- Water quality
Before Water Reaches the User, It Passes Through More Than the Public Supply System
After entering a building, water may pass through storage systems, building pipework, filtration, heating, drinking-water equipment, or ice-making equipment before finally reaching the point where people actually come into contact with it.
- At the point of use
Why Should Water Quality Be Examined at the Actual Point of Use?
The condition of water when it enters a building is not necessarily the same as its condition when it flows from the point of use. As water moves through a building, it may be affected by equipment, pipework, residence time, and maintenance practices.
Water quality for everyday use must be understood through multiple indicators. It cannot be assessed using a single number or personal perception alone.
Cleaning and maintenance of water-storage systems
Material, age, and condition of building pipework
The length of time water remains within the pipework
Filtration, heating, cooling, or drinking-water equipment
Point-of-use equipment such as taps, showerheads, water dispensers, and ice machines
Frequency of use, ambient temperature, and everyday maintenance practices
- The water journey
The Journey of a Drop of Water Through a Building
Confirm the Use of the Space
Understand which services the premises provides, how people use the space, and where they spend most of their time.
Understand the Conditions of Use
Confirm occupant density, hours of use, sensitive groups, ventilation arrangements, and water-supply equipment.
Define the Certification Scope
Clearly identify the spaces, floors, rooms, equipment, or point-of-use water locations included in certification.
Plan the Sampling Locations
Select representative testing locations according to the layout, system distribution, and patterns of use.
Confirm the Parameters and Methods
Confirm the parameters, sample quantities, methods, and assessment basis according to premises-specific risks and applicable criteria.
Sampling plans select representative points of actual use. A result from one location should not be interpreted as representing the entire building.
- Different uses, different criteria
Water Used for Different Purposes Requires Different Assessment Approaches
AA IEQ generally uses “water quality” to refer specifically to water used for everyday contact.
01
Water for Everyday Contact
This includes water used for handwashing, cleaning, bathing, and other everyday contact.
Important boundary: Parameters should be selected according to the actual use, premises, users, and applicable regulations. Compliance with some parameters does not justify describing the water as statutory drinking water.
02
Drinking Water (Special Certification)
Water defined as drinking water according to its legally recognised use and method of supply, such as water from designated drinking-water equipment or water supplied for direct consumption.
Assessment approach: Testing should follow the applicable drinking-water standards, sampling methods, and assessment requirements.
03
Water for Food Preparation and Beverages (Tasty Water Certification)
This includes water used for cooking, ice-making, coffee, tea, and other beverages prepared on site.
Additional considerations: Some beverages may require consideration of minerals, hardness, total dissolved solids, residual chlorine, and other factors that can affect equipment or flavour.
- Clean Water
Water for Everyday Use at the Point of Use
This programme focuses on actual water conditions at building points of use, including designated taps, showerheads, or other points included within the certification scope. Drinking water, drinking-water equipment, kitchens, food-and-beverage equipment, and ice-making equipment are outside the scope of AA IEQ verification.
Microbiological quality
Disinfection-related indicators
Physical and sensory condition of the water
Basic chemical properties
Specified metals or chemical substances
Special parameters selected according to the use of the premises
The results provide testing information for specified points of use under defined conditions and at a specified time. They do not mean that every point of use has exactly the same result.
- Tasty Water
Water Used in Beverages
Water quality is an important ingredient affecting the performance of coffee, tea, and other beverages prepared on site. Hardness, total dissolved solids, acidity or alkalinity, residual chlorine, and certain mineral conditions may affect:
International references for flavour-related water quality: Tasty Water testing refers to water-quality parameters for optimal extraction published by SCA (Specialty Coffee Association), CQI (Coffee Quality Institute), and JTA
Extraction performance for coffee or tea
Beverage aroma and taste
Product consistency across different locations or equipment
Scale formation and maintenance of heating, ice-making, and beverage equipment
Tasty Water builds on basic hygiene and applicable water-quality requirements. It is a separate consideration from drinking water or water used in food preparation and must satisfy other applicable professional data requirements.
- CORE TESTING SCOPE
Testing Areas, Aspects Evaluated, and Possible Locations
Testing aspects may differ across countries and regions.
Area of Assessment
Microbiological Quality
Common Parameters
Coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, or other applicable indicators
What They Help Explain
Help identify whether microbiological contamination may occur within the supply, storage, equipment, or point of use.
Area of Assessment
Microbiological Quality
Common Parameters
Total colony count and related indicators
What They Help Explain
Provide an overall indication of culturable microorganisms in the water and support understanding of equipment and maintenance conditions.
Area of Assessment
Disinfection-related Indicators
Common Parameter
Free available residual chlorine
What It Helps Explain
Where chlorination is used, indicates the residual disinfectant level at the point of use.
Area of Assessment
Basic Chemical Properties
Common Parameter
pH
What It Helps Explain
Indicates the acidity or alkalinity of the water and conditions related to treatment, equipment, corrosion, or scale formation.
Area of Assessment
Physical and Sensory Quality
Common Parameters
Turbidity and related indicators
What They Help Explain
Help assess suspended matter, appearance, odour, and other water qualities noticeable to users.
Area of Assessment
Minerals and Dissolved Substances
Common Parameters
Total dissolved solids, hardness, and related indicators
What They Help Explain
Help explain dissolved substances and mineral conditions and their relationship with taste, equipment, and pipework management.
Area of Assessment
Metals
Common Parameters
Lead, arsenic, cadmium, or other applicable parameters
What They Help Explain
Specific parameters are evaluated according to the water supply, pipework materials, building condition, and applicable requirements.
Area of Assessment
Parameters for Specific Risks
Common Parameters
Specified microorganisms or chemical substances
What They Help Explain
Selected according to risks associated with healthcare, care settings, hot-water systems, food preparation, ice-making, or other premises-specific conditions.
Parameter names, testing methods, limits, and assessment criteria are governed by the officially issued certification documents and the latest applicable regulations in each country or region.
- Different places, different priorities
Different Premises Have Different Water-Testing Priorities
01
Hospitality and Residential Spaces
Representative guest rooms, shared areas, bathrooms, or drinking-water equipment are selected with consideration of floor level, room location, and water that may have remained in infrequently used pipework.
02
Schools and Educational Spaces
Focus is placed on drinking-water equipment, food-preparation water, and washbasins, while considering frequency of use, filter and pipework maintenance, and changes following extended periods of non-use.
03
Healthcare and Care Settings
Planning reflects the users, care activities, hot-water systems, water-storage equipment, and infection-control requirements. It does not replace professional management required by law.
04
Coffee and Tea Beverages
In addition to basic hygiene conditions, hardness, total dissolved solids, acidity or alkalinity, and other parameters affecting flavour are evaluated according to the beverage, equipment, and preparation process.
- Representative sampling｜採樣代表性
How Are Sampling Locations Selected?
The representativeness of water-quality testing depends heavily on the sampling location. Before sampling, the point of use, equipment, time, water temperature, flushing conditions, and other information that may affect the result should be clearly recorded.
The actual use of the water
Water-supply and storage systems
Building floors and pipework distribution
Cold water, hot water, or treatment equipment
Frequency of use and stagnation time
Whether sensitive groups are present
Age and maintenance of pipework or equipment
Filtration, drinking-water, and ice-making equipment
Spaces and services covered by certification
A result from one point of use can only be understood within the recorded use, location, equipment, and sampling conditions.
- How water testing works
How Is Water-Quality Testing Conducted?
01
Confirm the Use and Scope
Understand how the water is used and which spaces, equipment, and points of use are included in certification.
02
Understand the Water-Supply System
Review incoming water, storage, pipework, heating, filtration, drinking-water, and ice-making equipment.
03
Select Representative Sampling Points
Select locations according to frequency of use, floor level, pipework, equipment, and potential risks.
04
Collect Samples Using the Applicable Method
Control sample containers, flushing procedures, preservation conditions, and transport time.
05
Laboratory Analysis
Microbiological, chemical, or metal parameters are tested using applicable methods.
06
Assessment and Scope Identification
Assess results according to the water use, standards, and conditions, and identify the points of use to which the results apply.
- Use determines the standard
One Water-Quality Standard Does Not Apply to Every Use—and Testing Frequency Is Critical
Drinking-water quality standards apply to water legally defined as drinking water. Water for everyday use, bathing water, hot water, process water, food-preparation water, and water used in beverages may have different purposes, risks, and requirements.
What is the intended use of the water sample?
From which point of use was the sample collected?
Was the outlet flushed before sampling?
Was cold water, hot water, untreated water, or treated water sampled?
Which standard and method were used for testing?
To which equipment or space does the result apply?
What Does Passing a Test Mean?
The result met the applicable assessment requirements for the point of use, sampling time, equipment condition, testing parameters, and standard recorded in the report.
It Does Not Mean
A result from one tap represents the entire building
A result from one guest room represents every room
Water leaving treatment equipment represents every downstream point of use
Compliance with some parameters is sufficient to describe the water as statutory drinking water
Future water quality will not be affected by maintenance, water-supply interruptions, equipment, or pipework
Maintenance of storage systems, filters, water dispensers, or pipework can be discontinued
Clearly explaining sampling frequency, sampling locations, and certification scope is essential for water-quality results to be understood correctly.
- Signals worth noticing
What Can Users Look Out For?
Persistent unusual colour, cloudiness, odour, or taste
A point-of-use device has not been used for an extended period
Deposits appear on taps, showerheads, or drinking-water equipment
Filters or ice-making equipment are not maintained according to schedule
Water conditions change after a supply interruption, construction work, or pipework repairs
Regular cleaning records for water-storage equipment are unavailable
These observations can indicate a need for equipment inspection, maintenance, or further sampling.
Differences in the Applicability of Water-Quality Standards
Drinking-water quality standards apply to water legally defined as drinking water. For water used in everyday activities, bathing, or other non-drinking purposes, the assessment basis should reflect the actual use, premises-specific risks, and applicable regulations. Not all water should be described as statutory drinking water.