Automated Water Quality Monitoring In Water Distribution Networks

Abstract

An integrated methodology is presented for monitoringin a continuous and automated fashionthe quality of drinking water in pipe distribution networks. Such water quality monitoring may be accomplished by observing simultaneously several quality indices (from those included in the E.E. regulations) at various sites of a water distribution system. Criteria are described for selecting these indices and determining both the geographic distribution and the density of the monitoring sites. At these sites, proper hardware (several electronic sensors and a computer) is installed inside small terminal stations where sampling, analyzing, storing, and transmission to a central station, of the observed water quality characteristics are taking place. The monitoring system is complemented and supported by a small number of mobile laboratory units that performin situquick chemical analyses, on a periodic and/or need basis, for validating the performance of the continuously observing sensors at the various terminal stations. The sampling rates of the collected data may vary, depending on the fluctuation rates encountered. The data collected at each terminal station, in the form of analog or digital time series, and those from the mobile units, are transmitted (wirelessly or via leased lines or Internet Service Providers) to a central station. At the central station, data areeitheranalyzed in a statistical fashion to produce index levels, say, on a daily basisorused, via an assimilation technique, in conjunction with a software that simulates the water quality in the entire distribution network in order to provide a realistic picture of the water quality in the entire network.