可靠性一词通常用于地下水系统设计和工程中，作为故障率和系统可用性的衡量标准。它还用来代表公众对饮用水供应可靠性的某种看法。该术语在水资源效益领域的质量评估中并不常见。地下水消毒规则（GWDR）的两个候选要素侧重于物理系统完整性和故障防护，这两个要素在理论上都是通过可靠性分析来衡量的。解决这些问题的潜在监管方法包括保持良好的配水系统残余压力、良好的操作程序和充分维护的性能（包括交叉连接控制、防回流、冲洗和阀门操作程序以及压力测试）。这些都是众所周知和公认的最佳管理实践； 然而，对其个人利益和责任的了解有限。本文旨在对可靠性概念进行一些讨论，这些概念贯穿上述所有适用于GWDR的领域，并探讨地下水系统的可靠性如何转化为GWDR的可测量效益。

The term reliability is commonly used in groundwater system design and engineering as a measure of failure rates and system availability. It is also used to represent some measure of public perception as to the trustworthiness of drinking water supplies. The term is not common in evaluating quality in the water resource benefits field. Two candidate elements of the Ground Water Disinfection Rule (GWDR) focus on physical system integrity and protection from failure, both theoretically measured by a reliability analysis. Potential regulatory approaches to addressing these issues stress maintaining a good distribution system residual, good operating procedures and the performance of adequate maintenance (including cross connection control, backflow prevention, flushing and valve exercise programs and pressure testing). These are all well known and accepted best management practices; however, only a limited understanding of their individual benefits and liabilities exists. The purpose of this paper is to present some discussion of reliability concepts that cuts through all of the areas described above as they apply to the GWDR and to examine how reliability of groundwater systems might be translated into measurable benefits of the GWDR.