Status of risk-based approach and national framework for safe drinking water in small water supplies of the Nordic water sector
(2020) In International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 230.- Abstract
Reliable safe water supply is a pillar of society and a key to public health. The Nordic countries have an abundance of clean fresh water as a source for drinking water supplies. They have followed developments in safeguarding water, both the recommendations of the World Health Organization framework for safe drinking water and European legislation. Worldwide, including the Nordic countries, small water supplies are less compliant with water safety regulation. The forthcoming EU directive on drinking water require risk-based approaches and improved transparency on water quality. This research looks at the Nordic frameworks for safe water supply, with emphasis on risk-based approaches and smaller systems. We analyzed the legal frameworks... (More)
Reliable safe water supply is a pillar of society and a key to public health. The Nordic countries have an abundance of clean fresh water as a source for drinking water supplies. They have followed developments in safeguarding water, both the recommendations of the World Health Organization framework for safe drinking water and European legislation. Worldwide, including the Nordic countries, small water supplies are less compliant with water safety regulation. The forthcoming EU directive on drinking water require risk-based approaches and improved transparency on water quality. This research looks at the Nordic frameworks for safe water supply, with emphasis on risk-based approaches and smaller systems. We analyzed the legal frameworks for safe water, the structure of the water sector across the Nordic countries and explored how prepared these countries are to meet these requirements. Our findings show that, while legal requirements are mostly in place, delivery of information to the public needs to be improved. Most Nordic countries are in the process of implementing risk-based management in large and medium size water supplies, whereas small supplies are lagging. We conclude that a key to success is increased training and support for small supplies. We suggest wider adoption of the Nordic model of cooperation with benchmarking of safe water for all to transfer knowledge between the countries. This work provides insights into challenges and opportunities for the Nordic countries and provides insights relevant to countries worldwide in their effort towards realization of SDG Target 6.1.
(Less)
- author
- organization
- publishing date
- 2020
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Drinking water, Framework for safe drinking water, Risk-based approach, Water safety plan, Water supply
- in
- International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health
- volume
- 230
- article number
- 113627
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85091393027
- pmid:32956900
- ISSN
- 1438-4639
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113627
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 272f94b0-589d-48dd-b40b-bfe551d66180
- date added to LUP
- 2020-10-30 09:34:39
- date last changed
- 2024-05-29 21:43:07
@article{272f94b0-589d-48dd-b40b-bfe551d66180,
abstract = {{<p>Reliable safe water supply is a pillar of society and a key to public health. The Nordic countries have an abundance of clean fresh water as a source for drinking water supplies. They have followed developments in safeguarding water, both the recommendations of the World Health Organization framework for safe drinking water and European legislation. Worldwide, including the Nordic countries, small water supplies are less compliant with water safety regulation. The forthcoming EU directive on drinking water require risk-based approaches and improved transparency on water quality. This research looks at the Nordic frameworks for safe water supply, with emphasis on risk-based approaches and smaller systems. We analyzed the legal frameworks for safe water, the structure of the water sector across the Nordic countries and explored how prepared these countries are to meet these requirements. Our findings show that, while legal requirements are mostly in place, delivery of information to the public needs to be improved. Most Nordic countries are in the process of implementing risk-based management in large and medium size water supplies, whereas small supplies are lagging. We conclude that a key to success is increased training and support for small supplies. We suggest wider adoption of the Nordic model of cooperation with benchmarking of safe water for all to transfer knowledge between the countries. This work provides insights into challenges and opportunities for the Nordic countries and provides insights relevant to countries worldwide in their effort towards realization of SDG Target 6.1.</p>}},
author = {{Gunnarsdottir, Maria J. and Gardarsson, Sigurdur M. and Schultz, Anna Charlotte and Albrechtsen, Hans Jörgen and Hansen, Lisbeth Truelstrup and Gerlach Bergkvist, Kim Steve and Rossi, Pekka M. and Klöve, Björn and Myrmel, Mette and Persson, Kenneth M. and Eriksson, Magnus and Bartram, Jamie}},
issn = {{1438-4639}},
keywords = {{Drinking water; Framework for safe drinking water; Risk-based approach; Water safety plan; Water supply}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health}},
title = {{Status of risk-based approach and national framework for safe drinking water in small water supplies of the Nordic water sector}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113627}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113627}},
volume = {{230}},
year = {{2020}},
}