Champlin Water Works Seeks Right Level of Security Against Terrorist Threat

Shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, during one of the national states of high alert, an alarm sounded at the Champlin, Minnesota, water treatment facility. When investigators found a door ajar at the facility, speculation about possible terrorist sabotage took off quickly. Because the existing security system provided no information about where or whether an intruder might have gained access to the water supply, the city conducted testing and flushing of the distribution system. The Minnesota Department of Health, which had budgeted for security contingencies, covered the $23,000 cost. After the tests were conducted, no evidence of tampering was found, but because of the heightened state of alert and the need to take costly measures in the face of uncertainty, the city acted quickly to allot funds for an improved security system to monitor access to offices, water towers, and wellheads. This article describes system improvements that include interior and exterior monitoring to provide a deterrent as well as sufficient data to evaluate the nature and extent of any future security breaches.