Risk Assessment and Risk Management Introduction • Outline – The policy – The essentials – The approach – Consequences and Challenges guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE
Inspectorate’s policy initiative • 2004 – WHO Drinking Water Guidelines adopt Water Safety Plans – Launched at IWA Biannual Conference – DWI invited to represent global community of drinking water regulators in media interviews guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE
Inspectorate’s policy initiative • 2 years of DWI advocacy for water safety plan approach in UK and Europe • Early 2007 ministers advised on risk based drinking water regulation • Dec 2007 Amendment Regulations – First example of water safety plan approach being implemented in drinking water law – Others have followed e.g. Netherlands, Portugal • January 2010 DWI awarded WHO Collaborating Centre for Drinking Water Safety – 4 year programme, announcement to follow soon guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE
The Essentials Why do Risk Assessments? To achieve the following outcomes To protect public health To maintain public confidence in drinking water And because … Risk management is a legal duty and the responsibility of the water supplier guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE
The Essentials Why do Risk Assessments? A water supplier is failing in its statutory duty if it does not operate in a manner that seeks to minimise risks to the safety and quality of the water it supplies. A water supplier is required to demonstrate that it has taken all reasonable steps to mitigate these risks guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE
The Essentials Why do Risk Assessments? The regulatory expectation is • that a water supplier establishes a culture of risk management to deliver safe clean drinking water • this culture drives appropriate behaviour at all levels in the business and by contractors, service providers and partners/stakeholders guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE
The Approach Long-term risk management The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations have • provided a risk management framework for water suppliers for 20 years Duties and responsibilities rest with the suppliers • Standards were set using a precautionary approach • Monitoring is required at key control points • Separation of compliance reporting (at the tap) and • upstream operational control and monitoring But… Focused on only part of the supply system guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE
The Approach 2007 Amendment Regulations • Introduced an integrated approach to risk management of water supplies • Focused on whole supply chain from source to tap • requirements establish a risk based framework for analysis, prioritization and action which delivers for both the regulatory regime and the business (better regulation principle) guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE
The Approach 2007 Amendment Regulations • Regulation 16 – Requirement for raw water monitoring • Regulation 26 – sufficient preliminary treatment to prepare water for disinfection – all water must be disinfected prior to supply – design & continuously operate an adequate treatment process so water meets wholesomeness requirements (not just parameters with standards) – Disinfection defined in Regulation 2 – Failure to treat/disinfect is a criminal offence guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE
The Approach 2007 Amendment Regulations • Regulation 27 – Requirement for comprehensive risk assessment of each works and associated supply system informed by raw water monitoring • All risks from source to tap (not just crypto) • WSP methodology • Regulation 28 – Provisions for regulator to act on adequacy of risk assessment (methodology) and controls (risk mitigation) guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE
Consequences and Challenges For water suppliers Places risk management at the core of all strategic planning and operational delivery Requires water suppliers to look at all stages of the supply chain: catchment, treatment, distribution and supply Requires risk assessment to be continuous Requires the water supplier to form effective relationships with others who are essential to deliver outcomes guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE
Consequences and Challenges For the regulator Places risk management at the core of all our regulatory activities: compliance assessment, audit and inspection, event assessment, and enforcement Delivers statutory better regulation requirement on us: Regulators’ Compliance Code: enables reporting on outcomes: Requires and enables effective relationships with other regulators: Ofwat, EA, NE, CCW – aligning delivery mechanisms with funding provision • Recognition of statutory nature of a risk based approach • common interests in catchment management approaches guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE
Consequences and Challenges Looking forward Provides a common framework and context for industry and regulator to manage future challenges together: Establishing a sustainable level of asset maintenance Dealing with new and emerging substances Adaptation and mitigation for the impacts of climate change Informing a debate with consumers about levels of service Providing clarity on duties and responsibilities in the context of government policy e.g. competition Managing political risk e.g. major incidents Enhances reputation of UK through regulatory innovation and leadership guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE
Summary Risk assessment and Risk Management provides water suppliers and regulators with a common platform and the means of making transparent, proportionate, consistent and informed decisions in respect of • Strategic planning • Operational delivery • Asset maintenance • Enforcement • Public Reporting • UK compliance with European legislation guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE
Drinking Water Inspectorate 55 Whitehall London SW1A 2EY : 0300 068 6401 : dwi.enquiries@defra.gsi.gov.uk : www.dwi.gov.uk guardians of drinking water quality DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE
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