Water connects every aspect of life. Every human on this planet needs drinking water to survive, and that water needs to be of a good quality in order to protect public health.

Standards have therefore been developed by expert bodies and adopted within the water sector, to meet quality regulations and to ensure that water quality is acceptable for consumption.

What are the Key Drinking Water Standards?

Depending on where your organization sits in the provision of drinking water supply chain, there are many standards you can adopt which will improve the quality, agility and efficiency of your operations. They also ensure that your business is working to best practices and complying with drinking water safety regulations:

BS 8680:2020 Water quality. Water safety plans. Code of practice

It’s often thought water systems in buildings are safe when connected to public supplies – but this ignores the potential for contamination (both chemical and microbial) and the growth of waterborne opportunistic pathogens within building water systems. BS 8680:2020 sets out guidance and recommendations for developing a Water Safety Plan (WSP) for building water systems.

To learn more about ensuring water quality in buildings, click here.

BS 8580-1:2019 Water quality - Risk assessments for Legionella control. Code of practice

Legionnaires’ disease is caused by bacteria of the genus Legionella which can colonize artificial water systems and equipment containing water. BS 8580-1:2019 supplies guidance on a way to conduct Legionella risk assessments, which are a legal requirement. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 make specific requirements for risk assessment.

This standard gives recommendations and guidance on the assessment of the risk of Legionellosis presented by artificial water systems. It applies to any undertaking involving a work activity or premises controlled in connection with a trade, business, or other undertakings where water is used or stored in circumstances that could cause a reasonably foreseeable risk of exposure to legionellae and contracting Legionellosis.

BS 8580-2:2022 Water quality - Risk assessments for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other waterborne pathogens. Code of practice

BS 8580-2:2022 is a British Standard recommending a Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) risk assessment process and supplying information and support on how to understand microbial hazards, prioritize actions and minimize risks.

It gives recommendations and guidance on how to carry out risk assessments for pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) and other waterborne pathogens whose natural habitat is within constructed water systems and the aqueous environment (autochthonous), rather than those present as a result of a contamination event. It includes those pathogens that can colonize and grow within water systems and the associated environment.

BS EN ISO 5667 Water quality. Sampling series

The BS EN ISO 5667 series sets out the general principles for and provides guidance on, the design of sampling programs and sampling techniques for all aspects of sampling of water (including wastewaters, sludges, effluents, suspended solids, and sediments).

Detailed sampling instructions for specific water types can be found in the various parts of this standard series.

BS ISO 24523:2017 Service activities relating to drinking water supply systems and wastewater systems. Guidelines for benchmarking of water utilities

BS ISO 24523:2017 summarizes generally accepted criteria for successful benchmarking of drinking water and wastewater services. These can be applied at all levels of detail for any specific improvement objectives.

This standard represents an open, shared, and international approach by the water industry to establish and work to best practices in the water sector.

BS ISO 24513:2019 Service activities relating to drinking water supply, wastewater and stormwater systems. Vocabulary

BS ISO 24513:2019 defines individual concepts that together constitute a vocabulary common to different stakeholders with interests in water service provision. It is intended to facilitate common understanding and communication on the provision and management of service activities relating to drinking water supply, wastewater, and stormwater systems.

BS EN 15975-1:2011+A1:2015 Security of drinking water supply. Guidelines for risk and crisis management - Crisis management

BS EN 15975-1:2011+A1:2015 describes good practice principles of drinking water supply management in the event of a crisis, including preparatory and follow-up measures. This helps businesses within the water sector ensure their resilience.

BS ISO 24527:2020 Service activities relating to drinking water supply, wastewater and stormwater systems. Guidelines on alternative drinking water service provision during a crisis

BS ISO 24527:2020 provides guidelines on alternative drinking water service (ADWS) provision during a crisis. It addresses ADWS principles and methods, as well as ADWS operational planning and implementation.

Want to access and manage the standards you need to support your management of drinking water - all in one place? With a BSI Knowledge subscription, you will have the flexibility and visibility to manage the key standards you need in order to work with confidence and optimize your supply chain. Build your own custom collection of standards, or opt for access to our GBM06 Environmental, Wastes module and keep up-to-date with any relevant changes to your standards strategy. Request to learn more.

Ensure your organization is working to best practice in its provision of drinking water, by implementing these standards today. To discover more drinking water-related standards, browse our extensive standards catalogue.