ADOPTION OF WATER SAFETY PLANS FOR
IMPROVEMENT OF URBAN WATER SUPPLY
BY Eng. PHILIP G. GICHUKI
MANAGING DIRECTOR
NAIROBI CITY WATER AND SEWERAGE COMPANY
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Situation analysis on water supply in Kenya
Fundamentals of water safety
Concept of water safety plans
Critical factors considered in adoption of water
safety plan concept
Implementation of water safety plan in Nairobi
Water Company
WSP implementation benefits
Critical success factors
Conclusion
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Kenya is a water scarce country, with water availability standing at
647m3 per capita against the global benchmark of 1000m3.
Water supply and sanitation in Kenya is characterized by low levels
of access. Though access to safe water is estimated at 60% in the
urban areas, this reduces to 20% within the informal settlements.
Water availability is essential for all lives including those of humans,
but good quality water guarantees well-being and contribute to
sustainable development.
◦ Delivery of safe drinking water is vital for protecting public health and of
promoting secure livelihoods in urban areas.
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Very often, however, assessment of water safety is limited to
occasional tests of water quality and insufficient attention is paid to
the proactive management of water safety.
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To ensure the delivery of safe drinking water, it is important that
water safety objectives are established that takes into account
exposures and risk in order to make informed and balanced
judgment about the level of health protection to be provided.
World Health Organization (WHO) have identified Water Safety Plans (WSP) as a
management system that will ensure the delivery of safe drinking water. This entails:
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an assessment to determine whether the water supply chain from catchment
to consumer can deliver safe drinking water to the point of consumption;
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monitoring and assurance of the identified critical control points and
measures in the water supply chain.
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management plans documenting the system assessment, monitoring and
actions to be taken during normal operation and incident conditions to secure
water safety;
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Independent public health surveillance of water safety.
A water safety plan may therefore be described as a tool for water managers to ensure
water quality and monitor the whole water supply system regardless of its size and
complexity.
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Water safety plans have been adopted by a number
of developed and developing countries. Plans can
vary in size and complexity as appropriate for the
setting but they commonly identify one catchment
area, its distribution system, and associated
consumption levels
According to IWA, WSP provide a framework for
proactive, systematic and effective management
and surveillance of drinking water supplies based
on a preventative risk-based approach
According to UNHABITAT, the realization of health, operational and financial benefits
accrued through Water Safety Plans implementation (WSP) has contributed to a
growing evidence base that it is the most effective means to consistently provide
safe drinking water.
In South Africa, Rand Water developed WSP as a process based control of the
quality of water in the supply system. The main goal of WSPs was to identify and
eliminate all the possible risks in the water supply system, that may have a
potential risks to public health from catchment through the distribution network to
the consumers taps
 WSPs have been developed to organize and systematize a long history of
management practices applied to drinking water and to ensure the applicability of
these practices to the management of drinking water quality
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Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company is in a
process of implementing the water safety plans.
◦ The company intends to move away from the conventional
monitoring of water quality and upscale to an output based
quality assurance which is a more reliable process
monitoring.
◦ Under the WSP the company is undertaking risk assessment
and management in the water supply process from
catchment to the tap.
◦ System maps and flow diagrams are being developed to
assist in identification of hazardous events in the overall
distribution system.
◦ Under IWA guidance and support NWC is partnering with
Mombasa and Moshi Water on a WSP Programmes
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Under IWA guidance and support NWC is partnering with
Mombasa and Moshi Water on a WSP Programmes
NWC hosted IWA conference held in Nairobi in June
2011, where the need to use water safety plans in
the water utilities was demonstrated.
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Increased internal and external confidence in the product (water quality)
Creation of unity in diversity towards water quality assurance
Improvement in information gathering, communication, processing, decision
making, financial control
Improving the profiles of the people who take part in the water quality
management
Improves the speed of reaction (turnaround time in problem solving),
improved decision making
Good risk management practices
Excellent knowledge flow through the participants in the supply
chain
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Reduced uncertainty
Obligation and buy in from all parties from top to bottom (KPAS, KPIs in performance
contracts for all managers)
Understanding the supply system contributes to accurate identification of bottle necks,
accountabilities, opportunities for process and information optimization,
Management processes that become a tool for training and a memory for the organization
WSP implementation is known to have facilitated development of early warning systems,
for example detection of microbiological overloads before disinfection through the use of
the hazards analysis critical control points (HACCP) which allows the monitoring of
microbiological hazards (algal cells, E.coli, Total coliforms, protozoa) at critical control
points (CCPs) rather than relying mainly on end-point remediation like chlorination.
 This approach has reduced the chances of risk of infection to consumers and
 Accurate identification of components of a good management system
The success of the Water safety plan depend on
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Getting the right people to spearhead
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Establishing corporate commitment to water quality
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Understanding the supply system
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Understanding the risks around the supply system from
catchment to taps
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Understanding and implementing risk control measures
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Monitoring the effectiveness of risk control measures
7.
Understanding
operations
management
processescompetent operators
8.
Identification & Developing appropriate tools and
management plans (for example incident management
plans)
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The WSP focuses on the whole supply chain, hence if implemented effectively the
benefits will be visible across the whole supply chain
Raw water becomes important for people to understand and change their behavior to
support source water protection initiatives.
Design/upgrade of infrastructure (booster station/reservoirs) become important
because you understand system needs
WSPs have prompted a clear commitment to the development and implementation of
a set of preventive risk management activities to support public health protection
initiatives.
WSPs provide a platform for continuous improvement, evaluation and verification
processes.
The END
Thank You for your Attention