WHO: Floods, droughts and extreme weather events affect the safety of drinking water

Floods, droughts and extreme weather are no longer challenges of the future – they are already affecting water supply systems and the safety of drinking water today, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced.

To support strengthening national capacities to respond to growing climate risks and further strengthen public health protection, WHO is organizing a three-day workshop dedicated to strengthening the resilience of water supply systems in Montenegro.

The workshop "Strengthening the Resilience of Water Supply Systems through Risk-Based Management" brought together representatives of the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development, the Ministry of Health, the Institute of Public Health of Montenegro, water utilities and international experts, with a common goal - to provide safe and reliable water for all citizens, even in conditions of increasingly pronounced climate change.

Welcoming the participants, Mina Brajović, Head of the WHO Office in Montenegro, reminded: "Just at the beginning of this year, intense rainfall in several municipalities in Montenegro led to disruptions and difficulties in the supply of drinking water from some large water sources. Such events confirm that climate risks are not abstract scenarios, but challenges that already affect the functioning of utility systems and public health today."

"The greatest success of a water supply system is when citizens don't have to think about it. When you turn on the tap and the water flows, it seems simple. But behind that simple action lies a complex system that today must be ready to respond to the ever-increasing challenges of climate change," said Brajović.

During the three-day national workshop, participants will strengthen their capacities for the development and implementation of Water Safety Plans (WSP), a modern preventive approach that allows water safety risks to be identified and controlled before they become a problem for citizens and water supply systems.

"When it comes to drinking water, success is not measured by how quickly we react to a problem, but by how successfully we manage to prevent it. Water safety plans enable exactly that – to identify and control risks before they become a threat to citizens," said Brajović.

As stated in the statement, the workshop is being held at a time when Montenegro is intensifying activities to harmonize national legislation with the acquis communautaire in the field of water.

They add that the preparation of a new Law on the Provision of Safe Water for Human Consumption is underway, which will transpose the requirements of Directive (EU) 2020/2184 on Water Intended for Human Consumption into the domestic legal system.

The new European rules bring a significant shift in the way water resources are managed – from a traditional approach based primarily on water quality control to preventive risk management along the entire water supply chain. At the heart of this approach, in line with WHO recommendations, are climate change risk assessments and Water Security Plans, which are becoming a key instrument for protecting public health, preserving the reliability of the water supply system and strengthening its resilience to increasingly frequent climate extremes.

"Water safety plans today are not just a recommendation of good practice. They are becoming an integral part of the modern European approach to water management and an important element of Montenegro's alignment with the European Union Directive on Water for Human Consumption," reminded Dr. Brajović.

Alignment with Directive (EU) 2020/2184 represents an important step in Montenegro's European integration process, but also an opportunity to establish modern standards that guarantee citizens safer, higher quality and long-term sustainable drinking water.

"Although the normative framework is established at the national level, its successful implementation depends on action at the local level. Therefore, it is crucial that each water utility develops and implements a Water Safety Plan, adapted to local risks and system specificities. Climate change does not affect all communities in the same way, which is why the resilience of the water supply system must be built locally - in every municipality, at every source and in every water supply system. Water safety plans enable potential threats - from source pollution to the consequences of droughts, floods and extreme weather events - to be identified in a timely manner and appropriate preventive measures to be taken. In conditions of increasingly pronounced climate change, their development and continuous improvement are becoming not only good practice, but also a necessary prerequisite for maintaining a safe and reliable water supply in all municipalities of Montenegro," the statement states.

"The resilience of the water supply system is not built only in strategies and laws. It is built locally - in every municipality, at every source and in every water supply system. That is why knowledge, cooperation and joint planning are just as important as infrastructure," reminded Representative Brajović.

The workshop program includes the assessment of climate risks for water supply systems, practical application of Water Safety Plans, monitoring and verification methods, as well as the exchange of international experiences and defining the next steps for their implementation in Montenegro.

"Strengthening drinking water safety today is where three key priorities meet: protecting citizens' health, climate change resilience, and Montenegro's progress on its path to the European Union. Investing in the resilience of the water supply system is not just a matter of infrastructure - it is an investment in people's health, sustainable development, and a safer future for all citizens," said Brajović.

"The World Health Organization continues to support the institutions of Montenegro in building sustainable and climate-resilient systems that protect the health of the population and ensure the long-term safety of drinking water," the statement concludes.