Full Description

The objective of the study discussedin this article is to utilize commercialdistribution system modelingsoftware to understand how adrinking water system could beaffected by the intentional introductionof chemical contaminants.The hydraulic model results are used to estimate the risk involved in severalfeed scenarios and chemical contaminants.The model results arethen combined with concentration-response sensitivity data from routinemonitoring instruments to determinethe ability of each chemical contaminantto be detected. Because thefour chemicals studied -- parathion,VX, sodium monofluoroacetate(1080) and cyanide -- are modeledas highly persistent, their comparativeeffects are determined by thetoxicity of the highest practicaldosage.The results of the modeling scenariosshow that large-scale contaminationof a drinking water systemmay be accomplished through backflowinto major network water supplylines. Strategically located pointsof attack outside of the major supplylines can also produce large-scalecontamination at lesser concentrations.Points chosen at random for acovert contamination attack withinthe distribution system will optimallyaffect an area of a few neighboringstreets of up to 1 sq mi, depending onthe pipe velocities and flow patternswithin the distribution system as wellas other factors. The Expanded Summary in this issue offers a condensed review of study findings; a full discussion of the study results can be found online at www.awwa.org/communications/e-journal/index-past issues/2005/January. Includes 12 references.

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Edition: Vol. 97 - No. 1 Published: 01/01/2005 Number of Pages: 4 File Size: 1 file , 70 KB