US airlines, EPA agree on aircraft water quality

Twelve major airlines in the United States—including Continental and Northwest—have committed to implement new water testing and disinfection protocols, following a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency random testing that showed a significant percentage of aircraft carrying water infected with coliform bacteria and other pathogens.

The EPA also disclosed that it is conducting a new round of random testing on 169 passenger aircraft beginning this week to determine water quality.

The EPA said the 12 airline companies have signed agreements with the agency. Besides Continental and Northwest, these companies include Hawaiian, Aloha, American, Alaska, America West, ATA, JetBlue, Midwest, US Airways and United Airlines.

The EPA also disclosed that negotiations are ongoing with two additional airlines, Delta and Southwest.

“Collectively, these 14 carriers represent the majority of U.S. flag carrying aircraft transporting the flying public. The agency will continue to work with smaller, regional and charter aircraft carriers to address drinking water quality with agreements similar to those reached with ATA [Air Transport Administration] members,” the EPA said.

The EPA credited the ATA for working with the agency to come up with the agreements in an effort to reduce public health risks to passengers and provide additional testing to help determine the nature and extent of the problem.

The EPA earlier conducted a study on the water quality in air carriers, randomly selecting 158 passenger aircraft in August and September. Preliminary results of the study showed that 12.6 percent of the 158 domestic and international passenger aircraft tested in the United States carried water that did not meet EPA’s standards.

“These actions will help the agency develop new regulations for monitoring and maintaining aircraft water systems,” said Benjamin Grumbles, EPA’s acting assistant administrator for the Office of Water. “The new regulations will ensure safe drinking water for airline passengers while reflecting the unique characteristics of aircraft.”

The EPA said the agreements bind the airlines to increase monitoring and implement quarterly disinfection of water delivery systems aboard passenger aircraft.

“They will strengthen public notification requirements when testing reveals water that does not meet EPA standards. Airlines will also be required to perform an analysis of possible sources of contamination that exist outside of the aircraft and to provide information related to practices of boarding water from foreign public water supplies not regulated by EPA,” the agency said.