Climate & Environment

Water Quality

Meaning statusEstablishedSource recordDirect document linkedWhy these are different

Definition

Water quality describes the characteristics of a water body or supply — including parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, nutrients, pathogens, metals and organic contaminants — measured against criteria set for particular uses. Quality determines fitness for drinking, irrigation, aquatic life and recreation.

References

www.who.intBulk import source

Source imported for editorial provenance.

sdgs.un.orgBulk import source

This reference provides supporting context for how “Water Quality” is defined and used.

Overview

How it is used

Utilities must demonstrate compliance with drinking-water standards; regulators classify water bodies by ecological and chemical status; companies monitor discharge quality; ESG and stewardship frameworks use quality metrics alongside quantity.

Why it matters

Water quality degradation is as consequential as scarcity: polluted water is unavailable water. Protecting quality safeguards health, ecosystems and economic uses simultaneously.