Extending the water safety plan concept to the urban water cycle

“The urban water cycle (UWC) is often managed by several stakeholders dealing with specific components of the
cycle such as water supply, wastewater systems and water bodies management. Therefore, risk management in the
UWC benefits from an integrated approach to incorporate the interdependencies between elements. The water
cycle safety plan (WCSP) provides a common risk management framework for stakeholders in the UWC. It is
based on the water safety plan (WSP) approach for water supply and incorporates the latest developments in
risk management approaches, such as ISO 31 000:2009 and ISO Guide 73:2009. Apart from protection of
public health, the WCSP also addresses public safety and protection of the environment. The proposed WCSP
is divided into nine steps including stakeholders’ commitment and team assembling, establishment of scope of
the plan, characterisation of water systems, identification of risks, risk analysis and evaluation, selection of risk
reduction measures, development of protocols for communication, monitoring and review. The WCSP approach
was developed in the PREPARED project with a focus on UWC adaptation to climate change but can be applied in
a broader context. This preventive and systematic risk approach supports decisions on adaptive measures and strategies
for the whole UWC based on the best available knowledge.”
(Citaat: Almeida, M.C., Vieira, P., Smeets, P.W.M.H. Extending the water safety plan concept to the urban water cycle – Water Policy 16(2014)2, p.298-322)