Monitoring is a critical and expensive but necessary step to demonstrate the success of any implemented water quality management plan. It is essential that all data obtained from monitoring is retained for at least 5 years in order to measure the success of the management plan and to what extent. Monitoring programs must be sufficient to provide measurement for: • Nutrient and sediment introduction during storm flow conditions; • Adaptation of biological species • Chemical parameters of water • Physical parameters of water • Outflows of nutrients and sediments; • Influence of levels in short and long term mandate periods • Climatic conditions1.2 Roles and responsibilities in water security management Water suppliers do not include many aspects of water quality management as they are often outside their direct responsibility. It is therefore, for this reason, that multi-agency collaboration is involved in water quality management. Water safety is most effectively guaranteed by preventive actions that take into account the characteristics of the water supply from source to end user. Where some sources and catchments are outside the jurisdiction of the water supplier, other water quality management authorities need to be involved for monitoring, reporting, emergency response and communication. (World Health Organization, 2011) 1.3 Surveillance and quality control Effective protection of public health has been achieved using a two-pronged approach, in which the roles and responsibilities of service providers and authorities responsible for independent supervision are differentiated. For example, surveillance and quality control functions are best performed by separate, independent entities to prevent a conflict… middle of paper… a downfall. Inadequate disposal methods also cause contamination. Nitrate, for example, can form as a result of tillage when there are no additional plantings to consume the nitrate released by activities such as overuse and plant decay.3.4 ConstituentsTo make informed judgments about the suitability of the water for irrigation, it is important to know the types of impacts expected. Due to the hydrological characteristics of South African rivers, quantity and quality can be highly variable. The impacts will depend on the length of time you are exposed to water of a given quality. Soil quality and their effect on water quality are equally important characteristics in determining the suitability of water for irrigation. Table XX shows the chemical constituents that could cause toxicity in agriculture and their respective allowable guideline concentrations.