Introduction: The principles of the HACCP system, which is in internal auditing required by law, are used in Slovenia to ensure the safety of drinking water. However, a recently adopted Directive of the European Union specifies that water utilities should use water safety plans, developed by the World Health Organization, as they are better adapted to manage risks in drinking water supply systems and are therefore more effective. Their implementation requires a comprehensive risk assessment, starting with hazard identification in the entire supply chain from source to tap. Purpose: Our aim was to present the drawbacks of risk assessment in the context of the HACCP system, contribute to the understanding of water safety plans and to present the existence of the WASPP – DSS toolbox, which allows for a comprehensive hazard identification, as is necessary for an effective implementation of a risk-based approach. Methods: The research included a systematic literature review in Slovenian as well as in foreign languages. It was followed by an analysis of identified hazards in three existing HACCP plans prepared for Slovenian water utilities. For one of the utilities, hazard identification was carried out using the WASPP – DSS toolbox. These hazards were then compared to those identified in the HACCP plan for the aforementioned water utility. In this context, we were particularly interested in whether the hazards identified in the HACCP plan were inadequate, or if the plan includes all hazards, from source to consumer. Results: The hazards identified in two of the HACCP plans relate exclusively to water safety, occupying biological, chemical and physical hazards. One of the plans also included organoleptic properties of drinking water and radioactivity. None of the HACCP plans included segments of intentional contamination, effects of climate change, water quantity, water losses and hazards, related to internal piping. The WASPP – DSS toolbox identified a greater number of hazards that covered all of the aforementioned aspects and included the entire drinking water supply process. Discussion and conclusion: The results show that risk management according to the HACCP principles is deficient, meaning that there is a realistic need to establish water safety plans that must follow a comprehensive approach to risk assessment. This requires not only an upgrade of the existing HACCP systems, but also an establishment of a new risk assessment (and management) system on a new basis in its entirety.
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