Effective risk assessment and risk management approaches in public drinking water systems can
benefit from a systematic process for hazards identification and effective management control
based on the Water Safety Plan (WSP) concept. Good results from WSP development and
implementation in a small number of Portuguese water utilities have shown that a more
ambitious nationwide strategic approach to disseminate this methodology is needed. However,
the establishment of strategic frameworks for systematic and organic scaling-up of WSP
implementation at a national level requires major constraints to be overcome: lack of legislation
and policies and the need for appropriate monitoring tools. This study presents a framework to
inform future policy making by understanding the key constraints and needs related to
institutional, organizational and research issues for WSP development and implementation in
Portugal. This methodological contribution for WSP implementation can be replicated at a global
scale. National health authorities and the Regulator may promote changes in legislation and
policies. Independent global monitoring and benchmarking are adequate tools for measuring the
progress over time and for comparing the performance of water utilities. Water utilities selfassessment
must include performance improvement, operational monitoring and verification.
Research and education and resources dissemination ensure knowledge acquisition and transfer.