ISO calls for better water for better jobs

As part of World Water Day on 22 March, the theme of which was ‘Better water, better jobs’, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) called for an improvement in water quality in order to protect the 1.5 billion people employed in water-related sectors.

In order to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 on availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation by 2030, ISO said the world will have to improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimising the release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and increasing recycling and safe re-use globally.

More than 700 ISO standards provide global tools to help us manage our shared water resources equitably and durably. Many new standards are currently under development in the field of water, including:

• ISO/TS 24520, Service activities relating to drinking water supply systems and wastewater systems — Crisis management — Good practice for technical aspects
• ISO 24526, Water efficiency management systems — Requirements with guidance for use
• ISO 24521, Activities relating to drinking water and wastewater services — Guidelines for the management of basic onsite domestic wastewater services
• ISO 20325, Service activities relating to drinking water supply and wastewater systems — Guidelines for stormwater management in urban areas
• ISO/TS 24524, Activities relating to drinking water and wastewater services — Technical specifications for flushable products
• ISO/TS 24522, Water quality event detection process: Guidelines for water and wastewater utilities
• ISO 20670, Water reuse — Terminology

The organisation has also releases a short video showing what ISO standards can do to face up to the water challenge.

Originally published here.