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Implementing risk-based approaches to improve drinking water quality in small water supplies in the Nordic region – barriers and solutions

Gunnarsdottir, Maria J. ; Gardarsson, Sigurdur M. ; Eriksson, Magnus ; Albrechtsen, Hans Jörgen ; Gerlach Bergkvist, Kim Steve ; Rossi, Pekka M. ; Matilainen, Riikka ; Hansen, Lisbeth Truelstrup ; Erland Jensen, Pernille and Maréchal, Judith , et al. (2023) In Journal of Water and Health 21(12). p.1747-1760
Abstract (Swedish)
Small water supplies face similar problems worldwide, regardless of ownership or management type. Non-compliance with water quality regulations is more frequent in small supplies than in large ones, as are waterborne disease outbreaks. The new EU Drinking Water Directive requires risk-based approach (RBA) to secure water safety as is recommended in the WHO's Guidelines for drinking water quality through ‘water safety plans’. This is already in regulation in the Nordic countries, although less used in small supplies. In this research, we explore the challenges, barriers and possible solutions to implementing RBA and improving compliance in small supplies. This was achieved by conducting and analysing interviews with 53 stakeholders from all... (More)
Small water supplies face similar problems worldwide, regardless of ownership or management type. Non-compliance with water quality regulations is more frequent in small supplies than in large ones, as are waterborne disease outbreaks. The new EU Drinking Water Directive requires risk-based approach (RBA) to secure water safety as is recommended in the WHO's Guidelines for drinking water quality through ‘water safety plans’. This is already in regulation in the Nordic countries, although less used in small supplies. In this research, we explore the challenges, barriers and possible solutions to implementing RBA and improving compliance in small supplies. This was achieved by conducting and analysing interviews with 53 stakeholders from all 8 Nordic countries to produce recommendations for action by the different implicated actors. Our findings suggest the centrality of governmental policy, including support for continuous training, provision of simple RBA guidelines and increasing cooperation in the water sector. The Nordic experience reflects global challenges with small water supplies and the trend towards systematic preventive management epitomized in the framework for drinking water safety advocated by the World Health Organization since 2004. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Water and Health
volume
21
issue
12
pages
14 pages
publisher
I W A Publishing
external identifiers
  • scopus:85181395874
  • pmid:38153709
ISSN
1477-8920
DOI
10.2166/wh.2023.088
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
144e3189-cd73-4ea0-8dfd-6efe25ef3aee
date added to LUP
2023-11-11 15:10:10
date last changed
2024-02-11 03:00:38
@article{144e3189-cd73-4ea0-8dfd-6efe25ef3aee,
  abstract     = {{Small water supplies face similar problems worldwide, regardless of ownership or management type. Non-compliance with water quality regulations is more frequent in small supplies than in large ones, as are waterborne disease outbreaks. The new EU Drinking Water Directive requires risk-based approach (RBA) to secure water safety as is recommended in the WHO's Guidelines for drinking water quality through ‘water safety plans’. This is already in regulation in the Nordic countries, although less used in small supplies. In this research, we explore the challenges, barriers and possible solutions to implementing RBA and improving compliance in small supplies. This was achieved by conducting and analysing interviews with 53 stakeholders from all 8 Nordic countries to produce recommendations for action by the different implicated actors. Our findings suggest the centrality of governmental policy, including support for continuous training, provision of simple RBA guidelines and increasing cooperation in the water sector. The Nordic experience reflects global challenges with small water supplies and the trend towards systematic preventive management epitomized in the framework for drinking water safety advocated by the World Health Organization since 2004.}},
  author       = {{Gunnarsdottir, Maria J. and Gardarsson, Sigurdur M. and Eriksson, Magnus and Albrechtsen, Hans Jörgen and Gerlach Bergkvist, Kim Steve and Rossi, Pekka M. and Matilainen, Riikka and Hansen, Lisbeth Truelstrup and Erland Jensen, Pernille and Maréchal, Judith and Myrmel, Mette and Celius Kalheim, Frida and Bjerkén, August and Persson, Kenneth M and Bartram, Jamie}},
  issn         = {{1477-8920}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{11}},
  number       = {{12}},
  pages        = {{1747--1760}},
  publisher    = {{I W A Publishing}},
  series       = {{Journal of Water and Health}},
  title        = {{Implementing risk-based approaches to improve drinking water quality in small water supplies in the Nordic region – barriers and solutions}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wh.2023.088}},
  doi          = {{10.2166/wh.2023.088}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}