DRINKING WATER DISTRIBUTION OPERATOR RISK & REVIEW – RISK ASSESSMENT & MANAGEMENT
Element of Competence:
Implementing the distribution aspects of the Water Safety Plan
Context
Water Safety Plans consider the potential risks to the water supply and identify ways to manage those risks. This essential tool promotes a multibarrier approach to managing risks and articulates how the supply addresses The Principles of Safe Drinking Water in New Zealand. Drinking Water Distribution Operators are instrumental in the implementation of the aspects of the Water Safety Plan that relate to the distribution network. This can often require distribution operators to provide feedback to others, such as the Drinking Water Treatment Operators.
Outcome
The publics’ health is safeguarded through the implementation of the Water Safety Plan.
To do this, Drinking Water Distribution Operators need to be able to: ▪ Operate the drinking water distribution network in a manner that aligns with the
operational procedures that are identified in the Water Safety Plan.
▪ Undertake Operational Monitoring and Inspection for Process Control of the distribution
assets, as documented in the Water Safety Plan. This includes undertaking corrective actions when monitoring and inspections indicate that a measure is deviating from expected performance and communicating this to the appropriate people.
▪ Monitor the Critical Control Points and undertake the corrective actions for the CCPs
when the defined action and critical limits are reached.
▪ Verify the performance of the distribution network performance in accordance with the
Drinking-water Quality Compliance Monitoring Plan referenced in the Water Safety Plan.
▪ Implement the procedures that are documented in the Water Safety Plan that detail how
to respond to transgressions and non-compliances with the Drinking-water Standards for New Zealand where these relate to the distribution network.
▪ Assist with reviewing customer complaints to help identify whether operational changes
within the distribution network can be made to improve consumer satisfaction.
▪ Communicate with the appropriate people when updates to the Water Safety Plan are
identified.
▪ Undertake any improvement items identified in the Water Safety Plan for which the
drinking water distribution operator has been given responsibility for.
To do this, Drinking Water Distribution Operators need to know:: ▪ The Principles of Safe Drinking Water in New Zealand ▪ The characteristics of the drinking-water supply system, what hazards might arise, how
these hazards arise and create risks, and the processes and practices that affect drinking-water quality.
86