Study on Application of Water Safety Plan to Rural Water Supply Plant

Objective To establish an appropriate method for Water Safety Plan (WSP) applied in China rural centralized water supply or plants. Methods Certain water supply plant in Zhejiang province was selected for WSP Study, Jun.-Oct., 2007. The hazard analysis and evaluation were applied according to WHO "Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality" (2004) and "Bonn Charter" (Sep 2004), and a safe drinking water guarantee system had been setup. Results The main risk factors that may effect the water quality were water quality variations from climate and seasonal changes, refuse dumping in source water protection area, aging and leaking in pipelines, emergency measure incompetent and failure to resume power supply promptly after power cut off. The corresponding control measures were established on main and prominent hazards identified. The main control measures were: strengthening the source water protection and management, monitoring the water treatment process, maintaining the network in time, improving system of post responsibility (for the work done by each individual at his post) and improving chemical reagents managements. Conclusion To use the methods in WSP can identify the hazards or risk factors in the rural centralized water supply plants and the WSP will be established. WSP is feasible to be applied in the management of rural centralized water supply plants in China.