Print Email Facebook Twitter Model development for evidence-based prioritisation of policy action on emerging chemical and microbial drinking water risks Title Model development for evidence-based prioritisation of policy action on emerging chemical and microbial drinking water risks Author Hartmann, J. (TU Delft Sanitary Engineering; Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM)) Chacon Hurtado, J.C. (TU Delft Sanitary Engineering) Verbruggen, Eric (Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM)) Schijven, Jack (Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM); Universiteit Utrecht) Rorije, Emiel (Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM)) Wuijts, Susanne (Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM); Universiteit Utrecht) de Roda Husman, Ana Maria (Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM); Universiteit Utrecht) van der Hoek, J.P. (TU Delft Sanitary Engineering; Waternet) Scholten, L. (TU Delft Policy Analysis) Date 2021 Abstract While the burden of disease from well-studied drinking water contaminants is declining, risks from emerging chemical and microbial contaminants arise because of social, technological, demographic and climatological developments. At present, emerging chemical and microbial drinking water contaminants are not assessed in a systematic way, but reactively and incidence based. Furthermore, they are assessed separately despite similar pollution sources. As a result, risks might be addressed ineffectively. Integrated risk assessment approaches are thus needed that elucidate the uncertainties in the risk evaluation of emerging drinking water contaminants, while considering risk assessors’ values. This study therefore aimed to (1) construct an assessment hierarchy for the integrated evaluation of the potential risks from emerging chemical and microbial contaminants in drinking water and (2) develop a decision support tool, based on the agreed assessment hierarchy, to quantify (uncertain) risk scores. A multi-actor approach was used to construct the assessment hierarchy, involving chemical and microbial risk assessors, drinking water experts and members of responsible authorities. The concept of value- focused thinking was applied to guide the problem-structuring and model-building process. The development of the decision support tool was done using Decisi-o-rama, an open-source Python library. With the developed decision support tool (uncertain) risk scores can be calculated for emerging chemical and microbial drinking water contaminants, which can be used for the evidence-based prioritisation of actions on emerging chemical and microbial drinking water risks. The decision support tool improves existing prioritisation approaches as it combines uncertain indicator levels with a multi-stakeholder approach and integrated the risk assessment of chemical and microbial contaminants. By applying the concept of value-focused thinking, this study addressed difficulties in evidence-based decision-making related to emerging drinking water contaminants. Suggestions to improve the model were made to guide future research in assisting policy makers to effectively protect public health from emerging drinking water risks. Subject Multi criteria analysisMCAStakeholder consultationWater contaminantsPathogen To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:2aaa036a-6597-42dd-8ae4-819b73ed1654 DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112902 ISSN 0301-4797 Source Journal of Environmental Management, 295 Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2021 J. Hartmann, J.C. Chacon Hurtado, Eric Verbruggen, Jack Schijven, Emiel Rorije, Susanne Wuijts, Ana Maria de Roda Husman, J.P. van der Hoek, L. Scholten Files PDF 1_s2.0_S0301479721009646_main.pdf 3.8 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:2aaa036a-6597-42dd-8ae4-819b73ed1654/datastream/OBJ/view