AWIA presents deadlines for water supply plans

In a changing climate and a rapidly expanding population, water security will not happen without careful planning. And it won’t be achieved overnight. Planning for water security includes planning for unforeseen circumstances, or hazards, whether from natural disasters or malevolent acts. These hazards could include a sudden natural catastrophe, such as a tornado, hurricane, earthquake, or flood. The natural event might also be of longer-term, such as drought or impacts from climate change. There is also risk from human-induced events, both unintended and intentional. These include accidental spills as well as vandalism or terrorism (malevolent acts). 

Water treatment plant in Geneva, Illinois.

The America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) of 2018 was passed by Congress to ensure that community water systems had plans in place that would help them respond appropriately to such hazardous events. The law required all large and medium-sized water systems to develop risk and resilience assessments (RRA) and emergency response plans (ERP). Any system that serves more than 3,300 people must certify that these plans are in place. 

The process involves four discrete steps:

• Step One: Conduct a risk assessment (RA). The EPA has developed a tool – Vulnerability Self-Assessment Tool (VSAT 2.0) – to assist utilities in conducting their own risk and resilience assessment. With this tool, the utility can identify the highest risks to mission-critical operations and find cost-effective measures to reduce these risks.  This assessment must be completed by a certain deadline (in the year 2020) and then reviewed, updated and re-certified every 5 years.

• Step Two: Identify some strategies to build resilience. The first step has helped the managers prioritize hazards based on likelihood and consequences. For example, the team may decide that flooding, wildfires and water supply management are the biggest concerns. Then, potentially vulnerable assets are chosen, including aquifers, buildings, data acquisition systems, drinking water treatment plant, and forested lands. The manager selects which of these assets are most vulnerable in his/her system. The team then presents a list of strategies based on the highest priorities of their water system.

• Step Three: Develop an emergency response plan (ERP). This plan utilizes and builds upon the risk assessment and selection of resilience strategies already completed. The ERP describes the utility’s strategies to prepare for and respond to incidents, whether natural or human induced. These may be as small as a main line break or localized flooding. Or they may be larger, such as a hurricane, power outage, or a cyber-attack. This plan is due six months after certification of the risk assessment (RA) plan.

• Step Four: Monitor the system. Monitoring activities should focus on both water quality surveillance and security monitoring. Water quality surveillance is done at the treatment plant and in distribution systems. Monitoring is done at various locations and for various parameters. ERP will highlight the key parameters. Enhanced security monitoring uses advanced security equipment and communication systems.

The development of a risk assessment plan involves both an on-site assessment
and meetings with key plant personnel. 

The OU WaTER Center, along with the Oklahoma Water Survey, has personnel that are willing to help low-resource communities develop these plans. This exercise is part of our mission to both educate students in the professional practice of water security and assist rural communities (emerging regions) in need. The deadline for small utilities (3,301-49,999 people) to complete their risk and resilience plan (Step One above) is June 30, 2021.