AMWA Welcomes New Water Security Legislation

The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) announced its support today for legislation creating a new federal water security program.  Introduced by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-Okla.), the Water Security Act of 2007 (S. 1968) would authorize Environmental Protection Agency grants to help offset the cost of security enhancements at drinking water and wastewater facilities.

“This legislation, if ultimately funded by Congress, will provide much needed assistance to local drinking water systems seeking to improve the security of their facilities and the safety of their communities,” said Diane VanDe Hei, AMWA’s executive director. 

“It’s worth noting,” added VanDe Hei, “that this bill covers not only protection from terrorism, but preparedness against accidental incidents and natural disasters.

Specifically, the legislation authorizes a total of $245 million to fund activities such as:

• Water system vulnerability assessments and updates,
• Development or updating of emergency response and site security plans,
• Security enhancements to address vulnerabilities identified in the assessments, including costs associated with the adoption of alternate technologies,
• The development of state water/wastewater area response networks, to facilitate assistance after natural disasters. 
• Training of utility personnel,
• Improved assessment procedures, and
• Research into water distribution system protection.
  

Under S. 1968, security enhancement grants to water systems would be limited to 50 percent of a project’s cost.
 
“After 9/11, water systems conducted vulnerability assessments and boosted security at their facilities as much as possible,” VanDe Hei added. “The funds authorized by this legislation would help leverage local dollars to make comprehensive improvements, ranging from cameras and fencing to the implementation of alternate technologies, based on the results of the vulnerability assessments.”

The need for such a program is clear, as a survey of AMWA members earlier this year found that fewer than forty percent of drinking water systems have been able to access Department of Homeland Security grants to finance security upgrades.  Additionally, several utilities expressed frustration with the strict limits placed on how the DHS funds may be used.  This new program will address these problems by providing dedicated funding that allows utility operators to identify their systems’ greatest security challenges and take the appropriate steps to fix them.

“Water system security is of great national importance, and that’s what this legislation recognizes,” noted VanDe Hei.  “We hope other senators and representatives in the House will get behind it.”