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Piped Solutions: A pipe Dream?

Water Quality Regulation SOUTH AFRICA

Striving Towards Excellence in South African Drinking Water Quality

Management through Regulation

Introduction • 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 approaches to regulation, primary objective of improving the quality of water services- Blue Drop & Green Drop certification programmes.

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

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

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Definition 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

The DWQ Risk Management Evolution

• 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: – Delmas, Ukuhlamba, Carolina, Standerton: Major DWQ failures

that could not be predicted nor was the incident effectively managed

– The reactive 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

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The DWQ Risk Management Evolution (2)

• 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 (reactive)

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

• 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 + Weightings

• Risk Management Inclusivity of all relevant Skills and Sectors

• Risk Assessment and Controls + Incident Management

• Monitoring & Laboratory Credibility

Water Safety Planning (35%)

• Skills of Process Controllers

• Operational Logbook

• Training of Process Controllers Process Control (10%)

• Microbiological Compliance with National Standard (Excellent Limits)

• Chemical Compliance with National Standard (Excellent Limits)

• Risk defined Compliance

Drinking Water Quality Compliance (30%)

• Management’s Commitment to Risk Management and Planning

• Publication of Results

• Service Level or Performance Management Agreements

Management Commitment (10%)

• Treatment Process Audits + Asset Register

• Maintenance skills

• Operations and Maintenance Budget + Design vs. Ops. Capacity

Asset Management (15%)

To obtain Blue Drop Certification

A score of 95% is required; This would include adherence to Excellent Quality

Requirements as stipulated by the WHO Guidelines

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Certification Programme Process

On site assessments + Consultative audit

•Municipalities are required to report on monthly basis

•These results are audited and site inspection/assessments are conducted annually at all systems, based upon communicated requirements

Confirmation and Moderation Session

•All audit findings are communicated with Municipalities and Water Boards

•Special confirmation sessions are held in each province.

Publication of Results + Awards

•Publications of these two programmes are done biennially and alternated with progress reports every other year.

•The BD & GD awards are the only incentives for now but still very well received

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)

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Questions Raised 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 government: The Blue Drop (DWA)

Quality Quantity

The DWQ Risk Hierarchy

Catchment

Treatment

Reticulation

*Household

Risk

Management

Summary-

Safety

plan

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Household Risks

Storage

Hygiene state of taps

Personal hygiene

Plumbing / FILTERS

Reticulation Risks

Ingression (pressure and

asset management)

Storage Contamination

(reservoir) Pipe Bursts

Pipe material

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Treatment Risks

Asset Management

(lack of maintenance)

Process Control Skills

Operational Monitoring and

Adjustments

DWQ Results Risks

Sampling

(Site & Method)

Laboratory Credibility

Capturing Accuracy

Interpretation

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The 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 Public Health Risk

Environmental

Risk Financial Risk

Water Safety Planning

Wastewater Risk Abatement

Planning (W2RAP)

Asset Management + Cost Reflective Tariff

Management

Improving Quality of Water Services through Risk Management Implementation

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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)

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

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Endeavouring to Improve Water Quality Management

through Innovative Regulation

Thanks