Towards quality assurance of assessed waterborne risks

An exploratory “proof of concept” application of a quality assurance framework for auditing the strength of the outputs of waterborne risk assessments is presented. The need for such a framework is established with reference to the rapid growth in the application of risk assessment techniques in the water sector and in the light of manifest uncertainties in their results. The components of a proposed quality assurance framework are introduced. The framework is applied to two case studies: Cryptosporidium in raw water and copper in treated drinking water. The differing outcomes in these two areas are evaluated and it is concluded that the framework provides a significant step forward by way of a formal tool for the representation of uncertainties in knowledge about waterborne risk.