DRINKING WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA “ Catchment to Consumer”

Department : Water Affairs & Forestry

Directorate : WS Regulation

Directorate : WS RegulationDirectorate : WS Regulation

DRINKING WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA

“Catchment to Consumer”

WISA AFRICAWISA AFRICA

ZAMBIAZAMBIA

LeonardoLeonardo

Department: Water Affairs & Forestry


Background• 2001: Regulations under Section 9 promulgated.• 2003: SFWS included DWQ as one of the

performance areas the sector would monitor.• 2004/2005: The 1st DWQ Framework is drafted.• 2005: DELMAS• 2006/2007: DWQ Framework Revised to improve

content. And to ensure that the document remains applicable to the South African DWQ Challenge.



DWQ Regulatory ObjectivesDWQ Regulatory Objectives• To facilitate the improvement in DWQM by ensuring that:

– All Water Services Authorities (WSA’s) are fulfilling their obligatory DWQ monitoring and info management functions;

– Process Control is improved by means of sustainable and continued training of treatment plant Process Controllers and Operators;

– Water Safety & Security Plans are in place and implemented;• The public have meaningful access to DWQ info at reasonable

frequencies;• by implementation of measures/mechanisms that will ensure

consumers trust the quality of drinking water in their respective areas of supply by 2009, and

• Ensure that all DWQ failures are dealt with according to legislative requirements.

• Mission Statement:• We are committed to enhancing the quality of life of all South Africans

by continuously improving the quality of drinking water to ensure that its safety is not compromised.





DWQM Self-Assessment for WSA Management

1. Are we giving sufficient attention to DWQM at our WSA/WSI?

2. Are we complying with all legislation in this regard?3. Are we confident that infants, elderly,& other immuno-

compromised in our constituency are not at risk when consuming tap water from our reticulation system?

4. Are we confident that our monitoring programmes are yielding credible data on the quality of our tap water.

5. Are those responsible for the treatment and reticulation of drinking water sufficiently capacitated?

6. Do you prefer tap water to bottled water & filtered water?



Enabling Legislation:Enabling Legislation:Regulation 5 Regulation 5

(Section 9 Water Services Act)1. A suitable programme for sampling the quality of

potable water • must specify the points; the frequency of sampling;

substances and determinants the water will be tested for.

2. must compare the results obtained from the testing of the samples with SABS 241 (SANS 241:2006)

3. indicate that water supplied poses health risk, the WSA must inform the DG of DWAF and the HOD of relevant Provincial Department of Health

4. and it must take steps to inform its consumers



Regulation 2834• Classification of Treatment Plant & Process Controllers.• Registration of Process Controllers and Treatment Works.

Possible Additions with current revision:– Continuous, Mandatory training for Process Controllers;– Expanding Operator certification to include operational

responsibilities of entire DW system.– Certification of Supervisors and Technical Managers at

Municipalities.

• Operators are important!!



Regulation 2834 (cont.)

Class 4-6

Class 0-3

ABET

Tech. ProgTraining

ContinuousTech. refresher

Training

3 year cycle of Mandatory training(e.g. 150 credits) to

retain license.

3 year cycle given to Improve by 1 class until Process Controller status

is achieved.



DWQ Info Management Structure

WSAWSA

WSPWSP

DWAFDWAF

OperationalOperational

ManagementManagement

RegulationRegulation

RPMSRPMS

NISNIS

OtherOther

ManagementManagementManagementManagement

OperationalOperationalOperationalOperationalOperationalOperational



Catchment to Consumer

Catchment

Resource

Water Treatment Distribution

Consumer

CATCHMENTTO

CONSUMER

Wastewater Treatment



Proactive DWQ RegulationProactive DWQ Regulation• DWQ Monitoring Programmes

– Register & Assess Monitoring programmes• Proactive Assurance of safe drinking water

supply:– Audit Treatment procedures & DWQ Management

practices– Ensure the drafting of Water Safety & Security

Plans– Facilitate the implementation of efficient DWQ

Management systems;– Communicate DWQ Responsibilities to Authority

Officials and Councilors



Reactive DWQ RegulationReactive DWQ Regulation• Respond to incidents of unacceptable DWQ

according to the Enforcement Protocol.• Ensure plans are set in place to prevent a

reoccurrence of the failure.• Ensure effective communication with affected

communities where failures occurred. • Generate Intelligence on failures and

outbreaks to prepare for similar situations in the future.



For all of Delmas

Onset dates for cases

Blank

1-Oct 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

1-Nov 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

To

tal d

iarr

ho

ea c

ase

s

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

Fre

e ch

lori

ne

leve

ls m

g/L

0.1

0.3

0.5

0.7

0.9

1.1

1.3

1.5

1.7

1.9

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2.0

Rai

nfa

ll m

m

5

15

25

35

45

55

0

10

20

30

40

50

Cases per onset dateFree chlorine in mg/LFree chlorine ideal bandFree chlorine good bandFree chlorine marginal limitsFree chlorine poor limitsRainfall in mm



Additional DWQ Regulatory Aspects

• Ensuring credibility of samples analysis results:– Register all Laboratories used by WSIs for sample analysis.– Facilitate the accreditation process between laboratory and

SANAS where required or introduce proficiency testing scheme.

– Ensure the optimisation of analysis methodologies through scientific assessments.

• Usage of safe treatment chemicals:– Ensure that treatment chemicals used comply with the

appropriate SANS standard.– Ensure that all treatment chemicals are registered with

Department of Health.





The End??The End??No, It’s the No, It’s the BeginningBeginning

Leonardo: 082 802 1005 / 012 336 6600 / [email protected]: 082 804 9212 / 012 336 6870 / [email protected]: 082 885 7438 / 012 336 6871 / [email protected]

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DRINKING WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA “ Catchment to Consumer”