WHO global and regional survey on water safety plans

What is the survey objective?
The primary objective of this survey, led by World Health Organization (WHO), is to achieve a better understanding of the global and regional progress of risk assessment and risk management approaches applied in drinking water supplies. In the WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality, such approaches are known as Water Safety Plans (WSPs). Throughout the survey, the term WSP is used; however, the survey also seeks information on equivalent approaches that may be named differently. The survey has been designed to collect important information on WSP implementation and related benefits and challenges in order to inform and strengthen future WSP support, guidance and advocacy.

Who should complete the survey?
The survey should be answered by representatives of water utility associations, NGOs and other stakeholders such as IGOs, development banks and donors, who are knowledgeable about Water Safety Planning and support its implementation. Please feel free to forward this survey to any such institution you know of being involved in Water Safety Planning.

The survey complements another concurrent survey for representatives of government bodies and WHO Country Offices, which explores national WSP policies, regulations and implementation, details of which can be obtained from WHO Country Offices.

How to complete the survey?
This survey has been created in DataCol, an online form and data collector developed by WHO, and has been posted online. Directions on how to use this online form are provided in the survey. By clicking on a DataCol link (see below), you will be asked to create a DataCol account (with username and password) that will grant access to the online survey.

The survey can be accessed at:

English: https://extranet.who.int/datacol/form_request.asp?form_id=2603

Arabic: https://extranet.who.int/datacol/form_request.asp?form_id=2604

French: https://extranet.who.int/datacol/form_request.asp?form_id=2605

Russian: https://extranet.who.int/datacol/form_request.asp?form_id=2606

Spanish: https://extranet.who.int/datacol/form_request.asp?form_id=2607

For those with limited internet access, a Microsoft Word version of the survey (attached) may be completed and submitted as described in the survey document.

It will take about 10-15 minutes to complete this survey.

When is the survey due?
The completed surveys should be submitted on or before 15 September 2013

How will the information be used?
Data collected through this survey will be analysed by WHO and the International Water Association (IWA) and will help to identify the current conditions and state of WSP implementation on a national and global level providing insight to the current needs for technical tools or support. The collected data will be analysed for inclusion in a joint WHO / IWA report, to be published in 2014. The report will reflect on a ten year period since the WSP approach was first described in the 3rd edition of the WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality and IWA Bonn Charter for Safe Drinking Water. Information from the WHO European region will also be used as input and reference for a regional WSP workshop in 2014, supported by WHO, IWA and other stakeholders. Information from this survey can additionally be used for other WHO / IWA regional WSP workshops. Therefore, participation in this survey implies your consent to allow WHO and IWA to utilize and publicize the information within the scope of workshops and publications.

Who can you contact with questions?
If you have any question or would like more information, please contact:

Tarik Hassan (hassanta@who.int)
Jennifer de France (defrancej@who.int)