HACCP and water safety plans in Icelandic water supply: preliminary evaluation of experience

Icelandic waterworks first began implementing hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) as a preventive approach for water safety management in 1997. Since then implementation has been ongoing and currently about 68% of the Icelandic population enjoy drinking water from waterworks with a w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of water and health 2008-09, Vol.6 (3), p.377-382
Main Authors: Gunnarsdóttir, María J, Gissurarson, Loftur R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Drinking water
Evaluation
HACCP
Hazard analysis critical control point
Hazard assessment
Iceland
Quality standards
Safety
Safety management
Safety Management - organization & administration
Water Microbiology
Water quality
Water quality standards
Water supply
Water Supply - analysis
Water utilities
Waterworks
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Summary:Icelandic waterworks first began implementing hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) as a preventive approach for water safety management in 1997. Since then implementation has been ongoing and currently about 68% of the Icelandic population enjoy drinking water from waterworks with a water safety plan based on HACCP. Preliminary evaluation of the success of HACCP implementation was undertaken in association with some of the waterworks that had implemented HACCP. The evaluation revealed that compliance with drinking water quality standards improved considerably following the implementation of HACCP. In response to their findings, waterworks implemented a large number of corrective actions to improve water safety. The study revealed some limitations for some, but not all, waterworks in relation to inadequate external and internal auditing and a lack of oversight by health authorities. Future studies should entail a more comprehensive study of the experience with the use of HACCP with the purpose of developing tools to promote continuing success.
ISSN:1477-8920
1996-7829
DOI:10.2166/wh.2008.055