Public health protection demands effective communication

摘要

Broader efforts to reform management of drinking water quality need to address communication, especially in the context of issues such as risk and consumer perceptions of quality, TOM WILLIAMS and STEVE HRUDEY discuss its significance. The previous article in the Bonn Principles Series highlighted the importance of establishing roles and responsibilities within an institutional framework for managing drinking water quality. Establishing such arrangements helps to define how certain bodies operate. However, how they communicate is a significant consideration and underpins the catchment to consumer approach. Without having accurate information about the roles and responsibilities of organisations, communication cannot be effective and can significantly hinder decision-making capabilities by causing confusion, avoidable conflicts and unnecessary delays. This article in the Bonn Principles Series will look at the importance of communication within a management framework and explore how different stakeholders communicate.