This unique volume provides a comprehensive overview of all the major aspects of modern drinking water systems in the western European context. It not only covers the theoretical principles, but also the historical background and practical aspects of design and operation, legislation, planning and finance of drinking water supply in its social and economic context.The principles and practices are illustrated using experiences from The Netherlands. The Dutch drinking water supply is well known for its multiple barrier systems and high technical standards. The Dutch drinking water is of high quality and does not contain chlorine, and the Dutch therefore readily drink tap water and do not see the need to buy bottled water or in-house filters, with their drawbacks on national economics, public health and the environment. This illustrative overview can be used as a reference for other countries and regions.

Safe drinking water is paramount for the health and wellbeing of all human populations. Water is extracted from surface and groundwater sources and treated to comply with drinking water standards. The water is then circulated through the drinking water distribution system (DWDS). Within the DWDS, water quality can deteriorate due to microbiological growth, chemical reactions, interactions with ageing and deteriorating infrastructure, and through maintenance and repair activities. Some DWDS actions may serve to improve water quality; however, these can adversely impact the drinking water system and cause instances of poor water quality or disease outbreaks. We invited papers covering examinations of DWDS design and operational practices and their impact on water quality. We received papers based on practical research in real DWDS and laboratory test facilities. We also received papers on novel modelling approaches. A wide range of water quality aspects was gathered, including temperature, disinfection, bacterial communities and biofilm, (fecal) contamination and QMRA, and the effects of flushing and intermittent supply.

Urban water and wastewater systems have an inherent vulnerability to both manmade and natural threats and disasters including droughts, earthquakes and terrorist attacks. It is well established that natural disasters including major storms, such as hurricanes and flooding, can effect water supply security and integrity. Earthquakes and terrorist attacks have many characteristics in common because they are almost impossible to predict and can cause major devastation and confusion. Terrorism is also a major threat to water security and recent attention has turned to the potential that these attacks have for disrupting urban water supplies. There is a need to introduce the related concept of Integrated Water Resources Management which emphasizes linkages between land-use change and hydrological systems, between ecosystems and human health, and between political and scientific aspects of water management. An expanded water security agenda should include a conceptual focus on vulnerability, risk, and resilience; an emphasis on threats, shocks, and tipping points; and a related emphasis on adaptive management given limited predictability. Internationally, concerns about water have often taken a different focus and there is also a growing awareness, including in the US, that water security should include issues related to quantity, climate change, and biodiversity impacts, in addition to terrorism. This presents contributions from a group of internationally recognized experts that attempt to address the four areas listed above and includes suggestions as to how to deal with related problems. It also addresses the new and potentially growing issue of cyber attacks against water and waste water infrastructure including descriptions of actual attacks, making it of interest to scholars and policy-makers concerned with protecting the water supply.

This book explores human exposure and consumer risk assessment in response to issues surrounding pesticide residues in food and drinking water. All the three main areas of consumer risk assessment including human toxicology, pesticide residue chemistry and dietary consumption are brought together and discussed. Includes the broader picture - the environmental fate of pesticides Takes an international approach with contributors from the European Union, USA and Australia Highlights the increasing concerns over food safety and the risks to humans