Due to the improper management of water resources in the past decades, most source waters in Taiwan are polluted more or less. The cost for removal of contaminants in source waters such as microorganisms and toxic materials in water treatment plants (WTPs) is very high. Moreover, those pollutants might react with the chlorine, commanly used as a disinfectant in WTPs, and produce harmful disinfection by-products, which is highly concerned by the public. Up to date, the standards of dioxins and haloacetic acids (HAAs) are not available in Taiwan. Meanwhile, the standards of pesticides and volatile organic carbons (VOCs) are not been revised for a long time. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the feasibility of establishment and promulgation of these toxic materials in the drinking water quality standards for the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (TEPA). As mentioned above, this project is dedicated to gather the matrix and content of safety drinking water laws and quality standards in other countries. After confirming the background information and analytic technology in water treatment plant, the “Safe Drinking Water Management Law (Draft)” and unregulated pollutants control schedule are established. Through three advisory committee meeting discussions and the integration of Water Management Act and Tap-water Law in the area of water quality, the new management law should be amended seven items including drinking water public health risk management, drinking water quality management, water supply system security, groundwater source protection plan, water quality monitoring, emergency protection plan and simple drinking water management. Meanwhile, the unregulated pollutants control schedule including bacteria (Fecal Coliform and E. coli), Dioxin (PCDD/Fs), pesticides (Cartap, Chlorpyrifos, Dimethoate, Glyphosate, Pehtachlorophenol, Phorate, Terbufos), disinfection by-products (Haloacetic acids, Chlorite), and volatile organic carbons (Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Tetrachloroethylene, cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Dichloromethane, 1,2-Dichlorobenzene, Styrene, Xylene, Chlorobenzene, 1,4-Dichlorobenzene, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, Methly-t-butyl Ether) are also added in drinking water quality regulation. Finally, the corresponding strategies and implementation plans will be proposed in this project.

Safe Drinking Water Management Law, public health risk management, drinking water quality management