The Work of ISO TC 224 ? Drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems and services
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Overview of ISO Standards and TC224
ISO TC 224 is one of many ISO (International Standards Organization) Technical Committees (TC). It was established in 2002 and has members from 35 participating countries including Canada. In addition, there are 36 observing country members. This work is incredibly important in forming international benchmarks for water services, and with more support could act as a foundation for the development of Canadian standards.
TC 224 is supported by AFNOR (Association Française de Normalisation) located in Paris, France.
TC 224 has published 29 standards in the field of municipal water systems and services, and has a further 12 standards under development. All ISO Standards are published in English and French (with other languages also being available).
TC 224 has nine active Working Groups (WGs) developing standards in the fields of:
- Asset and infrastructure management (including the hardening of assets against attacks);
- Climate change adaptation;
- Crisis management (including the provision of temporary water and wastewater services in disasters and public health emergencies);
- Effective corporate governance and service to users;
- Flushable products;
- Management and assessment of water services (including performance indicators);
- Onsite domestic wastewater systems and management;
- Smart water management for municipalities;
- Watershed management and water supply systems;
- Microplastics in drinking water.
It also has published a vocabulary Standard (ISO 24513:2019) on Service activities relating to drinking water supply, wastewater and stormwater systems. Its goal is to define the individual concepts diagrams that together constitute a vocabulary common to different stakeholders with interests in water service provision. The standard is intended to facilitate a common understanding and communication on the provision and management of service activities relating to drinking water supply, wastewater and stormwater systems.
ISO standards are available through the Standards Council of Canada (SCC.ca) and cover the Sustainable Development Goals from 3 to 15 (https://www.iso.org/sdgs.html).
How these Standards Can Help You
The standards represent the collective experience of experts from around the world. Many of whom have faced common problems but may have found alternative solutions to them. Thus, they constitute a valuable resource to by-law and regulation writers.
Although the ISO standards offer guidance on management of many water systems and services, unfortunately most municipal bylaws and provincial regulations do not reference these standards. Instead, the bylaws and regulations are developed through public consultation mechanisms that do not reference or indicate the availability of this very valuable international resource. It seems that authors of bylaws and regulations seem to believe in a "think it up” process rather than a "look it up” process. Thus, the potential acquisition and application of valuable international experience and knowledge is overlooked.
Regretfully, the Standards Council of Canada seems not to promote actively the adoption/adaption of ISO standards in Canada, and none of Canada’s standards writing bodies (CSA, ULC, BNQ, CGSB, etc.) appear willing to set up Technical Committee to review and adopt ISO Standards as Canadian Standards unless an organization is willing to pay the cost of setting up and operating such TCs.
Unfortunately, is not within the mandate of the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association whose focus is on federal policies and programs affecting the provision of water services, which otherwise fall within the jurisdiction of the provinces.
Thus, ISO Standards addressing municipal water services are largely unknown to provincial regulators and municipal by-law writers.
It is hoped this article might to some degree remedy this situation.
Want to Get Involved?
Standards Council of Canada hosts a MIRROR Committee to ISO TC 224 of individuals who are interested in the subject matter, and who are willing to participate in the review of draft documents circulated for comment. Municipal drinking water, wastewater and stormwater officials are invited to join the Canadian Mirror Committee for ISO TC 224 (https://www.scc.ca/standards/participate). Participating is voluntary, and the amount of time spent on reviewing ISO documents can vary depending on the frequency with which documents are sent out for comment, and of course the length of the document itself. I find I spend about one to two hours per month.
Now that the Covid-19 era seems to be over, ISO is allowing its TCs and WGs to begin meeting on a face-to-face basis, which enables those who can attend and do so, the valuable experience of meeting face-to-face with their counterparts from other countries and formalizing information and experience exchange opportunities. Canada will be hosting the 2025 TC 224 meeting in Toronto, from June 23 to 27. Members of the Mirror Committee will find this an outstanding opportunity to meet counterpart experts from over 30 countries.
I am looking forward to the forthcoming meeting of ISO TC 224 WG 6 (Asset Management) and WG 16 (Climate Change ) in October to review the comments received on DIS ISO 24566-3 and DIS ISO 24566-4: impacts of climate change on drinking water systems and wastewater systems respectively.
Related to this subject are two other ISO TCs: ISO TC 275 – Sludge recovery, recycling, treatment and disposal and ISO TC 282 – Water reuse, which has 4 subcommittees. Canada is active in both of these TCs.
Anyone who would like more information on this and the other two ISO work programs is invited to contact me at duncanellison@gmail.com.
