Activities (ISIC) codes

wastewater generation to economic activities (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division, 2008). Within indicator 6.3.1 monitoring, wastewater generation is disaggregated into the following categories (Box 2; Figure 2): Agriculture – point sources, i.e. excluding non-point agricultural activities such as run-off and irrigation – (ISIC codes 01–03), industrial (mining and quarrying: ISIC codes 05–09, manufacturing: ISIC codes 10–33, electricity production – excluding cooling water – ISIC code 35, construction: ISIC codes 41–43); services or other economic activities (ISIC codes 45-96); and wastewater produced by private households, which are not classified by ISIC as economic activities. While wastewater from agricultural activities (ISIC codes 01–03) that is discharged from point sources is included in 6.3.1 reporting, the predominant non-point sources are not (for example, run-off and irrigation from agricultural fields). Therefore, for the purposes of this report, “total wastewater” consists of agricultural, industrial and domestic flows, but excludes non-point agricultural activities and cooling water (ISIC class 3530).

In this report, “domestic wastewater” is the combination of wastewater produced by services and by households – which were paired due to the relative similarity of the composition of their wastewater (and the fact that they are likely to exclude major hazardous pollutants associated with industrial and agricultural processes). The separate methodology for the domestic component of indicator 6.3.1 is presented in section 2.1.2. Only officially reported figures for domestic wastewater flows generated and treated have been included in the composite of total wastewater flows.

Box 2. Wastewater generation by International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) codes

Agriculture, forestry and fishing (ISIC

01–03) includes crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities; forestry and logging; and fishing and aquaculture.

Mining and quarrying (ISIC 05–09) includes the extraction of minerals occurring naturally as solids (coal and ores), liquids (petroleum) or gases (natural gas).

Manufacturing (ISIC 10–33) includes the physical or chemical transformation of materials, substances, or components into new products.

Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (ISIC 35, excluding cooling water)

includes the activity of providing electric power, natural gas, steam, hot water and the like through a permanent infrastructure (network) of lines, mains and pipes.

Construction (ISIC 41–43) includes general construction and specialized construction activities for buildings and civil engineering works.

Other economic activities (services) (ISIC

45–96) such as offices, hotels, schools, universities and services, where water is mainly used for similar purposes as in households (sanitation, washing, cleaning, cooking, etc.).

Note: Full definitions are available in United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division (2008).