CDPH – DDWEM California Department of Public Health – Division of Drinking Water and Environmental Management Drinking Water Program “How’s the water? Is it still wet?” Joseph Crisologo, P.E. Senior Homeland Security Engineer

Outline Who we are What we do Why is Drinking Water a Critical Infrastructure Who we work with Challenges and Issues Questions

CDPH - Drinking Water Program Headquarters/Management Northern California Field Operations Branch Southern California Field Operations Branch Technical Programs Branch Local Primacy Agencies (County Organizations)

We are distributed throughout the State We also have greater numbers where population is greater We can call on resources not affected by an event

Local Primacy Agency (LPA) County Health Officer –LPA or EHD –HSC – Authority to take Preventative Measures During An Emergency. –HSC – Health Officers May Take Preventative Steps to Control the Spread of Disease.

Assure safe, clean, wholesome and potable water is served reliably and adequately. Regulating public water systems – compliance with MCLs – jurisdictional responsibility Conduct inspections, issue permits, and implement enforcement proceedings where necessary Educate and train – new regulations Respond to emergencies and coordinate with partners; help identify and solve challenges IT’S WHAT WE DO

Critical Infrastructure Electricity Communications Water Natural Gas Fuel (Gasoline/Diesel) How long without these?

California Water Total PWS in CA – 8000 CWS – 3200 –>3300 Service Connections – 400 –1000 to 3300 – 300 –200 to 999 – 400 –15 to 199 – 2000 NTNC – 1500 TNC Groundwater sources - 16,000 –Wells and springs Surface Water - 1,000 –Lakes/Reservoirs, Rivers, Canals Lots of water systems Lots of smalls and non-communities Lots of sources As a utility set, very fractured, varied, and independent We regulate to the local entity

Even if a hoax, it is still real.

Water System Target Risks Source Water: River, Lake, Well Transmission Line: Canals, Aqueducts Treatment Plant: Chemicals & Equipment Distribution System Large Medium Small Low

Distribution System Storage Tanks Storage Reservoir Pump Station

Service Connections Backflow and Cross Connections

Security and Emergency Preparedness and Response – to improve resiliency –CSTI Table Top Exercise Design Class –Golden Guardian 2008 –CAHAN –EWQSK –CERC –CAMAL Net –WBDO Work group –Pandemic Influenza Awareness –Terrorism Awareness –Environmental Health Training for Emergency Response –Coordination with groups

California Health Alert Network (CAHAN) Administrator/Collaborator/Alert license training Water Labs (CAMAL Net) members are in County Health are in Hospitals are going in PWS to go in Testing – alerts periodic Secure documents review Administrators to manage accounts

It happened/happens/can happen 6 th Century BC – Assyrians, Solon of Athens Civil War – retreating army vs advancing army World War II – Japanese biological warfare field trials on 11 Chinese cities 1941 – Hoover; 1998 – Clinton PDD-63 – ERP 12/80 – chlordane, outside Pitsburgh 1985 – Arkansas - Covenant, Sword, Arm of the Lord – potassium cyanide 5/00 – Walkerton, Ontario – intentional/unintentional 1/01, FBI warned U.S. water utilities of a threat from a “very credible, well funded North African-based terrorist group” to “disrupt water operations in 28 U.S. cities.” 1/02 alert from NIPC of Al-Qa’ida interest in water systems, based on software found on computer in Afghanistan owned by person with links to Al-Qa’ida

Emergency Water Quality Sampling Kit (EWQSK) Confirm the presence of unknown contaminants introduced to a drinking water system. Hazmat personnel can use the kit if an incident poses a risk to onsite personnel. Instruct first responders and other participants on the purpose, capabilities and use of the EWQSK. Located at district offices Understand responsibilities in response

EWQSK

Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) “Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Tool Kit” –contains detailed information to help Community Water Systems maintain effective communication with the public during emergencies. –complimentary resource to the water system’s emergency response plan –specifically designed to support writing and implementing a crisis communication plan Communication with public and media Knowing when to communicate during a crisis is as important as knowing what to communicate. Crisis Communication Plan

A good Communication Plan helps prevent this.

CAMAL Net Consortium of state, federal, and local public water utility laboratories –Public Water System Drinking Water Laboratories –USEPA Region 9 Laboratory –CA Dept. of Water Resources Laboratory –CDPH Sanitation and Radiation Laboratory Patterned after Water and Wastewater Agency Response Network (WARN) Recognizing laboratory capabilities is a resource.

CAMAL Net Laboratory surge capacity is a high priority during water quality emergencies to characterize fate and transport and clearance. Provide Mutual Aid assistance to CDPH Sanitation and Radiation Lab to analyze non- WMD public health drinking water samples that are the result of a terrorist attack on a PWS.

Coordination with groups WEROC FBI ERNIE IMARC LEPCs (6 Regions) MARACs (6 Regions) OES TEWGs SALES INFRAGARD BASIC DHS EPO OHS Water ISAC ASDWA Others

GW & SW System Storage Tanks Storage Reservoir Pump Station WTP Still finding leaks likely due from Northridge Quake

Causes of Water Quality Problems Microbiological growth or presence Turbidity – compromised treatment processes Compromised distribution system Unexpected loading of contaminants at the headworks Flooding Cross-connections/co-mingling/releases

Other Water Quality Issues Low pressure <5 psi Dead animals Repeated coliform positive samples Not able to do emergency chlorination (need portable chlorinators) Upset in the operation of treatment plants Others

What we will do Self Assessment-COOP/COG, local offices, call-in, 800 #, CAHAN, satellite phones Reporting to the EOCs, REOC, JEOC, SOC – reporting form Form assessment teams (for each OA, 5 teams of 2) – initial/quick, detailed damage Inspections of water treatment plants, storage facilities Inspections of watersheds –Chemical contamination (insecticides, hazardous materials) –Sewage from homes, mains, pumping stations or treatment plants –Erosion Drainage diversions around facilities Working with Water MAC to prioritize resources MAC = CDPH, PWS, WARN, OA, LHD, others

What we will do Conducting water sampling; review/interpret results Consulting/working with water system operators/staff Providing technical assistance (Agency Representative or Technical Reference) Incident Action Plan to include – restoration of water service Documenting the effects on water systems through photographs and reports Keeping local officials advised of the current drinking water situation Review plans and specifications for reconstruction projects, and issue amended permits as needed PWS in impacted areas, Tier 3, 2 and then 1 assessments Objective – return to normal operations Environmental Health Strike Teams – Tier 1 areas

Routes of Resource Requests CDPH Direct Assistance CDPH Drinking Water Program (DOC) (our statutory authority) Technical Advice - Water Quality Issues Assessments/Inspections Emergency Water Quality Sampling Kits Lab Support Additional Technical Support–Other CDPH programs Regional Emergency Operation Center Local/Operational Area EOC State Emergency Operations Center Supplemental Water supplies Heavy Equipment Contractor Support Etc. Resource Requests SEMS Water Utility Incident Occurs CDPH - JEOC Cal WARN

Public Notices BWO–Boil Water Order/Notice/Advisory –Standard template and language –Rolling boil for one minute –Can’t boil? Then chemical disinfection –Microbial issues USWA–DND–Unsafe Water Alert–Do Not Drink –Standard template and language –Acute contaminants –Alternate sources –Can use for other purposes USWA-DNU–Unsafe Water Alert–Do Not Use –Unknown contaminants –Not to be used at all Water Shortage SDWA Notifications –Tier 1 (Short Term MCLs) –Tier 2 (Long Term MCLs) –Tier 3 (Monitoring & Reporting) Problem Corrected

Who Can Issue CDPH Primacy for Enforcement of SDWACDPH Primacy for Enforcement of SDWA –Health and Safety Code Section CCR and CCR and –PN Enforced by District Engineers –LPAs for SWS PN –PWS To Issue Notice CDPH/LPA Will Issue PN if PWS CannotCDPH/LPA Will Issue PN if PWS Cannot –Immediate Public Health Hazard

Who Can Issue Public Water SystemsPublic Water Systems –Can Issue Own PN –Order vs Notice/Advisory –Cannot Contact CDPH/LPA and Need to Inform Public –Issue per PWS Emergency Notification Plan

Who Can Issue County Health OfficerCounty Health Officer –LPA or EHD –HSC – Authority to take Preventative Measures During An Emergency. –HSC – Health Officers May Take Preventative Steps to Control the Spread of Disease.

Guidance - Lifting the BWO Corrective Actions Approved by CDPH/LPA –Identify the cause/problem and resolve –Flushing/isolation/disinfection/discharge –Flushing program complete and effective –Pressures restored to normal –All broken pipes have been repaired, disinfected and tested for bacti –Sewer lines also need to be repaired

Guidance - Lifting the BWO Sampling Results Approved by CDPH/LPA Two sets of clean samples taken 24 hours apart – representative – bacti quality Acceptable turbidity levels Sampling and analysis – coliform, chlorine residual, parameters Free chlorine residual > 0.5 mg/L dist sys, inc. extremities No reports of illnesses – new cases CDPH DO Receive Results Prove that the system is clean Problem Corrected Notice

Boil Water Notices Boil water notices must only be lifted after the Dept has given direction to the water utility to do so. Lifting a Boil Water Notice

Challenges and Experiences Coordination with local health officer and operational areas USWA-DND versus DNU Different orders issues by different counties Understanding why one notice is issued instead of another

Conclusion Effects will/could be devastating Everything is a system with interconnecting and interdependent components We have many resources and many ways to address these challenges We’ve got a great system and we can only get better We need to continue to exercise and learn so that we can be more resilient and successful

Exercise Considerations Your partners and stakeholders Your strengths and challenges Your policies and procedures Your interdependencies (supply/demand side) Your customer (internal and external)

The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. “To a Mouse,” by Robert Burns Plan, Plan, Plan Action, Action, Action Practice, Practice, Practice

Questions? Clifford L. Bowen, P.E. Senior Homeland Security Engineer CDPH – DDWEM - No. Cal. (510) Joseph Crisologo, P.E., R.E.A. Senior Homeland Security Engineer CDPH - DDWEM – So. Cal. (818) Website: Marvin Young Senior Homeland Security Specialist CDPH - DDWEM - HQ (510)