Piped Solutions: A pipe Dream?Piped Solutions: A pipe Dream?

Water Quality RegulationWater Quality RegulationSOUTH AFRICASOUTH AFRICA

Striving Towards Excellence in South African Drinking Water Quality Striving Towards Excellence in South African Drinking Water Quality Management through RegulationManagement through Regulation

IntroductionIntroduction• In South Africa, similar to the rest of the world, drinking water quality

management primarily focussed on end-point monitoring and excluded any form of holistic risk management.

• In 2008 all of this changed with the introduction of alternative alternative approaches to regulation, approaches to regulation, primary objective of improving the quality of water services- Blue DropBlue Drop & Green DropGreen Drop certification programmes.

• Conventional regulation (Conventional regulation (punitivepunitive)) has not been aborted and still forms part of the adopted Enforcement ProtocolEnforcement Protocol.

• The new incentive based regulatory programmes enjoyed enormous successes over the past years and certainly triggered a major paradigm paradigm shiftshift within the drinking water quality and the wastewater services management domain.– Although we still have a long road ahead of us_ wastewater services

Definition of Incentive-based RegulationDefinition of Incentive-based Regulation

The conscious use of rewards as well as penalties to encourage performance excellence, based upon

an innovative performance rating system

It is however not a weakened form of regulation but an alternative means to stimulate the sector

towards Excellence

It is however not a weakened form of regulation but an alternative means to stimulate the sector

towards Excellence

The DWQ The DWQ RiskRisk Management Evolution Management Evolution

• 2004:2004:– Formal programme for Drinking Water Quality Regulation

commences in South Africa- the Department of Water Affairs– Included a partnership with DWi (UK)

• 2007-2008:2007-2008:– Delmas, Ukuhlamba, Carolina, Standerton: Major DWQ failures

that could not be predictedpredicted nor was the incident effectively managedmanaged

– The reactivereactive nature of the remedial action in these cases formed the basis for the formulation of a more risk-based management process –

• Framework for Drinking Water Quality Management in South Africa

The DWQ The DWQ RiskRisk Management Evolution (2) Management Evolution (2)

• 2009:2009:– 1st Blue Drop report released (even though weighted 0%;

Water Safety Planning introduced to the SA Water sector). Only 9 water supply systems had safety plans in place (2%)

– The need for Incident Management (Protocol) highlighted / introduced (reactivereactive)

• DWA initiated review of SANS 241 based upon the need to standardise and ensure risk management

• 2010 – 2012:2010 – 2012:– Blue Drop intensifies the prominence of Water Safety

Planning (579/931 water supply systems have plans in place; 62%)

• Rural water supplies (supplies as defined per the Water Services Act)

• Continued changing assessment criteria

Blue Drop Certification Requirements + WeightingsBlue Drop Certification Requirements + Weightings

To obtain Blue Drop CertificationA score of 95%95% is required;This would include adherence to Excellent Quality Requirements as stipulated by the WHO Guidelines

Certification Programme ProcessCertification Programme Process

Session 3: Challenges for implementation

Afternoon Session Chair: Mr Jay Bhagwan (WRC)

13:45 – 14:00 Solutions from government: The Blue Drop Mariette Swart (DWA)

Questions RaisedQuestions RaisedAlways on the mind of the Regulator….. Always on the mind of the Regulator…..

• What does a DWQ result actually mean?• Is the water safe when a result complies?• What is more important;

– Science or Technology?– Microbiology or Chemistry?– Catchment or Treatment?– Skills or Automation of plants?

• What risks are associated with alternative sources?

Afternoon Session Chair: Mr Jay Bhagwan (WRC)13:45 – 14:00 Solutions from governmentSolutions from government: The Blue Drop (DWA)

Quality Quantity

The DWQ Risk HierarchyThe DWQ Risk HierarchyRisk

Management

Risk

Management

Summary-

Safety plan

Safety plan

The South African Water SectorThe South African Water Sector

• There are 154 Water Services Authorities (municipalities) in the 9 provinces of South Africa, regulated by the Department of Water Affairs to ensure acceptable water services.

• These authorities are assisted in some places by Water Boards in the task of assuring safe water supply and effective wastewater management

• These entities are responsible for managing:– About 920 water supply systems– About 850 wastewater systems – The population figure is about 50 million people.

Water Services Risk-based Regulation

Water Safety Planning

Wastewater Risk Abatement

Planning (W2RAP)

Asset Management + Cost Reflective Tariff

Management

Improving Quality of Water Services through Risk Management Risk Management ImplementationImplementation

Revision of SANS 241 (2011)Revision of SANS 241 (2011)

• Standard focussed on protecting public health– For those determinands that pose a risk to public health, limit as per latest WHO

guideline– South African conditions considered to set limits for determinands of operational

/ aesthetic importance (economics of treating water)– Only one limit to safeguard for lifetime consumption

• Monitoring – risk assessment informed (few compulsory det’s)• Free available chlorine

• SANS 241 : 2011 under review – DWA uses determinand limits as per SANS 241 : 2006 to calculate compliance

Revision of SANS 241 (2011)Revision of SANS 241 (2011)

SANS 241: 2013•Overall / Annual COMPLIANCE

– Acute Health Bacteriological– Acute Health Chemical– Chronic Health Chemical– Aesthetic

•RISK- DEFINED Compliance– Microbiological Risk– Acute Health Chemical Risk– Chronic Health Chemical Risk– Operational Risk

Endeavouring to Improve Water Quality Managementthrough Innovative RegulationInnovative Regulation

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