title: Extreme weather events: Should drinking water quality management systems adapt to changing risk profiles?
abstract: Among the most widely predicted and accepted consequences of global climate change are increases in both the frequency and severity of a variety of extreme weather events. Such weather events include heavy rainfall and floods, cyclones, droughts, heatwaves, extreme cold, and wildfires, each of which can potentially impact drinking water quality by affecting water catchments, storage reservoirs, the performance of water treatment processes or the integrity of distribution systems. Drinking water guidelines, such as the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and the World Health Organization Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality, provide guidance for the safe management of drinking water. These documents present principles and strategies for managing risks that may be posed to drinking water quality. While these principles and strategies are applicable to all types of water quality risks, very little specific attention has been paid to the management of extreme weather events. We present a review of recent literature on water quality impacts of extreme weather events and consider practical opportunities for improved guidance for water managers. We conclude that there is a case for an enhanced focus on the management of water quality impacts from extreme weather events in future revisions of water quality guidance documents.
authors: School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: s.khan@unsw.edu.au.
authors: Stuart J
authors: SJ
authors: Khan
authors: Water Futures, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: dan@waterfutures.net.au.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Deere
authors: Smart Water Research Centre, School of Environment, Griffith University, QLD, Australia. Electronic address: f.leusch@griffith.edu.au.
authors: Frederic D L
authors: FD
authors: Leusch
authors: Australian Water Quality Centre, SA, Australia. Electronic address: Andrew.Humpage@sawater.com.au.
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Humpage
authors: Centre for Appropriate Technology, NT, Australia. Electronic address: madeleine.jenkins@gmail.com.
authors: Madeleine
authors: M
authors: Jenkins
authors: Department of Health South Australia, SA, Australia. Electronic address: David.Cunliffe@health.sa.gov.au.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Cunliffe
mesh_terms: D057231:Climate Change; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D004189:Disaster Planning; D004190:Disasters; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000592:standards*; D055864:Droughts; D005390:Fires; D055868:Floods; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D060753:Water Quality / Q000592:standards; D014887:Weather
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water
keywords: Climate change; Cyclone; Drought; Flood; Hurricane; Wildfire