Start Date : 9 Sept 10   End Date : 9 Sept 10 Location: Stockholm, Sweden

The realisation of health, operational and financial benefits accrued through Water Safety Plans implementation (WSP) has contributed to a growing evidence base that they are the most effective means to consistently providing safe drinking water.

Concerted efforts from multi-lateral agencies to promote WSPs and provide capacity building for water utilities, regulators and other stakeholders has lead to an increasing number of WSPs being implemented. In some regions, there is a genuine opportunity to have impact-at-scale for WSP implementation through peer-to-peer learning mechanisms (Water Operator's Partnerships).

Furthermore, there is an emerging role for WSPs in driving action towards reducing operational expenditure, better targeting capital investments and enabling water suppliers to operate in a more efficient way. A key outcome of implementing a WSP is an improvement/upgrade plan, which allows water suppliers to prioritisze their investment needs based on a comprehensive system assessment and evaluation of associated risks.

This Seminar will be organized by GWOPA/UNHABITAT and WHO in cooperation with International Water Association (IWA), WSP Network in Latin America and the Caribbean (WSP-LAC/Net), U.S. Department of State, AusAID and National Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Japan and will bring together water operators, regulators, health professionals, and other stakeholders to highlight recent efforts to build capacity and implement WSPs, and to increase the understanding of how WSPs have provided an effective means of better targeting funding for system improvements and operations and maintenance to improve drinking water quality.