1. Benefits and Critical Success factors for Water Safety Plans(WSPs)
DR. ESPER JACOB NCUBE
IWA AFRICA WATER SAFETY PLAN WORKSHOP
NAIROBI, KENYA 24TH – 26TH MAY 2011
- Laico Regency Hotel -

2. STRUCTURE OF PRESENTATION
INTRODUCTION
CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS
IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS FOR SUCCESSFUL WSP IMPLEMENTATION
WSP IMPLEMENTATION BENEFITS
CONCLUSIONS

3. INTRODUCTION
The WSP is a concept for developing a process-orientated observation of the water supply
The main goal of WSPs is to identify and eliminate all the possible risks in the water supply system, that is potential risks of water pollution in the catchment throughout the distribution network to the consumers taps
WSPs have been developed to organize and systematize a long history of management practices applied to drinking water and to ensure the applicability of these practices to the management of drinking water quality

4. CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS
Take it for granted that the water they receive will always be wholesome.
That it will be available when needed.
Must be safe; for lifelong consumption.
Must be palatable (Taste, Odour and Feel);
Must be aesthetically appealing (Clear);
Should not contain any chemical or radiological substances deleterious to health
Should be free of pathogenic organisms;
Be stable as far as possible.
It will be supplied at a reasonable cost.
It will be supplied at the adequate pressure.

5. IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE
The plan in itself has no value
The value in the plan, although simple, is in its appropriate implementation
It is not about the plan but about the people that implement the plan
It is about ordinary people achieving extraordinary results due to the correct attitude, skills and experience

6. IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE (contd)
Access to adequate water supply does not guarantee access to safe drinking water.
Access to an improved water supply (household connection, public standing pipes, protected springs or boreholes does not mean that the consumers have access to a safe water supply.
Knowledge of potential polluters of water systems without action is fruitless

7. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR #1-Getting the right people into the wsp Team

9. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR #2-Establishing corporate commitment to water quality
The organisation’s commitment to drinking water quality shall be demonstrated by:
-establishing a drinking water quality policy statement
-establishing water quality objectives
-conducting regular management reviews on water quality issues
N.B-This statement must be reviewed at least annually, shared with top management and relevant stakeholders

10. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR #3 Understanding the supply system
This factor enables the Water Services Providers to accurately construct system flow diagrams that will enable:
Accurate hazard analysis from catchment to tap and the level of risk presented by each identified hazard.
Accurate identification of appropriate measures to control the identified risks to guarantee the safety of the water supply (compliance to standards, guidelines, objectives or targets to ensure adequate infrastructure and public health protection).
Accurate identification of critical control points
Accurate establishment of operational limits and
Accurate identification, establishment and development of monitoring programmes
Accurate asset life cycle management

11. CONSTRUCT FLOW DIAGRAMS

12. Your supply system flow diagram

13. Determine or identify critical control points along the supply system

14. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR #4- Understanding the risks around the supply system FROM CATCHMENT TO TAP
Understanding the potential risks of inadequate source water protection
Understanding potential risks at production level
Understanding potential risks along the distribution network
Understanding potential risks at the consumer connections
Understanding potential risks at the point of use

16. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR #5,6,7&8
5-Understanding and implementing risk control measures
6-Monitoring the effectiveness of risk control measures
7-Understanding operations management processes-competent operators
8-Identification & Developing appropriate tools and management plans (for example incident management plans)

17. Catchment hydrology April 2011

18. Recreation
report
Suitability of the
Water in the
Catchment for
Water contact
& sports

19. QUARTERLY REPORT INVERTEBRATES IN DRINKING WATER
Hein H. Du Preez
Biology Section, Analytical Services, Rand Water

21. This presents potential hazards ! Renovation of sample point
Sterilization of sample point
Cleaning of surrounding
Conduct inspections

24. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR #8-
Algae Incident Management protocol
Dirty Water Management Protocol
E.Coli Management protocol
Protozoa Management protocol
Disinfection control procedure
Generic protocol for the selection and prioritization of organic contaminants for monitoring in the drinking water supply chain

25. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR #9- Understanding your ecosystem-customer relationship management
positive relationship with external stakeholders
internal and external customer awareness creation

26. Communication (customer interaction protocol emphasizing on WSPs
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR #10-Accurate identification of appropriate support programmes
Consumer complaints handling (call centre, dedicated full time staff compliment, consumer complaints handling procedures)
Employee awareness training (Basic WSP training, induction courses, dedicated budget for employee training approved by top management through the national Skills Development Act, Personal development plans, part of performance management reviews
Communication (customer interaction protocol emphasizing on WSPs
Education support programmes focusing on water quality and water quantity aspects (Water wise education)

27. Impoundment management
Information Dissemination
Special Projects
Monitoring & Sampling
Pollution Control & Site Inspections
CMA’s & Catchment Forums
Impoundment management

28. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR #11-BENCHMARKING, ADAPTATION AND INNOVATION
Study international practice
Adapt best practice for own use
Define outcomes and responsibilities
Ensure that Rand Water remains updated on latest national and international legislative requirements and customer needs

29. Criteria for Blue Drop Status
To receive a BLUE DROP - comply with 95% of the weighted criteria
Criterion
Allocated Weight (%)
YEAR 1 2 3+
Water Safety Plan 5 10
Process Controllers and Supervisors 3
DWQ Monitoring Programmes 20 15 4
DWQ Sample Analysis
Submission of DWQ Results 6
DWQ Compliance 35 30 7
Management of DWQ Failures 8
Publication of DWQ Performance 9
Drinking Water Asset Management
100

30. WSP IMPLEMENTATION BENEFITS
Increased internal and external confidence in the product (water quality)
Creation of unity in diversity towards water quality assurance
(internal[multi-structures in the organization] and external (national government (GVT), other GVT departments, Local authorities, catchment forums, etc)
Improvement in information (right information across the supply chain) gathering-communication, processing, decision making, financial control (raw water quality and chemical budgeting)
Improving the profile of the people that take part in the water quality management business

31. WSP IMPLEMENTATION BENEFITS
Personal development (giving context of one’s job and broadening the understanding of the total management system
Improves the speed of reaction (turnaround time in problem solving), improved decision making
Good risk management practices
Excellent knowledge flow through the participants in the supply chain
Reduced uncertainty
Obligation and buy in from all parties from top to bottom (KPAS, KPIs in performance contracts for all managers)
Understanding the supply system contributes to accurate identification of bottle necks, accountabilities, opportunities for process and information optimization,
Management processes that become a tool for training and a memory for the organization

32. WSP IMPLEMENTATION BENEFITS
It has facilitated the development of early warning systems, for example the detection of microbiological overloads before disinfection through the application of the hazards analysis critical control point approach (HACCP). This has allowed the monitoring of microbiological hazards (algal cells, E.coli, Total coliforms, protozoa) at critical control points (CCPs) rather than relying mainly on end-point treatment such as chlorination.
This approach has reduced the chances of risk of infection to consumers and
Accurate identification of components of a good management system

33. CONCLUSIONS
The WSP focuses on the whole supply chain, hence if implemented effectively the benefits will be visible across the whole supply chain
Raw water becomes important for people to understand and change their behaviour to support source water protection initiatives.
Design/upgrade of infrastructure (booster station/reservoirs) become important because you understand system needs
WSPs have prompted a clear commitment to the development and implementation of a set of preventive risk management activities to support public health protection initiatives.
WSPs provide a platform for continuous improvement, evaluation and verification processes.

34. Public Health cannot advance without safe water”
R.Bertollini, Director, WHO
Regional office for Europe