Policies and Standards

The catalogue identifies relevant open data sources, including Earth Observation (EO) satellite data, as well as environmental and socio-economic. These sources include local and remote sensors (such as satellite imagery, weather stations, and water quality monitoring devices), research outputs (such as census reports, land use maps, and economic indicators). Each resource is evaluated for quality, update frequency, accessibility, and any applicable legal constraints.

Name â–˛ Issuing organisation Geographical Scope Type Water management focus Description Status Effect Date Resource
Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality Australia and NZ Australia and NZ Guidelines/ Recommendations The objective of the Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality is to provide authoritative guidance on the management of water quality in Australia and New Zealand. Our guidance includes setting water quality and sediment quality objectives designed to sustain current, or likely future, community values for natural and semi-natural water resources. The Water Quality Guidelines provide: a platform for consistent water quality management and planning technical support for Australia’s National Water Quality Management Strategy and New Zealand’s National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management sound tools for governments and the community to assess and manage ambient water and sediment quality. https://www.waterquality.gov.au/anz-guidelines
Australian Drinking Water Guidelines Australia and NZ Australia and NZ Guidelines/ Recommendations The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (the Guidelines) provide a basis for determining the quality of water to be supplied to consumers in all parts of Australia. They are intended to provide a framework for the good management of drinking water supplies that if implemented will assure safety at the point of use. The Guidelines are not mandatory legally enforceable standards and the implementation of the guidelines is at the discretion of each state and territory. The Guidelines are used by state and territory health departments and drinking water regulators, local health authorities and water utilitie https://guidelines.nhmrc.gov.au/australian-drinking-water-guidelines
DEFRA; Water Framework Directive implementation in England and Wales: new and updated standards to protect the water environment England and Wales England and Wales Document on technical specification / Standards monitoring and management of groundwater and surface waters (rivers, lakes, transitional waters, and coastal waters), marine waters This document informs interested parties of the details of new and updated environmental standards to be used in the second cycle of Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) river basin management planning process in England and Wales. It also presents new and updated assessment criteria for biological elements that must be monitored to assess the ecological status of surface water bodies. This document does not cover any standards and biological assessment criteria that are unchanged for second cycle. 2014 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7f00e740f0b62305b84861/river-basin-planning-standards.pdf
Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality Canada Canada Canada's drinking water standards are guided by federal Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (GCDWQ), developed by Health Canada, but these are voluntary and non-enforceable; provinces and territories set and enforce their own legally binding regulations. The Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality are established by Health Canada in collaboration with the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water (CDW) and other federal government departments. Health Canada publishes the guidelines and other information on the website Drinking water quality in Canada. Health Canada updates this document regularly. Each guideline was established based on current, published scientific research related to health effects, aesthetic effects, and operational considerations. Guidelines (maximum acceptable concentrations or treatment goals) are based on a comprehensive review of the known health effects associated with each substance, on exposure levels and on the availability of treatment and analytical technologies. Effective 45717 https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/reports-publications/water-quality/guidelines-canadian-drinking-water-quality-summary-table.html
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations USA USA Legistative/ Standards Drinking Water The National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) are legally enforceable primary standards and treatment techniques that apply to public water systems. Primary standards and treatment techniques protect public health by limiting the levels of contaminants in drinking water. Effective https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) USA USA Legistative Drinking Water The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was originally passed by Congress in 1974 to protect public health by regulating the nation’s public drinking water supply. The law was amended in 1986 and 1996 and requires many actions to protect drinking water and its sources—rivers, lakes, reservoirs, springs, and ground water wells. (SDWA does not regulate private wells which serve fewer than 25 individuals.) SDWA authorizes the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) to set national health-based standards for drinking water to protect against both naturally-occurring and man-made contaminants that may be found in drinking water. US EPA, states, and water systems then work together to make sure that these standards are met. Effective 1974 https://www.epa.gov/sdwa
Secondary Drinking Water Standards: Guidance for Nuisance Chemicals USA USA Guidelines/ Standards In addition, EPA has established National Secondary Drinking Water Standards that set non-mandatory water quality standards for 15 contaminants. EPA does not enforce these "secondary maximum contaminant levels" (SMCLs). They are established as guidelines to assist public water systems in managing their drinking water for aesthetic considerations, such as taste, color, and odor. These contaminants are not considered to present a risk to human health at the SMCL. While SMCLs are not federally enforceable, EPA requires a special notice for exceedance of the fluoride SMCL of 2.0 mg/L. Community water systems that exceed the fluoride SMCL of 2 mg/L, but do not exceed the MCL of 4.0 mg/L for fluoride, must provide public notice to persons served no later than 12 months from the day the water system learns of the exceedance (40 CFR 141.208). Effcetive https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/secondary-drinking-water-standards-guidance-nuisance-chemicals
Swiss Water Association Switzerland Switzerland National Water Body: Povide annual action plans and yearly reportys management and monitoring of all waters bodies water quality The Association of Swiss Water Suppliers (SVGW) (Swiss Gas and Water Industry Association) and the Association of Swiss Wastewater and Water Protection Experts (VSA) are key Swiss water sector bodies, working together on policy, standards, and training, especially concerning water quality, protection, and sustainable management, advocating for stricter rules on pesticides, improved wastewater treatment (micropollutants), and integrated planning to safeguard drinking water resources against climate change and pollution. Effective 2022 https://www.swisswaterpartnership.ch/about-us/#downloads
The Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2014 Scotland Scotland Legilative management and monitoring of drinking waters water quality These Regulations/standards aim to protect human health from the adverse effects of any contamination of water supplied by Scottish Water for human consumption purposes by ensuring that it is wholesome. In so far as they apply to water supplied by Scottish Water for human consumption purposes, they also apply the measures necessary to deliver the requirements of EU Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption Effective 2014 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2014/364/note/made
Waters Protection Ordinance Switzerland Switzerland Legistatve management and monitoring of all waters bodies water quality Contains two aspects: Federal Act on Water Protection (WPO): Sets fundamental principles for water quality, prohibiting harmful substances from entering water bodies. Ordinance on Drinking, Spring and Mineral Water (DSV): Details specific quality requirements, parameters, and hygiene standards for drinking water. Effcetive 1998 https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/1998/2863_2863_2863/en