Protecting Watersheds and Drinking Water: Early Warning System

Course Details

Water pollution spills, discharges to streams and rivers, and flooding events have created serious health and safety issues for people and industries that use public water. Philadelphia’s digital Early Warning System (EWS) helps to protect the water supply for 6.8 million people residing in a three-state coverage region. The system’s user base comprises more than 61 water-supply and government organizations.

Early communication of pollution, traffic and rail accidents that result in spills, and floods can reduce risk to the public, especially vulnerable populations. Key elements of enhanced communications include forecasting and sharing information about where spills will travel along waterways and where floods will occur, This presentation focuses on planning to protect a public water supply using advanced, automated, smart-city digital tools. Presenters describe how improving communications and sharing information about potentially harmful pollution and flooding events can reduce their impacts.

Learning Outcomes

• Learn how innovative watershed and source-water protection strategies are protecting public health and commerce nationwide.
• Identify new, smart, digital, communication tools that significantly enhance environmental and drinking-water protection efforts.
• Apply smart, digital tools and technologies to protect health and safety for diverse, at risk, and vulnerable populations and economies.