Implementing the EU Drinking Water Directive : Exploring the Impact of the Consumer

Effective implementation is crucial to the success of public policy. This paper focuses on the implementation of the EU Drinking Water Directive (80/778/EEC) in England and Wales and the Republic of Ireland. It demonstrates that the consumer can both positively and negatively affect implementation. It is concluded that, if water providers and regulators wish to improve their ability to shape and effectively implement water policy, they must engage with the consumer in a more informative and educational manner.