The EWS standard is divided into 4 core principles with 14 criteria and 53 indicators covering the following areas of sustainable water management:
Achieve and maintain sustainable water abstraction in terms of water quantity.
Ensure the achievement and maintenance of good water status in terms of chemical quality and biological elements.
Restore and preserve water-cycle related High Conservation Value (HCV) areas
Achieve equitable and transparent water governance.
These indicators are divided into:
MAJOR -Necessary for compliance.
MINOR- Organization can choose which to comply with.
RECOMMENDATION- Proposed as continuous improvement measures, as they generally require more time for compliance.