Drinking Water Advisory Resources

Drinking Water Advisory Communication Toolbox

This Toolbox provides a protocol and practical guide for communicating with stakeholders and the public about water advisories that is based upon research and identified practices. The Toolbox focuses on water systems and addresses the spectrum of situations that generate drinking water advisories.

This project was a collaborative effort among the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), American Water Works Association (AWWA), Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA), and National Environmental Health Association (NEHA).

A technical workgroup of public health and drinking water agencies and drinking water system experts advised and guided the project. The project also engaged a broad cross-section of relevant stakeholders and technical experts including local government, emergency response, and hazard communication experts.

Read the reference below for a short description of the Drinking Water Advisory Communication Toolbox and the many types of situations that generate drinking water advisories.

References

• Miller MD, Watson JC. New drinking water advisory communication toolbox [PDF – 3 pages]
  J Environ Hlth. 2011;74:30-32. 
• Webinar for States on the Drinking Water Advisory Toolbox
  Access the February 12, 2012, Webinar hosted by the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators to discuss the basic tools, how they were developed, and how they can be used.

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Emergency Water Supply Planning Guide for Hospitals and Health Care Facilities

In order to maintain daily operations and patient care services, health care facilities need to develop an Emergency Water Supply Plan (EWSP) to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a total or partial interruption of the facilities’ normal water supply. Water supply interruption can be caused by several types of events such as natural disaster, a failure of the community water system, construction damage or even an act of terrorism. Because water supplies can and do fail, it is imperative to understand and address how patient safety, quality of care, and the operations of your facility will be impacted.

A health care facility must be able to respond to and recover from a water supply interruption. A robust EWSP can provide a road map for response and recovery by providing the guidance to assess water usage, response capabilities, and water alternatives.

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Planning for an Emergency Drinking Water Supply

Collaboration and partnership between various levels of government are critical for providing emergency water supplies. Planning for an Emergency Drinking Water Supply is the result of a collaborative effort between the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Homeland Security Research Center with support from Camp Dresser & McKee Inc (CDM). This report represents a resource for reviewing the roles and responsibilities among various levels of government and outlines essential planning steps for providing emergency water supplies. The report also covers the technical details of this preplanning and presents key findings to improve the nation’s responsiveness when the need for an emergency water supply arises.

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Case Study on Massachusetts Pipe Break Response

This case study is a comprehensive review of the drinking water emergency response process. The report, which looks at the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) response to a major pipe break in May 2010 which involved more than two million people and thousands of large industrial users in 30 metropolitan Boston communities, was funded through a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and co-sponsored by the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies and the Water Research Foundation. This resource for the nation's water utilities incorporates assessment and analysis of the actions of MWRA and other state and local responders involved in the incident, and identifies areas where the responders acted successfully as well as areas where they encountered challenges. Three key recommendations from the case study are:

1. Develop a "Security Culture"
2. Nurture Relationships Before an Event, Not During an Event
3. Develop a Strong Emergency Operations Center/Incident Command

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