A risk‐based methodology for contaminant prioritization

Abstract

Water utilities must continuously ensure safe drinking water within the context of multiple competing objectives and considerable uncertainty. Systematic, transparent prioritization of contaminants can improve utility decision‐making. A methodology was developed to identify, screen, evaluate, and determine appropriate actions for a wide range of contaminants, including regulated parameters, contaminants of emerging concern, and aesthetic issues. Actions were assigned on the basis of “utility risk,” defined as the risk that the utility may produce undesirable water through potential health effects of unregulated contaminants, exceeding aesthetic levels, or regulatory noncompliance. Application of this methodology at Washington Aqueduct in Washington, D.C., narrowed a list of more than 700 candidate contaminants down to about a dozen priority contaminants, allowing the utility to focus on the most beneficial actions when considering future capital improvements and nontreatment approaches to enhance drinking water quality.

Avaliação de risco à saúde associada à qualidade da água para consumo humano em Campina Grande, Paraíba

“…Os valores dos critérios e do preenchimento do formulário FMEA foram definidos por um consenso da equipe, que, por meio de reuniões de brainstorm, discutiu os conhecimentos sobre o SAA de Campina Grande, baseando as decisões em atributos qualitativos e subjetivos, conforme recomenda a literatura do método (SPIESMAN & SPEIGHT, 2014;STAMATIS, 2003;TOLEDO & AMARAL, 2006;VIANA, 2011).…”

Washington Aqueduct: Serving Our Nation's Capital for Over 150 Years

“…To fulfill the public's trust that utilities will serve as good stewards of ratepayer resources requires thoughtful prioritization. With the help of a modern expert panel, Washington Aqueduct has developed a systematic, transparent, risk‐based methodology for prioritizing contaminants (Spiesman & Speight 2014) to guide investments in treatment upgrades, watershed protection programs, and distribution system improvements.…”