Facilities that do not have mussel infestations should collect habitat samples and sidestream samples from any area where raw untreated water is available and monitor for presence/absence data. The simplest method for sidestream sampling without the use of dedicated equipment (biobox or sidestream mussel monitor as described by Claudi and Mackie 1994) is to divert water from the system and collect a pumped plankton sample from the facility's distribution pipes.
For further information on sidestream sampling as a monitoring program, seeSidestream Monitoring.
For information on calculating data retrieved from the sidestream monitoring sample, see Veliger Analysis Techniques and Analyzing Plankton Tows, Pumped Samples, and Shallow-Water Samples.