ISO 46001 water efficiency certification

What is ISO 46001:2019 – water efficiency management systems?

Water scarcity is one of the largest global risk and set to increase further over the next decade. The pressures on organisations to implement a sustainable water management plan is paramount to reduce water demand from non-domestic sector and encourage water conservation. 

ISO 46001:2019 specifies requirements and contains guidance for its use regarding organisational water use. It includes monitoring, measurement, documentation, reporting, design and procurement practices for equipment, systems, processes and personnel training that contribute to water efficiency management. It is applicable to organisations of all types and sizes that use water and is focused on end-use consumers.

Benefits of ISO 46001:2019 – water efficiency management systems

Effective implementation of a water efficiency management plan not only result in substantial savings in water, as well as energy, therefore reducing the environmental impact of both water discharge and the need to pump water over long distances.

The adoption and proper implementation of a water efficiency management system is intended to result in improved water efficiency and can help to achieve the following outcomes: 

1. Identifying water as a resource that can be considered as part of organisational and budgetary planning;
2. Assisting an organisation to better manage water use and optimize water demand;
3. Recognizing the impact on others that can occur with changing water use;
4. Ensuring a greater level of accountability in water use;
5. Providing a process for regular review for possible improvement and adoption of opportunities arising in water efficiency.
6. Savings in operation by reducing water consumption through sustainable and efficient design, use of water conservation devices and proper monitoring

Steps to your ISO 46001:2019 water efficiency certification

TÜV SÜD facilitates an efficient five-step process for organisations which are approaching the ISO 46001 water efficiency certification process. The main steps to achieve ISO 46001 certification, are as follows:

• Define the certification objective and we will provide a quote detailing the cost, planning and time required.
• We can provide a pre-audit assessment to determine if your organisation already fulfills the ISO 46001 requirements and will identify areas for improvement. (Optional)
• TÜV SÜD auditors will conduct an on-site audit.
• You will receive your ISO 46001 water efficiency audit report and certification after approval by the committee.
• Annual surveillance audits will be conducted thereafter.