One of EPAL's main concerns is to ensure water quality throughout the entire supply system, from the used water resources to the Lisbon consumer's tap; therefore it follows a good practice policy in terms of operations and maintenance.

This concern has two fundamental goals: to verify the level of water quality versus compliance with the legislation in force and maintain an operational control enabling the detection of possible abnormalities in the water quality - which either occur occasionally or systematically - as to allow for efficient preventive or corrective measures.

The Water Quality Control Department (LAB) is EPAL's responsible body for designing, implementing, and managing the Water Quality Control Plan in EPAL's Supply System, hence applying the principle that responsibility for a product's quality control should be independent from the water supply system production and operations.

The Water Quality Control Plan in EPAL's Supply System is annually established as to comprehend the entire system, taking into consideration compliance with the legislation in force, the consumer's health protection, and safety of the provided service.

The Water Quality Control Plan in EPAL's Supply System is approved every year by EPAL's Board of Directors and comprises the following:

• Legal Control
  Decree-Law No. 306/2007, from August 27th, is the legal document that governs water quality for human consumption, hence establishing the frequency of sampling and analysis to be complied with regarding the taps of Lisbon consumers - in the delivery points to managing entities and delivery points to direct customers supplied by means of the supply/transport system. This legal document also establishes the quality standards for each quality parameter with a mandatory quality control.
• Operational Control/Watch
  This activity essentially aims at checking the water quality level for human consumption throughout the entire supply system and detecting possible abnormalities in time - either occasional or systematic - as to allow for efficient preventive measures:
  • Quality control for water distributed in the city of Lisbon
  • Water quality control throughout the supply/transport system
  • Water quality control in the origin of water used by EPAL for produced water for human consumption (superficial and underground)
  • Process control in treatment plants
  • Water quality control for human consumption
  • Control of products used in the treatment
  • Control of effluents and mud for treatment processes

In order to see information on water quality within the EPAL supply system, please go to Communication of Water Quality data »