RISK ASSESSMENT IN WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS FRAMED IN A WATER SAFETY PLAN

RISK ASSESSMENT IN WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS FRAMED IN A WATER SAFETY PLAN

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Claudia Patricia Amézquita Marroquín
Andrea Pérez Vidal
Patricia Torres Lozada

Abstract

Risk assessment is a key stage in a water safety plan (WSP) and it is achieved by identifying hazards or hazardous events and estimating risks. This study evaluated health risks in the drinking water distribution system (DWDS) of the city of Cali (Colombia), which is supplied by the Cauca River. Hazardous events were identified, and, subsequently, a risk estimation was completed using a previously adapted semi-quantitative risk matrix. The risk estimation was initially made without considering the existing control measures in the DWDS. It was then redone considering the level of effectiveness of these measures. The results showed the events with the highest level of risk associated with the loss of physical and hydraulic integrity of the DWDS (damage to water pipelines, pressure fluctuations, lack of systematized information about the DWDS, human error, lack of training, supervision, and awareness about the concept of water safety , and internal and external corrosion in the elements of the DWDS). Risk assessment is a management tool for water providers which allows for prioritizing human and financial resources toward improving control measures as a strategy for reducing health risks and ensuring the quality of drinking water in the DWDS.

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Author Biographies ##ver##

Claudia Patricia Amézquita Marroquín, Universidad del Valle

Sanitary Engineer. M.Sc. in Engineering, Concentration in Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Universidad del Valle. Assistant to the Grupo de Investigación Estudio y Control de la Contaminación Ambiental (Study and Control of Environmental Contamination Research Group), Universidad del Valle. Cali, Colombia.

Andrea Pérez Vidal, Universidad de Boyacá

Sanitary Engineer. Ph.D. in Engineering, Concentration in Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Universidad del Valle. Associate professor in the Sciences and Engineering Faculty, Universidad de Boyacá, Colombia.

Patricia Torres Lozada, Universidad del Valle

Sanitary Engineer, Universidad del Valle. Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, Concentration in Hydraulics and Sanitation, Universidad de São Paulo, Brazil. Associate Professor, Universidad del Valle. Grupo de Investigación Estudio y Control de la Contaminación Ambiental (Study and Control of Environmental Contamination Research Group), Universidad del Valle. Cali, Colombia.