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Global Water Quality Data and Statistics - GEMStat
The United Nations Global Environment Monitoring System (GEMS) Water Programme is dedicated to providing environmental water quality data and information of the highest integrity, accessibility and interoperability. These data are used in water assessments and capacity building initiatives around the world.
GEMStat is designed to share surface and ground water quality data sets collected from the GEMS/Water Global Network, including more than 3,700 stations, close to 4.3 million records, and over 100 parameters.
How to participate in the GEMS/Water network
Governments and other organizations are vital to our success. Information on how to participate may be found in the Operational Guide for Data Submission (pdf) and Instruction Guide (pdf). Forms for submitting data are available in Word and Excel (Data form, Station form) too.
For guidance on how to design a water quality monitoring program that addresses design, requirements and desired outcomes including recommended sampling sites, monitoring variables, sampling frequencies, operational requirements, data and a quality assurance strategy, refer to the report UNEP GEMS/Water Programme: South Africa Monitoring Program Design.
Countries Participating in Global
Data Activities
National
Focal Points and Status of Participation
| Africa: |
|
|
20 |
|
Algeria, Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Congo (Republic of the), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Tanzania (United Republic of), Uganda, Zimbabwe |
| Americas: |
|
|
16 |
|
Argentina, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of). |
| Asia: |
|
|
26 |
|
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia (Democratic Kampuchea), China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Korea (Republic of), Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, Viet Nam |
| Europe: |
|
|
21 |
|
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. |
| Oceania |
|
|
5 |
|
Australia, Fiji, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea |
| Other participation |
|
|
38 |
|
Albania, Belize, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Republic of Africa, Chad, Comoros, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinéa, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Moldova (Republic of), Nicaragua, Niue, Palestine, Romania, Rwanda, Slovakia, Suriname, Tajikistan, Trinidad & Tobago, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Zambia |
| TOTAL |
|
|
126 |
|
|
Station and Parameter Classification
| Region |
Number of Stations |
Number of Data Points |
Phys / Chem |
Major Ions |
Metals |
Nutrients |
Organic Matter |
Organic
Contaminants |
Microbiology |
Hydrological
& Sampling |
Date Range |
| Africa
| 298 |
295569 |
73309 |
109583 |
10839 |
79632 |
7637 |
2111 |
7625 |
313 |
1977 - 2010 |
| Americas |
2442 |
1758945 |
200818 |
243964 |
312438 |
224321 |
41024 |
603103 |
22250 |
13567 |
1965 - 2008 |
| Asia
| 543 |
828247 |
241851 |
161735 |
103132 |
131688 |
52624 |
10557 |
43939 |
81834 |
1971 - 2010 |
| Europe
| 344 |
961621 |
258023 |
140532 |
197636 |
150907 |
74495 |
32510 |
40672 |
66846 |
1978 - 2008 |
| Oceania
| 95 |
409524 |
245207 |
11160 |
3199 |
102612 |
14356 |
1438 |
10780 |
20772 |
1979 - 2009 |
| Total
| 3722 |
4253906 |
689160 |
666974 |
627244 |
102612 |
190136 |
649719 |
125266 |
183332 |
1965 - 2010 |
Different health requirements and water uses need different
degrees of water quality. The needs of an aquatic ecosystem
are the most important. If the ecosystem is healthy, then the
others fall into place. The suite of substances that can be
monitored are:
Service
and Use |
Human Health
Drinking Water |
Agriculture |
Municipal/
Industrial |
Ecosystem Stability,
Structure & Health |
Tourism &
Recreation |
| Parameter |
Total Coliform
Faecal Coliform
Pathogens
POPs
Turbidity |
Nutrients
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Salinity
Chlorophyll A Pathogens |
BOD
COD
Heavy Metals
(particularly in Sediment) |
Temperature
pH - acidity
Conductivity
Major ions
Oxygen
Suspended Solids
Biodiversity |
Parasites
Pathogens |
GEMS/Water-South Africa programme design report
South Africa has designed an exemplar system for reporting water quality data to GEMS/Water, and the report is available here. |
