The Water Security (WS) initiative contamination warning system detection strategy involves the use of
multiple monitoring and surveillance components for timely detection of drinking water contamination in
the distribution system. A key component of the WS design is consumer complaint surveillance (CCS),
which enhances the collection and analysis of calls by consumers reporting unusual water quality
concerns and compares trends against an established baseline to detect possible contamination incidents.
As part of the initial pilot of the WS initiative, a CCS system was developed for the Greater Cincinnati
Water Works (GCWW) based on the utility's existing consumer complaint management system. Key
elements of the CCS design included comprehensive complaint collection, electronic data management,
automated data analysis, automated notifications, spatial analysis and efficient investigative protocols. Includes 4 references, table, figures.