L 296/12 Official Journal of the European Union 7.11.2013 DIRECTIVES COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2013/51/EURATOM of 22 October 2013 laying down requirements for the protection of the health of the general public with regard to radioactive substances in water intended for human consumption THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Articles 31 and 32 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission drawn up after obtaining the opinion of a group of persons appointed by the Scientific and Technical Committee from among scientific experts in the Member States, in accordance with Article 31 of the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee ('), After consulting the European Parliament, Whereas: (1) The ingestion of water is one of the pathways of incor- poration of radioactive substances into the human body. In accordance with Council Directive 96/29/Euratom (?), the contribution to the exposure of the general public as a whole from practices which involve a risk from ionising radiation must be kept as low as reasonably achievable. 2) In view of the importance for human health of the quality of water intended for human consumption, it is necessary to lay down, at Community level, quality () O] C 24, 28.1.2012, p. 122. (%) Council Directive 96/29/Euratom of 13 May 1996 laying down basic safety standards for the protection of the health of workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionizing radiation (O] L 159, 29.6.1996, p. 1). standards which have an indicator function and to provide for the monitoring of compliance with those standards. (3)  Council Directive 98/83/EC (}) sets out indicator parameters relating to radioactive substances in Annex I, Part C and related monitoring provisions in Annex II thereto. However, those parameters fall within the scope of the basic standards defined in Article 30 of the Euratom Treaty. (4)  The requirements for monitoring levels of radioactive substances in water intended for human consumption should therefore be adopted in specific legislation that ensures the uniformity, coherence and completeness of radiation protection legislation under the Euratom Treaty. (5)  Since the Community is competent to adopt the basic safety standards for the protection of the health of workers and general public against the dangers arising from ionising radiations, the provisions of this Directive supersede those of Directive 98/83/EC as regards the requirements for the protection of the health of the general public with regard to radioactive substances in water intended for human consumption. (6)  As recognised by the Court of Justice in its case-law, the tasks imposed on the Community by Article 2(b) of the Euratom Treaty to establish uniform safety standards to protect the health of workers and of the general public do not preclude, unless explicitly stated in those stan- dards, a Member State from providing for more stringent measures of protection. Since this Directive provides for minimum rules, Member States should be free to adopt or maintain more stringent measures in the field covered by this Directive, without prejudice to the free movement of goods in the internal market as defined by the case-law of the Court of Justice. (}) Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption (O] L 330, 5.12.1998, p. 32).