Supporting the implementation of drinking water management systems in New South Wales, Australia.

Since 2010, New South Wales (NSW) Health has assisted local water utilities to develop and implement risk-based drinking water management systems based on the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines Framework for Management of Drinking Water Quality. This support has benefited regional communities, and especially smaller utilities, by helping to identify and control risks. NSW Health's support projects have resulted in statistically significant improvements across many elements of drinking water management system implementation. Through this program of support, NSW Health has identified possible infrastructure and operational needs and assessed implementation of drinking water management systems. In parallel, NSW Health has worked to assess the risk from Cryptosporidium in drinking water supplies and to develop a formal audit program. Findings from the NSW Health support program informed the development of two NSW Government programs and the commitment of more than $1 billion to help local water utilities address public health and other critical needs. The introduction of risk-based drinking water management systems has driven incremental improvement in drinking water quality management across the state of NSW.

Supply system factors associated with microbiological drinking water safety in regional New South Wales, Australia, 2001-2007.

AIM: To determine factors associated with microbiological safety of public drinking water systems in regional New South Wales (NSW), Australia. METHOD: We analysed 107,000 end-user drinking water samples for an association between detection of Escherichia coli and drinking water system features, sample year and season using NSW Health Drinking Water Monitoring Program data, 2001-2007. We used negative binomial generalized estimating equations with adjustment for autocorrelation and clustering. RESULTS: We detected E. coli in over 2% of samples from 40% (129/323) of systems. E. coli detection was significantly more common in earlier years and during summer (p<0.001). On multivariate analysis E. coli detection was significantly associated with smaller systems; watercourse sources; no disinfection or disinfection with ultraviolet only; and higher post-treatment mean turbidity (all p< or =0.01). Detection was most strongly associated with lack of disinfection (incidence rate ratio 12.6, p<0.001) and smaller supply systems (1% reduction in E. coli detection for each 1,000 person increase in supply population, p=0.004). Ultraviolet disinfection alone was the least effective disinfection method (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Even in developed countries, drinking water systems without disinfection or serving small populations appear vulnerable to the effects of faecal contamination, which presents a risk of waterborne disease outbreaks.

Ensuring safe drinking water in regional NSW: the role of regulation.

In regional and rural areas of NSW, drinking water is provided by 107 local water utilities serving a total population of some 1.7 million and operating 323 water supply systems. NSW Health exercises public health oversight of these regional water utilities through the NSW Health Drinking Water Monitoring Program, which provides guidance to water utilities on implementing elements of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2004, including drinking water monitoring.

Safe drinking water in regional NSW, Australia.

The New South Wales (NSW) Public Health Act 2010 requires water suppliers to implement a drinking water quality assurance program that addresses the 'Framework for management of drinking water quality' in the Australian drinking water guidelines. NSW Health has recognised the importance of a staged implementation of this requirement and the need to support regional water utilities. To date, NSW Health has assisted 74 regional utilities to develop and implement their management systems. The Public Health Act 2010 has increased awareness of drinking water risk management, and offers a systematic process to identify and control risks. This has benefited large utilities, smaller suppliers, and remote and Aboriginal communities. Work is continuing to ensure implementation of the process by private suppliers and water carters.