Water safety plans: bridges and barriers to implementation in North Carolina

First developed by the World Health Organization, and now used in several countries, water safety plans (WSPs) are a multi-step, preventive process for managing drinking water hazards. While the beneficial impacts of WSPs have been documented in diverse countries, how to successfully implement WSPs...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of water and health 2016-10, Vol.14 (5), p.816-826
Main Authors: Amjad, Urooj Quezon, Luh, Jeanne, Baum, Rachel, Bartram, Jamie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Barriers
Bridges
Communication
Compliance
Corporate culture
Drinking water
Drownings
Environmental protection
Hazards
Humans
Leadership
North Carolina
Operating costs
Organizational aspects
Organizations
Public health
Qualitative research
Resource management
Safety
Water quality
Water shortages
Water supply
Water Supply - economics
Water Supply - methods
Water Supply - standards
Water treatment
Water utilities
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Summary:First developed by the World Health Organization, and now used in several countries, water safety plans (WSPs) are a multi-step, preventive process for managing drinking water hazards. While the beneficial impacts of WSPs have been documented in diverse countries, how to successfully implement WSPs in the United States remains a challenge. We examine the willingness and ability of water utility leaders to implement WSPs in the US state of North Carolina. Our findings show that water utilities have more of a reactive than preventive organizational culture, that implementation requires prioritization of time and resources, perceived comparative advantage to other hazard management plans, leadership in implementation, and identification of how WSPs can be embedded in existing work practices. Future research could focus on whether WSP implementation provides benefits such as decreases in operational costs, and improved organization of records and communication.
ISSN:1477-8920
1996-7829
DOI:10.2166/wh.2016.011