Water security guidance document

WATER SECURITY GUIDANCE DOCUMENT PART 1 SECTION 1 DEfINING AND ASSESSING WATER SECURITY 7 FORMAT OF ThE WATER SECURITY GUIDANCE DOCUMENT The Water Security Guidance Document comprises three parts: Part 1 – Concepts: Part I introduces the concept of water security, outlining multiple perspectives on water security, and current approaches used to as- sess water security. [...] An adaptive governance approach focuses on the process by which the information from water security status and risk assessment is absorbed, decisions are made and implemented, and decision makers are held accountable in the development and management of water resources and the delivery of water services. [...] This includes not only laws and regulations, but the entire range of political, organizational and administra- tive processes involved in managing the water supply: from the time when communities articulate their interests, and that input is absorbed, to the time when decisions are made and implemented, and decision makers are held accountable for the development and management of water resources [...] In a tailored assessment of water quality, the assessment would be focused on a particular contaminant (e.g., chemical or pathogen) to determine: the susceptibility of the system; the presence of pathways; the hazard threats; and the loss or con- sequence all relative to that contaminant alone. [...] The scope of the assessment will be based on the aspects of water that are im- portant to the specific community.