American Water Works Association Executive Director Says Water Utilities Doing Everything to Meet Federal Security Deadlines 3/11/2003
From: Andrew Hudson of the American Water Works Association, 303-734-3410, e-mail: ahudson@awwa.org web: http://www.awwa.org DENVER, March 11 -- Jack Hoffbuhr, Executive Director of the American Water Works Association, today responded to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft's statement relating to the security of U.S. water utilities. Established in 1881, AWWA has over 56,000 members worldwide and its 4,500 utility members serve 80 percent of America's population. AWWA is the oldest and largest nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to safe drinking water in North America "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," Hoffbuhr stated. "Water utilities are always committed to delivering safe drinking water to the American public and take this responsibility seriously." Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, regulatory and legislative officials examined the security of America's drinking water supply. The Public Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness Act mandates that America's largest water systems (serving more than 100,000 persons) meet vulnerability assessments by March 31, 2003. While these drinking water systems have either met or are working to meet the March 31st federal deadline to prepare vulnerability assessments and update their emergency response plans, the vast majority of the nation's public water systems serve populations of fewer than 100,000 people and collectively, the AWWA estimates that more than $450 million in federal assistance is required for these assessments. Medium-sized systems (serving between 50,000 and 100,000 people) have until December 31, 2003 to meet the federal deadline and the small-sized systems (serving 3,300 to 50,000 people) have until June 30, 2004. Updated emergency response plans are due six months after the vulnerability assessments are completed. Hundreds of water utility executives and security experts from throughout America will discuss best practice efforts and funding challenges to securing the nation's water supply 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. 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. Topics will include implementing results of vulnerability assessments, water quality monitoring, legislative and research updates, crisis decision-making, and threat identification and response. --- 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. |