Baum Rachel, Amjad Urooj, Luh Jeanne, Bartram Jamie
The Water Institute at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Drive, Rosenau Hall CB #7431, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7431, USA.
Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2015 Nov;218(8):677-85. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2014.12.004. Epub 2015 Jan 13.
National and sub-national governments develop and enforce regulations to ensure the delivery of safe drinking water in the United States (US) and countries worldwide. However, periodic contamination events, waterborne endemic illness and outbreaks of waterborne disease still occur, illustrating that delivery of safe drinking water is not guaranteed. In this study, we examined the potential added value of a preventive risk management approach, specifically, water safety plans (WSPs), in the US in order to improve drinking water quality. We undertook a comparative analysis between US drinking water regulations and WSP steps to analyze the similarities and differences between them, and identify how WSPs might complement drinking water regulations in the US. Findings show that US drinking water regulations and WSP steps were aligned in the areas of describing the water supply system and defining monitoring and controls. However, gaps exist between US drinking water regulations and WSPs in the areas of team procedures and training, internal risk assessment and prioritization, and management procedures and plans. The study contributes to understanding both required and voluntary drinking water management practices in the US and how implementing water safety plans could benefit water systems to improve drinking water quality and human health.
在美国和世界各国，国家及地方政府制定并执行相关法规，以确保提供安全的饮用水。然而，定期污染事件、水源性地方病以及水源性疾病的爆发仍时有发生，这表明安全饮用水的供应并非万无一失。在本研究中，我们探讨了预防性风险管理方法，特别是水安全计划（WSPs）在美国对于改善饮用水质量的潜在附加价值。我们对美国饮用水法规与水安全计划步骤进行了比较分析，以剖析二者之间的异同，并确定水安全计划如何补充美国的饮用水法规。研究结果表明，美国饮用水法规与水安全计划步骤在描述供水系统以及定义监测与控制方面是一致的。然而，美国饮用水法规与水安全计划在团队程序与培训、内部风险评估与优先级确定以及管理程序与计划等方面存在差距。该研究有助于理解美国饮用水管理的强制及自愿性做法，以及实施水安全计划如何使供水系统受益，从而改善饮用水质量和人类健康。
