Sweden has some 55 associations for water conservation. All the country's major watercourses, lakes or coastal areas have their own associations. The first societies were formed in the 1950s, and most of them have been in existence for many years.

Their original function was to co-ordinate and deal with collated recipient inspections for rivers, lakes and coastal areas, i.e. to check water quality. This remains their principal function, but today the associations are also involved in measures designed to enhance water quality, dissemination of information and husbandry of water supplies.

Societies for water conservation are non-profit organisations and membership is voluntary. Most members are organisations involved in water conservancy; or whose operations involve the discharge of municipal or industrial wastewater; or whose activities make use of the water or affect it in some way. They include local authorities, industries in the private sector, hydroelectric companies, farming and forestry organisations, central government bodies and pressure groups representing the particular interests of fishing or nature conservancy.