U.S. EPA Water Security Division has released a new guide - Guidance For Designing Communication Systems - for water utilities wishing to develop water quality surveillance and response systems (SRS), which can be used to detect and respond to water quality incidents, including intentional contamination.
Data communications for an SRS is the means of transmitting data – such as data from monitoring and automated metering infrastructure components – to the utility control center. Utilities can use this guidance to evaluate alternatives and design and implement SRS communications systems.
Components of an SRS can include online water quality monitoring, enhanced security monitoring, customer complaint surveillance and public health surveillance. The guide is one of many SRS resources being produced under the Water Security Division’s Water Quality Surveillance and Response program.