ISO 24566-3:2025

Overview

ISO 24566-3:2025 - "Drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems and services - Adaptation of water services to climate change impacts - Part 3: Drinking water services" provides guidance and requirements for identifying and assessing climate change impacts on drinking water systems and for developing adaptation strategies. Assessment principles follow ISO 24566-1. The standard includes examples of observed impacts and implemented responses by municipal water services and jurisdictions to illustrate practical adaptation measures.

Key Topics and Requirements

• Impact identification and assessment: Guidance for identifying current and future climate-related hazards (e.g., hydrological changes, extreme weather) and assessing their effects on drinking water services.
• Methodology: A structured approach for assessing key functions, system assets, governance, operations and asset management, risk management, and metrics and targets.
• Vulnerability and opportunity assessments: Procedures to evaluate current and future system vulnerabilities and opportunities across governance, strategy, operations, and asset portfolios.
• Adaptation strategy development: Requirements for formulating adaptation options, response categorization, assessment protocols, and implementation planning.
• Financial assessments: Guidance on financing adaptation, cost‑benefit analysis and economic considerations for prioritizing actions.
• Templates and tools: Proposed templates for response options, action prioritization and categorization to support implementation.
• Monitor, review and update: Requirements for monitoring performance, reviewing adaptation measures and updating strategies over time.
• Illustrative examples: Annex with examples of drinking water management responses implemented by municipal services or regional authorities.

Applications and Who Uses It

ISO 24566-3:2025 is intended for professionals and organizations responsible for drinking water supply and resilience planning, including:

• Municipal and regional water utilities and operators
• Water resource managers and planners
• Asset managers and infrastructure engineers
• Risk and emergency managers in the water sector
• Policy makers and regulators responsible for climate adaptation and public health protection
• Consultants and environmental advisors supporting adaptation planning

Practical uses include vulnerability assessments, development of climate-resilient asset management plans, integration of adaptation into risk management and governance, and preparation of investment cases supported by cost‑benefit analysis.

Related Standards

• ISO 24566-1 (assessment principles for adaptation)
• ISO 24513:2019 (vocabulary for water services)
• ISO 24527, ISO 24528, ISO/TS 24541 (operational guidance for drinking water systems)
• ISO 14091 (guidelines for climate change risk assessment)

Keywords: ISO 24566-3:2025, drinking water services, climate change adaptation, vulnerability assessment, risk management, asset management, adaptation strategy, water utilities.