Generic risk Generic risk assessment toolassessment tool

Dr David CunliffeDr David CunliffePrincipal Water Quality Adviser Principal Water Quality Adviser

SA HealthSA Health

BackgroundBackground WSPs provide a systematic approach for assessing risks to water

quality and identifying appropriate management plans.

However, operators of small community water supplies do not always have the expertise or resources to undertake risk assessments

A generic RA tool would help address this problem.

The tool should be targeted towards an audience with some knowledge of water systems (operators/regulators) e.g. public health/environmental health officers, local/regional authorities etc

Training and field guide materials in Phase 2 (increase reach)

Australian toolAustralian tool Health Canada reviewed existing tools and found that the Australian

Community Water Planner provided a useful platform. The Aust tool incorporates many features of WSPs (not surprising)

However, the Australian tool needs redevelopment. This includes:o broadening the scope (more required on chemical quality)o improving international applicability (e.g. range of sources and supplies,

terminology)o Including more information on operator qualificationso coverage of household elementso risk prioritization

The Australian tool includes some modularisation to reduce complexity for the user but this needs enhancement

The Aust tool is CD based and written in an old language

Gap analysisGap analysis Health Canada circulated written materials from the Australian tools

seeking input into the gap analysis from SCWSM network members

Contractors have been engaged to use this feedback and further review of existing material to broaden applicability considering conditions in regions such as:o Western Pacific o Sub-Saharan Africao South East Asia o Arctico Sth America

Issues being assessed include:o catchments and source water (types and protection)o treatment technologieso distribution, collection and storage

Outputs available January 2011

Australian developmentsAustralian developments Original CWP focussed on microbial quality. A 2nd web-based tool has

been developed to deal with chemical, physical and radiological quality

The new tool is written in a more up-to-date language which has wider use. It includes some features considered desirable for the International tool including:o risk prioritization and o enhanced modularization

Prior to release of the 2nd tool a 3rd tool started development. The aim is to combine the CD based microbiological tool with the web-based chem, phys radiological tool. The same contractor and software company has been retained

There are selfish Aust drivers for the 3rd tool but it should be useful for the project (newer language, wider range of parameters, lessons learned). Will be completed in 2010

Next steps – content Next steps – content selectionselection

Physical featureso parameters (health-based, aesthetic, operational, micro, chem, physical,

radiological)o source typeso treatment technologieso distribution (carting, standpipes etc), storage and collection

Risk evaluationo critical hazards and associated riskso risk prioritization (method/cut-off, risk-consequence?

qualitative, semi quantitative ?)

Risk management guidanceo proactive, reactive/correctiveo monitoring (testing, observational)o public involvemento improvement programs

Tool developmentTool development Tool functionality

o software platform, paper based toolso Logic structure and design

Tool practicalityo ease of understanding/use (level of detail?)o time to completeo Relevance to common situations and target audience

Information input and output formats

User guides

Internal and external pilots

Implement dissemination strategy

Target 2012