Water supply monitoring for contaminant detection

• US 20040259189A1
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Carl R. Marschke
• Original Assignee: Carl R. Marschke
• Inventors: Marschke, Carl R.
• Application Number:
  US10/456,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20040259189A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/34
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/14 Suction devices, e.g. pumps; Ejector devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2035 by deviating part of a fluid stream, e.g. by drawing-off or tapping
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/40 Concentrating samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/205 using a valve
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2078 Pre-evacuated bottle
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/0088 Biological contaminants; Fouling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/019 Biological contaminants; Fouling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/18 Water
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/02 using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations G01N35/0098 and G01N35/0099 take precedence

Abstract

A system for monitoring and detecting the presence of hazardous material in a water supply system includes monitoring stations distributed throughout the water supply system for detecting the presence of hazardous materials injected downstream of the water treatment source. The system may also include a sampling device for capturing a water sample in response to detection of a hazardous material for more precise analysis.

Claims

1. In a water supply system including a plurality of conduits comprising a network of main water supply lines feeding laterals that deliver water from a treatment source to discrete user locations served by a lateral, a monitoring system for detecting the presence in the supply system of hazardous contaminant injected downstream of the treatment source, said monitoring system comprising a series of monitoring stations distributed broadly throughout the entire water supply system network, each station including direct access to a continuous flow of water, and means for detecting the presence of multiple types of hazardous contaminants;

and,

means for transmitting a signal based on detection of a contaminants to enable all or a portion of the system to be shut down as quickly as possible regardless of where in the system the contaminant is injected.

2. The monitoring system as set forth in claim 1 including means for concentrating the contaminant in the flow of water to a given detection concentration level.

3. In a water supply system including a plurality of mains and laterals comprising a network of water supply lines delivering water from a treatment source to discrete user locations served by laterals, a monitoring system for detecting the presence in the supply system of hazardous material injected downstream of the treatment source, said monitoring system comprising a series of monitoring stations distributed broadly throughout the entire water supply system network, each station including direct access to a continuous flow of water, and detectors for detecting the presence of multiple types of hazardous materials;

and,

a communication link connecting each station to a central control to transmit a signal based on detection of a hazardous material to enable al or a portion of the system to be shut down immediately regardless of where in the system the hazardous material is injected.

4. The monitoring system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said hazardous materials are selected from the group consisting of chemical, biological and radioactive contaminants.

5. The system as set forth n claim 3 including a sampling device for capturing a water sample in response to detection of a hazardous material.

6. A method for monitoring a water supply system including a network of main and lateral water supply lines delivering water from a treatment source to detect the presence of hazardous material injected downstream of the treatment source, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) broadly distributing a series of monitoring stations in supply lines throughout the water supply system;

(2) providing direct access to a continuous flow of water in the system at each of said monitoring stations;

(3) operating the monitoring stations to detect the presence of a hazardous material in the water supply system;

(4) transmitting a signal based on detection of a hazardous material and

(5) utilizing the signal to enable authorities to take immediate action including shutting down all or a portion of the system.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 including the step of capturing a water sample in response to detection of a hazardous material.