Afssa Sécurité sanitaire des aliments Veille Expertise Recherche Santé publique

Water the first 'food'

2010, the international year of biodiversity is an opportunity for AFSSA to highlight its involvement concerning water, the most important 'food' we consume and an element that is essential to life. Water quality is also of major importance and it is noteworthy that European regulations require that all of the member States' surface and ground water be in “good general condition” by 2015.

Water is life itself

Water is essential to keeping the body in good working order and maintaining hydration
Fruits, vegetables, dairy products, soups, meat and biscuits are all foodstuffs which contain varying quantities of water. We therefore 'eat' almost a litre of water in our food each day. However, since we also lose almost 2.5 litres of water every day through breathing, perspiration and urine, we also need to drink to compensate for this.

Did you know?

Water accounts for 60% of an adult's body mass and up to 75% of an infant's body mass.

AFSSA's mission is to ensure
pure, quality water
from source to tap

In France, 30,000 dams and 15,300 treatment stations produce 18.5 million m_ of water per day*. Tap water intended for human consumption, also referred to as water for public distribution, is one of the most strictly controlled items in our diet. Its quality is monitored by producers and distributors and subject to surveillance by health authorities.

Tap water: AFFSA's role

AFSSA helps ensure pure high-quality water, from source to tap:
- it helps draft regulations, standards and technical guides for France and Europe;
-it assesses the health risks due to the presence of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, etc) and chemical pollutants (nitrates, lead, pesticides, etc);
- it evaluates the harmlessness and effectiveness of treatment products and processes, but also of the materials and objects used in water production, treatment and distribution facilities;
- in its role as national reference laboratory, the Agency may be consulted by the State to eliminate doubts if the results of analyses do not comply with regulations or in the event of contradictory results being found by different laboratories;
- finally, it conducts research on water chemistry and microbiology.

* Source: rapport ' L'eau potable en France ' (Ministère de la Santé, 2005-2006). (report entitled 'Drinking water in France'-Ministry of Health)

Did you know?

Tap water comes from surface water and groundwater. It is treated for about 60 parameters in accordance with the law.
This treatment is adapted to the quality of the resource for the purpose of eliminating any microorganisms it might contain (bacteria, viruses, parasites) as well as pollutants and excess mineral salts.

Useful site

The French Ministry of Health has set up the portal www.eaupotable.sante.gouv.fr
which gives the latest results for health inspections of drinking water quality conducted in your region by the de-centralised departments of the Ministry of Health.

AFFSA contributes to the quality of bottled water

As for tap water, the quality of bottled water is monitored by producers and distributors and is subject to surveillance by health authorities. Each source requires an authorisation from the prefecture before it can be exploited.

AFSSA provides health authorities with tools for assessing the quality of water. In 2008 it published guidelines for evaluating the purity and quality of natural mineral water*.

AFSSA's laboratory for study and research in hydrology conducts research on the stability of materials used for packaging bottled water.

AFSSA and mineral water, a long story...

On behalf of the Directorate General for Health, AFSSA has long evaluated applications for authorisation to market natural mineral water. This procedure is now carried out by the préféctures, but AFSSA still plays a surveillance role and can issue opinions for special cases.

* Rapport lignes directrices nécessaires à l'évaluation de la sécurité sanitaire des eaux minérales
naturelles (mai 2008).[Guidelines required for evaluating the purity and quality of natural mineral waters (May 2008)].

Did you know?

Natural mineral water and spring water both come from protected ground aquifers. They are free of micro-organisms and can only be treated to eliminate approximately 10 undesirable natural substances (fluorine, arsenic, iron, etc).
Natural mineral water has a constant mineral composition and because of this has its own quality criteria.
It may be beneficial to health and depending on its composition, be recommended for special uses.
Spring water is subject to the same quality restrictions as tap water.

A figure that counts

France produces 11 billion litres of natural mineral water per year.
Source: DRIRE/DNEMT data for 2004.

Materials in contact
with water are kept
under close scrutiny

From production to consumption, water is in contact with a number of different materials. The materials in contact with water are used in facilities for fixed production, treatment and distribution of water intended for human consumption. They are subjected to national regulations. The public health code defines health requirements for these different materials according to their nature and the use to which they are put.
AFSSA assesses these materials before they are marketed. As a 'food', water may be in contact with containers (water bottles, plastic bottles, baby bottles, etc) composed up of 'food contact' materials which are mainly subject to European regulations.

Bisphenol A: AFSSA continues its assessment

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a compound which may be used for plastic materials in contact with food and water. New studies on BPA were recently published and AFSSA issued an internal request in October 2009. On the basis of this expert assessment, the Agency concluded that the methodology used in the studies did not allow for a formal interpretation of the data which would bring into question the previous risk assessment. However since subtle effects have been observed, the Agency has decided to continue its assessment work, in cooperation with EFSA* and the international agency network, in order to understand the significance for human health of these warning signals, to inform consumers and enable health authorities to take the necessary steps.

*European Food Safety Authority

Assessment of pesticides:
protect plants while minimising risks
for humans and ecosystems

Pesticides are active substances used to protect plants and crops. Their use may involve risks for people and the environment.
Since 2006, the assessment of pesticides prior to authorisation for marketing has been entrusted to AFSSA's Department for plants and the environment. The Ministry of Agriculture then decides whether or not to authorize the product.

AFSSA assesses risks for farm workers and consumers but also for natural environments, including water and living organisms (microorganisms in the soil, fauna and flora). It weighs the advantages to agriculture of a given product against the risks.
Finally, the Agency also issues recommendations for use of products in order to protect water resources and, if necessary, suggests restrictions on use for pesticides at risk.
These recommendations and the technical solutions proposed fit into a general strategy of sustainable agriculture.

Did you know?

In water, risks related to pesticides are assessed for each link in the food chain, from algae to fish as well as invertebrates (shellfish, insects, etc).
This means that AFSSA can recommend that pesticide use be prohibited in areas near water coursesIt can also recommend restrictions on use (maximum annual number of pesticide applications for a given plot) in order to protect groundwater.

Teams watch over water

In contributing to the purity and quality of water intended for human consumption, AFSSA relies on the expertise of three laboratories and three assessment groups.

Laboratory for study and research in hydrology

Located in Nancy, this laboratory has a staff of 22 including scientists, technicians and administrative personnel. It is specialised in water intended for human consumption or which is part of the food chain and leads a national network of specialised laboratories. Its mission consists in providing scientific support for public decision-makers. It helps assess risks related to the composition of water, but also to its treatment and distribution processes and conducts research into water chemistry and microbiology.

Did you know?

In 2009, the Nancy laboratory performed 15,592 analyses.

Laboratory for study and research on veterinary medicinal products and disinfectants

Located in Fougères, with 4 scientific teams, this laboratory helps evaluate the safety and efficacy of veterinary medicinal products and disinfectants. It develops analytical methods which are used not only to detect, quantify and confirm the presence of these substances, but also to study their fate and to make monitoring tools available to keep track of these hazards for the consumer.

Department for plants and the environment

Located in Maisons-Alfort, this department has an environment and ecotoxicology unit which employs 26 scientists specialised in ecotoxicology, in soil and/or sub-soil science and in agronomics. The department works with three scientific panels specialised in chemical phytopharmaceuticals, plant protection products and microorganisms, and finally in fertilisers and crop growing media.

French Agency for veterinary medicinal products

Located in Fougères, this Agency is responsible for enforcing regulations for veterinary medicinal products. As part of its assessment of applications for marketing authorisation, the French Agency for veterinary medicinal products even studies the environmental risk related to such products and their residues. If the risk proves to be greater than the expected benefits, then marketing authorisation for the product may be refused.

Department for the evaluation of nutritional and health risks

Located in Maisons-Alfort, this department houses a unit responsible for assessing health risks related to water intended for human consumption and used in the food chain. More specifically, it issues opinions on:
-treatment products and processes;
-materials in contact with water;
-challenges for the future such as desalinisation of water and recycling of waste water.
The unit relies on the scientific panel (CES) for water.

Did you know?

Drawing on the experts on its scientific panel for water, AFSSA has issued more than 500 opinions and 23 reports in this field since its creation.

Laboratory for study and research on food quality and processing

Located in Maisons-Alfort, this laboratory has a unit specialised in the virology of food and water.
It focuses on the biological and chemical hazards of foods or risks related to the conditions under which foodstuffs are produced and prepared.

Water: a precious resource to be used sparingly
Recycling wastewater
to preserve resources

Today, water is scarce in many parts of the globe. Propelled by sustainable development policies, the recycling of waste water and rainwater for irrigating crops and parks might be one way of meeting growing needs for water.

While this solution is widespread in countries suffering from water shortages, it is not as common in France.
AFSSA is paying close attention to these practices and to the potential health risk that might be involved due to contamination by oral exposure. It has published a report* on the topic along with proposals for regulating this procedure.

What does the environment code say?

Article R.211-23 of the environment code stipulates that “waste water may, after purification, be used for agronomical or agricultural purposes through sprinkling or irrigation, on condition that its characteristics and instructions for use are compatible with regulations protecting public health and the environment”.

*Reuse of waste water treated for sprinkling and irrigation (November 2008).

Water: a precious resource to be used sparingly
Working towards desalinisation plants
for seawater

Scientists are interested in the use of seawater but not much work has been done in this field. Such approaches might be developed, particularly for regions suffering from a lack of rainfall and/or an imbalance between the available resource and the demand.

The desalinisation of seawater to produce water intended for human consumption is one possibility included in the inter-Ministerial plan for managing scarce water*, drawn up by the government in May 2007. In order to facilitate the compiling and assessment of applications for authorisation for desalinisation plants, the Agency published guidelines** in 2009, that defined the requirements for applications to be submitted to health authorities.

* http://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/-Dossier-plan-de-gestion-de-la-.html

** Lignes directrices sur les éléments nécessaires à l'évaluation des dossiers de prélèvement d'eau de mer
ou d'eau saumâtre pour la production d'eau destinée à la consommation humaine (mai 2009).[Guidelines on elements required for assessing applications for using seawater or brackish water for producing water intended for human consumption (May 2009)].

Did you know?

For the moment, two projects for installing seawater desalinisation plants on the shorelines of continental France and overseas French territories, have been submitted to AFSSA for assessment.
Today, 1 out of 5 people in the world does not have access to drinking water.
Source: CNRS

Emerging substances under the magnifying glass

Pesticides, bisphenol A, perfluorates and also drug residues, so-called “emerging substances” found in minute proportions in wastewater, are being studied in order to determine the risks of environmental contamination.

AFSSA conducts research on the presence of some of these compounds in groundwater, surface water and water intended for human consumption.

AFSSA defined a drug residues strategy in 2008 to rank products in order to determine which human and veterinary medicinal products should be assayed in water. A list of 76 compounds (23 veterinary medicinal products, 42 human medicinal products and 11 of their metabolites) was first drawn up. On this basis, the Agency developed methods for analysing these substances and a national analysis campaign is underway, which will concern 20% of the population. This is the first time in France that sampling for this kind of study has been done on such a wide scale.

Did you know?

On 23 November 2009, the government introduced a national plan for residues of medicinal products in water in order to determine the levels of these substances in water and anticipate risks for the environment and for health. AFSSA is on the steering committee responsible for drawing up and following up this plan.

Water treatment: research on new processes

All new treatments of water intended for human consumption are submitted to AFSSA for assessment. The purpose is to ensure that new products and/or processes do not affect water in any way. Membranes, resins and processes such as the use of UV rays are screened and must receive a favourable opinion from the Agency before being authorised by public authorities.

Anticipating technological breakthroughs

In the future, water treatment is one of the fields in which the use of nanoparticles, i.e.particles which are about 1 billionth of a metre in size, may be developed. For the moment no process using nanoparticles has yet been marketed in France, but intense research is underway.
In 2008, AFSSA made a review of available knowledge and current research projects in this field*. Emphasising the great need for research, the Agency recommended setting up a system to register and supervise the marketing of any product containing nanoparticles and also the introduction of regulations to guarantee that no nanoparticles would be injected directly into groundwater.

* Les nanoparticules manufacturées dans l'eau (février 2008).
[Manufactured nanoparticles in water (February 2008)].

Nanofiltration and nanotechnologies are not the same thing

The nanofiltration process separates particles from one to 10 nanometres in size by subjecting them to strong pressure. This technique is used to soften water, but also to treat surface water in lakes and rivers as well as wastewater.
Nanotechnologies are devices, products and processes that use particles of less than 40 nanometres in size.