Chemical and Biological (CB) Risks to Drinking Water
Chemical and Biological (CB) Risks to Drinking Water
WATER
Challenge
Today’s organisational structures, scientific methods and regulatory frameworks concerning drinking water quality are designed for long term decision making and not for immediate response in case of an incident. Therefore, several tools have been recently developed to identify the water quality in the event of an incident. However, there are several factors which influence the performance of these tools and there is no EU standard approach available which sets out parameters for an overall assessment.
Focus of work
Focus of the Thematic Group is water security in terms of responding to deliberate chemical and/or biological acts of contamination of drinking water (as per the definition of security). The purpose of this thematic group is to identify the requirements for harmonization activities for water security response related to CB threats to drinking water, through real-time water quality monitoring systems, early warning systems and related laboratory confirmatory analyses. The work concentrates on three dimensions in particular:
- The use of innovative techniques (probes, sensors, etc.) and enabling technologies for online measurement of water quality and monitoring of performance requirements in drinking water distribution networks.
- Rapid identification and quantification of ‘unknown’ chemical and biological contaminations in drinking water (i.e. following an incident) which help event detection as well as to prevent or mitigate damage in water supply systems.
- To develop European-level guidance to enable water utilities to prepare relevant elements of Water Security Plan, devoted to improving the control of water security.
The work programme - Main deliverables
The current work programme identifies three deliverables:
- Report on testing technologies, analytical tools and methodologies to quickly identify the nature of chemical or biological contamination in drinking water.
- Guidance document aimed at water utility operators recommending the requirements for production of a Water Security Plan that would address the security aspects in drinking water supply.
- Organization of (online) events on the Water Security Plan, the validation and revision thereof, for the dissemination of practical information related to the implementation and operation of water security features, looking forward to standardization, risk assessment and crisis management in water utilities.
Water Safety and Security Workshop 2016
Improving coordination among science, policy-making and management/operation actors
JRC and DG HOME co-organised the «Water Safety and Security» workshop at the occasion on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Groundwater Directive. The workshop aimed at improving the coordination of information exchange between policymakers, scientists and practitioners in the area of water safety and security. Synergies among the safety and security (research and policy) areas were proposed and discussed.
Deliverables List
Guidance on the production of a water security plan for drinking water supply
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Proposals for a guidance related to a Water Security Plan to protect Drinking Water
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Review of methods for the rapid identification of pathogens in water samples
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Upcoming events
Latest News
13 Dec 2016 - Chemical and Biological Risks to Drinking Water TG Meeting
20 Oct 2016 - Chemical and Biological Risks to Drinking Water TG Meeting
24 - 25 February 2016, JRC Ispra, Chemical and Biological Risks to Drinking Water TG Meeting
13th 2015 - Chemical & Biological Risks in the Water Sector TG Meeting
Related Articles
2016 - Water Safety and Security Workshop
12th December 2016, Brussels
JRC and DG HOME co-organised the «Water Safety and Security» workshop at the occasion on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Groundwater Directive.
The workshop aimed at improving the coordination of information exchange between policymakers, scientists and practitioners in the area of water safety and security. Synergies among the safety and security (research and policy) areas were proposed and discussed. This joint initiative gave the opportunity for the ERNCIP “Drinking Water” TG to present proposals for a Water Security Plan for validation by the stakeholders, including inter-alia: