AWWA ACE58238

Yarra Valley Water gained accreditation for its water quality HACCP plan in 1999. A key element of this was integration into its management system that linked this with the existing ISO9000 and ISO14000 quality systems. Getting a HACCP plan provided an improvement to how Yarra Valley Water managed risks associated with water quality. A key attribute of HACCP is that it requires continuous monitoring of critical control points, and systems in place to ensure ongoing control. Prior to adopting HACCP, Yarra Valley Water management of water quality relied solely on microbiological tests, which in some cases could take up to three days. Having a HACCP plan has been instrumental in refining the Yarra Valley Water backflow program, training maintenance contractors, and establishing emergency operational plans for disinfection plant failures. This paper provides an overview of how Yarra Valley Water developed its HACCP plan, the benefits the business has achieved by having such a system in place, and explains the ongoing benefits of such a system. Includes figures.