Global Drinking Water Quality Index Development and Sensitivity Analysis Report
Introduction
As the principal United Nations body on environment, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) had been tasked by UN-Water to lead on freshwater quality and aquatic ecosystem data and information inputs to the World Water Assessment Programme, and the main WWAP output, the World Water Development Report series. Part of this task involves developing global water quality indicators and ultimately, a global water quality index. UNEP delegated this responsibility to its GEMS/Water Programme, with direction to convene an international experts’ workshop designed to implement the indicators and index requirements. The workshop, attended by a group of selected indicator specialists, was convened at IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria (May 4th – 6th 2005) with the objective of reviewing the topic of water quality indicators/indices and making recommendations and suggestions on approaches and actions that GEMS/Water might consider in its future operations. The experts’ first recommendation was that GEMS/Water should develop a pilot study to develop an index to assess the global status of drinking water in source water supplies (UNEP GEMS/Water, 2005). The experts’ recommendation report is available on the GEMS/Water website. This report presents the results of implementing the experts’ first recommendation. It outlines an approach taken to develop a global water quality index, as well as preliminary sensitivity analysis and validation of the index against real water quality data. Limitations to the index are discussed, as well as next steps.
Global Drinking Water Quality Index Development and Sensitivity Analysis Report
Introduction
As the principal United Nations body on environment, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) had been tasked by UN-Water to lead on freshwater quality and aquatic ecosystem data and information inputs to the World Water Assessment Programme, and the main WWAP output, the World Water Development Report series. Part of this task involves developing global water quality indicators and ultimately, a global water quality index. UNEP delegated this responsibility to its GEMS/Water Programme, with direction to convene an international experts’ workshop designed to implement the indicators and index requirements. The workshop, attended by a group of selected indicator specialists, was convened at IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria (May 4th – 6th 2005) with the objective of reviewing the topic of water quality indicators/indices and making recommendations and suggestions on approaches and actions that GEMS/Water might consider in its future operations. The experts’ first recommendation was that GEMS/Water should develop a pilot study to develop an index to assess the global status of drinking water in source water supplies (UNEP GEMS/Water, 2005). The experts’ recommendation report is available on the GEMS/Water website. This report presents the results of implementing the experts’ first recommendation. It outlines an approach taken to develop a global water quality index, as well as preliminary sensitivity analysis and validation of the index against real water quality data. Limitations to the index are discussed, as well as next steps.
Drinking Water Quality
Summary
Ensuring supply of safe drinking water is our highest priority. In 2018-19, we achieved compliance with the health related requirements and met all health targets for drinking water quality set by the Department of Health (DoH).
Health related performance
• 100 per cent compliance with microbiological guidelines
• 100 per cent compliance with health related chemical guidelines
Non-health (aesthetic) related performance While we strive to meet guidelines for aesthetic characteristics, this can be challenging to achieve across the diverse water sources in Western Australia. This is especially the case in some of our small country water schemes where there may be few sources of drinking water available, and where installation of treatment can be very costly. In 2018-19 our performance for all aesthetic analyses was 94 per cent. Although we meet all obligations under our Water Services Licence, we recognise there are always opportunities for improvement.
Drinking Water Quality
Summary
Ensuring supply of safe drinking water is our highest priority. In 2018-19, we achieved compliance with the health related requirements and met all health targets for drinking water quality set by the Department of Health (DoH).
Health related performance
• 100 per cent compliance with microbiological guidelines
• 100 per cent compliance with health related chemical guidelines
Non-health (aesthetic) related performance While we strive to meet guidelines for aesthetic characteristics, this can be challenging to achieve across the diverse water sources in Western Australia. This is especially the case in some of our small country water schemes where there may be few sources of drinking water available, and where installation of treatment can be very costly. In 2018-19 our performance for all aesthetic analyses was 94 per cent. Although we meet all obligations under our Water Services Licence, we recognise there are always opportunities for improvement.
Total Organic Carbon For Cleaning Validation Programs; Laboratory, Online & At-Line Analysis
Introduction
Cleaning validation programs are essential to cGMP manufacturing to ensure product quality and patient safety. Total organic carbon (TOC) testing is a compliant method to demonstrate the cleanliness of equipment. Unlike specific methods, TOC gives a comprehensive understanding of cleanliness while gaining process efficiencies. Whether you are new to cleaning validation or a seasoned TOC user, this e-book will provide all levels a wide-ranging understanding of the what, how, and why of TOC for cleaning validation.
Total Organic Carbon For Cleaning Validation Programs; Laboratory, Online & At-Line Analysis
Introduction
Cleaning validation programs are essential to cGMP manufacturing to ensure product quality and patient safety. Total organic carbon (TOC) testing is a compliant method to demonstrate the cleanliness of equipment. Unlike specific methods, TOC gives a comprehensive understanding of cleanliness while gaining process efficiencies. Whether you are new to cleaning validation or a seasoned TOC user, this e-book will provide all levels a wide-ranging understanding of the what, how, and why of TOC for cleaning validation.
Chapter 2 Drinking Water Treatment Technology— Comparative Analysis
Abstract: Water treatment technologies have evolved over the past few centuries to protect public health from pathogens and chemicals. As more than a billion people on this earth have no access to potable water that is free of pathogens, technologies that are cost effective and suitable for developing countries must be considered. Sustainable operation of these treatment processes taking into consideration locally available materials and ease of maintenance need to be considered. In this chapter, we consider natural filtration for communities of various sizes. In natural filtration, slow-sand filtration and riverbank filtration are considered. Slow-sand filtration is suitable for small to medium size communities, whereas riverbank filtration can be suitable for small to very large communities depending on site and river conditions. Membrane filtration is another technology that can have application to individual households to moderately large communities. Both pressurized and gravity-fed systems are considered. For the developing regions of the world, small membrane systems have most applications. Solar distillation is a low-cost technology for sunny regions of the world. Particularly, it has the most application in tropical and semitropical desert regions. It can use low quality brackish water or groundwater for producing potable water. These systems can solely operate with solar energy. The scale of application is for individual households to very small communities. Solar pasteurization, like solar distillation depends on solar energy for purifying small quantities of water for individual or family use. It is most suitable for remote, sunny, high mountain regions such as the Andean mountains, central Africa or the Upper Himalayas where electricity is not available. Also, reliance on firewood is not feasible due to barren landscape in many of these regions. Also, case studies of natural (riverbank and lakebank) filtration, membrane filtration, solar distillation, and solar
pasteurization are presented.
Chapter 2 Drinking Water Treatment Technology— Comparative Analysis
Abstract: Water treatment technologies have evolved over the past few centuries to protect public health from pathogens and chemicals. As more than a billion people on this earth have no access to potable water that is free of pathogens, technologies that are cost effective and suitable for developing countries must be considered. Sustainable operation of these treatment processes taking into consideration locally available materials and ease of maintenance need to be considered. In this chapter, we consider natural filtration for communities of various sizes. In natural filtration, slow-sand filtration and riverbank filtration are considered. Slow-sand filtration is suitable for small to medium size communities, whereas riverbank filtration can be suitable for small to very large communities depending on site and river conditions. Membrane filtration is another technology that can have application to individual households to moderately large communities. Both pressurized and gravity-fed systems are considered. For the developing regions of the world, small membrane systems have most applications. Solar distillation is a low-cost technology for sunny regions of the world. Particularly, it has the most application in tropical and semitropical desert regions. It can use low quality brackish water or groundwater for producing potable water. These systems can solely operate with solar energy. The scale of application is for individual households to very small communities. Solar pasteurization, like solar distillation depends on solar energy for purifying small quantities of water for individual or family use. It is most suitable for remote, sunny, high mountain regions such as the Andean mountains, central Africa or the Upper Himalayas where electricity is not available. Also, reliance on firewood is not feasible due to barren landscape in many of these regions. Also, case studies of natural (riverbank and lakebank) filtration, membrane filtration, solar distillation, and solar
pasteurization are presented.
Drinking Water Quality Management Plan
Introduction
Drinking water quality is regulated in Queensland under the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 (the Act). The primary aim of the drinking water provisions in the Act is the protection of public health through the provision of safe drinking water. To best achieve this, drinking water service providers (‘service providers’) must have an approved Drinking Water Quality Management Plan (DWQMP) that demonstrates how they manage the quality of drinking water they provide to communities.
Drinking Water Quality Management Plan
Introduction
Drinking water quality is regulated in Queensland under the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 (the Act). The primary aim of the drinking water provisions in the Act is the protection of public health through the provision of safe drinking water. To best achieve this, drinking water service providers (‘service providers’) must have an approved Drinking Water Quality Management Plan (DWQMP) that demonstrates how they manage the quality of drinking water they provide to communities.
Guidelines For Drinking-Water Quality Management For New Zealand Chapter 11: Radiological Compliance
Introduction
This chapter provides information on the sources and occurrence of the radiological determinands covered by the Drinking-water Standards for New Zealand 2005, reviewed 2008 (DWSNZ, Ministry of Health), and discusses the current and potential risks of contamination of water supplies.
It explains the methods used to derive the Maximum Acceptable Values (MAVs) for determinands of health significance and provides information on how to apply the DWSNZ to these determinands.
Guidelines For Drinking-Water Quality Management For New Zealand Chapter 11: Radiological Compliance
Introduction
This chapter provides information on the sources and occurrence of the radiological determinands covered by the Drinking-water Standards for New Zealand 2005, reviewed 2008 (DWSNZ, Ministry of Health), and discusses the current and potential risks of contamination of water supplies.
It explains the methods used to derive the Maximum Acceptable Values (MAVs) for determinands of health significance and provides information on how to apply the DWSNZ to these determinands.
Guidelines For Drinking-Water Quality Management For New Zealand Chapter 5: General Microbiological Quality
Introduction
This chapter discusses the microbiological quality of drinking-water in general terms. Microbiological compliance issues are discussed as follows:
• Chapter 6: Bacterial Compliance
• Chapter 7: Virological Compliance
• Chapter 8: Protozoal Compliance
• Chapter 9: Cyanobacterial Compliance.
Infectious, water-related diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Newly-recognised pathogens and new strains of established pathogens are being discovered that present important additional challenges to both the water and public health sectors. Between 1972 and 1999, 35 new agents of disease were discovered and many more have re-emerged. Amongst these are pathogens that may be transmitted by water (WHO 2003b). There are suggestions that giardiasis was spread around the world by the mobility of armed forces during WWII. The first case of human cryptosporidiosis was reported in 1976, and by 1985 this ‘new’ pathogen was becoming more widely recognised.
Guidelines For Drinking-Water Quality Management For New Zealand Chapter 5: General Microbiological Quality
Introduction
This chapter discusses the microbiological quality of drinking-water in general terms. Microbiological compliance issues are discussed as follows:
• Chapter 6: Bacterial Compliance
• Chapter 7: Virological Compliance
• Chapter 8: Protozoal Compliance
• Chapter 9: Cyanobacterial Compliance.
Infectious, water-related diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Newly-recognised pathogens and new strains of established pathogens are being discovered that present important additional challenges to both the water and public health sectors. Between 1972 and 1999, 35 new agents of disease were discovered and many more have re-emerged. Amongst these are pathogens that may be transmitted by water (WHO 2003b). There are suggestions that giardiasis was spread around the world by the mobility of armed forces during WWII. The first case of human cryptosporidiosis was reported in 1976, and by 1985 this ‘new’ pathogen was becoming more widely recognised.