AWWA ACE54440

Rapid response to spills and other changes in source water quality is necessary to protect water customers from potentially harmful contaminants, determine appropriate changes in treatment strategy, and ensure compliance with environmental regulations. Advanced early warning monitoring networks, where individual on-line monitoring stations are connected through an information clearinghouse, can offer substantial benefits to water utilities in reducing the risk from unexpected spill events or other sudden changes in water quality. Although early warning monitoring networks exist on river systems in several other countries, they are not common in the US. While the Upper Mississippi River has numerous drinking water intakes, no systemic monitoring for sudden water quality changes is currently taking place, and no central reporting system for water quality data produced by water utilities presently exists. This paper discusses the benefits of an early warning monitoring network on the Upper Mississippi River, and the steps being taken to form such a network.