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Bufa-Dőrr Z, Sebestyén Á, Izsák B, Schmoll O, Pándics T, Vargha M. Dual system of water safety plan auditing in Hungary: benefits and lessons learnt. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2023; 21:1663-1675. [PMID: 38017597 PMCID: wh_2023_130 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2023.130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
A risk-based approach is recognised worldwide as the most reliable means for the provision of safe drinking water. Efficient implementation of the water safety plan (WSP) approach, recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), is facilitated by an auditing framework. In Hungary, development of WSPs is a legal obligation for water suppliers. WSPs are subject to a two-stage regulatory audit, a consultative central technical audit and a formal local audit. In 2019, a survey was conducted in cooperation with WHO to evaluate audit experiences of over 1,200 WSPs. Recommendations from the central audit significantly improved coherence and compliance of WSPs, confirming the efficiency of the dual approach. The use of a WSP template provided by the national authority further increased consistency and reduced time and work demand of the audit. Both water suppliers and public health authorities indicated a need for further capacity building on WSP development and auditing. The main challenge for water suppliers is the identification and risk assessment of hazards associated with the water source and distribution within premises. The recast European Union drinking water regulation is expected to accelerate the uptake of WSP and strengthen linkages to water catchment management and water safety in buildings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsuzsanna Bufa-Dőrr
- Department of Public Health Laboratories and Methodology, National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy, Albert Flórián út 2-6, Budapest 1097, Hungary E-mail:
| | - Ágnes Sebestyén
- Department of Public Health Laboratories and Methodology, National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy, Albert Flórián út 2-6, Budapest 1097, Hungary
| | - Bálint Izsák
- Department of Public Health Laboratories and Methodology, National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy, Albert Flórián út 2-6, Budapest 1097, Hungary
| | - Oliver Schmoll
- World Health Organisation Regional Office for Europe, European Centre for Environment and Health, Platz der Vereinten Nationen 1, Bonn 53113, Germany
| | - Tamás Pándics
- Department of Public Health Laboratories and Methodology, National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy, Albert Flórián út 2-6, Budapest 1097, Hungary; Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Public Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, Vas utca 17, Budapest 1088, Hungary
| | - Márta Vargha
- Department of Public Health Laboratories and Methodology, National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy, Albert Flórián út 2-6, Budapest 1097, Hungary
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Charles KJ, Howard G, Villalobos Prats E, Gruber J, Alam S, Alamgir ASM, Baidya M, Flora MS, Haque F, Hassan SMQ, Islam S, Lazaro A, Lwetoijera DW, Mahmud SG, Mahmud ZH, Matwewe F, Pasa K, Rahman M, Reza AAS, Selimuzzaman M, Sharif AR, Sharma S, Thomas JM, Campbell-Lendrum D. Infrastructure alone cannot ensure resilience to weather events in drinking water supplies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 813:151876. [PMID: 34826465 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Climate resilient water supplies are those that provide access to drinking water that is sustained through seasons and through extreme events, and where good water quality is also sustained. While surface and groundwater quality are widely understood to vary with rainfall, there is a gap in the evidence on the impact of weather and extremes in rainfall and temperature on drinking water quality, and the role of changes in water system management. A three-country (Bangladesh, Nepal and Tanzania) observational field study tracked 2353 households clustered around 685 water sources across seven different geographies over 14 months. Water quality (E. coli) data was modelled using GEE to account for clustering effects and repeated measures at households. All types of infrastructure were vulnerable to changes in weather, with differences varying between geographies; protected boreholes provided the greatest protection at the point of collection (PoC). Water quality at the point of use (PoU) was vulnerable to changes in weather, through changes in PoC water quality as well as changes in management behaviours, such as safe storage, treatment and cleaning. This is the first study to demonstrate the impact of rainfall and temperature extremes on water quality at the PoC, and the role that weather has on PoU water quality via management behaviours. Climate resilience for water supplies needs to consider the infrastructure as well as the management decisions that are taking place at a community and household level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina J Charles
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford, UK.
| | - Guy Howard
- Department of Civil Engineering and Cabot Institute of the Environment, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TR, UK.
| | | | - Joshua Gruber
- Center for Effective Global Action, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America.
| | - Sadekul Alam
- Bangladesh Meteorological Department, Bangladesh
| | - A S M Alamgir
- Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control And Research (IEDCR), Bangladesh
| | | | | | - Farhana Haque
- Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control And Research (IEDCR), Bangladesh
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mahmudur Rahman
- Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control And Research (IEDCR), Bangladesh
| | | | - M Selimuzzaman
- Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control And Research (IEDCR), Bangladesh
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Masroor K, Kermani M, Gholami M, Fanaei F, Arfaeinia H, Nemati S, Tahmasbizadeh M. Development and implementation of water safety plans for groundwater resources in the southernmost city of West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE & ENGINEERING 2020; 18:629-637. [PMID: 33312589 PMCID: PMC7721941 DOI: 10.1007/s40201-020-00488-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The transfer of water from the source to the consumption point is always associated with the possibility of contamination in any of its various components. To resolve this problem, the World Health Organization has considered a water safety plan. The purpose of this study is to implement water safety plan in the water supply system of Bukan city. This study was performed on Bukan's water supply system in 2019-20 using a software to guarantee the quality of the water safety plan and the WHO and IWA guidelines. The software checklists were prepared and after confirming the validity of the translation and its facial and content validity, it was completed based on the records of the Water and Sewerage Company and interviews with experts. Out of a total of 440 points of full-application of the program and 392 points for the reviewed phases, 183.6 points were acquired and 43.7% of WSP-coordinated implementation was observed. The highest percentage of WSP-coordinated implementation (75.2%) was assigned to the validation stage with the highest point, and the support program stage had the lowest percentage of performance (1.1%). Among the major components of the water supply system, the final consumption point received the most attention from the system. Given the lifespan of the introduction and use of WSP in the world, it was expected that better results would be obtained from evaluating the implementation and progress of this approach in Bukan's water supply system. However, the implementation rate of this program in this city compared to other cities in Iran, showed that according to the implementation time (one year), the obtained results are relatively convincing and good and the water supply system has a moderate level of safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazhal Masroor
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Kermani
- Research Center of Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mitra Gholami
- Research Center of Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farzad Fanaei
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Student Research Committee, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Arfaeinia
- Systems Environmental Health and Energy Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Sepideh Nemati
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Tahmasbizadeh
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
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Dietrich AM, Burlingame GA. A review: The challenge, consensus, and confusion of describing odors and tastes in drinking water. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 713:135061. [PMID: 31836233 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Documentation exists for many chemicals that cause tastes and odors in water, however, water suppliers do not routinely monitor for these chemicals. Effective management of a taste-and-odor (T&O) problem in drinking water often requires good verbal description of the offending sensory experience. Experience demonstrates that obtaining verbal descriptions is challenging. To improve our understanding of communications, sensory science literature was reviewed to obtain descriptors for twenty-one chemicals acknowledged to cause T&O issues in drinking water. The review focused on pure chemicals above their odor threshold concentrations. Results reveal that descriptors follow four general categories. For select chemicals, strong consensus exists around a single or very few appropriate descriptors. Examples are "salty" for sodium and "chlorinous" for free chlorine. The next category has moderate agreement for several descriptors, with at least one major descriptor. For example the microbiological metabolite 2-methylisoborneol is most commonly described as "earthy/musty/moldy" but also "camphor, grass, and sweet". Some chemicals have weak agreement on their descriptors, but overall associate words with similar meaning. An example is the chemical toluene with descriptors of "solvent-like" words including "solvent", "gasoline", "paint-like", "cleaning fluid", and "etherish", but also "vinegar" and "sweet". The last chemical category possesses diverse descriptors with no consensus. For example, the oxylipin n-heptanal is described as "oily, fatty, chemical, musty/earthy/moldy, rancid, sweaty, grass, sickening, and stale". While descriptor diversity for select chemicals may not identify the cause of T&O, understanding that certain chemicals are perceived very differently aids in effective communications and eliminates confusion from expecting consumers or utility personnel to respond with consensus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M Dietrich
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry Street, 418 Durham Hall, MC 0246, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States.
| | - Gary A Burlingame
- Bureau of Laboratory Services, Philadelphia Water Department, 1500 E. Hunting Park Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19124, United States.
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Kayser G, Loret J, Setty K, De Thé CB, Martin J, Puigdomenech C, Bartram J. Water safety plans for water supply utilities in China, Cuba, France, Morocco and Spain: costs, benefits, and enabling environment elements. URBAN WATER JOURNAL 2019; 16:277-288. [PMID: 31768148 PMCID: PMC6876626 DOI: 10.1080/1573062x.2019.1669191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Water Safety Plans (WSPs) are a management tool to identify and prioritize risks and implement appropriate control measures throughout the water supply chain, from catchment to consumer. WSPs have been implemented in over 90 countries; yet, costs, benefits and the enabling environment elements necessary for WSP implementation are under-studied. To better understand these factors, we conducted interviews with WSP implementation management teams from 20 private urban water utilities in China, Cuba, France, Morocco and Spain in 2014. Collectively, these utilities serve 10.6 million consumers and supply over 2.2 million m3/day of water to consumers. Time for WSP implementation to achieve certification averaged 13 months. The main startup cost was staff time, averaging 16.2 full-time equivalent person-months. Additional costs, averaging €16,777, were for training staff, hiring consultants, purchasing equipment, and certifying WSPs. Benefits commonly reported included improved hazard control, treatment practices, record keeping, and client and health agency confidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. Kayser
- The Gillings School of Global Public Health, Water
Institute, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, The University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine and
Public Health, Division of Global Health, The University of California, San Diego,
La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - J.F. Loret
- SUEZ, Centre International de Recherche sur l’Eau et
l’Environnement (CIRSEE), Le Pecq, France
| | - K. Setty
- The Gillings School of Global Public Health, Water
Institute, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, The University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - J. Martin
- Aigües de Barcelona, Empresa Metropolitana de
Gestió del Cicle Integral de l’Aigua, Barcelona, Spain
| | - C. Puigdomenech
- Cetaqua, Water Technology Center (CETAQUA), Cornellà
de Llobregat, Spain
| | - J. Bartram
- The Gillings School of Global Public Health, Water
Institute, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, The University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Ferrero G, Setty K, Rickert B, George S, Rinehold A, DeFrance J, Bartram J. Capacity building and training approaches for water safety plans: A comprehensive literature review. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2019; 222:615-627. [PMID: 30744955 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
The World Health Organization has recommended Water Safety Plans (WSPs), a holistic risk assessment and risk management approach, for drinking-water suppliers across low-, middle- and high-income countries, since publishing its 2004 Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality. While rapid WSP adoption has occurred, capacity is still catching up to implementation needs. Many countries and regions lack case examples, legal requirements, and training resources for WSPs, corresponding to widespread capacity shortfall in the water supply sector. We undertook a comprehensive review of the literature on capacity building and training for WSPs, with the goal of providing recommendations for multiple stakeholder groups at the scales of individual utilities, national governments, and intermediate units of governance. We propose a WSP training taxonomy and discuss it in relation to the stages of learning (introduction, practice, and reinforcement); describe the importance of customizing training to the target group, local language and circumstances; highlight the relevance of auditing for evaluating change over time; and call for robust methods to monitor WSP capacity development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuliana Ferrero
- IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Westvest 7, 2611, AX, Delft, the Netherlands.
| | - Karen Setty
- The Water Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Bettina Rickert
- German Environment Agency, Schichauweg 58, 12307, Berlin, Germany
| | - Shannan George
- The Water Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Angella Rinehold
- Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer DeFrance
- Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jamie Bartram
- The Water Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Setty K, McConnell R, Raucher R, Bartram J. Comparative evaluation of risk management frameworks for U.S. source waters. AWWA WATER SCIENCE 2019; 1:e1125. [PMID: 31001606 PMCID: PMC6450437 DOI: 10.1002/aws2.1125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act required states to develop source water assessment programs identifying existing and potential contamination sources; however, comprehensive risk prioritization and management approaches for surface water supplies have seen limited application. This participatory study assessed which permutation(s) of risk management frameworks and tools might benefit U.S. utilities by combining a literature review with external utility interviews. Qualitative data provided a basis for categorical assignments of goodness of fit with each of 24 framework evaluation criteria across five categories. Weighted integration using stakeholder input provided a relative ranking of applicability, later validated at a decision-making workshop. Hybridization of the American National Standards Institute/American Water Works Association (ANSI/AWWA G300) source water protection standard and World Health Organization Water Safety Plan guidance was recommended to develop a comprehensive risk management approach for U.S. source waters. Cost-benefit components of other guidance materials were recommended to incorporate financial considerations into risk ranking and mitigation decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Setty
- The Water InstituteDepartment of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth Carolina
| | | | | | - Jamie Bartram
- The Water InstituteDepartment of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth Carolina
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