Safety of water in the Bologna distribution network
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The water distribution network of Bologna supplies water to over seven hundred thousand people and has various sources. The main water treatment plants can be separated into two categories : plants extracting water from the ground water table, and plants processing surface water.
An efficient, centralized system allows the remote control of all the main water treatment plants and collects the most important chemical-physical parameters in real-time. This complex and extensive system allows for efficient management of the water distribution network, and guarantees a first safety check on the quality of the water supplied. An extensive chemical laboratory analysis on water samples, taken throughout the distribution network, is also systematically carried out to constantly check the quality of the water supplied.
An experimental project that allows for real-time monitoring of water quality was started a few years ago to improve the level of safety. This project is based on an accurate, reliable, and simple-to-use instrument (Monet) for remote monitoring of organic pollutants in water. The Monet instrument allows for automatic data transmission and remote control, and was developed in a joint-project between Hera Bologna and Analytical Research Systems Srl (ARS - University of Bologna).
Three Monet devices are currently installed in key locations of the Bologna water distribution network. The most important one is installed in the “Val di Setta” water treatment plant and monitors the quality of the water taken from the adjacent Setta River. This plant produces 40% of the total water supplied by the Bologna water distribution network each year.
Newsletter 7 on Workshop 6: Risk management and training
