Laserfiche WebLink
FR£ES£ AND <br /> ICHOLS: <br /> <br /> HELPING YOU <br /> <br />PROTECT YOUR <br /> <br />WA 'ER SUPPLY <br /> <br />IWH¥ Do You N£ED A VA? <br /> <br />Public Health Security and Bioterrorisrn Response Act (H.R. 344~8) <br />In 1941, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover wrote, 'It has long been recognized that <br />among public utilities, water supply facilities offer a particularly vulnerable point <br />of attack to the foreign agent, due to the strategic position they occupy in keeping <br />the wheels of industry turning and in preserving the health and morale of the <br />American populace.' Hoover recognized the vulnerability that was exploited as <br />far back as ancient Rome and, more recently, in Kosovo. Outbreaks of E.coli, <br />Cryptosporidium and Salmonella in the Untied States and Canada, while not <br />intentional, indicate the potential severity of a concerted attack on a water utility. <br /> <br />Fallout from the attacks of September 11, 2001, includes a strategy for water <br />system security nationwide. On June 12, 2002, President Bush signed a bill, the <br />Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Response Act (H.R. 3448 Bioterrorism <br />Act). The EPA Water Protection Task Force is charged with implementing the <br />)rovisions of the Bioterrorism Act related to drinking water. From its beginning, <br />the overall vision of the EPA Water Protection Task Force has been to help the <br />greatest number of drinking water system as quickly as possible. Under the H.R. <br />]448 Bioterrorism Act each community water system serving a population <br />greater than 3,300 is required to conduct an assessment of the vulnerability of its <br />system to intentional acts intended to substantially disrupt the ability of the <br />system to provide a safe and reliable supply of drinking water. The EPA's sched- <br />ule for water systems to have completed its vulnerability assessment is: <br /> <br />Population <br />100,000 or more <br />50,000 - 100,000 <br />3,300 - 50,000 <br /> <br /> Deadline <br />March 30, 2003 <br />December 31, 2003 <br />June 30, 2004 <br /> <br />In addition, each community water system serving a population greater than <br />3,300 is required to prepare or revise where necessary, an emergency response <br />~lan. The water system must certify completion of the plan to EPA within six <br /> of completing its vulnerability assessment. <br /> <br />Innovative approaches... <br /> <br />practical results <br /> 2 <br /> <br /> <br />