Information on this decision support tool:

For whom is it? – how to proceed – and how the result fit into a Water Safety Plan

This decision support tool is for

1. Water suppliers interested in assessing the cyanotoxin risk in their own supply system

2. Public health authorities responsible for surveillance who suspect a cyanotoxin risk in water supply system(s) and/or from other exposure routes such as recreation, and who need to assess it

3. Environmental authorities planning risk assessment as well as water-body management measures to mitigate cyanotoxin proliferation, needing to predict the response of the water body and its cyanobacterial populations.

The system does not make decisions for you. Rather, it guides you through the questions and issues you need to clarify when determining how high the risk is in their water-bodies for toxic cyanobacteria to occur in concentrations that may be hazardous to human health, and it links you to some background information that supports you in making decisions.

Many questions can be addressed only superficially without consulting experts. Following the motto: “it’s important to get started”, you are encouraged to go through the set of questions once for orientation, i.e. to find out in which areas your uncertainties and need for support from experts are greatest. This will help you decide which expertise you wish to get on board.

This tool follows the approach Water Safety Plan (WSP) concept introduced by the WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water quality. It introduces you into assessing the human health risk from cyanotoxin occurrence in relation to other risks to human health in your water supply system or recreational area. The result is a building block for a Water Safety Plan specifically designed for your setting, which can readily be complemented for further hazards when developing a complete WSP.

To use this tool, please print out the “work sheet for your entries” on the bottom of the starting page or open it on your computer and follow the steps as indicated.

Please note: in its current form, this tool is a prototype. The information to which it links is not yet complete, and in particular, it is largely oriented towards supporting settings in Europe. Conditions in subtropical and tropical countries may be different. The target is to adapt and develop it further in order to cover the relevant scenarios and include the global range of settings.

Therefore, your suggestions and feed-back for improvement, particularly for broadening its geographic scope and scientific information basis, are highly welcome. Please send them by e-mail!

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