Security - a major topic at
WEFTEC 2001

By Steve Davey, Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

We are a war government, stated Tracy Mehan, the US EPA's assistant administrator for water, at WEFTEC 2001, which was held last month in Atlanta,Georgia.

He said that the security of water and wastewater systems is a top priority and that the Bush administration has set up a water protection task force. Already research is underway into understanding potential threats, how chemicals could be used and their effects, monitoring, and assessing areas of vulnerability.

Tracy Mehan	Bruce Babbitt

"All systems and people including operators, managers and consultants are combatants," he said. "Security procedures should include everything from simply locking all doors to sending staff information to the FBI for background checks."

Mr. Mehan then outlined a five-part action plan the task force is working on:

1. Tools for utilities to use. These include vulnerability assessment studies and emergency response plans.
2. Security training for managers.
3. Develop secure information systems.
4. Improve the knowledge base about contaminants, modeling, treatability, etc.
5. Improve communications with other government agencies and private organizations.

In his address to the conference, Bruce Babbitt, former US Interior Secretary under the Clinton administration, stated: "By being here, you rebuke the evils of terrorism." He then went on to explain how he was able to get the President to endorse such initiatives as the Florida Everglades restoration and the massive California Desert Protection Act. "President Clinton's appreciation of the outdoors did not extend beyond the golf course," he said, adding that: "I got him interested by comparing his environmental legacy with Theodore Roosevelt's!"

Mr. Babbitt then gave some predictions for the future. "Because the water cycle is getting shorter, wastewater professionals must become watershed managers," he said.

He believes that the move to set ambient instead of point source water standards and Total Maximum Daily Loads, will lead to zero discharge limits for wastewater treatment plants. This has already happened in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and Malibu Creek in California.

According to Mr. Babbitt, in the Gulf of Mexico there is a 7,000 square mile hypoxic "dead" zone. He believes this in itself will lead to legislated nutrient reductions in the 24 states that are in the Mississippi River watershed. This means that all dischargers, including agriculture, will have to begin bargaining about their obligations to meet ambient standards. There will be no distinction between point and non-point sources. It also means that new development will not be able to alter the hydrograph, i.e. flow and quality in the area.

Mr. Babbitt warned that the move to ambient water quality standards and TMDLs will mean that pollution reduction will become a political process, and not necessarily a technical process.

Steve Davey, Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine (left), with Scott Lenhardt, Steve Low, Teresa Voisin and Lee Ahenakew of Zenon Environmental.

WEF addressed the concern for the vulnerability of water systems to terrorism, by adding two sessions to the program.

Rob Penner, AWWA Deputy Executive Director, explained that most biological threats can be treated by the systems already in place. Managers must also be prepared for other situations such as vandalism and false threats, which can cause as much panic as a real threat. "Take care of your system's vulnerability and strengthen communication with public health officials," he said, adding that, "everything going on is really more of a perceived threat than a real threat."

Mr. Penner said that AWWA is working on a new protected web site to help educate the industry on system security as well as conducting a series of 'by invitation only' seminars.

Allan Rose, a Vice-President of Black & Veatch, said that utilities need to test their systems, define the nature of potential threats and then develop effective countermeasures. "View your system as a series of targets.... Don't provide the weapon. You have already given them the delivery method," he said. He stressed the importance of knowing your vendors and personnel. Also, utilities should make sure their public relations staff are capable of dealing with media questions.

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