Page 24 - InterPilot 2019 Issue 1

PAGE 24

Safe

Drinking

Water on

Aircraft

BY gorDon MargIson
IFALPA Technical Officer

Based upon discussions with IFALPA’s HUPER Committee and with thanks to the IATA
Drinking-Water Quality Pool.

A fresh, sealed, clean bottle of water for each crew 1. The source of water arriving at the airport;
member and passenger on each flight. Many airlines
deliver just that for everyone on board, with more 2. The water system at the airport through which
bottles for extra water in flight. That is also the source the water is stored and distributed;
of massive amounts of plastic waste. This waste works
its way into the oceans resulting in serious damage to 3. The transfer points where water is loaded onto
the environment. vehicles for transport or directly onto the aircraft;
and
Some airlines are working to reduce the impact of
waste from disposable plastic water bottles, encour- 4. The aircraft water system.
aging crews to bring reusable bottles which can be
filled from the onboard potable water system. Most The responsibility for ensuring safety is shared by lo-
readers probably just laughed. We all believe that the cal authorities, airport authorities, handling agents,
onboard water can’t be trusted. But why? What are and aircraft operators as illustrated in Figure A.
the risks? What would crews need to know to be able
to trust onboard water? In order to control risks from the water source and
in the transfer system, the WHO provides sanitation
The World Health Organization (WHO) explains in requirements to ensure that water used onboard air-
1
their Guide to Hygiene and Sanitation in Aviation craft is safe. However, experience has shown that not
that the main risks to the safety of aircraft drinking everyone responsible for the safe handling of water
water are related to the presence of microbes. This are following the standards. As the safety of crew and
risk is significant when the water is contaminated with passengers onboard is ultimately the responsibility
human or animal excreta. Contamination can origi- of the aircraft operators, there is a need for them to
nate from the source water, be introduced during the inspect water servicing facilities at regular intervals.
transfer process to bring the water to the aircraft, or Where water quality or procedures are found to be
while water is stored onboard. lacking, operators need to prevent water from being
uplifted.
This transfer includes four major components:
To reduce the burden of conducting these audits,
1 https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/
aviation_guide/en/ some airlines have joined forces as part of the IATA