TY - JOUR
T1 - Water quality for citizen confidence
T2 - The implementation process of 2020 EU Drinking Water Directive in Nordic countries
AU - Bayona-Valderrama, Ángela
AU - Gunnarsdóttir, María J.
AU - Rossi, Pekka M.
AU - Albrechtsen, Hans-Jörgen
AU - Bergkvist, Kim Steve Gerlach
AU - Gardarsson, Sigurður M.
AU - Eriksson, Magnus
AU - Hansen, Lisbeth Truelstrup
AU - Jensen, Pernille Erland
AU - Maréchal, Judith Y. A.
AU - Myrmel, Mette
AU - Persson, Kenneth M.
AU - Bjerken, August
AU - Kalheim, Frida Celius
AU - Bartram, Jamie
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - The European Union Drinking Water Directive aims to protect human health and promote safe water consumption. The 2020 revision, Article 17 in particular, directed member states to provide public access to information on drinking water. This update was a response to citizen initiatives calling for the active participation of end-users in water services and greater transparency from water utilities. Difficulties implementing previous versions of the directive have highlighted divergences between policy purposes, local capacity to implement, and public response. These divergences are explored within eight case studies in Nordic countries and analysed using the policy implementation framework. We employed a mixed-method, multi-stage approach. Policy formulation was characterized through a literature review, policy design by the synthesis of legislative instruments, and policy implementation via an analysis of delivery behaviour based on interviews. We identified the main drivers of the directive's update and contrast these with the ongoing implementation process in the countries of study. Our results point to a differential and highly contextual implementation, which differs from the primary drivers of the policy update, namely, the establishment of public confidence in water services.
AB - The European Union Drinking Water Directive aims to protect human health and promote safe water consumption. The 2020 revision, Article 17 in particular, directed member states to provide public access to information on drinking water. This update was a response to citizen initiatives calling for the active participation of end-users in water services and greater transparency from water utilities. Difficulties implementing previous versions of the directive have highlighted divergences between policy purposes, local capacity to implement, and public response. These divergences are explored within eight case studies in Nordic countries and analysed using the policy implementation framework. We employed a mixed-method, multi-stage approach. Policy formulation was characterized through a literature review, policy design by the synthesis of legislative instruments, and policy implementation via an analysis of delivery behaviour based on interviews. We identified the main drivers of the directive's update and contrast these with the ongoing implementation process in the countries of study. Our results point to a differential and highly contextual implementation, which differs from the primary drivers of the policy update, namely, the establishment of public confidence in water services.
KW - Citizen confidence
KW - Communication
KW - Drinking Water
KW - EU drinking water directive
KW - Policy implementation
KW - Water quality
U2 - 10.2166/wp.2024.013
DO - 10.2166/wp.2024.013
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1366-7017
VL - 26
SP - 793
EP - 816
JO - Water Policy
JF - Water Policy
IS - 8
ER -