Hach Homeland Security Tests Revolutionary Drinking Water
Monitoring Technology
LOVELAND, Colo., Nov 8, 2004 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The Hach Company,
the world's largest water and wastewater instrumentation manufacturer,
announced that its Homeland Security Technology unit is in the final stages
of testing a revolutionary new technology designed to detect terrorist
attacks on water distribution systems. Hach has signed a cooperative
research and development agreement with the United States Army. The Army's
Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) and the Corps of Engineer's
Construction Engineering Research Laboratory will work with Hach to conduct
live-agent testing in secure government laboratories.
"We're in the final stages of verifying the world's first working, reliable
real-time detection technology -- capable of discovering adverse attacks and
managing the quality of drinking water," commented Jeff Throckmorton, Ph.D.,
president of Hach Homeland Security Technology. "We're proud to be the first
to create this homeland security solution."
Based on the Hach Event Monitor Trigger System, the new technology uses
smart instrumentation and advanced interpretation techniques to detect the
presence of water contaminants or poisons. A secondary benefit is that it
allows drinking water providers to manage water condition and quality on an
ongoing basis. Pending successful verification testing and receiving
necessary Federal liability protections, the new technology is scheduled for
commercial release in 2005.
Under terms of its cooperative research and development agreement, Hach is
paying to test its detection/response system at the Aberdeen Proving Ground,
one of the few sites in the country where chemical and biological agent
testing can legally take place. Aberdeen is part of ECBC. The Army and Hach
will construct real-time drinking water systems in secure laboratories using
strict environmental and safety procedures.
In addition, the Corps of Engineers is conducting parallel studies with Hach
to better understand the dynamics of chemical transport. This information
will allow the corps to better understand and monitor water distribution
systems and predict the impact of terrorist attacks on those systems.
Hach Company is based in Colorado and Iowa, and is the World's largest water
and wastewater instrumentation manufacturer. A part of the Danaher
Corporation, Hach manufactures and markets over 3,000 products for water
analysis in drinking water, wastewater and industrial applications. For more
information visit http://www.hach.com.
Contact: Katy Craig
(800) 604-3493, ext. 2395
(970) 227-9862 (cell)
SOURCE Hach Company
Katy Craig of Hach Company, +1-800-604-3493, ext. 2395, or
cell, +1-970-227-9862
http://www.hach.com
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