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Drinking Water Supply Systems Security Using Online Contamination Monitoring
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NATO project number: CBD.MD.SFP 981456
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During the last decade, terrorist activities have posed a problem in many areas. Recently based on terrorist manuals and documents found at al Qaeda sites in Afghanistan, the FBI has issued warnings that water supply systems are now terror targets. As a result, on-line warning monitoring of these system has received the highest priority by the United States General Accounting Office (GAO). Water distribution systems may contain thousands of kilometers of pipes and numerous isolated delivery points, thus the pipe networks may be highly vulnerable to a deliberate terrorist contamination injection that can spread throughout the system.
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This three year project initiating on October 1, 2005 is aimed at addressing this threat by conducting three interconnected sub-projects led by researchers and end users from Israel and the US, addressing the following objectives:
- develop and apply a methodology for optimally locating sensors in a water distribution system taking into account conflicting objectives (e.g., cost, risk, contaminants detection probability);
- develop and apply a methodology for identifying the sources of pollution once a contaminant has been detected;
- develop and apply a methodology for pollutant containment;
- develop and apply analytical tools for on-line monitoring to detect and destroy particulates in drinking water;
- develop and apply a new technology for bacterial identification and typing in drinking water.
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The anticipated results are:
- a methodology cast in a software package for addressing objectives (1) - (3) above, applied to the end users water distribution systems;
- development of prototypes for on-line monitoring sensors in drinking water to detect and destroy particulates, and for bacterial identification and typing.
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Discussions with end users for coordination and dissemination have already actively begun, along with data collections and agreements on modes of mutual operations. NATO Project Director (NPD) Prof. Kevin Lansey met with Dr. Avi Ostfeld in Exeter, UK, on September 7, 2005, to discuss the project milestones and future activities.
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