Overview of Risk: Its Application to Water Portfolio Management

Course Code: ANY-OVWRPM-ALL-C

Course Level: Custodian

Mapping: Water31K™ Risk Foundations, Risk Context, Risk Identification and Assessment, Risk Management and Risk Oversight

CPD Statement: Professionals can self‑claim LIKWD Academy courses as CPD because many CPD frameworks recognise structured learning that improves technical or risk‑related competence. Learners can use their certificate as a record of completion. This course is worth 1.5 CPD hours. 

ABOUT THIS COURSE

Introduction

Risk management in the water sector underpins every decision—from safeguarding public health to ensuring reliable service delivery. This course offers a clear and practical explanation of foundational risk concepts, tailored for anyone working within a water portfolio.  

It aims to build a shared understanding so people across disciplines speak a common language when identifying, assessing and responding to uncertainties. 

Learning Objectives

Participants will gain:

• A clear foundational understanding of the three pillars of water security: quantity, access and quality. 
• Insight into the complexity of modern water portfolios and the uncertainties that affect them. 
• A practical view of the ISO 31000 risk management framework. 
• Awareness of risk appetite, tolerance and profile and how they guide decision-making. 
• A stronger ability to identify, communicate and respond to risk across diverse water systems. 

Course Presenters
This course was jointly developed and is presented by Dr Annette Davison and Ms Sarah Loder, the principal Risk Specialists and Exemplar Global-certified Water Quality Management System Lead Auditors, of The Risk Edge Group and founders of LIKWD.

Annette, 'The Water Risk Doctor' and winner of the 2021 AWA Water Professional of the Year award, is a microbiologist and a paralegal with over 30 years of experience in the water, environment and microbiology industries. Besides founding The Risk Edge Group, Annette is also a co-founder of water quality monitoring and information company, D2K Information Pty Ltd. She has sat on many boards and committees, including the board of the Australian Water Association (AWA) (2003-05 and 2015-17), the WaterRA Special Advisory Committee, and OneWater Advocates.

Annette was a lead author and contributor to various state, national and international guidelines for drinking water management systems (DWMSs), including the World Health Organisation’s first Water Safety Plan Manual (2009) and the NSW Guidelines for DWMSs (2013). She was instrumental in achieving inclusion of risk management in the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines in 2004.

Awarded the AWA’s Nancy Millis Award in 2005 for recognition of her services to risk management, Annette was also honoured in 2012 as an AWA ‘NSW Legend of Water’. Most recently, Annette has been involved in developing and implementing water quality management systems for water utilities, and is increasingly dedicating more time to educating and training industry participants on the best practices of water cycle governance risk management.

Sarah Loder is a risk professional with expertise in water quality and public health management. With more than 15 years of experience in process engineering, audit and risk-related management consulting for government and private sector customers, Sarah has a deep understanding of both technical and operational aspects of water quality management.

Sarah is a specialist in the design, development, implementation and evaluation of risk-based water quality management systems. With key skills across risk assessment planning, hazard and critical control point analysis (HACCP), process mapping, gap analysis and internal audit, reporting and complex data analysis.