dr paul byleveld, mr sandy leask
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Dr Paul Byleveld, Mr Sandy Leask
Public health regulation of drinking water in regional New South Wales, Australia
Water Safety Conference 2010
Outline
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and Framework for the Management of Drinking Water QualityRelationship between NSW Health and water utilities
Metropolitan utilitiesRural and regional utilities
Analysis of data from rural and regional suppliesSupporting discrete Aboriginal communities
Location of NSW in Australia
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (2004)
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
defines safe, good quality drinking water
preventive management encompasses all steps in water production from catchment to consumer
helps assure drinking water quality and protects public health
Australian Drinking Water Guidelines guiding principles
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
Greatest risk is from pathogenic microorganisms. Protection of water sources and adequate treatment is essential
Robust multiple barriers appropriate to level of potential contamination must be continuously maintained
Sudden or extreme change in water quality, flow or environmental conditions (eg. extreme rainfall or flooding) should arouse suspicion
Operators must respond quickly and effectively to adverse monitoring signals
Operators must have personal sense of responsibility to supply safe water, and never ignore a consumer complaint
A preventive risk management approach is required to ensure drinking water safety and quality. Testing is just one part of this process.
Framework for the Management of Drinking Water Quality
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
Metropolitan water utilities
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
NSW Health has a clear regulatory program for Hunter Water, Sydney Water, Sydney Catchment Authority
Governed by Operating Licences and Memoranda of Understanding
Operating Licences require NSW Health approval of drinking water/recycled water quality monitoring plans and management plans
System management and monitoring programs follow Australian Drinking Water Guidelines or Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling
Annual audit a condition of Licences
Metropolitan water utilities – Operating Licences, Memoranda of Understanding
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
Sydney Water Corporation (Sydney Water Act 1991)
Five-year drinking water quality management plan
Recycled water management plans
Sydney Catchment Authority (Sydney Water Catchment Management Act 1998)
Water quality risk management framework
Hunter Water Corporation (Hunter Water Act 1991)
Five-year water quality management plan
Waste water and recycling operations plan
Characteristics of supply in country NSW
104 water utilities, 349 supply systems
These systems supply ~1.7 million people
Median supply system population 900 people, range 40-125,000
Most utilities are local governments (councils)
A large geographic spread of water utilities
A large variation in financial resources among utilities
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
Population Density (people/sq km) in NSW, 2006 census
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
Local Government Areas of NSW reporting to the NSW Health Drinking Water Monitoring Program
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
NSW Health Drinking Water Monitoring Program
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
Supports Country water utilities to monitor drinking water with free-of charge laboratory analyses-Analyse routine samples for E. coli and range of inorganic chemical and physical characteristics-Laboratories also provide analysis for extra inorganic and physical characteristics and limited organic chemistry analyses
Encourage water utilities to implement the twelve elements of the Framework for Drinking Water Quality Management. Assists with: - Element 2: Assessing drinking water supply system- Element 5:Verifying drinking water quality- Element 6: Managing incidents and emergencies- Element 7: Employee awareness and training- Element 9: Research and development- Element 10: Documentation and reporting- Element 11: Evaluation and audit
NSW Drinking Water Databasehttp://www3.health.nsw.gov.au/waterqual/samples/register.cfm
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
An internet based, password protected system that allows secure access to drinking
water quality monitoring results
for rural and regional supply systems across
the state
Rate of microbial sampling compliance
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
Rate of microbial non-compliance
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
Microbial result compliance
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
Multivariate analysis of the data identified factors associated with increased rates of E. coli detection:
• Smaller supply population• Lower mean socioeconomic status in population supplied• Watercourses as raw water source• UV as sole disinfection method• Elevated post-treatment turbidity
Some of these are outside the control of water utilities, but some can be managed
Discrete Aboriginal communities
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
Need identified to provide support to discrete Aboriginal communities to operate, maintain and monitor drinking water and sewerage systems
25 year agreement between NSW Government and NSW Aboriginal Land Council
Provides funding for long term program by which water utilities or other service providers support communities
Includes:
- Assessment of risks in systems- Development of management plans- Service agreements between communities and water utilities- implementation of corrective actions and routine tasks under plans- routine monitoring of drinking water supplies - Evaluation of health and social outcomes of program
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
What to do next?
Water Safety ConferenceNovember 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
Maintain relationships between NSW Health and water utilitiesContinue rolling out the Aboriginal Communities Water and Sewerage ProgramProvide encouragement for development of management plans- Legally- PracticallyImprove implementation of the Framework for the Management of Drinking Water QualityRe-develop NSW Drinking Water DatabaseMaintain support for Drinking Water Monitoring Program
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