Effective drinking water collaborations are not accidental: interagency relationships in the international water utility sector.
The role that deficient institutional relationships have played in aggravating drinking water incidents over the last 30 years has been identified in several inquiries of high profile drinking water safety events, peer-reviewed articles and media reports. These indicate that collaboration between water utilities and public health agencies (PHAs) during normal operations, and in emergencies, needs improvement. Here, critical elements of these interagency collaborations, that can be integrated within the corporate risk management structures of water utilities and PHAs alike, were identified using a grounded theory approach and 51 semi-structured interviews with utility and PHA staff. Core determinants of effective interagency relationships are discussed. Intentionally maintained functional relationships represent a key ingredient in assuring the delivery of safe, high quality drinking water.
School of Medicine, Flinders University, GPO 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
D I
DI
Jalba
School of the Environment, Flinders University, GPO 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. Electronic address: nancy.cromar@flinders.edu.au.
N J
NJ
Cromar
Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK.
S J T
SJ
Pollard
Curtin Water Quality Research Centre, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia.
J W
JW
Charrois
Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK.
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R
Bradshaw
Analytical & Environmental Toxicology Division, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, 10-102 Clinical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G3, Canada.
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SE
Hrudey
D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000737:chemistry / Q000592:standards*; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D011634:Public Health; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D060753:Water Quality / Q000592:standards*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D060766:Drinking Water
Drinking water; Emergency management; Incidents; Public health; Risk