ISO Standards Designed to Help Alleviate Global Water Issues

April 2, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS

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According to the U.N., imbalances between availability and demand, the degradation of groundwater and surface water quality, intersectoral competition and interregional and international disputes all center on the question of how to cope with scarce water resources.

Two ISO technical committees (TC) develop international standards for water and related issues:

ISO/TC 147 - Water quality
ISO TC/147, which was established in 1971, is responsible for standardization in the field of water quality, including the definition of terms, water sampling, measurement and reporting of water characteristics. Thirty-three countries participate in its work, along with another 47 as observers; 20 international organizations also participate, including U.N. agencies, such as the World Health Organization (WHO).

Together, they develop an international consensus on standardized processes that allow a common understanding on water quality problems among several countries sharing the same water body - river, lake or sea. In addition, the scarcity of clean, fresh water makes water quality monitoring a global problem.

To date, ISO/TC 147 has developed 229 standards, a number of which serve as the basis for national legislation on water quality control. The beneficiaries of its work include state authorities and regulatory bodies, industries consuming water for processing, laboratories and consultants engaged in monitoring activities, construction companies and citizens in general.

ISO/TC 224 - Service activities relating to drinking water supply systems and wastewater systems - Quality criteria of the service and performance indicators
ISO/TC 224 was launched in 2001 to develop standards providing guidelines for service activities related to drinking water supply systems and wastewater sewage systems. Thirty-one countries participate in its work, with another 18 as observers; eight international or regional organizations, including ones representing consumers and small and medium-sized enterprises, are also involved.

This TC is developing standards designed to help water authorities and operators achieve water quality to meet the expectations of consumers and the principles of sustainable development.

Areas addressed by the standards will include quality assessment and performance indicators to measure the results of the services delivered, thereby contributing to a better operation and management of service assets. The standards will also help contribute to water conservation by increasing the efficiency of water distribution services and reducing leakage in water service systems and reducing loss.

Three ISO/TC 224 documents on service activities related to water and wastewater are at the international standard draft stage:

• ISO/DIS 24510 gives guidelines for the improvement and assessment of the service to users.
• ISO/DIS 24511 gives guidelines for the management of wastewater utilities and for the assessment of wastewater services.
• ISO/DIS 24512 gives guidelines for the management of drinking water utilities and for the assessment of drinking water services.

The work of ISO/TC 147 and ISO/TC 224 will help achieve the goals of the international community which, following the 2003 World Water Forum, committed to improving the governance of drinking water and wastewater services and to making it a priority to build capacity with local government.

Source: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).