Drinking Water Standards (HL) (DP IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS))

Drinking Water Standards

• Drinking water standards are regulations that define the acceptable quality of water for human consumption

  • They aim to ensure that drinking water is safe, clean, and free from harmful contaminants

• There are no globally accepted standards for drinking water

  • Standards differ by country

  • They are influenced by local resources, infrastructure, and needs

World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water guidelines

• The World Health Organization (WHO) provides drinking water quality guidelines

  • This is to help countries ensure safe drinking water, especially where no national standards exist

  • Countries can adopt these standards or use them as a framework to develop their own standards

• The WHO guidelines outline recommended limits for contaminants, including:

  • Bacteria

  • Chemicals (e.g. fluoride, lead, nitrate)

  • Physical properties of water (e.g. pH, turbidity)

• While WHO guidelines are not enforceable, they are often used as a baseline in developing countries or where governments aim to improve water safety

National drinking water standards

Developed countries

• Developed countries like the UK, USA, and Australia have statutory drinking water standards based on the WHO guidelines, often with additional requirements

  • For example, the UK follows regulations that specify limits on contaminants such as lead and pesticides to ensure safe drinking water across the country

  • Water suppliers are regularly monitored to ensure compliance

  • Failure to meet standards can result in fines or shutdowns

Developing countries

• In developing countries, setting and enforcing drinking water standards is more challenging due to limited resources and infrastructure

  • Many countries adopt WHO guidelines as they may lack the resources to conduct their own extensive testing

International business and environmental assessments

Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)

• EIAs are studies that assess the potential environmental effects of proposed projects (e.g. road construction or mining operations)

  • Drinking water standards play an important role in EIAs

  • They help evaluate the impact on local water sources

  • This helps to ensure safe water for surrounding communities

International business agreements

• When private companies operate abroad, especially when using local resources like water, they need to follow local standards to protect the environment and the health of the local community

• Companies are required to meet the local water quality standards of the country they operate in

  • For example, a drinks company building a bottling plant must ensure its water use meets local standards to avoid depleting or polluting community water

• Many companies use WHO standards as a minimum, even if local laws are less strict

• This helps avoid environmental harm and maintains a positive reputation

  • For example, Coca-Cola faced concerns over water use at its bottling plants in India

  • To address this, the company followed both WHO and local guidelines to protect community water sources and avoid controversy

• Other examples include:

  • International mining companies often follow stricter global water quality standards to prevent pollution in local rivers and lakes