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Cameras to protect city waters

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Also by Cara Harshman:

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by Cara Harshman

Monday, March 24, 2008

Madison and Dane County officials announced last week the implementation of a plan to protect water quality by enhancing security at local water utility sites.

The $485,000 system installed 32 security cameras at Madison Water Utility sites to provide pump operators with a continuous view of each facility, according to a release from Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk.

“The safety of our drinking water is vitally important,” Cieslewicz said in the statement. “This new system will provide us with real-time surveillance of critical water utility facilities, providing an additional level of security for the community.”

The security system was funded by a $388,000 grant from the Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance in 2007, and Madison Water Utility provided the remaining $97,000.

“Dane County is always looking to leverage state and federal dollars to help our local communities,” County Executive Kathleen Falk said in a statement. “We were happy to assist the city of Madison improve this important piece of infrastructure.”

Installation began in fall 2007, and final adjustments will be completed this month. Ald. Paul Skidmore, District 9, said security cameras are good to prevent water contamination.

“I’d really hate to think it might happen,” he said. “Why would someone want to poison us?”

The security cameras provide 24-hour surveillance and alarm notifications, allowing pump operators to make “real-time security decisions” in the event of an emergency.

Skidmore said the topic of surveillance raises controversy, but he does not have “a philosophical problem that we are intruding on a person’s property, not for this situation.”

“Is the camera the only way? No,” Skidmore said.

It is also important, he added, that buildings are secure with layers of locks, and also that personnel are well-trained and ports of entry to buildings are lit at night.

“I think it’s safe to say there have been breaches in security in other city buildings,” he said. “But we do the best we can.”

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