# Chapter 3: Framework for Management of Drinking Water Quality: the twelve elements This chapter details the 12 elements that make up the Framework for Management of Drinking Water Quality (the Framework). Each element includes an introduction and a list of the components that make up that element, which are then described in further detail. A ‘summary of actions’ box heads each component, providing an overview of the steps involved in implementation. Some elements of the Framework are more complex than others, and therefore require further explanation. Appendix 1 (located at the end of the Guidelines) provides additional information and guidance for two elements ­– *Assessment of the drinking water supply system* (element 2) *and Preventive measures for drinking water quality management* (element 3). --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://guidelines.nhmrc.gov.au/australian-drinking-water-guidelines/part-1/chapter-3.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.