AWWA WQTC60601

The terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001 resulted in an evaluation of security risks in the manyinfrastructures that our Nation's health and well being depend upon, including contamination ofpublic water supplies. A municipal drinking water system can be contaminated eitherintentionally or accidentally. Historical evidence suggests that threats of intentionalcontamination are probable, and in fact, do occur. In the event of an actual or suspected case ofcontamination, whatever the cause, a critical first step is the identification and analyticalconfirmation of the contaminant. To help meet this need, a new tool is being developed, namelya compendium of analytical methods for chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR)contaminants that could pose a threat to public water supplies. Called NEMI-CBR, it is aderivative of the National Environmental Methods Index (NEMI), a freely accessible database ofenvironmental methods searchable on the Internet at http://www.nemi.gov. A companion expertsystem, the CBR Methods Advisor, can be used to quickly guide a user to the best method for agiven situation in which limited information is available regarding the possible identity of anintentional contaminant. These new software tools designed to help safeguard public watersupplies are described in this paper. Includes 6 references, figures.

Product Details

Edition:

Vol. - No.

Published:

11/15/2004

Number of Pages:

9

File Size:

1 file , 910 KB