This section includes general information on drinking-water, water quality and the health burden due to chemical contamination. A WHO fact sheet provides basic information on drinking-water.
WHO produces international norms on drinking-water quality and human health in the form of guidelines that are used as the basis for regulation and setting standards.
Relevant tools
Below is a list of tools relevant for implementing this topic :
- WHO - Drinking-water [2022]
- WHO - Guidelines for drinking-water quality: Fourth edition incorporating the first and second addenda [2022]
- WHO - Water, sanitation and hygiene strategy 2018-2025 [2018]
- WHO - Water Safety Portal [accessed 2022]
- WHO - A guide to equitable water safety planning: Ensuring no one is left behind [2019]
- WHO - Chemical mixtures in source water and drinking-water [2017]
- WHO - Chemical Safety of Drinking-water: Assessing Priorities for Risk Management [2007]
- WHO - Developing drinking-water quality regulations and standards [2018]
- WHO - Calcium and Magnesium in Drinking-water: Public Health significance [2009]
- WHO - A global overview of national regulations and standards for drinking-water quality [2018]
- WHO - Protecting surface water for health [2016]
- WHO - International Scheme to Evaluate Household Water Treatment Technologies [2019]
- WHO - Pharmaceuticals in drinking water [2012]
- WHO - Potable reuse: Guidance for producing safe drinking-water [2017]
- UNITAR - Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR) [accessed 2022]
- WHO - Fluoride in Drinking-water [2006]
- WHO - Chemical hazards in drinking-water: background documents to the GDWQ [accessed 2022]