Outline The policy The essentials The approach Consequences and - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE

Risk Assessment and Risk Management Introduction

• Outline

– The policy – The essentials – The approach – Consequences and Challenges

guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE

Inspectorate’s policy initiative

• 2004

– WHO Drinking Water Guidelines adopt Water Safety Plans – Launched at IWA Biannual Conference – DWI invited to represent global community of drinking water regulators in media interviews

guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE

Inspectorate’s policy initiative

• 2 years of DWI advocacy for water safety plan approach in

UK and Europe

• Early 2007 ministers advised on risk based drinking water

regulation

• Dec 2007 Amendment Regulations

– First example of water safety plan approach being implemented in drinking water law – Others have followed e.g. Netherlands, Portugal

• January 2010 DWI awarded WHO Collaborating Centre for

Drinking Water Safety

– 4 year programme, announcement to follow soon

guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE

The Essentials Why do Risk Assessments?

To achieve the following outcomes To protect public health To maintain public confidence in drinking water And because … Risk management is a legal duty and the responsibility of the water supplier

guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE

The Essentials Why do Risk Assessments?

A water supplier is failing in its statutory duty if it does not operate in a manner that seeks to minimise risks to the safety and quality of the water it supplies. A water supplier is required to demonstrate that it has taken all reasonable steps to mitigate these risks

guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE

The Essentials Why do Risk Assessments?

The regulatory expectation is

• that a water supplier establishes a culture of

risk management to deliver safe clean drinking water

• this culture drives appropriate behaviour at all

levels in the business and by contractors, service providers and partners/stakeholders

guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE

The Approach Long-term risk management

• The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations have

provided a risk management framework for water suppliers for 20 years

• Duties and responsibilities rest with the suppliers
• Standards were set using a precautionary approach
• Monitoring is required at key control points
• Separation of compliance reporting (at the tap) and

upstream operational control and monitoring But… Focused on only part of the supply system

guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE

The Approach 2007 Amendment Regulations

• Introduced an integrated approach to risk

management of water supplies

• Focused on whole supply chain from source to

tap

• requirements establish a risk based framework

for analysis, prioritization and action which delivers for both the regulatory regime and the business (better regulation principle)

guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE

The Approach 2007 Amendment Regulations

• Regulation 16

– Requirement for raw water monitoring

• Regulation 26

– sufficient preliminary treatment to prepare

water for disinfection

– all water must be disinfected prior to supply – design & continuously operate an adequate

treatment process so water meets wholesomeness requirements (not just parameters with standards)

– Disinfection defined in Regulation 2 – Failure to treat/disinfect is a criminal offence

guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE

The Approach 2007 Amendment Regulations

• Regulation 27

– Requirement for comprehensive risk

assessment of each works and associated supply system informed by raw water monitoring

• All risks from source to tap (not just crypto)
• WSP methodology
• Regulation 28

– Provisions for regulator to act on adequacy of risk assessment (methodology) and controls (risk mitigation)

guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE

Consequences and Challenges For water suppliers

Places risk management at the core of all strategic planning and operational delivery Requires water suppliers to look at all stages of the supply chain: catchment, treatment, distribution and supply Requires risk assessment to be continuous Requires the water supplier to form effective relationships with others who are essential to deliver outcomes

guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE

Consequences and Challenges For the regulator

Places risk management at the core of all our regulatory activities: compliance assessment, audit and inspection, event assessment, and enforcement Delivers statutory better regulation requirement on us: Regulators’ Compliance Code: enables reporting on outcomes: Requires and enables effective relationships with

• ther regulators: Ofwat, EA, NE, CCW

– aligning delivery mechanisms with funding provision

• Recognition of statutory nature of a risk based

approach

• common interests in catchment management

approaches

guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE

Consequences and Challenges Looking forward

Provides a common framework and context for industry and regulator to manage future challenges together:

• Establishing a sustainable level of asset

maintenance

• Dealing with new and emerging substances
• Adaptation and mitigation for the impacts of climate

change

• Informing a debate with consumers about levels of

service

• Providing clarity on duties and responsibilities in the

context of government policy e.g. competition

• Managing political risk e.g. major incidents
• Enhances reputation of UK through regulatory

innovation and leadership

guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE

Summary

Risk assessment and Risk Management provides water suppliers and regulators with a common platform and the means of making transparent, proportionate, consistent and informed decisions in respect of

• Strategic planning
• Operational delivery
• Asset maintenance
• Enforcement
• Public Reporting
• UK compliance with European legislation

guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE

Drinking Water Inspectorate 55 Whitehall London SW1A 2EY : 0300 068 6401  : dwi.enquiries@defra.gsi.gov.uk : www.dwi.gov.uk