Drinking Water Emergency Response Public Water System Role in Emergency Planning

1. Drinking Water Emergency ResponsePublic Water System Role in Emergency Planning KY Emergency Response Exercise for the Water Sector April 12, 2011 Kentucky Dam Village State Park To Protect and Enhance Kentucky’s Environment

2. Why Consider Emergency Response Planning? • “Among America’s critical infrastructure, none is more fundamental to the health and welfare of our citizens than the systems used to collect, treat and distribute potable water” (Security Practices Primer for Water Utilities, EPA 2004) • “Water utilities have a legal responsibility to provide an adequate supply of safe, high-quality drinking waters to their customers (Emergency Planning for Water Utilities, AWWA 2001)

3. Why Consider Emergency Response Planning? • Safe Drinking Water Act • Title XIV, Part B, Section 1413(a): a state has primary enforcement responsibility for public water systems during any period for which the Administrator determines…that such a state…(5) has adopted and can implement an adequate plan for the provision for safe drinking water under emergency circumstances” • “Water utilities should consider themselves responsible for providing water under emergency circumstances” (Emergency Planning for Water Utilities, AWWA 2001)

4. Why Consider Emergency Response Planning? • The KY National Guard will not be coming to save you • State agencies assess, track and report on the emergencies; some also respond • DOW acts in a limited capacity and does not operate PWSs • Customers will hold the PWS accountable—as will the regulatory agencies • The PWS owns and operates the system

5. What Makes an Emergency? • Emergency is defined as “an unforeseen or unplanned event that may degrade the quality or quantity of potable water supplies available to serve customers” • Minor emergency is a fairly routine, normal event that affects few customers and is readily handled by the utility • Major emergency is a disaster that affects the entire or large portions of the system, the quality and/or quality of the water or the public health

6. Emergency/Disaster/Catastrophe • Disasters can be natural or man-made • A disaster is “an occurrence causing widespread destruction and distress”; a catastrophe; a total failure • Sometimes there is warning (hurricanes, tornados) and sometimes there is not (earthquakes, random act of violence) • Even with warning, water systems are caught unprepared

7. Wait—Didn’t We Do Emergency Response Plans?? • In 2003, in response to 9/11 and EPA’s Bioterrorism Act, water systems greater than 3300 had to conduct • Vulnerability Assessments • Update Emergency Response Plans • VAs sent to EPA in Washington—no one has seen them since • Only a certification that Response Plans were up-date was required • Have the PWSs done anything since then??? LAW 107–188—JUNE 12, 2002TITLE IV— DRINKING WATER SECURITYAND SAFETY

8. Is There a Regulatory Requirement for a Drinking Water ERP? • After the 2003 Bioterrorism Act, no further federal action • KY does not have any regulations requiring drinking water systems to develop/maintain/exercise/update an Emergency Response Plan……………yet • There are other related regulatory requirements • OSHA Process Safety Management • CAA Risk Management Plans • Spill Prevention and Control Plans • Groundwater Protection Plans • 10 States Standards

9. So, Yes, a PWS Needs an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) • No set format but plenty of resources available • AWWA, EPA, CDC, Homeland Security • DOW, Emergency Management, Public Health • KRWA, RCAP

10. The Very Basics • Be Prepared • Identify the what, how, where, who that could be involved in creating an emergency as well as responding to the emergency • Be Secure • Protect the vulnerable/critical components of the system • Be Resilient • How does the system deal with the emergency, address concerns and bring the system back on line

11. Elements of an ERP—One Example • Mission, goals and objectives • Plan activation • Communication • Internal with staff • External (including who and how to handle the media) • Exercises • Agreements with others (water systems, KY WARN, electric company, chemical suppliers, equipment vendors) • Disaster/Emergency-specific plans • Develop a plan for any emergency imaginable • Component-specific plans • By plant, station, office, etc.

12. Elements of an ERP—One Example • Water Quality Sampling • Return to Normal Operation • Exercising/Training • Disaster recovery and accounting • Who’s going to pay for all of this?? Update, train, get ready, repeat…..

13. Activating the Plan • Emergency response follows the NIMS process • National Incident Management System • Incident Command System (ICS) • Emergency Operation Centers (EOC) • ESF—Emergency Support Function (3 and 10) • Water systems should have a “command center” that reports to a city/county EOC • Defined roles to play (who does what when and then tells who)

14. Communication • All employees need to: • Provide input in the plan development • Be aware of the contents of the plan • Be involved in updating the plan • Participate in exercises/training on the plan • Communication outside the utility • Should be handled by 1 competent individual • Include all forms of media (Twitter, text messages, etc) • Include regulatory agencies • Regular communication on emergency status • Just the basic information—details only if necessary • Document all communication

15. Agreements With Others”Who Ya Gonna Call…” • IN ADVANCE, develop agreements with key “others” • Electric company • Phone company/internet provider • Generator suppliers • Chemical suppliers • Equipment suppliers • Law enforcement agencies/fire departments • PWSs for emergency connections, sharing staff/equipment/etc • KY WARN, state EMACs

16. Disaster/Emergency Specific Plans • Identify any scenario that could potentially happen (brainstorm, use your imagination…) • Determination of critical and vulnerable assets associated with that scenario (what/where/who) • Assessment of the water system’s ability to secure/protect those assets (physical/electronic/etc) • Response (who can do what, equipment needed and location, external assistance, etc) • Mitigation is reducing or eliminating the damaging effects (before and after they happen) • Recovery should the disaster/emergency happen and damage occur

17. Examples of Specific Emergency Plans • Power Outage • Plant • Booster stations • Flooding • Plant • Distribution system • Irate customer with a weapon • Bomb threat • Chemical spill • Tampering with hydrants (opening many at one time) • Intentional backflow event

18. Component-specific Plans • Treatment plant • Chemical storage areas • Office • Distribution supply yard • Tanks • Booster stations

19. Water Quality Sampling • Can your lab handle the “unknown”?? • Who will do the sampling? • What is the risk? • How will you know if a contaminant has been introduced into the system?

20. Return to “Normal” Operations • Decontamination procedures • But must know the contaminant • The extent of the contamination • What exactly is “Normal”?? • Boil Water Advisory/Do Not Drink/Do Not Use Procedures • And when to ask to lift

21. Exercise and Train • Exercising the plan will show the weaknesses and the strengths • Can be local, state or federal exercise • Training will keep staff knowledgeable and prepared • Helps with keeping the plan up-to-date

22. Disaster Recovery Accounting • Good documentation of expenses can mean reimbursement from FEMA or other federal emergency agencies • Good documentation will provide guidance in the future should the same emergency occur again • Helps with planning, training

23. OK, So You Don’t Have an ERP—What Can You Do Now • Post up-to-date emergency contact phone numbers in highly visible areas • PWS staff • Fire/police • Regulatory agencies, technical providers • Critical suppliers (electric, chemical, phone) • At a minimum, decide who will take the lead in an emergency • How will you communicate during an emergency (no phones?) • Give the local police and fire department a tour of the water plant and distribution system • Fence and lock critical components and locations • Add good lighting at those locations

24. OK, So You Don’t Have an ERP—What Can You Do Now • Routinely inspect remote facilities • Encourage “neighborhood watch” groups • Identify and exercise emergency connections • Renew relationships with neighboring systems • Know what to do to use an abandoned/new source • Know what size generators are needed to run critical equipment and how to connect those generators to that equipment • Develop an agreement with nearby utilities to share equipment/staff/chemicals if needed

25. OK, So You Don’t Have an ERP—What Can You Do Now • Use “tail-gate” safety meetings to discuss possible emergency situations and how to respond • Take advantage of council/board meetings to discuss critical assets and potential vulnerable areas (especially after such an event has occurred elsewhere)

26. Remember…. • The DOW and PSC don’t have the resources, ability nor the authority to physically/fiscally come to your rescue • Both coordinate the response, work with other state/federal agencies, assess conditions, make recommendations • The National Guard will not come in and run your water system or provide all of your bottled water needs • You, as the PWS, need to play an active role and be prepared to “take care of your own”

27. Resources • AWWA (www.awwa.org) • EPA (http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/watersecurity/index.cfm) • Response Protocol Toolbox • Planning Documents • Communication • KY Division of Emergency Management (www.dma.ky.gov) • County plans • Sector plans • FEMA (www.fema.gov) • Homeland Security (www.dhs.gov)

28. Questions?? Comments?? Julie W. Roney Drinking Water Coordinator/DOW 502/564-3410 Julie.Roney@ky.gov