Protecting citizens against intentional drinking water contamination with a water quality firewall

Project Information

AquaSHIELD

Grant agreement ID: 666490

DOI

10.3030/666490

Project closed

EC signature date 4 June 2015

Start date 1 January 2015

End date 31 May 2017

Funded under

• Secure societies - Protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens

Total cost

€ 1 123 136,25

EU contribution

€ 786 195,00

Coordinated by

OPTISENSE BV
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - AquaSHIELD (Protecting citizens against intentional drinking water contamination with a water quality firewall)

Reporting period: 2016-01-01 to 2017-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Critical water infrastructures and high profile (soft) targets are vulnerable to intentional drinking water contamination. Physical access to the supply system is difficult to control and traditional water quality monitoring solutions are largely inadequate to protect the water distribution process and its consumers. In light of increasing security threats there is a strong need amongst water suppliers and authorities, in Europe and globally, for a contaminant warning system that can be deployed in the distribution network and that provides real-time water quality information and event classification to support rapid decision making and protect the health of citizens.

This project addresses the need for a system to protect the water supply in urban environments. The contaminant warning system developed in this project, AquaSHIELD, provides an affordable water quality firewall suitable for deployment at permanent monitoring sites and as a semi-permanent or mobile system, allowing deployment to selected locations for the protection of specific (soft) targets and to offer protection where it is needed most. This firewall has the following functionalities:
- Online and real-time detection of contamination events, especially chemical contaminations
- Mobile rapid screening of water samples for a set of high priority threat substances

AquaSHIELD, is based on an innovative and awarded optical sensor technology developed by Dutch optical sensor company Optisense. It is unique in combining 24/7 online event detection with high spec analytical capabilities for multiple substances in an affordable platform suitable for deployment in the field and for operation by non-specialist personnel.

The AquaSHIELD solution includes two sub-components, the Optiqua EventLab and Optiqua MiniLab products, which can be installed individually or as a combined system in the integrated AquaSHIELD firewall solution. EventLab is a generic sensor for online real-time detection of contamination events and MiniLab is a system that offers a rapid screening capability for a set of high priority threat substances for discrete samples. In the AquaSHIELD firewall the EventLab system acts as a first ring of defense, continuously scanning the water for abnormal water quality changes. When a suspect change is detected, MiniLab can be used to analyse a sample, screening the water for the presence of a selection of high priority substances. The measurement results from all the systems in the AquaSHIELD firewall are continuously reported to a central data server, which provides the user with a web-based dashboard to view results and to manage the AquaSHIELD sensors.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The start date of the AquaSHIELD project is 01/01/2015 and after a total of 29 months the project was completed on 31/05/2017.

The AquaSHIELD project focussed on the development of two products to a ready for market status. The products developed are the Optiqua EventLab and Optiqua MiniLab technology platforms. Both these platforms utilise Optisense’s unique and patented lab on chip technology. EventLab is the generic sensor component, and MiniLab is the platform for detection and quantification of specific targets. AquaSHIELD made the integrated firewall solution ready for commercialisation.

In the first reporting period the focus was placed on the redesign of the individual system components. The aim of the redesign was improving ease of production and improving ease of use. Furthermore, new features that were found to be desirable/necessary after the implementation of the first generation systems at customers have been integrated. In the second reporting period (=until the conclusion of the project) the focus was on demonstration and validation of the product and implementing further optimisations based on the experience in the demonstration phase. The EventLab system is now a fully commercial product which is already in service with various water companies around the world.

For the MiniLab system, both the base unit and the exchangeable measurement cartridge have been redesigned. The system has been redesigned to allow simultaneous analysis of eight targets. The targets of interest can be selected by loading 8 individual test cartridges, with each test cartridge containing the interface coating required for a specific analysis. During the second and final reporting period the redesign MiniLab was completed and the system was validated. The MiniLab-multi8 system is now a commercial product.

Finally, in the second and last reporting period a focus was put on development of the specific tests to be performed with MiniLab. These tests make use of receptor molecules with a high affinity for the target analytes. Development of these receptor molecules was the key step towards successful test development. Receptors and associated measurement protocols were developed for a number of high priority compounds. These tests have been verified and validated.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Water distribution networks are vulnerable to intentional contamination attacks. Therefore, a need exists amongst drinking water suppliers for a system that can detect contamination of water with highly toxic substances. The requirement for such a system has been identified in various European technology platforms and preceding security research projects. Currently, no single solution offers this capability. All approaches depend on highly specialised personnel and laboratory facilities, and will produce confirmation of an event and its nature after hours or days.

AquaSHIELD will be a new firewall concept for water security applications. This firewall will combine the following functionalities in one system:
1. Online and real-time detection of any type of water quality incident which changes the chemical composition of drinking water (either individual substances or mixtures/contaminants in a carrier matrix).
2. Measurement of residual chlorine concentrations as an indicator parameter for microbiological contamination or for conditions of elevated risk for microbiological contamination.
3. Automated rapid screening of a water sample for a selected set of high priority contaminants. This analysis is either triggered by components 1 or 2, or can be triggered manually.
4. A mobile rapid response tool for screening of water samples for a selected set of high priority substances.

Unique selling points of AquaSHIELD are:
- Online and real-time detection of any type of chemical water quality incident
- On-site, automated rapid screening and mobile rapid screening of a water sample for a selected set of high priority contaminants (bringing the lab to the field)
- Possibility to install in the distribution network due to low maintenance and ease of use (no need for expert personnel or advanced infrastructure)

The AquaSHIELD solution is aimed at protecting drinking water distribution infrastructures (especially in urban areas) as well as the drinking water distribution to urban soft targets. The main customers for such equipment are drinking water companies in Europe, USA and Asia Pacific, especially in countries with an increased risk level. Besides the drinking water companies, local authorities and the owners and operators of critical assets (hospitals, hotels, malls, schools, military bases, etc.) and event organizers (IOC, UEFA, and FIFA) are potential customers.

AquaSHIELD concept

EventLab being tested under field conditions

MiniLab-multi8 product

MiniLab-multi8 being tested under field conditions

Second generation EventLab product