Safe drinking water: critical components of effective inter-agency relationships.
The paper supports the development of evidence-based emergency management frameworks of cooperation between agencies in the area of drinking water and public health, as part of developing the overall risk management culture within water utilities. We employed a qualitative research design to understand critical gaps in inter-agency relations that aggravated past drinking water and health incidents and from these identified determinants of effective relationships. We identified six critical institutional relationship components that were deficient in past incidents, namely proactivity, communication, training, sharing expertise, trust and regulation. We then analysed how these components are addressed by reputable water utilities and public health departments to develop positive examples of inter-agency cooperation. Control of different risks (e.g. public health, business, and reputation) resulting from drinking water incidents should employ a preventive framework similar to the multiple barrier approach for management of drinking water quality.
Department of Environmental Health, Flinders University, GPO 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
Daniel I
DI
Jalba
Department of Environmental Health, Flinders University, GPO 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. Electronic address: nancy.cromar@flinders.edu.au.
Nancy J
NJ
Cromar
Centre for Water Science, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK.
Simon J T
SJT
Pollard
Environmental Management and Health Laboratories, Alberta Research Council, P.O. Bag 4000, Vegreville, AB, Canada T9C 1T4.
Jeffrey W
JW
Charrois
Centre for Water Science, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK.
Roland
R
Bradshaw
School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 10-102 Clinical Sciences Building, Edmonton, Canada T6G 2G3.
Steve E
SE
Hrudey
D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000469:parasitology; D006077:Government Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D011634:Public Health; D012308:Risk Management; D012449:Safety; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*