Potable water on ship
Quality requirements for potable water are given in the Norwegian drinking water regulation. To keep up with this a systematic monitoring of potable water on board is required.
Ship under the Norwegian flag must comply with Norwegian regulations wherever in the world they are.
The water supply on board shall, in addition to the provisions in other relevant regulations, follow up the requirement in the Norwegian drinking water regulation. Since water supply at sea is some different from supply systems on land, some questions about how to handle it on ship are raised.
The quality requirements apply to all Norwegian potable water supplies: ”Potable water shall be hygienically safe, clear and without any specific smell, taste or colour. It shall not contain physical, chemical nor biological components that can lead to any health hazard in common use”. The regulations require that the drinking water delivered on board has passed a sufficient number of hygienic barriers, so that the water is free of viruses, bacteria, parasites, other microorganisms or substances that in number or concentration constitute a possible health hazard.