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Airline Drinking Water Enforcement
EPA is responsible for ensuring the safety of drinking water in the United States under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This includes drinking water on aircraft. In 2004, EPA randomly tested the drinking water on 327 U.S. and foreign flag aircraft from different airlines at 19 airports around the country. The results of that testing showed that 15 percent of the aircraft had water that tested positive for total coliform bacteria. Total coliform is an indicator that other disease-causing organisms (pathogens) could be in the water and could potentially affect people's health.
EPA immediately began working with domestic airlines to address this problem. On Oct. 19, 2005, EPA announced that settlements had been reached with 24 domestic airlines to implement new aircraft water testing and disinfection protocols. EPA will continue to work with smaller, regional and charter airlines to reach similar agreements to ensure drinking water quality.
Each of the airlines will implement regular monitoring and disinfection protocols for its entire fleet of aircraft for a period of two years. The airlines will:
- regularly monitor aircraft water systems;
- regularly disinfect aircraft water systems and water transfer equipment;
- undertake corrective action when testing reveals a total coliform sample;
- provide public notice or suspend its water service when there is a total coliform positive sample result;
- conduct a study of possible sources of contamination that exist outside of the aircraft; and
- supply information regarding various aspects of its domestic and foreign water practices.
For more information, visit the Airline Water Supplies page, which provides a summary of the development of a rule for airline drinking water and the 2004 testing results.