AWWA JAW64311

Automated biomonitoring systems provide continuous, real-time monitoring of changes in water quality. They can rapidly identify toxicity associated with a wide range of chemical contaminants and increase public confidence in drinking water quality. Although the concept of biomonitoring was proposed more than 40 years ago, and its use is widespread in Europe, many U.S. utilities still use manual observation as a method to identify water quality problems. This article illustrates how biomonitors can contribute to an early warning system for source water protection. Two case studies involving biomonitoring systems that continuously monitor the ventilatory patterns of fish are described for a large and a small system. The case studies provide a context for a discussion of the considerations important for implementing a biomonitoring approach, including toxicant responsiveness, event confirmation, biomonitors as part of the decision-making process, and cost. These case studies demonstrate the ability of biomonitors to detect common accidental surface water contaminants in source waters with differing physical and chemical characteristics and show that a biomonitor using sophisticated software to rapidly identify toxicity in water can be operated for extended periods of time with minimal maintenance and infrequent downtime. Includes 37 references, tables, figures.