Water Safety Plan demonstration projects in Latin America and the Caribbean: lessons from the field

Abstract

A Water Safety Plan (WSP) is a preventive, risk management approach to ensure drinking water safety. This emerging methodology is being increasingly applied in both industrialized and lower income countries worldwide. In 2006, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other local, national, and international partners in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) initiated a series of WSP demonstration projects. The objectives were to raise WSP awareness, build capacity, and promote adoption of the WSP approach while identifying those factors that aid or hinder water safety planning efforts in resource-challenged settings. This paper presents eleven lessons learned from these WSP demonstration projects, including the importance of assembling a well-supported interagency team, long-term commitment to WSP implementation, adherence to a water quality monitoring plan, and determining how WSP impacts will be evaluated prior to WSP initiation. To assist in supporting future WSP activity in the region, this paper shares experiences that led to these successes, challenges, and lessons learned.

Drinking water safety plans: barriers and bridges for small systems in Alberta, Canada

“…Specifically, there were concerns that some of the province's smaller communities lacked the capacity to implement a DWSP on their own. This is consistent with experiences in other jurisdictions trying to implement similar approaches where water operators working in smaller communities have been reluctant, or become discouraged in adopting new frameworks, due to technical or financial challenges (see, for example, Mahmud et al, 2007;Summerill et al, 2010;Rinehold et al, 2011). In response to this anticipated challenge, Alberta's water regulators held a series of training seminars during the early phase of the implementation period (Fall 2011-Winter 2012).…”

The human dimension of water safety plans: a critical review of literature and information gaps

“…At this time, our exhaustive literature review of several databases (including Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar) did not reveal any other peer-reviewed publications that have linked changes in public health to WSP implementation. It is worth noting, though, that one major challenge in comparing pre-and post-WSP public health benefits for many utilities is the lack of accurate baseline data on gastrointestinal issues related to past water quality failures (Rinehold et al 2011).…”

“…By identifying these goals at the outset of WSP implementation, utilities can "build a body of evidence" (Mudaliar 2012) that the approach is working towards an intended outcome, including improved public health. At the same time, interim goals can help to maintain interest and motivate water suppliers over the long term, while enhancing the confidence of policy makers and stakeholders regarding the validity of a WSP approach (Foster-Fishman et al 2006;Bartram et al 2009;Summerill et al 2010a;Rinehold et al 2011).…”

“…Long-term WSP maintenance is best supported by a complementary management culture that is in line with WSP goals and values (Hrudey et al 2002;Bartram et al 2009;Vieira 2011;Rinehold et al 2011;Tang et al 2013). Two types of individualsexternal and internal leaders -are identified in the literature as having a significant impact on WSP uptake, how a WSP is managed over the long tem, and whether a WSP reaches its full potential in a given water supply (Bartram et al 2009;Summerill et al 2010aSummerill et al , 2010bHerrick and Pratt 2012).…”

“…To accomplish this, a WSP extends the responsibility of safe drinking water to multiple stakeholders, including landowners in the watershed area, community residents, and decision-makers (Davison et al 2005;WHO 2011;Hrudey 2011;Chang et al 2013). The approach can be adapted to suit any water supply system regardless of size or level of sophistication (Rinehold et al 2011), and is considered "the most effective means of consistently ensuring the safety of a drinking water supply" (WHO 2004).…”