Using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) as an instrument of water resource management: a case study from a GIS-based Water Safety Plan in Germany

摘要

Following international developments and the new WHO Drinking Water Guidelines (WHO 2004) anprocess-orientated concept for risk, monitoring and incident management has been developednand implemented in this study. The concept will be reviewed with special consideration fornresource protection (first barrier of the multi-barrier system) and in turn, for the Water SafetynPlan (WSP) which adequately considers—beyond the current framework of legal requirements—npossible new hygienic-microbiologically relevant risks (especially emerging pathogens) for thendrinking water supply. The development of a WSP within the framework of risk, monitoring andnincident management includes the application of Geographical Information Systems (GIS). In thenpresent study, GIS was used for visualization and spatial analysis in decisive steps in the WSP.nThe detailed process of GIS-supported implementation included the identification of localnparticipants and their tasks and interactions as an essential part of risk management. A detailednecological investigation of drinking water conditions in the catchment area was conducted innaddition to hazard identification, risk assessment and the monitoring of control measures.nThe main task of our study was to find out in which steps of the WSP the implementation of GISncould be integrated as a useful, and perhaps even an essential tool.