9.3 Developing a monitoring program
Monitoring is an integral component of risk management. Because it is not possible to monitor for all things at all times, the monitoring program for a particular water supply system must be structured so that it enhances system knowledge and feeds into decision-making processes. This requires a considered approach to designing the program, the data it will generate, and how these data will be used.
Effective water quality monitoring requires the systematic collection of physical, chemical, biological, and observational information, and the analysis, interpretation and reporting of those data, all according to a pre-planned design (ANZECC and ARMCANZ 2000).
The monitoring program should be designed by personnel who understand the water supply system, the assessment of water quality, and the preventive management approach detailed in the Guidelines. The program may be developed in consultation with water supply system operators, planners and relevant health authorities or drinking water regulators, responsible for auditing the performance of the drinking water supply system.
A monitoring program develops out of, and is based upon, system analysis and the risk assessment process. Once the hazards and key characteristics are identified and the preventive measures and barriers assessed, monitoring can be designed to provide the information needed for the effective management and operation of the drinking water system.
The monitoring program should address four broad questions:
What are the hazards and risks of concern, what are the sources and what data exists? (i.e. investigative studies and research, including baseline monitoring)
Are the barriers sufficient to manage the hazards and risks? (i.e. validation monitoring)
Are the preventive strategies working now? (i.e. operational monitoring)
Did the preventive strategies work? (i.e. verification of drinking water quality)
Once the objective and purpose of a monitoring activity is defined, the following questions could be used to determine the specifics:
What data can be collected to provide the needed information?
Is this the most effective way to generate this information? What alternatives are available for achieving the desired objective?
How will the data be collected?
Where will the data be collected?
When will the data be collected?
What will be done with the information? How will the data be used?
How will the data be interpreted and evaluated?
How will the data be responded to, and who should be notified?
Analysis of this type will help to generate data that are meaningful and useful. Each monitoring activity is done for a purpose, with every piece of monitoring datum a precursor for action. Monitoring activities relate not only to the collection of samples for laboratory analysis, but also to observations, field measurements, and monitoring using on-line instrumentation. All monitoring activities, and their bases, need to be documented into a comprehensive monitoring program that supports an integrated and comprehensive understanding of the water supply system, including the rationale for the monitoring decisions.
Figure 9.2 illustrates the development of a monitoring program that is based on a system-specific water supply analysis and risk assessment process to identify the hazards or characteristics, and the associated preventive barriers that require most attention and focus.
All monitoring data should be subject to short-term evaluation. In addition, monitoring data collected over the long-term should also be reviewed periodically and linked back into the system analysis and risk assessment. The aim is to assess whether there have been any significant changes to key characteristics or levels of challenge that warrant changes to system management, including the monitoring strategy.
Further information on developing monitoring programs is covered elsewhere in the National Water Quality Management Strategy. The Australian Guidelines for Water Quality Monitoring and Reporting (ANZECC and AMRCANZ, 2000) provide a comprehensive framework for monitoring and reporting, and include guidance on establishing water quality monitoring programs, including setting program objectives, study design, field sampling, analyses, data analysis, and reporting and information dissemination.
Additional guidance on water quality monitoring can be found in the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment (CRCWQT) reports 11, A Guide to Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment for Drinking Water Supplies (2004) and 37, Strategic Water Quality Monitoring for Drinking Water Safety (2007), and the CRCWQT and Water Quality Research Australia (WQRA) report 78, Risk Assessment for Drinking Water Sources (2009).
Figure 9.2 Generic process for monitoring activities
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