The aim of this communication is to discuss strategies for, and progress achieved in transboundary water quality management. The Comprehensive Transboundary Water Quality Management Agreement with Guidelines for Development of a Management Plan, Standards, and Criteria. (ASCE/EWRI 33-09). The purpose of this Agreement is to provide a framework for governments to adopt or modify comprehensive water quality planning and management mechanisms of shared water resources.

The Spanish version of the Agreement, completed by the ASCE/EWRI Border International Water Quality Standards Committee (BIWQ SC) Translation Ad Hoc Group, allows the scope of this Framework along and across Spanish speaking political boundaries. This version includes some updates balloted by the Committee to ensure that all factors involved in the sharing and management of water resources are considered in the development of the Agreement, so that it can accommodate the current realities of the boundary governments. The original version of the Agreement (ASCE/EWRI 33-09) is being revised and will be replaced in the coming months by the ASCE/EWRI 33-16.

The ASCE/EWRI 33-16 contains the most current model for comprehensive water quality planning and management of shared water resources. It underlines the importance of governmental cooperation to alleviate causes of present and future disagreement and promotes the development of common strategies to use, manage and protect shared water resources. The ASCE/EWRI 33-16 is an agreement to be used, modified, and enhanced through every government on an international scale and in a variety of geopolitical settings.