Our main conclusion is that the small (50–500) and very small (<50 people) water supplies are a weak link in providing safe water for all citizens of the Nordic region, as they have both higher rates of faecal contamination and waterborne outbreaks. The very small supplies are often lightly monitored or completely unregulated though serving 17% of the population. The RBA, which are required in the EU DWD, are sparsely implemented in the small supplies. The small supplies are not large supplies tailored down to small, so solutions have to be adapted to their needs. The Nordic region already has most of the pertinent legal concepts on paper. The challenge now is to make them practically workable for small systems.
Our core recommendations are to provide small system-fit templates in local languages, require and track operators training, with online options; and strengthen surveillance capacity and risk-based inspection, including auditing of RBA. This needs to be supported by cooperation between the small supplies and authorities. Climate, pandemic and other crisis risk modules must be embedded into standard RBA practice, while national registries must be completed, national water quality databases established and public reporting that include small supplies.
Our work reveals substantial opportunities to better use existing knowledge and resources to improve small drinking water systems. It is crucial to deal with them as both individuals and provide support and guidance across them at scale. Our specific recommendations are practical and attainable on the individual level and together would substantially improve the resilience of small water supplies to diverse threats, across the Nordic region and enhance drinking water safety for many. The general lessons have widespread applicability beyond the region and arguably worldwide.