ECHA Launches Notification of Intention Process Under the Drinking Water Directive
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has launched a new online tool enabling industry stakeholders to notify their intentions to update the European Positive Lists of substances approved for use in materials that come into contact with drinking water, under the EU Drinking Water Directive (DWD).
Through the newly available tool on the ECHA Industry Portal, companies can formally indicate substances they intend to retain, add, or remove from the European Positive Lists. Notifications of intention must be prepared and submitted using the IUCLID format.
What Does the New Notification of Intention Process Enable?
The new system allows companies to notify ECHA of their plans regarding substances used in the manufacture of materials that come into contact with drinking water. Specifically, economic operators can indicate:
Substances they wish to maintain on the European Positive Lists,
Substances they intend to add to the lists,
Substances proposed for removal from the lists.
Submitting a notification of intention is a mandatory preliminary step before submitting a formal application to amend the European Positive Lists.
ECHA Guidance and Support Materials
To support companies in preparing their notifications correctly and efficiently, ECHA has published the following materials:
A manual titled “How to Prepare a Drinking Water Directive Notification of Intention”
DWD Guidance – Volume IV, dedicated specifically to notifications of intention
A video tutorial explaining how to generate a notification of intention dossier in IUCLID
ECHA strongly encourages all affected parties to review these documents before preparing and submitting their notifications.
Application Timeline and Key Dates
Once a notification of intention has been submitted:
Notifiers have 12 months to submit their complete application to ECHA.
From January 2027, ECHA will begin accepting applications to amend the European Positive Lists.
The notification process is designed to encourage potential applicants to coordinate their efforts, submit joint applications where possible, and provide transparency on which substances will be subject to future applications.
Scope and Objectives of the Drinking Water Directive
The EU Drinking Water Directive aims to protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of contaminated drinking water while improving access to safe drinking water across the European Union.
Under the Directive, all starting substances, compositions, and constituents used in the manufacture of materials that come into contact with drinking water — from the water source to the tap — must be listed in one of the four European Positive Lists.
Any addition, renewal, or removal of substances from these lists requires an application to ECHA, preceded by a notification of intention.
Strategic Importance of the Notification of Intention
The notification of intention mechanism serves several key purposes:
Promoting cooperation and transparency among potential applicants,
Preventing duplicate or fragmented applications,
Enabling ECHA to plan and manage the application process more efficiently.
For companies operating in sectors involving drinking water contact materials, timely and accurate submission of notifications of intention is therefore critical for regulatory compliance and market continuity.
Conclusion
The launch of ECHA’s new notification of intention tool represents a significant step in the implementation of the Drinking Water Directive. Companies involved in the manufacture or supply of materials in contact with drinking water should proactively assess their portfolios, prepare the necessary data, and engage early in the notification process to ensure continued compliance with EU regulatory requirements.