Clean Water Advocacy - Newsroom - AMSA in the News
No. 57
Monday, March 25, 2002 Page A-1
ISSN 1521-9402
News
Water Pollution
Wastewater Security Planning Tool Expected in Spring, Consultant Says
New software to enhance security at wastewater treatment plants should be
available in April or early May, an industry consultant said March 22.
The tool will assess the vulnerability of a utility using a "customized risk and
cost-managed approach," according to Kenneth Rubin, with PA Consulting Group,
Washington, D.C.
The software is being developed by the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage
Agencies, which employs Rubin.
Security threats are relatively new to the wastewater industry, he told a
symposium sponsored by the American Water Resources Association, the Federal
Water Quality Association, and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute.
Wastewater could pose a security risk if a utility lost its service and waste
were released into the environment, he said. As wastewater is highly dispersed,
"you can't put a wall around it," he said.
The challenge in wastewater security planning is making decisions quickly while
viewing the long term and balancing resources, he said.
To help with these decisions, the new software will assess a particular system's
vulnerability by analyzing its assets, Rubin said. Assets can include physical
structures, information technology, employees, a knowledge base, and customers,
he said.
EPA Task Force
Meanwhile, the Environmental Protection Agency is addressing both wastewater and
drinking water security on a number of fronts, according to Janet Pawlukiewicz,
director of EPA's Water Protection Task Force.
EPA established the water protection task force in October 2001 to protect and
secure water supply infrastructure.
Working with water utilities, EPA has already developed models to conduct
vulnerability assessments for drinking water and wastewater facilities, she
said. The agency has also issued model emergency response guidelines and an
operations plan, she said. A security strategy for small systems is under
development in cooperation with states and water utility organizations, she
added.
EPA is also providing training and technical assistance for security,
Pawlukiewicz said. An emergency supplemental funding bill passed in 2001
appropriated an additional $90 million for security for fiscal 2002, most of
which will be direct grants to large drinking water systems, she said. Funding
is expected to begin in June or July.
The agency is also helping medium and small systems develop emergency response
plans and institutionalize their security assessments, she said. In addition,
EPA is providing training and technical assistance to these systems.
Finally, EPA is conducting research to improve its knowledge of contaminants,
detection, and treatment technologies, she said. The agency is working with
Office of Homeland Security, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and
the Department of Justice in these efforts, Pawlukiewicz said.
Information Sharing
Diane VanDe Hei, executive director of the Association Metropolitan Water
Agencies, said that while the risk of serious incidents to water infrastructure
is small, "a good hoax can shut down a water system." As such, tools are needed
to determine if a real threat exists, either to the physical plant or cyber
security, she said.
One such tool under development is the Information Sharing and Analysis Center,
which will be an industrywide network to share water security information. VanDe
Hei said she hoped the center, under development by water utilities, EPA, and
the FBI, would be operational in 2002. Utilities will apply for membership and
pay an annual fee.
The center will provide information on incidents, threat alerts, and warnings,
and will provide manuals and other emergency training materials to participating
utilities. The information will come from industry, civilian and government
surveillance groups, and other sources. Incidents at water utilities will also
be reported to the federal government, VanDe Hei said.
By Patricia Ware