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America At War
Water Supply
With Jeffrey Danneels
Sandia National Laboratories researcher
Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2001; 2 p.m. EDT
U.S. and British forces began a series of strikes in Afghanistan targeting al Qaeda training centers and the country's ruling Taliban on Sunday, Oct. 7. President Bush described the strikes as a "sustained, comprehensive and relentless" campaign against terrorism.
Sandia National Laboratories researcher Jeffrey Danneels was online to discuss the security of
our nation's water distribution systems from vandalism, contamination and terrorist attacks.
The transcript follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests
and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Wheaton, Md.:
My wife is, like many people, scared by the anthrax scare. She wants to get a filter system for our home's entire water system. My understand is that whole-house systems are primarily for removing sediments, while even under-the-counter reverse osmosis systems for just our drinking and cooking water wouldn't take out many chemicals. I assumed that local water systems would monitor the water regularly and we'd know in advance of any problem, in which case bottled water might be safest.
Jeffrey Danneels: We are not familiar with your bottled water source, so we have no comments on the security of their product. If you are concerned with biological contamination, there are numerous sources for filtration systems (RO) that you can review to see which contaminants they remove. RO does have the ability to remove many biological contaminants. The real down side to RO is the fact that a large percent of the water goes down the drain. Your local water utility can tell you what they test for and the results.
Washington, D.C.:
What is being done to protect major dams such as the Hoover from terrorist attacks? Would a bomb similar to that detonated beside the U.S.S. Cole do enough damage to rupture the dam itself?
Jeffrey Danneels: There is an on-going effort to improve the security of federal dams. Increased security measures have also recently been deployed. In his testimony before Congress, Mr. Mike Parker, Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), stated that all Corp dams are being assessed.
Providence, R.I.:
Well, My Question is an obvious one:
Mr. Danneels,
I just don't accept that this Anthrax hoax created by an outrageous media hype has anything to do with Arab Terrorists. It's below their level of horrific sophistication. Their tactics have evolved.
I believe they've dumped their load for awhile and will lay low for another Big One.
But, given the possibility that the Big one could be a poisoning of reservoirs, therebye causing a massive fatality in numbers of cities, I ask this question, Sir.
Is Anthrax of such a nature that it could be deposited in rivers and streams to the extent that it could effect thousands? Or? If not Anthrax, then what about Cyanide or something less detectable by filtration systems of water works?
Rick Mancuso
Jeffrey Danneels: There is plenty of information available on Anthrax, let us suggest an article by Burrows and Renner in Environmental Health Perspectives, Volume 107, Number 12. Keep in mind that the filtration and disinfection processes lower the risk. In reservoirs of any size, it would take enormous amounts of chemical to have any significant effect.
San Angelo, Tex.:
Assuming contamination of the water supply by terrorists, will a home reverse osmosis(R.O.) system or a filtration system such as BRITA, or a combination of both, provide safe drinking water?
Jeffrey Danneels: You can perform a quick literature search on the web to find which filters can eliminate many of the biological threats. You can then check with various maufacturers to see which ones meet the specifications that you are interested in.
Kennesaw, Ga.:
What was security before these terrorist attacks and what is it that they are proposing now?
Jeffrey Danneels: Sandia is working on developing a risk assessment methodology for water utilities in concert with the EPA and the American Water Works Association Research Foundation that will soon be available to water utilities. This tool will help them assess risk and determine which assets to protect.
Washington, D.C.:
Thank you Mr. Danneels for your time and for taking questions. Just what type of realistic risks and threats face the nation's water supplies?
Jeffrey Danneels: There are four broad categories of concern: Chemcial contamination, biological contamination, physical attack and cyber attack. Historically, there have been very few successful attacks on the water infrastructure and according to a study by the Monterey Institutue, no one has died from intential contamination between 1900 and 2000.
washingtonpost.com:
That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the
discussion.
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