ISO 46001 certification

ISO 46001 is an international standard for water efficiency management systems. It helps organisations monitor, measure and improve water use through a structured approach. 

ISO 46001 at a glance: 

• Purpose: Improve water efficiency and support sustainable water management.  
• Scope: Applicable to organisations of all types and sizes that use water.  
• Approach: Supports the reduce, replace and reuse approach where feasible. 
• Key focus: Water-use planning, monitoring, measurement, documentation and improvement.  

ISO 46001 certification demonstrates that your organisation manages water efficiency systematically, with defined objectives, measurable actions and a commitment to continual improvement. 

TÜV SÜD provides independent ISO 46001 audits to assess whether your water efficiency management system meets the requirements of the standard. 

Our experts combine management system certification experience with knowledge of environmental performance, resource efficiency and sustainability management, helping you connect ISO 46001 with your wider business and sustainability goals. 

Our ISO 46001 services include: 

• ISO 46001 gap identification
  Compare existing practices with ISO 46001 requirements to highlight gaps before the certification audit.  
• ISO 46001 certification audit 
  Assess your system against ISO 46001 requirements through a structured and independent audit process.  
• Water efficiency management review 
  Review how your organisation monitors water use, manages water balance and improves water efficiency performance.  
• Integrated management system support 
  Align ISO 46001 with existing ISO 14001, ISO 50001 or wider sustainability management systems.  
• Clear audit outcome and certification 
  Receive a structured audit report and certification decision after successful review.  
• Ongoing certification support 
  Maintain certification through surveillance audits and continual improvement across the certification cycle. 

ISO 46001 goes beyond individual water-saving actions by turning water use into a measurable management process. It helps organisations understand current consumption, identify where water is lost or used inefficiently, and maintain controls for long-term improvement. 

• Water balance 
  Map how water enters, moves through and leaves your operations to identify usage patterns, losses and improvement opportunities. 
• Monitoring and measurement 
  Track water consumption, performance indicators and progress against defined water efficiency objectives. 
• Water Efficiency Management Plan (WEMP)
  Set objectives, responsibilities, actions and review processes to improve water efficiency over time. 
• Operational controls 
  Manage water-related processes, equipment selection, procurement practices and employee awareness. 
• Continual improvement 
  Review performance regularly and identify further opportunities to improve water use. 

TÜV SÜD follows a structured certification process to assess whether your water efficiency management system meets ISO 46001 requirements. 

1. Define the certification scope 
Confirm your sites, operations, water use boundaries and certification objectives. 

2. Optional gap assessment 
Identify potential gaps in your water efficiency management system before the certification audit. 

3. Stage 1 audit 
Review your documentation, certification scope, objectives and management system readiness. 

4. Stage 2 audit 
Assess the implementation and effectiveness of your water efficiency management system. 

5. Certification decision 
Receive your audit report and certification decision after successful review and approval. 

6. Surveillance and recertification 
Maintain certification through regular surveillance audits and continual improvement.