EPA Expands Water Security Program

EPA Expands Water Security Program


The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is expanding a program to establish continuous monitoring of municipal water systems for the intentional introduction of viruses, bacteria or other dangerous materials, the Associated Press reported Saturday (see GSN, Sept. 19, 2006).

An $11 million pilot program began two years ago in Cincinnati, which spent the first year and a half installing sensors and other equipment. New York City recently received a $12 million EPA grant to conduct the second pilot project and the effort is set to be expanded this year to another three cities.

The anticipated result would be creation of a model for water security that utilities around the country would install using their own money.

“Water supplies are very, very accessible targets for biological or chemical weapons,” said Donna Schlagheck, an international terrorism expert at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. “There are so many potential targets whether you are taking water from the ground or a river and the vulnerability there is enormous.”

Utilities now sometimes only perform random checks for biological contaminants, radioactive substances or other materials such as pesticides, AP reported.

The sensors in the pilot program provide ongoing monitoring of clarity, chlorine levels and other water characteristics.

“We know what the anticipated amount of chlorine would be, and if a decrease shows up that could mean that something had been added that was consuming the chlorine,” said David Hartman, with the Greater Cincinnati Water Works.

Laboratories for analysis of water samples would also be established under the program, along with a computer program to monitor emergency reports and complaint calls that could indicate a threat (Lisa Cornwell, Associated Press/Boston Herald, May 24).http://www.nti.org/d_newswire/issues/2008_5_28.html#9FACDF1D