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File: 970207_aadbo_001.txtFROM: USCENTAF/SG TO: ALL ATH & SME/SG & SGPB INFO: HQ TAC/SGPB SUBJECT: Drinking Water Surveillance 1. Water Potability & Vulnerability. Two things have to be addressed before declaring a water source as safe to use for human consumption - potability of the water itself, and vulnerability of the water to contamination via terrorist activities. a. Water Monitoring Capabilities. We have very limited water monitoring capability either through in-country U.S. resources or host nation laboratories. b. We can check for: 1) Potability via chlorine demand and bacteriological monitoring. 2) Chemical agent contamination using M272 kits. [(b)(l)sec3.4(b)(4)] d. Bottled Water: Most, if not all, bottled water currently being consumed is bottled in-country. We should be asking the question whether this water is safe from terrorist activities. Is anyone securing these bottling plants? Has anyone looked at these bottling plants? e. The key to declaring a water source as safe to use lies with whether it is vulnerable or not. If the water is found to be potable, we may still not want to use it if the distribution system is vulnerable to contamination. The decision to use a water source for potable purposes is not solely a BEE call - the vulnerability aspects is based on an SP, CE, BEE eval. The ultimate decision should be made by the Wing Commander after he has been informed of our vulnerability findings and our monitoring limitations and capabilities. NOTE: We may end up using the water distribution source to run our toilets and showers, and use bottled or ROWPU water for potable purposes. We have to be flexible in our thinking. f. CENTAF'S SG RECOMMENDATION: Use bottled water if the water distribution system is vulnerable and there is a
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