The Water Information Network System is an open source and open access platform that combines geolocalized data. It was developed by UNESCO's International Hydrological Programme to serve as a global reference in the design and support of operations, management, and decision support functions for sound water resources governance. It is also designed to assist Member States in monitoring and implementing the Sustainable Development Goal to "ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all" (SDG6).

The Secretariat of UNESCO's International Hydrological Programme (IHP) is populating the database with officially validated data provided by Member States and by UNESCO's water programmes and networks, comprising over 1500 water professionals worldwide. More than 150 layers of geolocalized data were available as of January 2017, when IHP-WINS was launched.

This information can be downloaded in shapefile format, for later visualization and analysis in any GIS software. The data can also be visualized on the website, even multiple layers at a time.

Here, we present some examples of the data available:

Proportion of population using safely managed sanitation

Level of water stress (2012)

Major World Rivers of the World

Link

Access this useful platform here: http://ihp-wins.unesco.org/

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IHP-WINS aims to become a global reference on the water cycle allowing users to create tailor-made maps incorporating information about arid zones, rainfall, transboundary water basins and irrigation, and to monitor and implement the Sustainable Development Goal on water and irrigation (SDG6) with continuous updates and new data.