Assessing water quality

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities. Agenda 21 recommends that such systems should be established and operated.

1. Monitoring quality standards
2. Managing water
3. Improving environmental health monitoring
4. Collecting data on water

1. Monitoring water related disease transmission
2. Monitoring water quality threatened by toxic materials storage sites
3. Expanding monitoring of freshwater quality and quantity
4. Assessing ecological status of waters

1. Protecting water quality

1. Using hydrological data to derive water resource estimates for specific areas
2. Strengthening water resource assessment programmes
3. Strengthening managerial capabilities of local water user groups
4. Strengthening information networks on water quantity and quality data
5. Strengthening education programmes for all water resource staff
6. Strengthening capabilities for water resource assessment
7. Preparing comprehensive catalogues of water resource information at different sources
8. Issuing public forecasts of flood and drought
9. Increasing cooperation of riparian countries for assessing transboundary water resources
10. Increasing cooperation among agencies in the water sector
11. Improving facilities for collecting hydrological data
12. Implementing water resource policies based on realistic assessment
13. Identifying water resource data requirements for planning
14. Identifying national needs for water resource management
15. Establishing national water resource priorities
16. Establishing national databases for hydrological data
17. Establishing national archives on water resources
18. Ensuring water programmes use local expertise
19. Developing sound recruitment for water resource agencies
20. Developing global models to help assess water quantity
21. Developing appropriate water management technology
22. Closing the gap between terrestrial hydrology and ecology
23. Closing the gap between hydrological flows and biogeochemical processes
24. Assessing adequacy of water resource data collection networks
25. Applying standards to ensure data compatibility
26. Applying proven techniques for processing hydrological data

1. Quality

1. Agenda 21
2. US EPA: Monitoring Water Quality