Water Sanitation and Health
Our vision and mission are the attainment by all peoples of the lowest possible burden of water and sanitation-related disease through primary prevention.
Drinking-water quality guidelines
WHO produces international norms on water quality and human health in the form of guidelines that are used as the basis for regulation and standard setting world-wide.
The Guidelines for drinking-water quality (GDWQ) promote the protection of public health by advocating for the development of locally relevant standards and regulations (health based targets), adoption of preventive risk management approaches covering catchment to consumer (Water Safety Plans) and independent surveillance to ensure that Water Safety Plans are being implemented and effective and that national standards are being met.
The fourth edition of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Guidelines for drinking-water quality (GDWQ) builds on over 50 years of guidance by WHO on...
6 August 1997
Guidelines for drinking-water quality, 2nd ed. - Volume 3: Surveillance and control of community supplies
The first edition of Guidelines for drinking-water quality, published in 1984-85, was widely used as a basis for setting national standards to ensure...
Revision process for the Guidelines for drinking-water quality
The Guidelines for drinking-water quality (GDWQ) are updated through a "rolling revision" process which ensures that the GDWQ presents the latest scientific evidence and addresses key concerns raised by countries. This has been achieved by systematically updating sections of the GDWQ as new
or updated evidence becomes available.
The purpose of the rolling revision process is to maintain the relevance, quality and integrity of the GDWQ, whilst ensuring their continuing development in response to new, or newly-appreciated, information and challenges.
The rolling revision approach also helps implementation of the GDWQ by national agencies by promoting regular, incremental improvement, rather than attempting to promote the implementation of major, comprehensive changes to drinking-water quality management at once.
Available for review
Nickel is included in the rolling revision of the GDWQ and the draft revised background document is now available for review. This document and public review form can be found at this link. Comments are requested by 6 July 2021.
Revision history for the Guidelines for drinking-water quality
WHO has continually produced guidance on the management of drinking-water quality since 1958 when it published the International standards for drinking-water. These standards were subsequently revised in 1963 and in 1971 under the same title.
In 1984, the International standards for drinking-water were replaced with the first edition of the GDWQ, recognizing the advantage of using a risk-benefit approach in the establishment of national standards and regulations. Since then subsequent editions of the GDWQ have been published in 1993, 2004 and 2011. Since 1995, the GDWQ has been kept up to date through a process of rolling revision.
Previous editions of the WHO Guidelines for drinking-water quality
This document describes the “rolling revision” process through which the Guidelines for drinking-water quality (GDWQ) are developed and revised.