Governments session, Water Quality

1. Tools of implementation to deal with Water
Quality
Overview
Thomas Chiramba (UNEP)
Governments’ roles and challenges 16:00 to 18:00
16th January 2015
UN-Water Annual International Conference, Zaragoza.
15-17 January 2015

2. Why is it important?
Ambient water quality is a key element in
defining both the suitability of water for
human consumption and the health of water
ecosystems.

3. Open Working Group (2014)
Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable
management of water and sanitation for all
6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution,
eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous
chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of
untreated wastewater and increasing recycling and safe
reuse by [x] per cent globally.
6.6 By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems,
including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and
lakes.

4. The key outcomes of the water quality target
are listed as:
public health protection;
protection of the environment;
promote the reuse of wastewater
and sludge; and
support the multiple opportunities
of water, nutrient and energy
recovery.
Open Working Group 2014

5. Synergism Ecosystem Services and Water Quality
(Maintaining Environmental Capital)
 Significant health benefits from water quality
 Eutrophication reduction (reduced algal toxins)
 Drinking water quality improvement (pathogen reduction)
 Recreational water improvement (pathogen reduction)
 Significant water quality and ecosystem benefits from
ecosystem maintenance
 Natural cleansing though natural and constructed wetlands
removes, N+P, pathogens, turbidity and BOD
 Wetlands enhance biodiversity

6. Water quality: the neglected dimension
‘To date, these aspects of
water management have
received less attention than
they need, consequently in
many places the action will
start from a very low base.
A Post-2015 Global Goal for Water. Page 20 UN Water 2014
http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/pdf/27_01_2014_u
n-water_paper_on_a_post2015_global_goal_for_water.pdf

7. Actual water quality data but with patchy
coverage
Progress on water quality index development
Mainly ancillary variables some predictors of
WQ
Excellent global coverage
Measured WQ (GEMStat data) and
Modelling (AquaStat data) to infill data gaps
Tools and UN Agency Initiatives
Complementary
GEMStat
AquaStat
WWQA

8. • Data coverage not ‘fit for purpose’
– Spatial gaps exist but are not well specified
– GEMStat core parameter set very sparse
• i.e. 5 parameters DO/pH/Cond/N/P
• No microbial ‘health’ parameter
• Encouraging development of water quality
indicators
– GEMStat
– Brazil/Colombia/EU/Canada
Present status

9. Water Quality Indicators
Some Examples of Implementation
• Brazil/USA
• Colombia
• GEMS/Canada

10. Parameters Weight
DO 0,17
Thermo-tolerant Coliforms 0,15
pH 0,12
BOD 0,10
Temp 0,10
N-tot 0,10
P-tot 0,10
Turbidity 0,08
Total solids 0,08
Faixas de IQA
utilizadas nos
seguintes
Estados: AL, MG,
MT, PR, RJ, RN,
RS
Faixas de IQA
utilizadas nos
seguinte Estados:
BA, CE, ES, GO,
MS, PB, PE, SP
Avaliação da
Qualidade da
Água
91-100 80-100 Ótima
71-90 52-79 Boa
51-70 37-51 Razoável
26-50 20-36 Ruim
0-25 0-19 Péssima
Raw water quality index for public water supply
Trophic state
Toxic contamination
Bathing water quality
Aquatic life protection
Reservoir water quality
Sources:
 National Sanitation Foundation (USA) 1970
 São Paulo first adapted the approach (1975)
Brazil: General Water Quality example

11. • Maximise complementarity of existing resources
– GEMStat and AquaStat via WWQA approach
– Enhanced cooperation of data owners through IT
technology
• Harvest and collate existing country data resources to improve spatial,
temporal and parameter coverage
• Develop new global indicator systems starting with the GEMStat model to drive
– Acceptable target water quality across different
parameters
– Global sampling for the core parameter sets
– Target indicator values for eco-regions
– Objective comparision between countries and regions
Water Quality: opportunities

12. Data Availability – Current
Status
‘Unfortunately, there is a complete disconnect
between the reporting conducted and the level
of data needed for accurate assessments.’
Silva et al., 2010, GEMS Water Workshop, Canada
‘participation in GEMS Water has grown from
less than 40 countries when the ESI first started
using the data to over 100 countries today,
although data coverage is still low.’
Technical Advisory Paper No 3, UNEP GEMS Water programme, 2006

13. Regional Case Studies

14. Republic of Korea
• Issues Addressed
– Water supply access gap: i.e. rural/urban
Governance Tools
– Discharge water quality standard
• N and P pollution of lakes evident
• Emerging issue of endocrine disrupters
– Nonpoint source control
• Driver of most pollution incidents
• Storm-water is a major cause

15. A. Timely investment is essential
 Timely investments were made for increased demands and
tracked economic growth
B. Expense sharing
 via recovery mechanisms, is a key element
C. Starter funds from foreign aid
 later replaced by growth-led indigenous funding formed a
useful model
D. Efficient operational management is essential
E. Regulation of discharges and water quality is an
essential parallel activity
Key Lessons Korea

16. Brazil
• Key Issues Addressed
– Pollution from untreated sewage discharges
– Toxic materials
– Water quality monitoring deficit

17. • Capacity building
– National Water Agency created a National Water
Quality Evaluation Program
– States Agencies implementation of
• monitoring networks in accordance
• National Water Quality Monitoring Network
The Policy Response Brazil

18. Lessons Brazil
Governace
• Growing public consciousness to water quality
– Law on access to Environmental Information 2003
• Requires state level annual reporting
• National Water Quality Evaluation Program
– National water Agency 2000
– National water quality report 2005
• Nine states with no monitoring networks
– Logistical hurdles in the Amazon basin

19. Spain - Duero Basin Agency
• Key Issues Addressed
– Sustainable Wastewater Treatment for Small
Villages
– Capacity building in Councils
• Information and training
• Citizen awareness

20. Technology
13 pilot wastewater treatment plants.
Capacity Development
“Mayors Schools” (workshop and field visits to learn in
the field)
• Book “Guide to sustainable wastewater management
in small villages” (can be download freely from the
Duero Basin website:
http://www.chduero.es/Inicio/Publicaciones/Manuales
GuíaseInventarios/tabid/585/Default.aspx
Activities and Tools - Spain

21. • What has worked well?
– Commitment and involvement from Duero Basin
Agency managers and technicians.
– Support from other organizations (NGOs and
provincial administration).
– Good outcomes from the pilot plants.
• What can be improved?
– Training in public participation would be useful for
Duero Basin Agency technicians
– Communication should be improved to get more
people attending the workshops and field visits.
Lessons - Spain

22. WIPO GREEN
• What is WIPO GREEN
– an interactive marketplace that connects technology
and service providers with those seeking innovative
solutions
• Scale (after 1 year of operation)
– 400 technologies and 10 water sector technology
needs
– 54 partner organisations in 5 continents
– 300 users

23. WIPO GREEN seeks to facilitate technology
transfer by connecting different actors in the
technology commercialization chain
WIPO GREEN-Aims

24. • Piloting projects on waste water treatment in
Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines.
– Identify technology needs
– Identify providers
• Uploaded to database
– Matching workshop event with technology
• Seekers/owners/stakeholders/finance/regulation
WIPO GREEN – current activity