What is water for you? Is it health, nature, urbanization, industry, energy, food or equality? Water is all these and more. It is sustainability, well-being and growth. This year's World Water Day, celebrated on 22 March, invites us to think about what water means to each of us, and how it contributes to sustainable development.
So what does water mean to ISO? For us, water is over 500 standards for safety and sustainability, for quality and measurement. They represent the knowledge of hundreds of experts put forward by ISO member countries, and other organizations working with ISO. Key standards include: Drinking water and wastewater systems– ISO 24510, ISO 24511 and ISO 24512 for the improvement of service are must-haves for the drinking water industry. Water authorities and operators can rely on them to meet the expectations of consumers in a sustainable way.
Water during a crisis – Safeguarding access to water during a crisis is vital to our survival and recovery. A series of standards are being developed to help communities prepare for the worst (ISO 24518, ISO/TS 24520, ISO/TR 24525).
Footprinting– With water footprint standard ISO 14046, you can help your organization use water efficiently and avoid waste.
Wastewater reuse in irrigation– Public health, the environment, and our soils and crops are the main concerns of future ISO 16075 on the use of treated wastewater in irrigation.
Quality and measurement– Checking the presence of bacteria or measuring the purity of water is possible thanks to ISO standards for sampling, reporting and monitoring. They help us make sure our water is safe. With hydrometry standards, we can make reliable measurements to support water planning and conservation.
These are just some examples of the many standards that ISO has published, and will continue to develop to respond to the world’s water challenges. Because water is… life.