Use of Systems Analysis to Assess and Minimize Water Security Risks

Drinking water systems are vulnerable to contamination by toxic substances, whether the contaminants are introduced intentionally during a terrorist attack, or unintentionally through accidental cross-connections or backflow incidents. In this paper, we discuss the particular characteristics of distribution systems that make a “systems modeling” approach useful and effective in assessing, preventing, and mitigating water security threats, and we outline the research needed to develop robust models for water security.