Water Utilities Tighten Security, Brace for Attack

Water utilities across the U.S. are scrambling to update their security plans in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. While there have been no specific threats to the nation's water supply, alerts from the FBI have called for tighter security for drinking water systems.

Most water utilities have emergency response plans designed over the years to protect against natural disasters, chemical spills and vandalism. Those plans need to be updated in response to the new threats posed by international terrorism, said Allen Rose, Vice President of the Black & Veatch Special Projects Corp., which specializes in security concerns.

"We are seeing an increased demand for security assessments, and security designs that focus more on the new types of threats that have come into existence in the past few weeks," Rose said. "Water systems and water supplies are normally safe and secure, but there has always been the threat of some type of foreign element and even natural chemistry impacting the water supply. Because those threats always existed, the infrastructure to protect the water supply already exists."

In a Sept. 20 address to a joint session of Congress, President Bush announced the creation of a new Cabinet-level Office of Homeland Security to organize government efforts to protect against terrorism on U.S. soil. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge will serve as director of the office and will coordinate information from 40 federal agencies and departments involved in guarding against, preparing for and responding to potential attacks.

Citing the vulnerability of U.S. water, energy and transportation infrastructure, House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) and Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-MO) announced a temporary congressional working group on terrorism had been promoted to full subcommittee status. The new Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Defense, under the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, is charged with working to identify and strengthen weaknesses in infrastructure and other institutions. It is expected to investigate specific infrastructure targets and the vulnerability of water facilities, nuclear power plants and oil refineries, among other activities.

Congress is looking closely at 1997 report by then-President Bill Clinton's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection which states U.S. water supplies are vulnerable to terrorist attacks both in the physical infrastructure and contamination area.

Industry EffortsRepresentatives from several water utilities around the country are participating in the Critical Infrastructure Protection Advisory Group (CIPAG), which is focused on better protecting America's drinking water infrastructure from terrorist attack.

The American Water Works Association and others in the drinking water community have been working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure the nation's drinking water infrastructure is adequately prepared to deal with the threat of a terrorist act.

Part of this effort is an ongoing quarter-million dollar project spearheaded by AWWA Research Foundation to develop an assessment tool for determining a facility's vulnerability to intrusion or attack. The project will also produce a process to help utilities prioritize their security needs.

At its annual conference earlier this year, AWWA advised utilities on how to identify potential threats to their facilities, how to assess the level of threat, and what precautions they should take to protect against terrorist acts. The recommendations were incorporated into discussions on improving physical plant and information technology security, and enhancing communications with public health and law enforcement officials at the local, state and federal level.

"The contribution of water utilities to our public health and standard of living is too precious to leave vulnerable to a terrorist threat," said AWWA Executive Director Jack Hoffbuhr. "The drinking water profession and federal law enforcement have taken great strides in ensuring that vital contribution can be protected from a wanton act of aggression."

AWWA is also planning invitation-only workshops on vulnerability assessments and counterterrorism at selected sites beginning in November. It also expects to release an Emergency Planning Manual (M19) in late November, which will include a supplement on security measures. AWWA also has two videos available titled "Safety First: Water Utility Security" and "New Horizons: Critical Infrastructure Protection."

The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) also is actively involved in helping water systems address critical infrastructure protection. Diane VanDe Hei, Executive Director of AMWA, has been named the Water Sector Liaison by EPA, the lead government agency addressing the water sector. VanDe Hei also serves on the Board of Directors of the Partnership for Critical Infrastructure Security (PCIS), a committee composed of critical infrastructure stakeholders that coordinate cross-sector initiatives and complement public-private efforts.

AMWA is spearheading and staffing a project to develop and implement a Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC). When it is fully implemented, the Water ISAC will provide water systems with timely notices of both physical and electronic threats. Research and analysis is underway to determine the most effective approach to meet the needs of the water sector.

Terrorism Threat Not NewThe threat of a terrorist attack on water systems is not new — it has always been a low-level possibility. During World War II, the FBI warned against possible attacks by the Japanese; in the 1960s anti-war demonstrators threatened to put LSD in the water supply. Most emergency response plans, however, were developed to meet the more immediate threats of natural disaster or vandalism, Rose said.

"Today, there is reason to be concerned, but they (utilities) have safety and security systems in place, and it's just a matter of going in and reevaluating those systems to insure a proper response to the new threats that are evolving," he said.

Also, "the public needs to be aware that these issues are being addressed, that nobody's sitting on their hands — that their utilities are taking steps to make sure their water is safe and secure."

The Black and Veatch Special Projects Corp., a subsidiary of B&V, provides services to the federal government and has been in the security business for 55 years. The company has a six point analysis program that it uses to address the security of water systems, Rose said.

Steps include establishing security goals; identifying and defining the nature of the threats; and identifying vulnerability points and weaknesses within a system. Once the vulnerabilities have been established, the utility must develop countermeasures. A critical component of any program is to determine the costs associated with each countermeasure and then developing a program within a utility's budget constraints.

"We recommend that utilities look for a security design firm that has both security experience and water system experience," Rose said. Also, "We encourage water utilities to work closely with their local law enforcement agencies and their local emergency response providers, such as EMT units and healthcare facilities."

"If you can respond to a hurricane, you have a good handle on what your capabilities are," Rose said. "We can update existing plans based on new threat scenarios.

"The scale of the threat has changed. It's defining safety in a whole different manner than we defined it a month ago." WW/