Overview
ISO 24527:2020 - Service activities relating to drinking water supply, wastewater and stormwater systems - provides international guidelines on alternative drinking water service (ADWS) provision during a crisis. It is intended for drinking water utilities that normally deliver uninterrupted service via a distribution network and need guidance on planning, implementing and communicating emergency or extended-disruption water supply solutions.
The standard covers ADWS principles and methods, and ADWS operational planning and implementation. It is focused on supplying drinking water to the public during crises (not routine planned interruptions) and explicitly excludes supply for hospitals and other key facilities, industrial/agricultural use, refugee camps, and full crisis management systems (see Related standards).
Key technical topics and requirements
ISO 24527:2020 addresses practical, operational topics including:
- ADWS principles - two complementary approaches:
- Using the distribution network in a non-conventional manner, and
- Not using the distribution network (alternative distribution methods).
- Operational planning - pre‑planning, scenario development, resource identification, and mobilization strategies for extended disruptions.
- Implementation methods - examples and guidance (informative) on:
- Erecting standpipes,
- Recharging isolated network assets with water tankers,
- Lowering supply pressure when appropriate,
- Temporary points of distribution,
- Containerized drinking water (bottles, static tanks, bowsers),
- Fixed water resources and mobile tankers/towed bowsers.
- Communications - internal and external messaging before and during crises, tailored messaging, stakeholder preparation, and what/how to communicate.
- Special needs - considerations and adaptations for vulnerable user groups.
- Informative annexes - layouts for distribution points, containerized water guidance, allocation methods, logistics and process modifications for special needs.
The document focuses on practical guidance rather than prescriptive technical specifications and limits water-quality coverage to what’s relevant for ADWS.
Practical applications and who should use it
ISO 24527:2020 is useful to:
- Drinking water utilities and operators planning business continuity and emergency response,
- Municipal emergency planners and public health authorities coordinating community-level water response,
- Logistics and operations teams deploying tankers, containers or temporary distribution points,
- NGOs and disaster-response organizations involved in supplying potable water during crises.
Use cases include earthquake- or flood-impacted systems, major contamination events or infrastructure failures where normal distribution is compromised.
Related standards
- ISO 24518 and ISO/TS 24520 - crisis management systems for water services (complementary).
- ISO 24513 - vocabulary used across service activities relating to drinking water supply.
Keywords: ISO 24527:2020, alternative drinking water service, ADWS, emergency water distribution, drinking water supply, crisis planning, water utilities, containerized drinking water, standpipes, water tankers.