Water Contamination Emergencies

Contamination of water supplies and the immediate availability of appropriate emergency responses to chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) events which result in contaminated water are becoming increasingly relevant and significant issues in the water industry and in the wider world. Consequently, new strategies and technologies are being constantly evolved and refined by leading experts in the field in order to achieve rapid and effective responses to water contamination events. Water Contamination Emergencies: Enhancing our Response brings together contributions from leading scientists and experts from both academia and industry in the field of water contamination and emergency planning. The book covers a wide range of topics including responses to water contamination emergencies, impacts on public health and commerce, risk assessment, analysis and monitoring, emergency planning, control and planning and threats to the water industry. This book is ideal for specialists in the field of water contamination and emergency response planning, especially researchers and professionals in industry and government who require an authoritative and highly specialised resource on water contamination management. The reader will gain an appreciation of the activities supporting the development of responses to contamination events; emergency actions required in response to the contamination of drinking water; and incident management. Also discussed are the importance of communication between organisations and the public; consumer perceptions and the need for robust and rapid screening of samples taken in response to potential contamination events in order to help answer the key question "Is this water safe to drink?"

This work brings together contributions from leading scientists and experts from both academia and industry in the field of water contamination and emergency planning. The book covers a range of topics including responses to water contamination emergencies to impacts on public health and commerce.

This book is the proceedings of the International Conference on Water Contamination Emergencies: Monitoring, Understanding, Acting held in October 2010. The fourth in a series of conference proceedings this book develops themes from three previous, highly successful Water Contamination conferences in addition to dealing specifically with four new principle themes: monitoring, understanding, acting and lessons learned. With contributions from leading scientists and experts in academia and industry it offers a truly international perspective on our ability to deal with water contamination emergencies. Emphasis is given to prevention, strategy and unusual emergency incident situations relating to drinking water. The book appeals across the board from public health and environmental professionals to companies, agencies, regulators and experts involved in emergency planning and response.

How do we assess and manage the actual risks from water contamination? Can we learn from previous experiences? What can be done in future? This book is the proceedings of the fifth conference on this topic and addresses these issues relating to drinking water and drinking water systems. With emphasis on effectively and efficiently managing the risks and threats and sharing experiences, it provides information on successful use of leading-edge technologies and best practice both now and for the future. With contributions from leading scientists and experts in academia and industry it offers a truly international perspective on our ability to deal with water contamination emergencies. Emphasis is given to prevention, strategy and unusual emergency incident situations relating to drinking water. The book will appeal across a diverse group from public health professionals, water companies and water security experts and regulators.

Contamination of water supplies, whether by chemical, biological or radioactive agents, requires a rapid and effective response in order to reduce or avoid impact on the environment or consumers. Using seven major incident case studies (including the Milwaukee Cryptosporidium incident, Chernobyl and the UK Foot and Mouth outbreak), Water Contamination Emergencies: Can We Cope? looks at the complete handling of emergency incidents relating to water contamination emergencies. With contributions from experts involved in real life international incidents, the book also looks at: monitoring requirements; trying to prove the absence of contamination; novel approaches to screening analysis; health risks; the importance of efficient communication; the perception of the public; and the international height of alert situation with respect to potential terrorist acts. Anyone involved in water contamination emergencies, whether researchers and professionals in the water or health industries, or government agencies, should welcome this title as a review of lessons learnt in the past and as an identification of ways in which to improve response in the future.

This book reflects the outcome of a three day NATO Advanced Workshop entitled "Supply of Water to Cities in Emergency Situations." Some 35 experts from 14 countries from Europe, the Middle East and Asia assembled in Tel-Aviv for this event. It illuminates a broad spectrum of problems and concerns to the orderly water supply ranging from floods to a surprisingly low concern related to intentional terror-related threats.