The Environmental Protection Agency just recently issued its final rules requiring airlines and the need to test and disinfect the tap water that is served to passengers on planes. These rules are the agenct’s attempt to help cure the bacteria contamination found in plane water.

The Environmental Protection Agency has now set rules to schedule how frequently airlines must flush and disinfect the water system on their planes. Rules have also been put in place for how often the airlines must test for coliform bacteria. Most of the time, coliform bacteria is not harmful, but it is considered an indicator of the presence of disease causing germs.

Of course, the schedules for each airline will vary according to the rules. The airlines that test their water frequently will not have to disinfect and flush their systems as often as those that do not. As of now, the rules only apply to the tap water that is supplied through the aircraft’s water system, and not the bottled water.

Just about five years ago, the Environmental Protection Agency found that many airlines were not complying with drinking water regulations. The agency went on to test water from 327 different planes, and 15 percent of them tested positive for coliform. Another 20 percent of the planes did not test positive for chlorine, but the test did show that the water had not been treated.

Right now, forty five domestic airlines have already agreed to monitor their tap water quality. The ruling, which came out Tuesday of this week, gives airlines up to 24 months before they have to comply with the new schedules. Before this time, it may be safer to avoid drinking water on planes.