ISO, the independent international organization with a membership of 162 national standards bodies, has released a new video describing how ISO standards are contributing to meeting global water challenges to coincide with World Water Day this week.
According to UN Water, almost half the world's workforce – 1.5 billion people – is employed in water-related sectors and nearly all jobs depend on water and those that ensure its safe delivery. However, the millions of people who work in water are often not recognized or protected by basic labour rights.
World Water Day took place on Tuesday this week under the theme of “Better water, better jobs”.
More than 700 ISO standards provide global tools to help countries manage shared water resources equitably and durably. They facilitate sustainable water management and increase water potential, helping to alleviate water scarcity.
To achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 on availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation by 2030, we will have to improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing the release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
ISO says standards have a key role to play in achieving the goals - many new ISO 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
Click here to visit the ISO website to find out more about water standards in action
Click here for an overview of ISO's water standards and solutions for addressing vital global water challenges and how they can help.
Click here to watch the ISO video on the Waterbriefing Watch channel.
UK water companies are invited to join an upcoming webinar which will explore how the sector can take indirect potable reuse (IPR) from concept to full-scale operational reality.
James Sumsion, CEO of predictive water intelligence specialists Kohtari, says the water sector needs to take a giant leap forward, so that it can anticipate and act upon water quality issues - rather than merely react.
Ray Moulds, Sales Director at Flood Control International, takes a look at how automated sliding floodgates are supporting secondary containment at water and sewerage company sites.
With the UK government demanding a 50% reduction in storm overflow spills by 2029, the era of reactive management is over. Speaking in the House of Commons on 21 July 2025, then environment secretary Steve Reed said, “This Government will cut water companies’ sewage pollution in half by the end of the decade.”
Hear how Scottish Water has completed its £235 million Ayrshire Glasgow Resilience Project - customers across Greater Glasgow, Ayrshire and East Renfrewshire will now benefit from a more secure and resilient water supply.
Hear how United Utilities is accelerating its investment to reduce spills from storm overflows across the Northwest.
Find out more about the remarkable career opportunities on offer at WSP - scroll down to watch the inspirational video.