General obligations
Article 4
1. Without prejudice to their obligations under other Union law, Member States shall take the measures necessary to ensure that water intended for human consumption is wholesome and clean. For the purposes of the minimum requirements of this Directive, water intended for human consumption shall be wholesome and clean if all the following requirements are met: (a) that water is free from any micro-organisms and parasites and from any substances which, in numbers or concentrations, constitute a potential danger to human health; (b) that water meets the minimum requirements set out in Parts A, B and D of Annex I; (c) Member States have taken all other measures necessary to comply with Articles 5 to 14. 2. Member States shall ensure that the measures taken to implement this Directive are based on the precautionary principle and in no circumstances have the effect of allowing, directly or indirectly, any deterioration of the present quality of water intended for human consumption or any increase in the pollution of waters used for the production of water intended for human consumption. 3. In accordance with Directive 2000/60/EC, Member States shall ensure that an assessment of water leakage levels within their territory and of the potential for improvements in water leakage reduction is performed using the infrastructural leakage index (ILI) rating method or another appropriate method. That assessment shall take into account relevant public health, environmental, technical and economic aspects and cover at least water suppliers supplying at least 10 000 m 3 per day or serving at least 50 000 people. The results of the assessment shall be communicated to the Commission by 12 January 2026. By 12 January 2028, the Commission shall adopt a delegated act in accordance with Article 21 in order to supplement this Directive, by setting out a threshold, based on ILI or another appropriate method, above which Member States shall present an action plan. That delegated act shall be drafted using the Member States’ assessments and the Union average leakage rate determined on the basis of those assessments. Within two years of the adoption of the delegated act referred to in the third subparagraph, Member States having a leakage rate exceeding the threshold set out in the delegated act shall present an action plan to the Commission laying down a set of measures to be taken in order to reduce their leakage rate.