River Alert Information Network
Safeguarding Your Drinking Water!
An estimated 1.7 million residents of Southwestern PA rely on the Allegheny, Monongahela, Youghiogheny, and Ohio rivers as their source of drinking water. These mighty rivers also provide the means for the region’s industrial and manufacturing strength, as well as the nation’s largest inland port. The River Alert Information Network (RAIN) is a regional Source Water Protection (SWP) program that will implement a continuous on-line river monitoring system to better ensure the protection of public health and drinking water across the region.

How was this project initiated?
RAIN was initiated through a voluntary collaboration of thirty-three water systems, PA DEP, California University of Pennsylvania and Riverside Center for Innovation who recognized the importance of protecting the tributaries of the Ohio River.

Why is this project important?
Due to the industrialized and urbanized nature of these waterways, numerous and frequent spills and runoff have been documented in these rivers. RAIN can minimize contamination of drinking water for countless communities and also provide much needed water quality data to the water treatment plants. A water quality monitoring system in a river reduces the frequency of illegal contaminant discharges over time resulting in overall water quality and environmental improvement within the river basin.

How will the project keep our drinking water safe?
Contaminants in the rivers will be identified at monitoring stations in real-time. Decision makers will be notified automatically about the presence of contaminants and will be able to ensure faster implementation of actions to protect the public from contaminated drinking water.

What is the cost and how is the project being funded?
The capitol costs of establishing RAIN is approximately $1.5 million with ongoing operating costs. RAIN has been awarded seed grants to facilitate the outreach and awareness necessary to move the project forward. However, funding will be necessitated from Federal and State agencies, the water treatment systems and local groups who recognize the importance of this initiative.

What equipment will be installed?
Source Water Monitoring Panels with an appropriate array of the following sensors:

• Nitratax
• pH
• Ammonia
• LDO
• UVAS
• Conductivity
• ORP

What pollutants will be detected?

• Municipal/Industrial Waste
• Acid Mine Drainage
• Storm Events
• Hydrocarbon Spills
• Dissolved Organic Matter
• Algal Blooms
• and Malicious Contamination

Where will monitoring take place?
Monitoring will take place at a minimum of eleven strategically located sites along our region’s major rivers.