Abstract
The water safety plan (WSP) approach is being widely adopted as a systematic approach to improving the safety of drinking water. However, to date, the approach has not been widely used for improving the safety of drinking water in those settings where people have to collect water away from their home. Most rural areas in South Africa still consume unsafe water despite WSP implementation and improved water sources provided by municipalities. This study used hazard analysis critical control point to assess drinking water used in households to determine systematic procedures, which could be used to control risks. The process includes assessment of risks associated with household water service level (availability, accessibility and potability) and risks of water contamination from the collection to point of consumption. Observations and questionnaires were used to collect data in households to systematically determine and identify risks of drinking water consumption. The results show intermittent water supply, access to unsafe water, while poor hygiene practices contribute to household water contamination. This approach could assist in identifying hazards as well as critical control points to reduce risks and improve management of drinking water safety in households.
Highlights
The safety of drinking water relies on an assessment and control of risks from the catchment to the point of use (Ricket et al )
One hundred and twenty households were sampled from village 1 (A-I) with a scarcity of water, whereas 81 households were sampled from village 2 with a plentiful water supply using various sources
Information obtained from community leaders, Water Service Authority (WSA), household respondents and Global Positioning System (GPS) showed that both village 1 (A-I) and 2 use improved and unimproved water sources
Summary
The safety of drinking water relies on an assessment and control of risks from the catchment to the point of use (Ricket et al ). Most effort is directed at identifying and controlling risks associated with problems at the source and in distribution and there is less effort given to reduce risks associated with contamination at the point of use The World Health Organization recommends the water safety plan (WSP) approach, which is currently used by many countries worldwide to improve the status of drinking water (Davison et al ) This approach was adapted from the concept of hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP), regulated for food industries since the 1990s (Codex Alimentarius ). The steps include: engaging team who are responsible for water supply used from the point of collection to the point of use; analyses of hazards which could contribute to significant risk and critical areas where hazards could prevail; how risks in those areas can be controlled by checking the extent to which
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