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While world records were being made and broken at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, strategically placed Hach GuardianBlue® Early Warning Systems (EWS) were quietly and carefully analyzing the drinking water to [...]

The threat of terrorist action targeting water supplies is often overlooked for the more historically obvious threats of an air attack or a dirty bomb. Studies have shown that an attack on water is simple to orchestrate, inexpensive and can result in mass casualties. The twin motivators of the terrorist threat to water along with consumer demands for safe and potable supplies has lead to a sea change in the drinking water industry. From a historical perspective, most monitoring in the distribution system as well as source water has been relegated to the occasional snapshot provided by grab sampling for a few limited parameters or the infrequent regulatory testing required by mandates such as the Total Coliform Rule. New technologies are being deployed to ameliorate the threat from both intentional and accidental water contamination. The threat to water and these new technologies are described as well as needs and requirements for new sensors to improve the monitoring structure.

The article discusses the urgency of monitoring water distribution systems through risk management-integrated approaches. It highlights the requirement of detection devices and the realignment of the traditional development in accordance to sensor specific compound and/or agent. Also indicated is cost constraints as a factor in the design of monitoring systems and the achievement of cost effectiveness which can be done through toxicity monitoring, gas chromatography, and other optical methods.