Water Quality Awareness 101 24 | P a g e 15. DESIGNERS AND ENGINEERS  Designers, engineers, architects and any person involved in the design, construction or renovation of any asset that is required to hold, treat or store drinking water  Asset managers and personnel involved in change management processes to any infrastructure that holds, treats or stores drinking water 15.1.1 Issues The design of drinking water systems should be a well understood process. Hazard identification and risk assessment, in consultation with key stakeholders is vital to ensure correct design. A balance is required to ensure that safety legislation and environmental requirements are not compromised, while maintaining the utmost protection of drinking water. A Hazard and Operability study (HAZOP) process is an ideal forum to discuss design issues and identify the hazards detailed throughout this booklet. It is a proactive review of the design, to fully understand how it will be maintained and used along the journey of its design life and how it will interact with its environment and vice versa. Despite all of the HAZOP and risk assessment processes that are employed throughout the planning, design and construction phase, issues may still arise from designs that can affect the quality of the drinking water. Additional hazards are also presented where retro-fitting and conducting modifications to drinking water systems occur at a later date. Prepare clear and concise specifications for construction projects - do not create guidelines that can be misinterpreted or changed by the designers or builders