Securing Our Water Supply

Description

Water is our lifeline, and ensuring its security is a top priority. Thousands of water facilities, including reservoirs, wells and treatment plants work efficiently, and quietly, but even a small attack could have disastrous effects for a community, or even an entire state. Securing Our Water Supply: Protecting a Vulnerable Resource gives a unique look at protecting all types of facilities, equipment, assets and the general population. Author Dan Kroll presents a basic primer of the threats to our water infrastructure and the steps to prevent such an event.
Benefits for readers: An understanding of the vulnerabilities in the water supply; countermeasures to prevent and respond to an attack on a water facility; and, considerations for accidental or naturally occurring water contamination.

The Psychology of Terrorism: Why Target Water?
Introduction
A Historical Perspective on Terrorism
Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction
The Terrorist: Who and Why?
Terrorism as Theater: Does Water Qualify?
A History of Attacks on Water Supplies
Introduction
Chronology of Water Contamination Events
A Reevaluation of the Rome Incident: Don’t Underestimate the Enemy
Water Supply Vulnerabilities: How and Where Could an Attack Occur?
State of the System
Federal Recognition of the Problem
Vulnerabilities
Source water
Untreated water storage
Untreated water transport
Treatment plants
Finished water storage
Finished water transport—the distribution system
Toxicants Usable in a Water Attack
Heavy metals
Herbicides
Insecticides
Nematocides
Rodenticides and predicides
Radionuclides
Street drugs
Warfare agents
Plant toxins
Biotoxins
Mycotoxins
Industrial chemicals
Consumer products and nuisance compounds
Biological agents
Cyber Attack
Subsidiary Infrastructure
Food and Bottled Water
Conclusion: The Water Supply Is Vulnerable
Physical and Plant Security
Physical Security in General
Source Water
Potential terrorists
Potential terrorist probing, surveillance, and pre-attack activities
Reporting an incident
Untreated Water Storage
Raw water transport and intake
Treatment Plants
Perimeter
Grounds
Buildings
Interior spaces
Finished Water Storage
Finished Water Transport—the Distribution System
Backflow prevention
Chemicals
Personnel
Cybersecurity
Introduction
Vulnerabilities
Securing the Networ
General housekeeping
Limiting access
Passwords
Communications
Planning, testing, and audits
Intruder detection
Monitoring
Introduction
Monitoring Source Water
Potential challenges in the monitoring of source water
Toxicity
Bulk parameter monitoring
The Distribution System
Toxicity
Lab-on-a-chip technologies
Gas chromatography
Optical methods
Bulk parameter monitoring
How and where to deploy
Syndromic Surveillence
The Value of Monitoring
Responding to an Event
The Dilemma
EPA Guidance
Possible threats
Transition from possible to credible—site characterization
Toxicity tests
Immunoassays
Test strips for pesticides and nerve agents
Gas chromatography
Infrared spectroscopy
Detection of adenosine triphosphate
Polymerase chain reaction
Multiparameter lab-on-a-chip technologies
Technologies on the horizon
Credible threats
Confirmed threats
Informing the Public
Cleaning up the mess
Planning
U.S. Water Utilities: Terrorism Vulnerabilities, Legal Liabilites, and Protections under the Safety Act
Introduction
What Is the Safety Act?
Legal Liability Resulting from a Terror Attack
Lawsuits and compensation after 9/11
Municipal utility liability resulting from a backflow attack
Liability of technology providers
Liability protection under the Safety Act
Details of the Safety Act
The Safety Act statute
Benefits for designated antiterror technologies
Government Contractor Defense for certified technologies
The Safety Act as the vehicle for government indemnification
Implementation by the DHS
Challenges Ahead
Appendix A: Chemical and Biological Agents of Concern
Chemical Agents on the CDC List of Concern
Biological Agents on the CDC List of Concern
Military List of Chemicals of Concern in Water
Appendix B: Suspicious Incident Information Reporting Form
Appendix C: Types of Equipment for Enhancing Physical Security

Additional information