Transcript RAND WATER (South Africa)

WATER QUALITY
MANAGEMENT DURING
SUPPLY DISRUPTIONS
RAND WATER RIETVLEI INDABA
AUDITORIUM
Lelethu Bungu
18 February 2015
INTRODUCTION
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“When
the well runs dry, we
learn the worth of water.”
Benjamin Franklin
• Reducing risk and strengthening resiliency to
overcome adverse effects
• How can we become better prepared to respond
effectively if water supply is compromised.
OVERVIEW
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PURPOSE
SCOPE
SEPTEMBER 2014 INCIDENT
HOW WATER QUALITY WAS MANAGED
SWOT Analysis
ASPECTS TO BE MANAGED DURING WATER
SUPPLY DISRUPTION
OPEN DISCUSSION
WAY FORWARD
PURPOSE
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Enhance water quality management during
water supply disruptions
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establish actions and procedures to be followed
PLANNED AND UNPLANNED DISRUPTIONS
Minimise the water quality impact on the
consumer – minimise health risks
Maintain consumer confidence in tap water
quality (communication)
Maintain the credibility of organisations
within the supply chain
SCOPE
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Quantity and quality are linked (there could be
a knock on effect on quality)
Presentation is limited to water quality issues
Water supply disruption may be due to many
reasons (planned or unplanned), for example:
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Pipe burst
Power failure
Equipment failure
Water contamination
Commissioning new pipeline/reservoir
Refurbishment of treatment plant
Drought
SEPTEMBER 2014 INCIDENT
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Dates/duration: 15th Sept to 10th Oct
Causes: Power supply problem
Rand Water Sites affected:
• Vg treatment plant,
• Eikenhof, Palmiet and Mapleton (Booster
sites)
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Impacts
• Rand Water and Municipal reservoir levels
decreased,
• Consumer supply disruptions,
• Increased through put at the treatment
plants
HOW WATER QUALITY WAS MANAGED
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Additional activities performed
• Daily “war room” meeting between WQSS and
Ops,
• Reviewed and analysed current data,
• Made recommendations of operational changes
and additional monitoring needs (increased
frequency of existing sample points, addition of
non routine sample points, additional QC and QA
analysis)
• Focus was put of the following water quality
determinands to protect consumer health (Acute):
– Crypto and Giardia
– Bacteriological determinands
– Turbidity
– Residual disinfectant
HOW WATER QUALITY WAS MANAGED
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Additional activities performed
• Arranged for additional testing with laboratory,
• Issued daily water quality status reports to internal
stakeholders, arrange for non water quality data to be
available at the “war room” meeting (e.g. Reservoir levels),
• Soliciting feedback from Municipalities on water quality
status
• The Call Centre was primed:
– To ensure that one message is communicated to the
consumers
– To prepare for potential of more queries than the norm
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Outcomes
• No water quality problems detected
• No increased call traffic on water quality issues received by
the Call Centre
SWOT
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Strengths
• Good water quality management capacity within
the organisation:
– Credible water quality testing ability
– Availability of water quality data
– Cooperation between staff from different
departments and divisions
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Weaknesses
• Inadequate communication to and from
Municipalities
• Inadequate communication within the
organisation
• No defined plan/protocol for managing water
supply disruptions within Rand Water and
between Rand Water and Municipalities
SWOT
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Opportunities
• Increase capacity to address consumer complaint
queries
• Establish contingency fund to manage such
incidents specific to water quality (there is CE
reserve fund)
• Integrated process between Rand Water and
Municipalities to manage water quality
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Threats
• Expected load shedding trend in future
• Inability to provide alternative water supply
(distance from raw water source, large population
density)
• Water loses through the supply system
ASPECTS TO BE MANAGED DURING WATER
SUPPLY DISRUPTION
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Definition of potential disruption and responses
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Typical water quality risks during these incidents
and mitigation measures
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Involvement of all stakeholders in the supply
chain
ASPECTS TO BE MANAGED DURING WATER
SUPPLY DISRUPTION
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Need for documented procedures
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Staff educated and competent in the procedure
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Need to share operational information with other
participants in the supply chain
ASPECTS TO BE MANAGED DURING WATER
SUPPLY DISRUPTION
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Communication:
• Singular communication system: internal and
external
• Communications to be conducted by industry
technically literate person to ensure:
– Unified message and approach
– Consistency
ASPECTS TO BE MANAGED DURING WATER
SUPPLY DISRUPTION
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Communication:
• Internal staff to be well educated and informed
• Regular education/awareness program for end
consumers (risks and how to mitigate including
boil water/local disinfection know how)
• Single incident management centre for all
participants in the supply chain
ASPECTS TO BE MANAGED DURING WATER
SUPPLY DISRUPTION
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How to distribute water equitably during water
shortages – result in public support and cooperation
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Availability of resources for contingency actions e.g.
additional water quality monitoring
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Need for rapid/potable water quality testing
capability
Provision of alternate water supply and managing
the water quality thereof
Increase water quality monitoring
ASPECTS TO BE MANAGED DURING WATER
SUPPLY DISRUPTION
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Educate/ inform end consumers
Real time knowledge of water quality in the supply
chain
singular 24/7 incident management office for the
total supply chain
flexible operational capability
OPEN DISCUSSION
WAY FORWARD
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There is a need to integrate LA and RW
activities/decisions/actions for such
incidents with the input of the
Municipalities
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Rand Water to develop and establish
protocol to manage such incidents
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THANK YOU