Risks and keeping customers' confidence: the key role of consumers' perception regarding the safety of tap water

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline van de Veerdonk ◽  
Jan Van Essen ◽  
Jos Dekker
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Acceptable Level ◽  
Safe Drinking Water ◽  
Vital Importance ◽  
People’S Perception ◽  
Water Companies

Safe drinking water is a primary necessity to life that is of essential importance to public health. The water companies make sure that the water that comes out of the tap is safe to drink. The water companies are well aware of any actual risks in the process from source to tap, and they take many actions to avoid risks or to reduce the risks to an acceptable level. This is also what they communicate to their customers. But whether their customers are convinced that their drinking water is safe is decided not just by their knowledge of any actual risks, but also by their perception of such risks. To keep customer confidence high, it is of vital importance that the drinking water sector is aware of the consumers' perception regarding the safety of tap water: a risk may be negligible based on the facts, but might still become a big problem because of people's perception. Risk management thus should keep the balance between facts and perception.

scholarly journals Dhaka Sitting on a Plastic Bomb: Issues and Concerns around Waste Governance, Water Quality, and Public Health

Earth ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-30
Author(s):  
Md Nadiruzzaman ◽  
Hosna Jahan Shewly ◽  
Afsana Afrin Esha
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Toxic Elements ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Risk Society ◽  
Safe Drinking Water ◽  
New Strategy ◽  
Future Risk ◽  
Governance Infrastructure

Plastic, an offer of modernity, has become one of the essential parts of our everyday life. However, it is presenting a massive threat in altered forms, to our health and environment. Plastic does not only pollute the surface environment, freshwater, and marine ecosystems, but toxic elements released from plastics also percolate down the surface and contaminate groundwater, which we often use as ‘safe’ drinking water. This probable future risk is deeply rooted in the entire governance infrastructure of plastic waste which could potentially lead to contamination of groundwater. Thus, a state-sponsored ‘safe drinking water’ initiative could contrarily produce a ‘risk society’. A recent study finds 81% of tap water samples collected worldwide contained plastic pollutants, which means that annually we may be ingesting between 3000 and 4000 microparticles of plastic from tap water. Based on review, ethnographic observations and interviews, and lived experience in a plastic-wrapped city (Dhaka), this paper sheds light on the complex interface of plastic, water, and public health, on the relevance of Beck’s ‘risk society’ to understand this complexity, and on replicating the idea of ‘risk society’ in the case of Bangladesh. Through understanding the plastic–groundwater–waste management nexus, this paper highlights and advocates for a new strategy of plastic governance in modern states.

scholarly journals Trust in Drinking Water Quality: Understanding the Role of Risk Perception and Transparency

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2608
Author(s):  
Stijn Brouwer ◽  
Roberta Hofman-Caris ◽  
Nicolien van Aalderen
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Segmentation Approach ◽  
Water Companies ◽  
Tap Water Quality ◽  
Treatment Procedures ◽  
Customer Trust

In the context of an increasing societal demand for transparency in parallel with rapidly increasing numbers and concentrations of substances found in drinking water, this paper investigates how different drinking water customers perceive their tap water quality, and possible risks involved. Empirically, the paper draws on results from a representative survey, a series of interviews and focus groups conducted in the Netherlands, applying both a traditional and modern segmentation approach based on four types of perspectives (“aware and committed”, “down to earth and confident”, “egalitarian and solidary”, and “quality and health concerned”). Although in general it was found that people’s trust in tap water is high, certain groups are more concerned about water quality and health effects than others. It was shown that transparency and the availability of more information about water treatment and quality would contribute to increasing customer trust. It was also observed that, at least in the Netherlands, people have a larger trust in drinking water companies than in other institutions. Therefore, instead of referring to standards made by other institutions, it is recommended that water companies themselves provide information on water quality and emphasize their treatment procedures.

ROLE OF SCIENCE IN POLICY, SYSTEMS STRENGTHENING AND SUSTAINABLE SERVICE DELIVERY OF ARSENIC SAFE DRINKING WATER

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prosun Bhattacharya ◽  
◽  
Md. Tahmidul Islam ◽  
Dara Johnston ◽  
Nargis Akter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Safe Drinking Water ◽  
Policy Systems

scholarly journals Ensuring safe drinking water in regional NSW: the role of regulation

2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul M. Byleveld ◽  
Michelle A. Cretikos ◽  
Sandy D. Leask ◽  
David N. Durrheim
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Safe Drinking Water

scholarly journals The Dutch secret: safe drinking water without chlorine in the Netherlands

2008 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. W. M. H. Smeets ◽  
G. J. Medema ◽  
J. C. van Dijk
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment ◽  
Safe Drinking Water ◽  
Microbial Risk Assessment ◽  
Production And Distribution ◽  
Water Companies

Abstract. The Netherlands is one of the few countries where chlorine is not used at all, neither for primary disinfection nor to maintain a residual disinfectant in the distribution network. The Dutch approach that allows production and distribution of drinking water without the use of chlorine while not compromising microbial safety at the tap, can be summarized as follows: Use the best source available, in order of preference: – microbiologically safe groundwater, – surface water with soil passage such as artificial recharge or bank filtration, – direct treatment of surface water in a multiple barrier treatment; Use a preferred physical process treatment such as sedimentation, filtration and UV-disinfection. If absolutely necessary, also oxidation by means of ozone or peroxide can be used, but chlorine is avoided; Prevent ingress of contamination during distribution; Prevent microbial growth in the distribution system by production and distribution of biologically stable (biostable) water and the use of biostable materials; Monitor for timely detection of any failure of the system to prevent significant health consequences. New developments in safe drinking water in the Netherlands include the adaptation of the Dutch drinking water decree, implementation of quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) by water companies and research into source water quality, drinking water treatment efficacy, safe distribution and biostability of drinking water during distribution and \\textit{Legionella}. This paper summarizes how the Dutch water companies warrant the safety of the drinking water without chlorine.

scholarly journals Role of Flavonoinds From Nigella sativum seeds in Decreasing the Effect of Hydrogen Peroxide on ECG in Adult Male Rabbits

2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-148
Author(s):  
Barra Najim Al-Okaily
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Peroxide ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Adult Male ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Treated Group ◽  
Oral Intubation ◽  
T Wave ◽  
Group Control

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the role of flavonoinds of Nigella sativum seeds to reduce theeffect of hydrogen peroxide on electrocardiography in rabbits. Eighteen adult male rabbits were divided intothree equal groups (6\group) and were treated for six weeks as follows: first group (control), which were givenordinary tap water, second treated group (T1), animals in this group given 0.5%H2O2 in drinking water andthird treated group (T2) was handled as in T1 plus oral intubation of flavonoinds (27.5mg\Kg B.W).Electrocardiography was recordings from rabbits after 3 and 6 weeks of treatment. The results conducted thatH2O2 treated group (T1) showed significant increased in P-R interval, R-voltage and significant decreased in Twavevoltage and heart beats. While treatment of animals with flavonoinds of Nigella sativum seeds causedsignificant decrease in P-R interval and R-voltage with an increase in T-wave voltage and heart beats, direct toward their control levels. It was concluded that the flavonoinds of Nigella sativum can ameliorate the deleteriouseffects of hydrogen peroxide on electrocardiography .More studies are needed to convince these findings.

GROUND WATER AND PUBLIC HEALTH: A NEW SHALLOW WELL TECHNOLOGY TO PROVIDE SAFE DRINKING WATER FOR PRIVATE WELLS

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcel Belaval ◽  
◽  
Joseph D. Ayotte ◽  
Ian Carlisle ◽  
Ryan P. Gordon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Ground Water ◽  
Safe Drinking Water ◽  
Private Wells

GROUNDWATER AND PUBLIC HEALTH: A NOVEL SHALLOW WELL TECHNOLOGY TO PROVIDE SAFE DRINKING WATER FOR PRIVATE DOMESTIC WELLS

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian D. Carlisle ◽  
◽  
Marcel Belaval ◽  
Ryan P. Gordon ◽  
Harry Simbliaris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Safe Drinking Water
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