EPA invests $12M to secure NYC's drinking water supply

Taking proactive steps to protect the nation's drinking water supply through robust investments in water security, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it is providing $12 million to New York City to help it develop and evaluate a drinking water contamination warning system for its drinking water supply. The pilot project, called the Water Security Initiative, is expected to have broad application for the nation's drinking water utilities...
May 1, 2008
2 min read

WASHINGTON, DC, April 29, 2008 -- Taking proactive steps to protect the nation's drinking water supply through robust investments in water security, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it is providing $12 million to New York City to help it develop and evaluate a drinking water contamination warning system for its drinking water supply. The pilot project, called the Water Security Initiative, is expected to have broad application for the nation's drinking water utilities.

The announcement was made by EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg at a ceremony at City Hall. While specific details about the system can't be divulged for security reasons, the contamination warning system to be installed and evaluated by New York City involves online water quality monitoring, public health surveillance, sampling and analysis, enhanced security monitoring and consumer complaint surveillance. In addition, the warning system is designed to be sustainable for long-term operation and to even improve water quality management.

EPA established its water security initiative in response to President Bush's homeland security directive to develop robust, comprehensive, and fully coordinated surveillance and monitoring systems for water quality that provide early detection and awareness of disease, pest or poisonous agents.

To learn more about EPA's efforts in Water Security, visit: http://cfpub.epa.gov/safewater/watersecurity/

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