Overview
ISO/TS 24541:2020 delivers practical guidance for implementing continuous monitoring systems for drinking water quality and operational parameters in drinking water distribution networks. The technical specification helps water utilities and stakeholders decide how many continuous monitoring stations are needed, where to place them, what kinds of parameters and measuring devices (MDs) to monitor, and how to manage quality control, maintenance and calibration. It is focused on near‑real‑time event detection and operational monitoring rather than prescriptive instrument design or model‑specific equipment specifications.
Key Topics
- Scope and principles of continuous monitoring for drinking water distribution networks, including risk‑based justification and cost–benefit considerations.
- Determining monitoring needs: guidance on effective numbers of stations and prioritization of higher‑risk zones.
- Station siting methods: pragmatic approaches and recommendations to use hydraulic or statistical network models to optimise locations.
- Parameter selection: types of drinking water quality and operational parameters commonly measured (e.g., residual disinfectant, turbidity, pressure, flow) and considerations when choosing MDs.
- Measuring devices (MDs): high‑level guidance on MD types and roles-note the standard does not prescribe specific MD designs, structures or models.
- Quality control and calibration: maintenance schedules, calibration best practices and performance evaluation of MDs.
- Installation and operation: site selection, geographical and communication considerations for reliable data transmission and integration with decision support tools.
- Event detection and response: defining network alerts, integrating continuous data streams into event detection processes and periodic system evaluation.
Applications
ISO/TS 24541 is intended to support practical implementation of continuous monitoring to:
- Improve rapid detection of contamination events and reduce public health risk.
- Enhance operational visibility through continuous pressure, flow and quality data for better network management.
- Inform risk assessments, cost–benefit analyses and investment decisions for phased or full deployments.
- Guide procurement, installation, maintenance and calibration planning for monitoring stations and data systems.
Typical use cases include pilot deployments in high‑risk zones, network optimization studies using hydraulic models, and establishing procedures for continuous event detection and data quality control.
Who should use this standard
- Water utilities and distribution system operators
- Contractors and consultants designing monitoring programmes
- Regulators and public health authorities assessing monitoring strategies
- System integrators and technology vendors implementing data acquisition and decision support
Related standards
- ISO 24513 (Vocabulary for service activities relating to drinking water supply, wastewater and stormwater systems)
- World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water quality guidelines for context on health‑based parameters
Keywords: ISO/TS 24541, continuous monitoring, drinking water quality, distribution network, measuring devices, calibration, water utility, event detection.