JMAR Technologies, Inc. will install the BioSentry in a major U.S. city for the purpose of monitoring drinking water for Cryptosporidium and other microorganisms. This test program marks the first application of BioSentry to directly support Homeland Security initiatives.
The program, which is set to commence in January 2006, will last three months. Under the terms of the contract, JMAR will receive funding from the city to conduct evaluation tests and report the performance of BioSentry's effectiveness in monitoring the facility's drinking water for Cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite that can infect humans and result in serious illness.
With more than $40 billion allocated to the U.S. Department of Homeland Defense for fiscal year 2005, protecting the nation against acts of terrorism is clearly a critical concern. As part of the 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations Act, signed by President Bush in October of 2004, more than $118 million has been allocated to enhancing current environmental monitoring activities, $40 million of which is targeted at monitoring the nation's vital water supplies.
"Although drinking water in the United States is considered among the safest in the world, an increase in the visibility and awareness of recent terrorist activity has brought water safety to the forefront of our security concerns," said John Ricardi, VP of Sensor Products Group for JMAR. "BioSentry is uniquely positioned to offer continuous, real-time monitoring of a facility's water supply, a critical component in the nation's homeland security efforts."
"We are pleased that BioSentry has been selected for testing and validation in this Homeland Security application," said Ronald A. Walrod, CEO of JMAR. "We believe that continuous monitoring and rapid detection of biological contamination in water supplies will prove an important alternative to the time-consuming and often sporadic process of manual sample collection and laboratory analysis. When it comes to protecting our drinking supplies, BioSentry can play a significant role."
The BioSentry is a laser-based, contamination warning system that provides continuous, automated monitoring of drinking water. The system is designed to monitor, detect and classify waterborne microorganisms in real time, assuring water purity. Prospective applications include beverage bottling quality assurance, water utility operations, cruise ship water monitoring and homeland security for building water supply and water distribution systems.
Source: JMAR Technologies, Inc.
