A global overview of national regulations and standards for drinking-water quality, 2nd ed (WHO 2021)

Many countries use the GSWQ directly or indirectly in setting national drinking-water quality standards. To better understand the extent to which the GDWQ are used and reflected in these standards, a global review of various country regulations and policies was conducted. This report summarizes information from 125 countries and territories on values specified in national drinking- water quality standards for aesthetic, chemical, microbiological an radiological parameters. The aim of this report is to enable regulators and other key stakeholders to access and compare data when setting or revising national drinking-water quality standards, although comparison should be approached with caution. This report is not intended to provide guidance on selecting appropriate parameters and parameter limits for drinking-water quality standards. The separate publication Developing drinking-water quality regulations and standards (WHO, 2018) should be consulted for such guidance.

Source: WHO (2021). A Global Overview of National Regulations and Standards for Drinking-Water Quality. Second edition. Geneva: World Health Organization (editor). ISBN: 978 92 4 002364 2. Available at: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/350981/9789240023642-eng.pdf?sequence=1

Guidelines for  drinking-water  quality: Small water supplies (WHO 2024).

These Guidelines, specifically tailored to small water supplies, build on over 60 years of guidance by the World Health Organization (WHO) on drinking-water quality. This guidance has formed an authoritative basis for the setting of national regulations and standards for water safety in support of public health. 

Source. WHO (2024). Guidelines for drinking-water quality: Small water supplies. WHO editor. Geneva, Switzerland. 189 pages. ISBN 978-92-4-008874-0 (electronic version). Available at: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/375822/9789240088740-eng.pdf?sequence=1.