ISO 24595-2024 PDF

Full title and description

Drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems and services — Guidelines for the provision of alternative water service for essential facilities during a crisis. This International Standard provides guidance to water service providers, emergency planners and facility operators on establishing and operating alternative water service (AWS) arrangements to maintain essential functions when regular water services are disrupted.

Abstract

This document gives guidelines for the provision of alternative water service (AWS) during a crisis to enable the ongoing operation of essential facilities. It covers AWS principles and methods, and the operational planning and implementation needed to deliver temporary or emergency water services safely and reliably. The standard explicitly excludes routine planned supply interruptions, water supplied to temporary settlements (e.g., refugee camps), and the full crisis-management system development covered by related ISO documents.

General information

• Status: Published.
• Publication date: January 2024 (ISO publication month: January 2024; some national listings record publication dates in early January 2024).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 03.080.30 (Services for consumers); 13.060.01 (Water quality — general).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2024-01).
• Number of pages: 30 (ISO official pagination).

Scope

ISO 24595:2024 provides guidelines for the planning, implementation and operation of alternative water service (AWS) provision to sustain essential facilities during crises that disrupt regular drinking water, wastewater or stormwater services. The scope addresses AWS principles and methods, operational planning, and practical implementation considerations for temporary or emergency supply, treatment, storage and distribution needed to support critical services. It does not apply to routine/planned supply interruptions as part of normal utility operations, to water provision for temporary settlements (e.g., refugee camps), or to development of full crisis management systems (which are covered by related ISO documents).

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions and terminology for Alternative Water Service (AWS) and essential facilities.
• Identification and prioritization of essential facilities that require AWS (for example, hospitals, emergency response centers, firefighting reserves, critical utilities).
• Principles and methods for providing AWS, including potential water sources, required treatment levels, storage and distribution arrangements.
• Operational planning requirements: risk assessment, decision criteria for activation, roles and responsibilities, legal and safety considerations.
• Implementation guidance: temporary infrastructure siting, mobile treatment units, bulk delivery, connector and cross-connection controls, backflow prevention and hygiene safeguards.
• Water quality monitoring, sampling, and verification procedures to ensure safety of supplied water during emergency operations.
• Coordination, communication and documentation practices between utilities, facility operators, emergency management agencies and external suppliers.
• Testing, exercises and maintenance of AWS arrangements to ensure readiness and to validate procedures.
• Exclusions and interface notes: not intended for temporary settlement supply, and distinct from standards on crisis-management systems and private-user AWS implementations.

Typical use and users

ISO 24595:2024 is used by drinking-water and wastewater utilities, municipal and regional emergency planners, operators of essential facilities (hospitals, emergency services, correctional facilities, critical infrastructure sites), consulting engineers, disaster-relief organisations, and procurement and resilience teams responsible for contingency arrangements. It supports emergency response planning, development of temporary supply contracts, design of mobile or temporary treatment and distribution solutions, and preparedness exercises.

Related standards

Standards commonly referenced together with ISO 24595 include ISO 24518 (guidance on management of wastewater and sanitation in emergencies), ISO/TS 24520 (guidance on temporary water services/crisis arrangements), and ISO 24527 (alternative water service for private users). Additional business continuity and infrastructure resilience standards may be used alongside this document depending on context.

Keywords

alternative water service (AWS), emergency water supply, crisis water services, drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, essential facilities, contingency planning, mobile treatment, water monitoring, emergency response, infrastructure resilience.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 24595:2024 is an international guideline standard that provides recommendations for establishing and operating alternative water service arrangements to sustain essential facilities during crises that interrupt normal water services.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers AWS principles and methods, operational planning and implementation for temporary or emergency water provision (sources, treatment, storage, distribution, quality monitoring, coordination and exercises). It excludes routine planned supply interruptions, water provision to temporary settlements, and full crisis-management system development which are covered by other standards.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Water utilities, municipal and regional emergency planners, operators of critical/essential facilities (e.g., hospitals, emergency response centers), consultants, disaster-relief organisations and infrastructure resilience teams use the guidance for preparedness, procurement and emergency operations.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 24595:2024 is a current International Standard published in January 2024 (Edition 1). Users should check national standards bodies for national adoptions or amendments but the ISO publication is the authoritative edition.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It is part of a family of ISO documents addressing water services and emergency sanitation/continuity (for example ISO 24518, ISO/TS 24520 and ISO 24527) and is aligned with work by ISO/TC 224 on services related to drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Alternative water service, emergency water supply, essential facilities, AWS, contingency planning, water quality monitoring, mobile treatment, crisis response.