Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water and Land Directorate

Drinking Water Inspectorate - Drinking Water Quality and Health Research Programme

The Inspectorate manages the Water Directorate's Drinking Water Quality and Health (DWQH) research programme, which is part of the Defra Environment Directorate General's research programme

The DWQH programme supports development and review of Defra and the Welsh Assembly Government policy on the quality and regulation of water supplies and enables the Inspectorate to make an input to international drinking water issues.

Water Quality Division

Quality of freshwater environment (rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters and groundwater), including sewage treatment and sludge disposal, integration of water policies, water framework directive, bathing waters, dangerous substances, diffuse pollution, nitrates from agricultural source, water from abandoned mines, pollution, incident policy and practice on discharge consents appeal and call-in requests.

The EC's Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development

The European Commission (EC) has funded FP4 (1994 - 1998), FP5 (1999 - 2002) and is currently funding FP6 (2002-2006). Each programme contains projects related to Water and Environment interests. FWR has reviewed these programmes and identified projects that are relevant to the policy responsibilities of the Water Directorate (previously Water and Land Directorate). The resulting four publications are now available for download.