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

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 European Union Drinking Water Directive requires risk-based approach (RBA) to secure water safety as is recommended in the World Health Organization'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 eight 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.

Ensuring safe drinking water: converting commitment into action and foresight

“…In addition to regulatory requirements, it is critical to ensure that regional systems and smaller utilities have access to the skills and resources necessary. This need was explored through semi-structured interviews with 53 stakeholders by Gunnarsdottir et al (2023) in the context of small water supplies in eight Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and three self-governing nations: the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland). The authors argue that in addition to an obligatory regulatory mandate for WSPs, successful implementation will require provision of specialized technical support through training, guidance with using water monitoring data, development of simple risk assessment guidelines and increasing cooperation in the water sector, especially through professional associations.…”