Water Positive™ Verification for Water Stewardship Actions

Verifying Water Positive Project Benefits in accordance with the Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA) 2.0 methodology.

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Lauren Enright

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What is Water Positive™ Verification?

Water Positive™ Verification is the independent verification of water stewardship projects in accordance with the VWBA methodology which enables companies to measure, demonstrate and report on the water they are offsetting against the amount of water consumed. Water Positive status can be achieved through projects such as resource optimization, restoration of water ecosystems, replenishment and recharge activities, and water stewardship initiatives that improve water quality and availability in the watershed it operates in.  

Companies with high water risks in nearly every industry have made commitments to be Water Positive. This can be realized by creating projects that contribute to enhanced community resilience and protection of vital ecosystems which can reduce operational risk and boost corporate sustainability credibility. From tech, manufacturing, food and beverage to hospitality and more, stakeholders are demanding sustainability goals that include regenerative water and watershed Water Positive throughout their supply chains.    

By achieving independent Water Positive™ Verification from SCS Global Services, companies can make verified claims surrounding their water conservation and regeneration efforts, which may be used to support CSR and ESG reporting, CDP, and corporate contributions to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

Why Choose SCS?

As a leader for over 40 years in sustainability standards, independent, third-party verification and certification, SCS has helped thousands of companies demonstrate their sustainability efforts that contribute to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Companies choose to leverage SCS’ water stewardship expertise to help navigate their water sustainability journey. SCS offers a comprehensive suite of services for responsible water practices, with Water Positive™ Verification, WAVE Verification, Technical Advisory Services, and Water Stewardship and Resiliency Certification.

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  • Process
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Water Positive projects (VWB Generation) may include the following: 

  1. Water Savings:
    • Implement water-saving processes
    • Leak repair and optimize distribution systems
    • Partnerships with industries for water savings
    • Non-Revenue Water
  2. Water Recycling, Reuse and Augmentation:
    • Rainwater collection systems
    • Wastewater Reuse
    • Sustainable Desalination
  3. Improvement of Water Quality:
    • Adequate treatment of wastewater
    • Control of industrial and agricultural pollution
    • Management of invasive species
  4. Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems:
    • Wetland recovery
    • River and coastal cleanup
  5. Investment in Water Infrastructure:
    • Modernization of distribution systems
    • Construction of efficient treatment plants
    • Early warning systems for pollution events
  6. Climate Change Adaptation:
    • Development of infrastructure resilient to extreme climate events
    • Water resource planning considering future climate scenarios (stormwater management)
  7. Education and Awareness:
    • Educational programs on responsible water use
    • Public awareness campaigns
    • Affinity Water (Water Positive UK)
    • Behavioral water efficiency programs
  8. Groundwater Management:
    • Sustainable aquifer recharge
    • Prevention of nitrate contamination of groundwater from agriculture
  9. Water Compensation:
    • Compensation programs for water ecosystem savings
    • Market mechanisms to incentivize water savings
    • Value Chain (Water Footprint Trade)
  10. Protection of Water Sources, Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems and Sustainable Urban Planning:
    • Design of sponge cities that absorb and reuse rainwater
    • Integration of sustainable urban drainage systems
    • Conservation of watersheds
    • Reforestation of areas near rivers and lakes
    • Highway runoff management
    • Climate resilience using green solutions
    • Reduce flooding
    • Improve river water quality
    • Permeable paving
    • Planted bioswales
    • Grassed/planted detention barriers
    • Bioretention tree pits
    • Sustainable drainage systems
    • Early warning systems for pollution events 
  • Helps contribute to a company's overall sustainability profile
  • Assure stakeholders of accurate Water Positive claims
  • Replenish, reuse, recharge, recycle, and implement water efficiencies in high-risk areas
  • Make local contributions to water savings and watershed improvements
  • Achieve recognition with a Water Positive™ Verification Report and logo 

VWBA Three Step Process

  1. Identify shared water challenges and understand local context
  2. Define water stewardship project activities and partners
  3. Gather data and calculate volumetric water benefits 

SCS Verification Process

  1. Apply for verification
  2. Submit inventory documentation
  3. Technical review
  4. Verification report
  5. Mitigation
  6. Verification reviewed and, if achieved, report and verification logo issued. SCS can also provide client marketing support.
  7. Maintenance assessment conducted within 12 months of verification

Disclaimer Language:

AquaPositive is a trusted collaborator of SCS Global Services. Choosing to work with AquaPositive does not offer any benefits over other replenishment and water positive platforms or project developer services. Additionally, working with AquaPositive does not ensure a successful SCS Water Positive™ Verification outcome.

As an independent third-party certification and verification body, SCS Global Services must maintain impartiality and avoid conflict of interest. Therefore, the choice of service provider should be made independently by each organization seeking verification services. 

What is Water Positive Verification?

Water Positive Verification relies on VWBA v2.0 to measure, report, and validate its impact. VWBA is a methodology framework that enables companies to quantify the water benefits generated through their water-related projects and initiatives, ensuring that the impact is additional, measurable, and verifiable.

Why is verification needed for Water Positive and Replenishment goals?

The Water Positive Verification provides an external assurance audit to verify that an organization has the correct strategy, documentation and volumetric evidence to support their Water Positive claims. The WVBA method defines water stewardship practices and how to calculate volumetric water benefits to verify your efforts.

Will SCS help define your Water Positive actions? 

As an independent third-party verifier, we cannot participate in consulting activities such assistance with scoping project parameters or documentation of activities.

What is the cost of Water Positive Verification?

Costs vary depending on the type of water stewardship activities being evaluated and the scope of the Water Positive project. Please contact us for pricing. 

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Lauren Enright

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