According to the Drinking Water Directive (DWD) drinking water is water intended for human consumption including “all water either in its original state or after treatment, intended for drinking, cooking, food preparation or other domestic purposes, regardless of its origin and whether it is supplied from a distribution network, from a tanker, or in bottles or containers; (b) all water used in any food-production undertaking for the manufacture, processing, preservation or marketing of products or substances intended for human consumption unless the competent national authorities are satisfied that the quality” (Council Directive 98/83/EC) 1) . The directive has been ratified in Germany with the equal definition. In Austria the ratification led to the definition of drinking water as “to be used as food” or in food production, required to comply with specific water quality requirements. In the Slovenian national definition, drinking water is water that complies with regulations on the health suitability of foodstuffs (ZV-1).
Within AlpES one of the eight selected ecosystem services is the provisioning service “Surface water for drinking with minor or no treatments”.