scholarly journals Securing executive buy-in for preventative risk management – lessons from water safety plans

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 682-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Summerill ◽  
S. J. T. Pollard ◽  
J. A. Smith ◽  
B. Breach ◽  
T. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Organisational Culture ◽  
Near Miss ◽  
Water Utilities ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Investment Planning ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Stakeholder Relationships ◽  
Water Safety Plans

Appropriate implementation of water safety plans (WSPs) offers an important opportunity to engage in and promote preventative risk management within water utilities. To ensure success, the whole organization, especially executive management, need to be advocates. Illustrated by four case studies, we discuss the influence of organisational culture on buy-in and commitment to WSPs. Despite an internal desire to undertake risk management, aspects of organisational culture prevented these from reaching full potential. Enabling cultural features included: enthusiastic management; past incidents; accountability; insufficient regulations; image; learning and continual improvement cultures; stakeholder relationships; and empowerment of staff. Blocking features included: lack of awareness and recognition; complacency; poor internal relationships; competing priorities; lack of resources and skills; contrasting internal cultures and a lack of near miss reporting. Benefits of WSP implementation and how management are committed are also discussed. We offer some suggestions to those wishing to generate executive buy-in such as: understanding reasons for hesitance; demonstrate benefits; avoiding complacency; highlight building blocks of WSPs and recognising the value of using the WSP approach to inform sound investment planning. We urge water utilities to consider the influence of organisational culture on the success and sustainability of WSP adoption, and to better understand how effective leadership can mould culture to support implementation.

scholarly journals A Critical Evaluation of Water Safety Plans (WSPs) and HACCP Implementation in Water Utilities

Proceedings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dionysios S. Tsoukalas ◽  
Stavroula Tsitsifli
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Water Utilities ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Critical Control Points ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Water Safety Plans ◽  
Safety Of Drinking Water

The use of traditional risk management systems has proven to be insufficient to safeguard the safety of drinking water. Nowadays, it is preferable to apply preventive instead of corrective systems. Two of the most commonly used systems are the Hazard Assessment and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and the Water Safety Plans (WSPs). The major benefit of their implementation is the improvement of drinking water quality. Of course, the successful implementation of HACCP and WSPs in water utilities can be limited by a number of factors such as the lack of financial resources. However, the importance of implementation’s difficulties is minimal in relation to the benefits that may result from the application of HACCP and WSPs in water utilities.

Water safety plans, water quality surveillance and investment planning in Kyrgyzstan

Waterlines ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 248-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Sutherland ◽  
Tom Wood ◽  
Nina Vashneva ◽  
Venera Zhunusbaeva
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Investment Planning ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Water Safety Plans

Icelandic experience with water safety plans

2012 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Gunnarsdóttir ◽  
S. M. Gardarsson ◽  
J. Bartram
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Hazard Analysis ◽  
Water Utilities ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Intensive Training ◽  
Critical Control Points ◽  
Water Safety Plans

The aim of this study was to investigate accumulated experience with water safety plans in one of the first countries to adopt systematic preventive management for drinking-water safety. Water utilities in Iceland have had a legal obligation since 1995 to implement a systematic preventive approach to secure safety of drinking water and protect public health. The water utilities responded by implementing either an adapted HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) model for larger water utilities or a simpler five step model for smaller water utilities. The research was carried out at 16 water utilities that serve about two-thirds of the population of Iceland. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used with the aim of analysing if and what benefits water safety plans bring for water utilities and what is needed for successful implementation and operation of such systems. The results of the study show that numerous benefits and even the process of going through the implementing process were considered to be of advantage and change the attitude of the staff and the utility culture. Some obstacles and shortcomings came to light, such as lack of documentation and lack of regular internal and external audit. There was little communication with the public, although some mentioned that good public relations are important to succeed with water safety plans. Many important elements of success were revealed of which intensive training of staff and participation of staff in the whole process are deemed the most important. It is also important to have simple and well-structured guidelines, and good cooperation with the health authorities.

scholarly journals A systematic literature review of the enabling environment elements to improve implementation of water safety plans in high-income countries

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Baum ◽  
Jamie Bartram
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
High Income ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Waterborne Disease ◽  
Enabling Environment ◽  
Drinking Water Safety ◽  
Water Safety Plans ◽  
Context Specific

Abstract Effective risk management helps ensure safe drinking water and protect public health. Even in high-income countries, risk management sometimes fails and waterborne disease, including outbreaks, occur. To help reduce waterborne disease, the WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality recommend water safety plans (WSPs), a systematic preventive risk management strategy applied from catchment to consumer. Since the introduction of WSPs, international guidelines, national and state legislation, and local practices have facilitated their implementation. While various high-income OECD countries have documented successes in improving drinking water safety through implementing WSPs, others have little experience. This review synthesizes the elements of the enabling environment that promoted the implementation of WSPs in high-income countries. We show that guidelines, regulations, tools and resources, public health support, and context-specific evidence of the feasibility and benefits of WSPs are elements of the enabling environment that encourage adoption and implementation of WSPs in high-income countries. These findings contribute to understanding the ways in which to increase the uptake and extent of WSPs throughout high-income countries to help improve public health.

scholarly journals WATER SAFETY PLANS FROM THE ENGINEER’S PERSPECTIVE

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-12
Author(s):  
Gábor Dombay
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Decision Support Tool ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Water Utility ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Water Safety Plans

Abstract Water safety plans are public health related risk management plans, covering the entire water supply system, based on the theorem of prevention. Risk evaluation is fundamental for setting up a risk management system. A modified risk assessment equation is shown which takes into account the severity of consequences of the hazard an accentuated way. This method was used successfully n a number of practical water safety system applications. Water safety plans are practical tools for water utility operators which can be applied in different fields of operation, from water quality improvement of decision support tool of developments. The role of the distribution system and its operation is clarified from water quality deterioration and risk mitigation point of view.

Water safety plans for greywater in tribal schools, India

Waterlines ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 8-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sam Godfrey ◽  
Pawan Labhasetwar ◽  
Aditya Swami ◽  
S.R. Wate ◽  
Gayatri Parihar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Safety ◽  
Water Safety Plans
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