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IS 10446 : 1983Glossary of terms relating to water supply and sanitation

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ISO 24513 · EN 16323 · ISO 6107
CurrentFrequently UsedTerminologyBIMWater Resources · Public Health Engineering
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OverviewInternationalTablesFAQ4

IS 10446:1983 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for glossary of terms relating to water supply and sanitation. This standard provides a comprehensive glossary of terms used in the fields of water supply and sanitation. It serves as a foundational document to standardize terminology for engineers, technicians, and other professionals in public health engineering, ensuring clear communication in projects, reports, and specifications.

Glossary of terms relating to water supply and sanitation

Overview

Status
Current
Usage level
Frequently Used
Domain
Water Resources — Public Health Engineering
Type
Terminology
International equivalents
ISO 24513:2019 · International Organization for Standardization (ISO), SwitzerlandEN 16323:2014 · European Committee for Standardization (CEN), EuropeISO 6107:2021 · International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Switzerland

BIM-relevant code. See the BIM Hub for ISO 19650, IFC, and LOD/LOIN frameworks used alongside it.

Practical Notes
! Essential reference for students and professionals new to the Indian water and sanitation sector.
! Helps in interpreting technical specifications, drawings, and contractual documents accurately.
! Use this standard to ensure consistency in terminology when preparing reports and project proposals.
Frequently referenced clauses
Section 1 - Terms Relating to Water SupplySection 2 - Terms Relating to SanitationSection 3 - Terms Relating to SewerageSection 4 - Terms Relating to Sewage Treatment
Pulled from IS 10446:1983. Browse the full clause & table index below in Tables & Referenced Sections.

International Equivalents

Similar International Standards
ISO 24513:2019International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Switzerland
HighCurrent
Service activities relating to drinking water supply, wastewater and stormwater systems — Vocabulary
Directly corresponds to the scope of IS 10446, providing an international vocabulary for water supply and sanitation systems.
EN 16323:2014European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Europe
MediumCurrent
Glossary of wastewater engineering terms
Covers the sanitation/wastewater portion of the IS code's scope with high detail, but does not cover drinking water supply.
ISO 6107:2021International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Switzerland
MediumCurrent
Water quality — Vocabulary
Focuses specifically on terminology for water quality analysis, a key subset of the broader terms in IS 10446.
BS 6100-2.6:1992British Standards Institution (BSI), United Kingdom
HighWithdrawn
Glossary of building and civil engineering terms. Civil engineering. Water and sewage
Historically, it was a direct UK equivalent, covering the same subject matter before the adoption of European standards.
Key Differences
≠IS 10446:1983, being an older standard, lacks terminology for modern concepts prevalent in international standards, such as 'asset management', 'circular economy', 'smart water networks', and 'performance indicators'.
≠Modern international standards like ISO 24513 are structured thematically (e.g., technical, management, service aspects) with an alphabetical index, whereas IS 10446 is typically organized as a single, purely alphabetical list.
≠IS 10446 includes terms specific to Indian administrative and technical practices, while international standards focus on globally applicable terminology, deliberately avoiding regionalisms.
≠International standards often make a clearer distinction between 'wastewater' (a broad term) and 'sewage' (a subset), whereas older standards like IS 10446 may use the terms more interchangeably or primarily use 'sewage'.
Key Similarities
≈The fundamental purpose of all the standards is identical: to create a common, unambiguous vocabulary to facilitate communication among professionals in the water and sanitation sector.
≈Core technical and scientific terms related to hydraulics, hydrology, and chemistry (e.g., 'aquifer', 'head', 'flow rate', 'chlorination', 'pH') are defined in a conceptually similar manner across all standards.
≈The basic classification of system components, such as 'main', 'service pipe', 'valve', and 'pump', remains consistent in function and definition, forming a common foundation.
≈All standards recognize and define the fundamental stages of the water cycle as managed by utilities, including 'raw water' collection, 'water treatment', 'distribution', 'wastewater collection', and 'wastewater treatment'.
Parameter Comparison
ParameterIS ValueInternationalSource
Asset ManagementTerm not defined. The concept is outside the scope of a 1983 technical glossary.Systematic process of developing, operating, maintaining, upgrading, and disposing of assets cost-effectively. A core concept defined with significant detail.ISO 24513:2019
Wastewater vs SewagePrimarily uses 'Sewage' to denote waste liquid from domestic and industrial sources.Uses 'Wastewater' as the broad term, with 'domestic wastewater' (often synonymous with 'sewage') and 'industrial wastewater' as sub-categories.EN 16323:2014
Service PipeDefined as the pipe that conveys water from the distribution main to the consumer's premises. Focus is on its physical location.Defined as 'Service connection pipe'. The definition is often linked to the 'point of delivery' and includes associated fittings, which is critical for assessing performance indicators like leakage.ISO 24513:2019
SludgeA general definition as the semi-solid residue from purification of water or treatment of sewage.Detailed definitions distinguishing types like 'primary sludge', 'activated sludge', 'digested sludge', and 'biosolids', reflecting advanced treatment processes and resource recovery.EN 16323:2014
Water QualityDefined in general terms relating to the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of water.Defined in relation to specific parameters and their limit values. The standard itself provides an extensive vocabulary for hundreds of specific analytes and measurement concepts.ISO 6107:2021
AppurtenanceA general term for any device or fitting connected to a pipeline, such as a valve, hydrant, or meter.The term is used, but modern standards often prefer more specific terms or group them under 'components' or 'fittings' within the context of network models and asset inventories.ISO 24513:2019
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use

Key Values0

No quick reference values available for this code yet.

Tables & Referenced Sections

Key Tables
No tables data
Key Clauses
Section 1 - Terms Relating to Water Supply
Section 2 - Terms Relating to Sanitation
Section 3 - Terms Relating to Sewerage
Section 4 - Terms Relating to Sewage Treatment

Frequently Asked Questions4

What is the IS definition of 'potable water'?+
Water which is safe to drink, palatable and free from any objectionable mineral or chemical substances. See Clause 1.2.169.
How does this code differentiate 'sewage' and 'sullage'?+
Sewage (Clause 3.2.98) is waste matter from domestic or industrial establishments carried in sewers. Sullage (Clause 3.2.115) is specifically wastewater from baths, kitchens, and wash-basins, which does not contain faecal matter.
What is a 'service reservoir' according to this glossary?+
A reservoir for storing filtered and disinfected water, which is supplied to the consumers. It is also known as a distribution reservoir. See Clause 1.2.186.
What is the definition of 'Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)'?+
The amount of oxygen required for biochemical oxidation of the organic matter in a specified time and at a specified temperature. See Clause 4.2.8.

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