ISO 24527:2020 pdf free download – Service activities relating to drinking water supply, wastewater and stormwater systems – Guidelines on alternative drinking water service provision during a crisis.
Drinking water is fundamental to life and its distribution is considered to be an essential service. Drinking water supply relies on systems that can be subject to disruption from internal or external factors including operational error, lack of rehabilitation, damage to the drinking water system, malicious acts (e.g. vandalism, criminality or terrorism) and natural disasters (e.g. earthquakes, floods, hurricanes or volcanic eruptions).
This document is intended for drinking water utilities that normally provide a service without interruption through a drinking water distribution network. It provides guidelines for the effective implementation of alternative drinking water service (ADWS) provision during extended periods of disruption to drinking water supply.
In many cases, operational and organizational processes will exist within drinking water utilities to deal with short periods of localized interruption to drinking water distribution. However, if the service interruption exceeds the duration or extent of anticipated events, an interruption can escalate into a crisis at local, regional or, exceptionally, national levels.
NOTE 1 For adequacy and consistency, guidance in this document typically assumes an operational response at a crisis level. However, the guidelines are applicable for all levels of operational incidents requiring ADWS deployment including normal business continuity preparedness and response.
NOTE 2 For guidance on the management of crises see ISO 24518 and ISO/TS 24520.
A significant water interruption (arising from quantity and/or quality issues) can impact public and personal health and wellbeing, and economic performance. A prolonged interruption can progressively threaten the coherence of the community served.
The roles of relevant authorities, responsible bodies, drinking water utilities and operators can differ between and within countries and result in different minimum requirements for ADWS provision. Nevertheless, it is generally recommended that such organizations recognize the importance of uninterrupted drinking water distribution, even at times of crisis for the drinking water utility, for the wellbeing of the community served.
Drinking water utilities are encouraged to reduce the risk of water supply interruption. This is typically achieved by a combination of good planning, design, procurement, installation, operation and maintenance of the drinking water assets. Such measures should include the provision of an ADWS for users during a crisis.
It is also recommended that the drinking water utility’s capability to provide an ADWS will be consistent with the maximum likely service interruption (extent and duration) identified through risk assessment. The provision of an ADWS necessitates thorough preparation (e.g. to address planning, procurement, logistics, control and communication), as well as awareness of the need and commitment at all levels of the organization to be effective and efficient.
ADWS during a crisis can be provided using one of the two following principles, or both in combination:
a) using the drinking water distribution network in a non-conventional manner;
b) not using the drinking water distribution network.
This document describes the principal issues to be considered when:
1) planning for and deploying ADWS provision.