Ensuring safe drinking water after heavy storms

Safe drinking water is essential for every community. Water contamination can become a significant concern in regions prone to heavy rainfall during such weather events.

Let’s examine how Saxon, a small village in the heart of the Swiss Alps and home to a small community of 3000 households, tackled this issue and ensured safe drinking water with continuous water quality monitoring and an automated water analysis system.

The Saxon story: a commitment to water safety

The Swiss municipality of Saxon is situated at the foot of the legendary Pierre Avoi, which sources most of its water from pure, natural mountain springs. Fed by rainwater and filtered through mountain rocks, the drinking water in Saxon remains fresh, cold and palatable all year round. 

A few years ago, this Valais municipality faced a crisis when its water was contaminated with bacteria following heavy rainfall. Local authorities issued a notice that tap water shouldn’t be consumed without boiling it first, shocking the Saxon residents. Laboratory tests confirmed that microbial contamination had occurred due to the extreme weather conditions.

Immediate steps for safe drinking water

We interrupt this Saxon story with a few helpful tips on what to do when faced with heightened risks to water supply due to a storm. You can take some steps to minimise your chances of getting sick. As climate change exacerbates extreme weather conditions, being prepared is important. 

Some steps include:

1. Don’t assume your water supply is safe to drink after a storm, even from a public water treatment plant.

2. Only use safe drinking water sources such as commercially bottled water, disinfected water, or water that has been boiled and cooled (hence why boiling was recommended by the commune).

3. Don’t use contaminated water to wash dishes, brush teeth, prepare food or make ice. 

Signs of water contamination, especially after a heavy storm, include:

• Cloudy or murky water appearance

• Unusual taste or odour

• Floating material in the water

Otherwise, be sure to look out for public announcements regarding water safety. The duration can vary depending on the severity of contamination and local conditions, but with the proper response, immediate measures can be taken to ensure safe water is restored. 

Responding to water contamination: immediate measures

Following emergency protocols, the entire water system was flushed and treated with chlorine to combat the contamination. Two residents working for a local automation company, PMAX, saw this as an opportunity to leverage their expertise to improve the response to future water contamination incidents.

PMAX proposed a holistic approach to balance the community’s demand for untreated water while minimising contamination risks. They needed a rapid, fully autonomous microbiological water analysis instrument installed at the reservoir.

Introducing BactoSense: a groundbreaking water monitoring solution

PMAX partnered with bNovate Technologies to use BactoSense, a compact and automated flow cytometer that provides precise water analysis every 20 minutes. This technology enables continuous water quality monitoring, ensuring safe drinking water even during heavy rainfall.

With BactoSense, PMAX designed a turnkey solution for continuously monitoring, evaluating and managing water quality even during extreme weather conditions. The system uses real-time meteorological data from MeteoSuisse to set bacteria measurement intervals, and it is linked to the municipal control and visualisation system via PLC and SCADA.

Reduced risks and fast intervention

Since installing BactoSense, Saxon’s local authorities have enjoyed peace of mind, knowing their water is monitored 24/7. The results are accessible online, optimising the monitoring and control process. bNovate’s high-tech digital measurement and PMAX’s automation expertise allow immediate reactions to bacterial increases in the water network. 

Using BactoSense reduces the risk of microbial contamination and eliminates the need for heavy chlorination. It enables fast intervention and early detection of microbial changes in the water, guiding when to collect grab samples for further analysis. This solution has repeatedly proven effective, ensuring that Saxon’s residents continue to enjoy their natural spring water, regardless of the weather.

Setting a new standard in water monitoring

The Saxon experience demonstrates the importance of continuous water quality monitoring and automated water analysis in ensuring safe drinking water. BactoSense, with its ability to provide real-time data and quick responses, is setting a new standard in water monitoring. 

If you want to test BactoSense and see why it’s becoming the new standard in water monitoring, book a demo, and one of our experts will get in touch.