Flint shows need for sensors anyone can use to monitor drinking water

As citizens in Flint, Mich., wait for the government to fix the problems that led to lead contamination in their drinking water, they and many others doubtless wonder how communities can protect themselves in the future.

Centralized water systems put control of water treatment and testing in the hands of skilled professionals using sophisticated equipment. But the crisis in Flint has shown that those systems alone are not enough to safeguard drinking water. One improvement would be installation of sensors that provide immediate and unambiguous answers about water purity.