, which is the decision-making body.
This legislative proposal complements Government Ordinance no. 7/2023 on the quality of water intended for human consumption.
Public institutions and authorities, public sanitary units, educational units, as well as economic operators who manage metro stations, railway stations, bus stations and airports have, according to the project, the obligation to ensure free access to drinking water for the visiting public, travelers, patients or beneficiaries of public services.
Also, drinking water dispensers will be placed in waiting areas, access halls and heavily trafficked transit areas, regardless of whether or not the location allows direct connection to the public water distribution network.
“In order to protect human health, the operation of water dispensers, regardless of their type (connected to the network or with supply through containers), is conditioned by the cumulative compliance with the following measures: a) the provision of single-use cups, made of biodegradable or recyclable materials; b) the existence of a service contract with an authorized profile unit, which ensures water supply, maintenance and periodic sanitation of the devices“, the normative act also provides.
The analysis bulletin, on sight
At the same time, in the case of dispensers supplied with bottled water, the supplier has the obligation to make available to the institution or contracting unit, for each supplied supply, a copy of the latest analysis report for the supplied water batch. The analysis bulletin must be available for consultation at the request of any interested person or the control bodies, the normative act also establishes.
