ISO Standards have been tailor made and consists of several solutions that it shares with the rest of the world, so that everyone can access its many standards. What the standard offers in essence are a coherent technological framework a
nd good practice methodology that will bring about collaboration between nations who share common water resource. Taking into account all the issues that remain at the surface of the conservation conundrum such as water service management, irrigation and test procedures, ISO Standards makes comprehensive guidelines for sustainable water management and facilitates access to water for all the world’s population, because after all the keen observations, we have understood that fresh water distribution will eventually be the world’s biggest issue.
It is a staggering, yet profoundly upsetting fact that almost 1.5 million children die due to water shortage and water borne diseases. One cannot deny the fact that water and sanitation is directly influential in changing the currents states of poverty and hunger, while simultaneously promoting sustainable development, environmental integrity and health. Another unnerving fact is that each day, at leaser 70 million tonnes of sewage is dumped into the oceans while 70 per cent of the industrial waste is dumped into the fresh water source. Moreover, about 894 million people live without any access to safe drinking water while 2.5 billion have no access to sanitation. This tremendous calamity that occurs almost every day is one that we cannot ignore forever, and for this we need to make a collaborative effort make sustainable water management possible.
ISO has more than 260 water quality standards, each of which takes an incisive approach to dealing with the water crisis, by going deep inside the processes that comprise water management and by providing guidelines to check for any unwanted substances inside the water.
The Myriad Benefits of the ISO Standard to bringing about solutions to all kinds of water problems
ISO Standards directly affect people and institutions that are in the thick of water crisis. They Help:
- Regulatory Bodies
- Industries in cooling and processing
- The agricultural sector
- Laboratories and consultants in monitoring activities
- Water and wastewater service providers
- Manufacturers of water related infrastructure
- Planners, Designers, Contractors and Construction Companies
- Consumers
Standards have been developed for pipes and valves that increase the efficiency of water distribution services and reduce leakages, and consequently preventing unnecessary losses. Standards that extend towards metering and hydrometry can help monitor and measure water conservation.
ISO Standards have been made that are specifically dedicated towards the issue of water sustainability and management. Several standards have been developed with the collaboration various international entities to produce the best framework and principles that will allow for proper consolidation of resources and systems.
ISO 24510:2007, ISO 24511: 2007 and ISO 24512:2007 – All of these standards have been developed with the aim of providing guidelines for the assessment, improvement and management of the several services related to the water and wastewater systems. Moreover, it will play a pivotal part in helping water operators and authorities in meeting the expectations of the vast consumer base and adhering to the principles of sustainable development.
Hydrometry (ISO/TC 113) – This is for checking the groundwater availability and for aiding in the water planning and conservation. It will help enable the reliable and accurate measurements and also facilitate self-sufficiency in meeting future water requirements.
Irrigation (ISO/TC 23): These are meant to promote more efficient methods of irrigation, and consequently reduce the strain on water resources as a result.
Water Supply Systems Standards (ISO/TC 138), (ISO/TC 5/SC 2) (ISO/TC 153) for pipes, iron pipes and valves s so that it will improve the quality of life by means of making the water supply systems reliable that will in turn enable access to the water.
ISO has been constantly revamping their standards and making new ones that are inclusive and addresses more issues related to the ever-growing problem of water scarcity and management. With a vast collaborative effort from individuals and institutions from around the world, there will be a comprehensive list of standards that would have addressed all the possible scenarios and pertinent issues.
