The methods used in this project were document analysis, and targeted interviewing. We collated information from published documentation on the structure, size and legislation pertaining to the drinking-water supply sector, with emphasis on small water supplies, status of preventive RBA in water safety management in the sector and training in how to secure drinking water quality.
We interviewed 53 selected key personnel in the initial interviews. Interviewees were from small water suppliers (n=27), associations of water suppliers or similar (n=5), and government authorities including surveillance agencies and ministries (n=21). The questionnaire for the interviews was in four sections: general questions, challenges to water quality, whether preventive risk-based approach was in place to managing water safety, and training - in total 34 semi-structured questions. Initial interviews were performed in the local languages during 2020–2021. Responses were analysed using qualitative research methods for coding and then analysing the answers. Because the initial interviews were conducted early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted 17 further ‘hindsight’ interviews with selected specialists with country-wide experience in 2023 seeking especially lessons learned during the pandemic.