Surviving Disasters: Building on Experience
Colorado State University Workshop Helps Water Utilities Prepare for Disasters
When a group of top managers of the nation's water utilities met at Colorado State University in October to exchange experiences about disasters threatening water supply systems, the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon broadened the scope, and increased the urgency, of the discussion.
Participants in the workshop, "Surviving Water Utility Disasters: Learning From Experience," which was organized by civil engineering professor Neil Grigg, concluded that there is a clear distinction between assessing vulnerability against natural disasters, and the more covert area of human–caused threats, including terrorism.
The workshop, which was organized over a year ago as part of a larger project sponsored by the American Water Works Association Research Foundation, was originally designed to help water utilities managers minimize the vulnerability of their systems to natural hazards. However, the events of September 11 changed the industry’s focus toward security against all threats.
And while more research is needed in both areas, Grigg said a great deal more is known about natural disasters than about human–caused events. "Human–caused threats are fundamentally different and more complex than natural hazards because they involve the realm of human action, with its inherent uncertainties," explained Grigg. "Also, human–caused threats often involve interdependences—where one system depends on or is the victim of another system’s problems."
A key finding of the workshop is that threats—whether natural or human–caused—do not have to become disasters. Participants confirmed that the prepared water utility can continue to provide safe and reliable water supplies in spite of earthquakes, floods, and even terrorist attacks.
“Those who have experience successfully surviving disasters tell us that minimizing vulnerability must be considered a multi–faceted challenge," Grigg said. "It [preparedness] requires full engagement of the utility, even as it goes about its regular work of providing a safe and reliable water supply."
An important result of the workshop is the upcoming release of best management practices for water utilities to improve their preparedness against risk by taking measures to recognize, prepare for, and mitigate hazard effects. Grigg said the vigilant utility will prepare techniques and documents, provide investment, acquire equipment, and eventually organize partnerships and effective training and preparation programs, leading to a high level of preparedness.