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A wholesale/retail model delivers drinking water to over 5 million residents in metropolitan Melbourne (Australia). Water Safety Plans were implemented in 1999 ahead of being regulatory mandated in 2003. With over 20 years of WSP application, this collaborative paper by the wholesaler and retailer utilities presents practical examples of drinking water quality risk management in challenging operational environments, highlighting lessons learnt, improvements made and outcomes achieved. Melbourne's supply comprises multiple sources, necessitating different tailored treatment configurations. Source waters range from open catchment with multiple treatment barriers, to protected catchment source waters requiring solely disinfection treatment (unfiltered) with gravity driven supply. Potable supply is a combination of unfiltered, filtered, desalinated and blended supplies. This makes for diversity in case studies brought to this paper, and a range of lessons likely to be of interest to the global WSP community. The Melbourne utility experience highlights the importance of developing and continually improving control measures for ongoing (adaptive) risk reduction. A robust emergency management plan is also fundamental to ensure preparedness for complex and unpredictable events. Furthermore, leveraging learnings from audits and incidents has been valuable for process improvement. WSP implementation has also facilitated timely communication with consumers and other stakeholders.

This document presents a robust and authorized framework that provides essential support for the seamless execution of WSPs in the context of Sri Lanka. This need arises within the global context of WSPs gaining recognition as a crucial tool in ensuring drinking water quality, acceptability, and quantity as advocated by the WHO and widely adopted worldwide. Notably, in the specific context of Sri Lanka, the WHO has extended its WSP training program to the South Asian region, acknowledging the country's proactive stance in embracing and implementing WSP practices. The policy includes consideration of both equity and climate resilience, and aims to ensure access to safe and quality drinking water for all citizens, promoting sustainable water use and promoting economic growth and prosperity in the water sector.