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| Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network | |
|---|---|
| Name | Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network |
| Formation | 2002 |
| Founder | American Water Works Association; Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies |
| Type | Volunteer mutual aid network |
| Headquarters | United States Environmental Protection Agency (initially supported) |
| Region served | United States, Canada |
| Membership | Utilities, authorities, districts, agencies |
Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network
The Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network is a mutual aid and emergency coordination initiative linking American Water Works Association, Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States Environmental Protection Agency, and numerous municipal and regional water and wastewater utilities. It serves as a platform for resource sharing, personnel mobilization, information exchange, and coordinated incident management during hazards that affect potable water and sanitary sewer systems. The network integrates standards, training, and operational protocols to support resilience for suppliers such as New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Chicago Department of Water Management, and other major and small utilities.
The network functions as a voluntary cooperative connecting utility operators including metropolitan water agencies, water districts, sewerage authorities, public utility commissions, and private providers like American Water. It emphasizes rapid mobilization of technical experts, specialized equipment, emergency potable water distribution assets, and laboratory capacity for microbiological and chemical analysis. The initiative coordinates with national programs such as National Incident Management System frameworks, aligns with standards from American Society of Civil Engineers and American National Standards Institute, and communicates through channels used by organizations like National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Origins trace to early-21st-century concerns following events like the September 11 attacks and anthrax incidents that underscored vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure. The program was developed through partnerships among American Water Works Association, Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, Environmental Protection Agency, and federal grant programs administered by Department of Homeland Security and FEMA. Early pilots involved utilities in regions affected by Hurricane Katrina and Northeast blackout of 2003 where mutual aid proved essential. Subsequent evolution incorporated lessons from responses to Hurricane Sandy and public health crises involving agencies such as Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Membership includes a broad cross-section of entities: municipal utilities like Seattle Public Utilities, regional authorities such as Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, investor-owned companies including Veolia Water, SUEZ, and regulatory bodies like State Water Resources Control Board (California) and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The network uses memoranda of understanding modeled on templates from National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and mutual aid principles used by Emergency Management Assistance Compact. Coordination centers often liaise with state emergency operations centers and federal partners including FEMA Region IV and EPA Region 2.
Operational activities cover deployment of specialized crews for pump station recovery, treatment plant restoration, pipeline repair, and water quality monitoring during events such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and chemical releases. Deployments have partnered with entities like American Red Cross for shelter water supply and with laboratories affiliated with United States Geological Survey for contaminant sampling. The network maintains inventories of portable treatment units, spare pumps, generators, and tanker fleets, and coordinates logistics with transport agencies such as Department of Transportation and military support from United States Army Corps of Engineers when needed.
Preparedness includes tabletop exercises, full-scale drills, and credentialing programs developed in collaboration with American Water Works Association training schools and university partners including University of Michigan and Colorado State University. Exercises have simulated scenarios from intentional contamination to seismic damage, using standards influenced by National Infrastructure Protection Plan and curriculum from National Response Framework. Credentialing and rostering of response teams use practices aligned with Emergency Management Institute guidance and tie into volunteer tracking systems used by organizations such as Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster.
Funding streams include federal preparedness grants administered by Department of Homeland Security, state emergency preparedness allocations, utility rate-based investments approved by Public Utility Commissions, and contributions from private water providers. Policy interfaces involve compliance with statutes like the Safe Drinking Water Act and reportable incident requirements to agencies such as Environmental Protection Agency. Advocacy and policy development engage stakeholders including National Association of Clean Water Agencies, Water Research Foundation, and regional associations like California Water Association.
Case studies demonstrate mutual aid during Hurricane Katrina where interstate crews supported restoration in New Orleans and surrounding parishes, and during Hurricane Sandy where multi-state assistance helped restore service in New York City and Jersey City. Responses to wildfires in California involved coordination with California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, and deployments following the I-35W Mississippi River bridge collapse illustrated rapid technical assistance for potable supply continuity. International cooperation during major events has linked members with counterparts from Canada and organizations such as the World Health Organization for public health coordination.
Category:Emergency management Category:Water supply Category:Wastewater treatment