Insights into the challenges of risk characterization using drinking water safety plans

Abstract

Risk assessment methodologies, specifically water safety plans (WSPs), provide a water operator with a greater awareness of the drinking water system and the hazards that may occur. This brings key issues to the forefront and promotes a proactive approach to drinking water safety. This paper identifies the challenges in completing a WSP and evaluates the robustness of procedures. Experts knowledgeable in drinking water treatment were asked to complete Alberta’s Drinking Water Safety Plan template for a hypothetical community. Findings from use of a condensed version of the WSP are also described, and the resulting risk scores obtained from both methodologies are compared. A high degree of variability between experts’ responses was observed from both; however, trends between responses show that the condensed WSP makes it easier to compare hazards relative to each other, to determine key risk areas that warrant more attention.

Comparative evaluation of risk management frameworks for U.S. source waters

“…Participating utilities additionally perceived information gaps and an overwhelming number of potential risks as limiters of risk management activity. Post, Thompson, and McBean (2017) recommended condensing similar hazards into fewer than 30 categories to avoid a tedious review process. The literature and interviewees often cited the precautionary approach in case of doubt, recommending purposefully higher risk ranking, further monitoring, or watchful waiting to assess shifts in risk (Dominguez-Chicas & Scrimshaw, 2010).…”

Operator‐informed risk assessment tool: Opportunities and barriers to support risk management practices

“…Because Canada, as a federation of provinces and territories, devolves the authority to regulate drinking water to provincial and territorial jurisdictions, there has not been national adoption of Ontario's risk-based management practices (Bakker & Cook, 2011;de Loe, 2009). Alberta is the only other province to formally establish risk-based management strategies for the provision of safe drinking water through the implementation of Drinking Water Safety Plans (DWSPs) through provincial regulations (Post et al, 2017;Reid et al, 2014). While there has been informal acknowledgment from the Federal Government of Canada that WSP strategies are key for maintaining effective multibarrier protections for drinking water (Health Canada, 2021), there has been no national movement toward formal adoption.…”

“…The inquiry issued over 90 recommendations to avoid future outbreaks (O'Connor, 2002b) and as a result the Ontario Government implemented substantial legislative changes including the Safe Drinking Water Act 2002 (SDWA) and the Clean Water Act (2006) (Davey, 2002). The Ontario SDWA established a statutory standard of care required by owners and implemented risk assessments and management plans through the Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (MOE, 2017;Plummer et al, 2010;Post et al, 2017). Because Canada, as a federation of provinces and territories, devolves the authority to regulate drinking water to provincial and territorial jurisdictions, there has not been national adoption of Ontario's risk-based management practices (Bakker & Cook, 2011;de Loe, 2009).…”