Glossary W
Water quality is a term used to describe the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water, usually in respect to its suitability for a particular purpose.
Deutsch: Wasserqualitätsmanagement / Español: Gestión de la calidad del agua / Português: Gestão da qualidade da água / Français: Gestion de la qualité de l'eau / Italiano: Gestione della qualità dell'acqua
Water quality management refers to the practices, policies, and strategies used to maintain or improve the quality of water in rivers, lakes, groundwater, and oceans. In the environmental context, it focuses on ensuring that water resources are clean, safe, and sustainable for ecosystems and human use. Effective water quality management is essential to prevent pollution, safeguard public health, and support biodiversity by addressing contamination from industrial waste, agricultural runoff, urban development, and other human activities.
Deutsch: Wasserqualitätsüberwachung / Español: Monitoreo de la calidad del agua / Português: Monitoramento da qualidade da água / Français: Surveillance de la qualité de l’eau / Italiano: Monitoraggio della qualità dell’acqua
In the environmental context, water quality monitoring refers to the continuous or periodic testing and analysis of water sources to assess their physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. The goal is to determine whether water is safe for human consumption, agriculture, industry, and ecological health.
Deutsch: Wasserressourcenmanagement / Español: Gestión de recursos hídricos / Português: Gestão de recursos hídricos / Français: Gestion des ressources en eau / Italiano: Gestione delle risorse idriche
Water resource management refers to the practice of planning, developing, distributing, and managing the optimal use of water resources in a sustainable way. In the environmental context, it encompasses the strategies and policies aimed at ensuring that water is used efficiently, conserved, and protected to meet both human and ecological needs, particularly in the face of growing demand, pollution, and climate change.
Deutsch: Grundwasserspiegel / Español: nivel freático / Português: nível freático / Français: nappe phréatique / Italiano: falda acquifera
The water table in the environmental context refers to the upper surface of the zone of saturation in the ground where the soil or rocks are permanently saturated with water. This is the boundary below which the ground is completely filled with water, and above which the ground is not saturated.
Deutsch: Wasseraufbereitung / Español: Tratamiento de agua / Português: Tratamento de água / Français: Traitement de l'eau / Italiano: Trattamento dell'acqua
Water treatment in the environmental context refers to the processes used to make water more acceptable for a specific end-use, which may be drinking, industrial water supply, irrigation, water recreation, or many other uses, including being safely returned to the environment. Water treatment aims to remove contaminants or reduce their concentration so that the water becomes fit for its desired end-use. This process is critical for ensuring access to safe drinking water, protecting public health, and preserving the natural environment by preventing pollution.
Deutsch: Wasserverbrauch / Español: Uso del agua / Português: Uso da água / Français: Utilisation de l'eau / Italiano: Uso dell'acqua
Water use in the environmental context refers to the ways in which water is utilised for various purposes, including agricultural, industrial, domestic, and ecological needs. It encompasses the management, allocation, and consumption of water resources to support human activities and sustain natural ecosystems. Effective water use is crucial for balancing the demands of growing populations, economic activities, and environmental Protection, especially in the face of increasing water scarcity and climate change.
Deutsch: Gewässer / Español: Cuerpo de agua / Português: Corpo de água / Français: Étendue d'eau
A body of water or waterbody (often spelled water body) is any significant accumulation of water, generally on a planet's surface. The term most often refers to oceans, seas, and lakes, but it includes smaller pools of water such as ponds, wetlands, or more rarely, puddles.