In September 2010 UN-Water established a Thematic Priority Area (TPA) on Water Quality to enhance interagency collaboration and support governments in addressing global water quality challenges. The aim was also to monitor and report on the state of water quality, identify emerging issues and propose relevant responses.

It was earlier that year, during an international gathering on World Water Day in March 2010 that several UN-Water members and partners decided to join efforts. There had already been a number of collaborations around the issue and it was thus recommended that UN-Water would build on its achievements and establish a maintenance mechanism. Six months later the TPA on Water Quality was created - lead by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The envisaged scope included:
The envisaged scope of work of the TPA on Water Quality includes:

• the development of international water quality guidelines for aquatic ecosystems;
• improving global water quality monitoring and data collection;
• promoting legislation, policies, and regulations on water quality;
• supporting research, education and capacity building on water quality;
• raising global awareness about water quality.

Activities

Since the World Water Day 2010 two main activities have been undertaken. The first one was conducted during 2010-2011 and mapped out water quality related activities being pursued by UN-Water members and partners. The second activity resulted in a scoping study on water quality guidelines for aquatic ecosystems. The latter study examined guidelines and standards in several countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and the United States, as well as the European Union. The final report was widely circulated and a database on water quality related activities was uploaded on the UN Water-AIS.

The report confirms that water quality issues are diverse and cross cutting and thus need special attention. Many of the identified activities are either specific reports or selective publications and not long-term initiatives systematically addressing water quality challenges. The scoping study therefore proposes a broad framework for quality guidelines encompassing those already existing for, among other issues, drinking water and recreation. It also presents a proposal for aquatic ecosystems including scope, roadmap, relevant development arrangements and required resources. The report was validated by a multistakeholder side event at the 6th World Water Forum in March 2012. In October 2012, the 1st of several international workshops on water quality will be held to launch the development of water quality guidelines for aquatic ecosystems, actions to improve monitoring and data collection and preparations of the 1st Global Water Quality Assessment Report.

The work in 2012-2013 aims for a better understanding of weaknesses in monitoring and data gaps as well as a strengthened coordination and collaboration among UN-Water members and partners. In addition, compendiums, draft protocols and global briefs on water quality will also be prepared to raise global awareness on water quality issues.

Coordinating organization: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Coordinator: Thomas Chiramba Chief, Freshwater Ecosystems Unit in the Division of Environmental Policy Implementation (DEPI) UNEP Contact Thomas Chiramba

Members:
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) • Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) • United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) • World Health Organization (WHO) • United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), UN-Habitat • United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) • UN Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB) • Aquafed • International Water Association (IWA) • International Water Resources Association (IWRA) • World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD), African Development Bank (AfDB) • United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) • World Bank (WB) • UN-Water Decade Programme on Advocacy and Communication (UN-WDPAC) • UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC) • United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)