EPA’s Community-Based EPA’s Community-Based Water Resiliency Initiative:Water Resiliency Initiative:

An Important New Tool for The Public Health SectorAn Important New Tool for The Public Health Sector

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CDC PHIN Partner Call

June 1, 2011

Water: Critical for Public HealthWater: Critical for Public Health

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• Healthcare and Public Health Sector relies on Water Sector for:Healthcare and Public Health Sector relies on Water Sector for:– Sanitation Sanitation

– Drinking waterDrinking water

– Cooling equipmentCooling equipment

– Manufacturing of pharmaceuticals Manufacturing of pharmaceuticals

and medical equipment and medical equipment

– Hospitals, dialysis centers, Hospitals, dialysis centers,

physicians offices, labsphysicians offices, labs

Growing problem: Aging InfrastructureGrowing problem: Aging Infrastructure

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• Approximately 240,000 water main breaks each year in the US

• Breaks can allow contaminants to enter the drinking water supply

-MMWR February 18, 2011 Vol.60 No.6

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Natural Natural DisastersDisasters

Failures in Interdependent Sectors

Criminal and Terrorist Acts

Many Other Causes of Failure

Community Health Impact of Community Health Impact of Extended Loss of Water ServiceExtended Loss of Water Service**

• 2010 Freeze/thaw event in Alabama--water pipes break leading to systemic 2010 Freeze/thaw event in Alabama--water pipes break leading to systemic water loss for 18,000 residents for 12 dayswater loss for 18,000 residents for 12 days

• Outbreak of Acute Gastrointestinal Illness in 12-15%* * of households most Outbreak of Acute Gastrointestinal Illness in 12-15%* * of households most affected by service interruptionaffected by service interruption

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigation found:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigation found:– Lack of communication between water utilities, customers and public health Lack of communication between water utilities, customers and public health

department department – Lack of preparedness for water emergenciesLack of preparedness for water emergencies

• CDC recommended:CDC recommended:– More communication between Water and Public Health Sectors More communication between Water and Public Health Sectors – More public health agency involvement in water emergency preparednessMore public health agency involvement in water emergency preparedness

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*MMWR February 18, 2011 Vol.60 No.6**National background prevalence for one month is 5.1%

CDC findings from investigation CDC findings from investigation

Public health agencies might help to prevent or Public health agencies might help to prevent or mitigate the health effects from future water mitigate the health effects from future water emergencies by:emergencies by:

• IImproving community and household preparedness

• Developing and implementing effective communication Developing and implementing effective communication strategies to reach diverse communities before and during strategies to reach diverse communities before and during such emergencies.such emergencies.

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Specific CDC recommendations Specific CDC recommendations for public health agency involvement in for public health agency involvement in water emergency preparedness water emergency preparedness

Develop: Develop: • A water emergency response protocolA water emergency response protocol• A water distribution planA water distribution plan• A community communications toolkit for water emergenciesA community communications toolkit for water emergencies

Provide:Provide:• Guidance for household preparednessGuidance for household preparedness• Guidance for institutional preparednessGuidance for institutional preparedness

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Community-BasedCommunity-Based Water Resiliency Initiative Water Resiliency Initiative

SSupportsupports

PHIN Mission and CDC Recommendations PHIN Mission and CDC Recommendations

CBWR addresses “What If…?”CBWR addresses “What If…?”

• Increases community preparedness by:Increases community preparedness by:– Improving integration of the Water Sector into community emergency preparednessImproving integration of the Water Sector into community emergency preparedness– Increasing understanding of critical interdependencies Increasing understanding of critical interdependencies – Highlighting benefits of preparednessHighlighting benefits of preparedness

• Fosters collaboration between utilities and Fosters collaboration between utilities and all all community members:community members:– Public health officialsPublic health officials– City/county managersCity/county managers– Public works officialsPublic works officials– Emergency respondersEmergency responders– Business CommunityBusiness Community– CitizensCitizens

• Electronic toolElectronic tool gives communities over 350 resources to develop and gives communities over 350 resources to develop and implement water resiliency plansimplement water resiliency plans

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ProductsProducts

CBWR Electronic ToolCBWR Electronic Tool

• Stakeholder specific modules (5)Stakeholder specific modules (5)o Healthcare and Public Health Healthcare and Public Health o Emergency ServicesEmergency Serviceso State/Tribal Primacy AgenciesState/Tribal Primacy Agencieso Local Officials /Concerned CitizensLocal Officials /Concerned Citizenso Water UtilitiesWater Utilities

• Toolbox >350 resourcesToolbox >350 resources• User-specific, detailed summary reportsUser-specific, detailed summary reports

Outreach MaterialsOutreach Materials• Interdependencies fact sheets (3)Interdependencies fact sheets (3)

o Healthcare & Public HealthHealthcare & Public Healtho General InterdependenciesGeneral Interdependencieso Emergency ServicesEmergency Services

• Tri-fold overview brochureTri-fold overview brochure• Poster (hard copy & interactive web version)Poster (hard copy & interactive web version)

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Return users can go straight to the CBWR

Toolbox!

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Next Steps/Opportunities Next Steps/Opportunities for Collaborationfor Collaboration

• Ground truth the conceptGround truth the concept

• Increased input/suggestions from Increased input/suggestions from

Public Health sectorPublic Health sector

• Develop Water Roundtable Wizard Develop Water Roundtable Wizard

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Water Emergency Roundtable WizardWater Emergency Roundtable WizardBased on ASDWA/EPA Region 5Based on ASDWA/EPA Region 5

Water Emergency Roundtable Discussion GuideWater Emergency Roundtable Discussion Guide

Planning and LogisticsPlanning and Logistics

• Suggested goals and Suggested goals and objectivesobjectives

• List of potential partnersList of potential partners• Suggested planning Suggested planning

team membersteam members• List of major planning List of major planning

process steps and process steps and planning team rolesplanning team roles

• Sample emails to Sample emails to gauge interestgauge interest

• Sample telephone Sample telephone scripts for recruiting scripts for recruiting participantsparticipants

• Suggested meeting Suggested meeting locations/tip sheetlocations/tip sheet

Meeting MaterialsMeeting Materials

• Invitation lettersInvitation letters• Registration tracking toolsRegistration tracking tools• Sample agendasSample agendas• Sample presentationsSample presentations• Required resources checklistRequired resources checklist• Sign-in table tips and toolsSign-in table tips and tools• Facilitators guideFacilitators guide• Tabletop exercisesTabletop exercises• Discussion questionsDiscussion questions• Evaluation FormEvaluation Form

Post-Roundtable ProductsPost-Roundtable Products

• Thank you lettersThank you letters• Attendee list templateAttendee list template• Action item tracking listAction item tracking list• Tips for keeping Tips for keeping

momentum goingmomentum going• Sample final reports and Sample final reports and

templatestemplates

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ChallengesChallenges

• Community-based resiliency = relatively new conceptCommunity-based resiliency = relatively new concept

• Global economic crisis means water security has lower priorityGlobal economic crisis means water security has lower priority

• Reliability of water services often taken for grantedReliability of water services often taken for granted

• Many do not recognize the importance of water preparednessMany do not recognize the importance of water preparedness

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EPA’s EPA’s Community-Based Water Resiliency Initiative:Community-Based Water Resiliency Initiative:

Communities, as a whole, are more resilient in the Communities, as a whole, are more resilient in the event of a water service interruption event of a water service interruption

Website: Website: http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/watersecurity/communities/index.cfmhttp://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/watersecurity/communities/index.cfm

California Department of Public Health California Department of Public Health

• EPA Region 9 grant provides for conducting an eight-EPA Region 9 grant provides for conducting an eight-hour training course in June 2011 on Water Sector hour training course in June 2011 on Water Sector Emergency Operations Center Train-the-Trainer Emergency Operations Center Train-the-Trainer Course Course

• Now using GIS to map the service areas of California Now using GIS to map the service areas of California utilities which could:utilities which could:– Help improve emergency response times Help improve emergency response times

– Determine if disease outbreaks are due to water contaminationDetermine if disease outbreaks are due to water contamination

• Contact Craig Wolf, CA DPHContact Craig Wolf, CA DPH

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WaterISACWaterISAC

• WaterISAC= WaterISAC=

Water Information Sharing and Analysis CenterWater Information Sharing and Analysis Center

• Public health officials and other state and federal Public health officials and other state and federal partners from all sectors are encouraged to subscribe!partners from all sectors are encouraged to subscribe!

• Secure, web-based networkSecure, web-based network

• All-hazards information to help water utility managers and All-hazards information to help water utility managers and staff make security and emergency management planning staff make security and emergency management planning decisionsdecisions

• How to SubscribeHow to Subscribe: : To receive a free12-month WaterISAC To receive a free12-month WaterISAC Pro subscription visit Pro subscription visit http://www.waterisac.orghttp://www.waterisac.org. .

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WaterISACWater Security

Network

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For More InformationFor More Information

Nushat Thomas, CBWR Project Lead Thomas.Nushat@epa.gov202-564-4674

Gretchen Giannelli, MPH, ORISE FellowGiannelli.Gretchen@epa.gov202-564-0242

Laura Flynn, Team LeaderFlynn.Laura@epa.gov202-564-4611