Protecting America's Water Supply from Terrorists: Water Execs, Security Experts to Meet in Los Angeles

3/20/2003

From: Andrew Hudson of the American Water Works Association, 303-734-3410, ahudson@awwa.org

DENVER, March 20 -- Protecting America's water supply from terrorists will be the topic when hundreds of water utility executives and security experts from throughout America meet at the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Water Security Congress March 23-26, 2003 in Los Angeles. United States EPA Administrator Christie Whitman is scheduled to speak at the conference luncheon on Tuesday, March 25, 2003.

For pre-conference interviews with utility directors, water security experts and AWWA officials, please contact the AWWA at 303-734-3410.

Participant profiles and an entire conference program are available at http://www.awwa.org

Established in 1881, AWWA is the oldest and largest nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to safe drinking water in North America. AWWA has over 57,000 members worldwide and its 4,700 utility members serve 80 percent of America's population.

"Those responsible for securing America's water supply have been aggressively identifying new ways to protect drinking water from terrorism," Jack Hoffbuhr, Executive Director of AWWA stated. "The AWWA Water Security Congress allows for water utility officials to learn about new and innovative methods and products to provide the highest level of security to their local water supply and it allows water industry officials the ability to share common goals and challenges in meeting federal mandates for security assessment and emergency response planning."

The AWWA Water Security Congress will provide opportunities for water utility professionals to learn, network, and share ideas relating to water security. The event will also feature seminars from some of the leading water security experts in the nation and a vendor exhibit hall displaying the latest innovations in utility security. Among other things, topics will include:

-- Implementing results of federally mandated vulnerability assessments -- Water quality monitoring -- Security and the public official -- Legislative and research updates -- Distribution and collection system security -- Securing the source -- Crisis decision making -- Security hardware and technology -- Emergency response planning -- Cyber security -- Crisis communications -- Threat identification and response

Water utilities throughout the nation have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure costs including water monitoring, physical security systems and emergency training and planning to protect America's water supplies from terrorism. The AWWA estimates that more than $450 million in federal assistance is required for federally mandates assessments required of small-medium-sized water systems serving populations of between 50,000 and 100,000 people.

AWWA is the authoritative resource for knowledge, information, and advocacy to improve the quality and supply of drinking water in North America and beyond. AWWA is the largest organization of water professionals in the world. AWWA advances public health, safety and welfare by uniting the efforts of the full spectrum of the drinking water community. Through our collective strength we become better stewards of water for the greatest good of the people and the environment.