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Premise Plumbing Research in ORD’s Homeland Security Research Program
Citation:
Szabo, Jeff, Helen Y. Buse, AND Levi M. Haupert. Premise Plumbing Research in ORD’s Homeland Security Research Program. Emergency Response Research Webinar Series, Cincinnati, OH, August 10, 2022.
Impact/Purpose:
A drinking water contamination event, whether intentional or accidental, may result in human exposure to chemicals, radionuclides, and pathogens. A potential major source of contamination is through premise plumbing in homes and buildings connected to a main water distribution system via service lines. Premise plumbing include various devices used multiple times a day throughout a building such as hot water heaters, showers, sinks and toilets. Remediating such devices after a contamination event is the sole responsibility of home and building owners. This presentation will discuss premise plumbing infrastructure remediation technologies that could assist home and building owners in removing contaminants immediately following a disaster. The webinar will include the impacts of wildfires on premise plumbing and an overview of the full-scale premise plumbing system used to conduct research.
Description:
Over the last year, ORD had been engaging with partners and planning future research. Historically, HSRP water decontamination research has focused on “big” utility infrastructure, but contamination events affect home and building plumbing too. Home and building plumbing is the responsibility of the home or building owner. There are many unknowns about how contaminates persist in plumbing systems and how to effectively decontaminate both pipes, appliances, and hot water heaters. Premise plumbing falls under Research Area 4 in the Homeland Security Research Program. Research initiatives include water quality and chemical, biological and radiological persistence; infrastructure decontamination; and wildfire impacts.