A new International Standard for the reuse of water could make a significant difference for water scarcity.
ISO 20760-1 offers guidelines on how to make use of reclaimed water in order to satisfy water demands and alleviate pressure on urban areas.
Maya Ishikawa, Secretary of the technical committee that developed the standard, said: “By providing guidelines for the planning and design of centralized water reuse systems and water reuse applications in urban areas as well as methods and tools to evaluate the risk and performance of water reuse systems, ISO/TC 282 standards will be the key to efficiently reuse water and help regions fight water shortages.”
ISO/TC 282 also focuses on water reuse systems for irrigation and industrial uses.
Another key standard addressing SDG 6 is ISO 30500 for non-sewered sanitation systems. By offering basic requirements for the design and testing of stand-alone faecal sludge treatment units, ISO 30500 will help address the health needs of many communities worldwide.
Together, these two standards promote economic, social, and environmental sustainability.