OPS/CEPIS/PUB/02.80 Original: Spanish Pan American Center for Sanitary Engineering and Environmental Sciences Health and Environment Division Pan American Health Organization Pan American Sanitary Bureau, Regional Office of the World Health Organization GUIDELINES FOR THE SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL OF DRINKING WATER QUALITY Ricardo Rojas PAHO/CEPIS Advisor With the sponsorship of the United States Environmental Protection Agency Lima, 2002 OPS/CEPIS/PUB/02.80 Original: Spanish GUIDELINES FOR THE SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL OF DRINKING WATER QUALITY Ricardo Rojas PAHO/CEPIS Advisor Pan American Center for Sanitary Engineering and Environmental Sciences Health and Environment Division Pan American Health Organization Pan American Sanitary Bureau, Regional Office of the World Health Organization Lima, 2002 Pan American Center for Sanitary Engineering and Environmental Sciences, 2002 All rights reserved by the Pan American Center for Sanitary Engineering and Environmental Sciences, PAHO/CEPIS. The document can be abstracted, reproduced or translated, in part or in whole, without prior permission, but not for sale or for commercial purposes. PAHO/CEPIS is a specialized agency of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO). Los Pinos 259, Lima, Peru P. O. Box 4337, Lima 100, Peru Phone: (511) 437 1077 Fax: (511) 437 8289 [email protected] http://www.cepis.ops-oms.org CONTENTS Page Foreword ............................................................................................................................. xiii 1. Conceptual Framework............................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 General........................................................................................................... 2 1.1.2 Nature of the Guidelines................................................................................ 3 1.1.3 Importance of the Quality of Drinking Water.............................................. 4 1.1.4 Health Impact of Pathogenic Agents in the Water....................................... 4 1.1.5 Benefits of the Surveillance and Control of Water Quality......................... 5 1.2 Background, Present Situation and Trends.......................................................... 6 1.3 General Concepts, Principles and Objectives ...................................................... 7 1.3.1 Sanitary Surveillance of Drinking Water Quality........................................ 7 1.3.2 Control of Drinking Water Quality............................................................... 8 1.3.3 Relationship between Sanitary Surveillance and Control of Water Quality 8 1.4 Legal Framework................................................................................................. 10 1.5 Political and Institutional Framework, and Responsibilities ............................... 12 1.6 Goals and Priorities.............................................................................................. 14 1.7 Regulatory Entities .............................................................................................. 15 1.8 Citizen Participation ............................................................................................ 16 2. Elements of Surveillance and Control............................................................................... 16 2.1 Basic Aspects....................................................................................................... 17 2.1.1 Physical-Chemical and Microbiological Evaluation ................................... 17 2.1.2 Sanitary and Operational Inspection............................................................. 25 2.1.3 Institutional Evaluation................................................................................. 26 2.2 Support Aspects ................................................................................................... 26 2.2.1 Regulations and Standards ............................................................................ 26 2.2.2 Resources ....................................................................................................... 28 2.2.3 Training.......................................................................................................... 32 2.2.4 Sanitary Education......................................................................................... 33 2.2.5 Surveys .......................................................................................................... 35 2.3 Information .......................................................................................................... 36 2.3.1 Application of the Surveillance Information................................................ 36 2.3.2 Information Flow........................................................................................... 37 2.3.3 Data Processing and Reports......................................................................... 39 2.4 Sanctions.............................................................................................................. 42 3. Methodologies ....................................................................................................................... 42 3.1 General ................................................................................................................ 42 3.1.1 Surveillance and Control Levels................................................................... 42 3.1.2 Scope.............................................................................................................. 44 3.1.3 Fields of Action ............................................................................................. 46 3.2 Surveillance Plan ................................................................................................. 48 3.2.1 Diagnosis................................................................................................. 48 - i - 3.2.2 The Plan .................................................................................................. 49 3.2.3 Intervention Possibilities......................................................................... 51 3.2.4 Investments ............................................................................................. 51 3.3 Water Quality Control in Urban Environments ................................................... 52 3.3.1 Planning .................................................................................................. 52 3.3.2 Execution ................................................................................................ 53 3.3.3 Data Processing and Reports................................................................... 53 3.3.4 Corrective Measures............................................................................... 54 3.3.5 Preventive Measures............................................................................... 55 3.4 Water Quality Control in Rural Areas ................................................................. 56 3.4.1 Introduction............................................................................................. 56 3.4.2 Evaluation of Water Supply Services ..................................................... 56 3.5 Surveillance......................................................................................................... 58 3.5.1 General.................................................................................................... 58 3.5.2 Validation of Data................................................................................... 58 3.5.3 Auditing .................................................................................................. 59 3.5.4 Epidemiological Evaluation.................................................................... 59 3.5.5 Management of Information, Risk Investigation and Identification ...... 60 3.5.6 Follow-Up and Development.................................................................. 60 3.5.7 Periodic Reports...................................................................................... 61 4. Bibliography ................................................................................................................ 62 List of Annexes Annex 1 Frequencies of Sampling and Sanitary Inspection ..................................................... 65 Annex 2 Information Required for Planning a Water Quality Control Program...................... 71 Annex 3 Workshop Participants and Reviewers ...................................................................... 77 List of Tables Table 1 Indicators for the Water Supply Service .................................................................... 22 Table 2 Recommended Analytical Determinations ................................................................ 22 Table 3 Proposed Levels Based on the Institutional Situation of the Country or Region....... 43 Table 4 Activities per Level of Intervention for the Surveillance or Control of Drinking Water.......................................................................................................................... 44 Table 5 Principal Requirements per Level of Intervention..................................................... 45 Annex 1 Table 1 Frequencies of Sampling – Urban Systems. Physical-Chemical Parameters in the Distribution Network ...................................................................