WATER SAFETY PLAN

Water safety plan is important for operation and maintenance of the systems. Water safety plan is an improved risk assessment and management tool developed by the World Health Organisation to improve process monitoring of water quality which includes two components.

1. Health based targets – using quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) techniques to establish appropriate water quality performance targets.

2. Risk management – water safety plan to manage the water supply system to ensure that the system performs to the specified target.

Water safety plans are a new concept in the global water sector and are based on the four steps.

1. System description – detail description of the system developed by parent teacher association and children groups.
2. Hazard assessment Identification of main hazards in the system.
3. Matrix development – dealing of who, what, how and where hazard will be monitored as well as suggestions on corrective actions for maintenance.
4. Monitoring and maintenance: limits of physico-chemical monitoring and maintenance of the systems.

Matrix development
The water safety plan matrix comprises of five major activities -
1. Hazard event
2. Risk
3. Monitoring
4. Maintenance
5. Corrective

Monitoring and maintenance
To ensure involvement of the user, it is recommended the full participation is encouraged in monitoring of simple physico chemical indictors. The monitoring includes monitoring of simple physico-chemical parameters which may be used as surrogates of microbial presence. These may include turbidity, H2S Vials, temperature of pH. These parameters are then verified through the use of selected microbial parameter such as Thermotolerant Coliforms, Enterococci or Coliphage spores, for e.g. the use of turbidity tubes for monitoring of turbidity of the grey water inlet and grey water outlet may be done by user. Using the guideline values as indicated by WHO, inlet value of 500 NTU to 50 NTU (10 log reduction) may be considered. Where 50 NTU is exceed then a change in the filter media in the system of grey water plus a further verification of microbial quality may be required.