Utilities, agencies devise water-tight plans to battle spread of avian flu

by Jennifer Finley | BC WATER NEWS

Health experts generally agree that it’s not “if” but “when” an influenza pandemic will strike, and the highly pathogenic avian flu could be the next deadly strain that leads to a global health crisis. But U.S. water and wastewater utilities aren’t waiting for a verdict: They’re taking pre-emptive measures so that basic operations will continue if a pandemic does occur.

Industry leaders from Bangor to Bakersfield are developing emergency action and continuity of operation plans, identifying alternative staff resources and offering cross-training for essential positions, preparing for shortages of critical materials and services by stockpiling commodities, and making arrangements for must-have products, such as chemicals and fuel.

Drawing on the experiences of past pandemics (1918, 1957, 1968), health experts know that waves of illnesses will last about six to eight weeks; should the avian flu also attack in a similar fashion, much of the country’s workforce will be sidelined and utility operations in particular will be significantly disrupted. It will be critical for water managers to provide adequate supplies of safe drinking water and to prevent water systems from becoming compromised or unavailable altogether; otherwise, nationwide outbreaks of diarrhea and waterborne disease are inevitable.

In many states, like California and Colorado, contingency plans are being coordinated on a larger scale encompassing local, regional and state agencies. California’s preparations, for example, have a dual focus: pandemic and birds-only (a major concern is protecting the state’s commercial poultry industry). Colorado State University just received $2.6 million in federal funds to study how interactions between humans and birds may lead to more widespread transmissions of avian influenza.  

In Massachusetts, though, Fred Laskey doesn’t underestimate the importance of being prepared.

“Our emphasis on pandemic preparedness is related to our concern that the issue is such a potentially fast-moving incident that it would be virtually impossible to react to unless it was pre-planned. A pandemic incident will be devastating to society, and we believe it is our obligation to ensure that water supply and sewerage services will be fully functional to serve public health and safety throughout,” says Laskey, executive director for the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority.

All critical operations personnel should be given top priority to receive inoculations before vaccine and antiviral drug shortages occur, experts agree, and once someone has had the flu and recovered — and thus become immune from further infection — they also will be vital employees during a pandemic.

ARS Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory in East Lansing, Mich. Bruce Fritz/USDA

“We are being advised by our state public health officials to expect up to 40 percent absenteeism during peak pandemic periods,” Laskey says. “Since this has never occurred in modern times, we don’t have much experience with predicting whether employees who are not ill will stay home for fear of exposure. Therefore, the real number may be higher if the 'worried well' don’t report to work.”

Key managers may be among the sick, so standard operating procedures must be kept up to date and an inventory of resources and functions readily available. A utility’s Emergency Response Plan also should establish a chain of command and include succession plans, financial plans, notification procedures and steps for contacting state agencies.

Cross-training also is essential to keep water systems up and running. Water treatment plants will need trained operators, pipeline managers and engineers, as well as people who can run back-office operations.

Some employees may need to stay on the job and be sequestered to avoid coming in contact with the virus. A written plan for these employees and their families should be created so that supplies and necessities are on-site before a pandemic hits. Some water companies have considered opening their treatment plants and pumping stations to house families under these conditions. If housing is not an option, then a plan for communication between the sequestered employees and their families outside the plant should be arranged.

Marking whooper swans with GPS transmitters. N. Batbayar/Mongolia WSC

Laskey and the MWRA have made planning for a pandemic avian flu a priority. Their key staff have been assigned to expedite emergency plan preparations and precautionary actions have been taken, including the development of a draft Emergency Action Plan.

“We have conducted an agencywide briefing for managers and supervisory staff. The business functions have been analyzed to determine the criticality of maintaining the function through the expected six- to eight-week pandemic wave. We also have identified the minimum number of staff needed in the most critical areas, as well as those needed to perform other business functions, such as payroll, IT systems and financial management,” Laskey says.

MRWA officials are procuring protective equipment, such as the N95 respirator, which can help reduce the transmission of the virus. These respirators will be in short supply if the pandemic does strike, because they are produced by only two companies in the world. Some utilities are already stockpiling them.

In Florida, the South Florida Water Management District has a Continuity of Operations Plan that identifies strategies, locations and equipment should a situation threaten operations.

“This plan provides the basis for our Pandemic Flu Plan, with some specific strategies pertinent to the pandemic hazard,” explains Olivia McLean, director of emergency management for SFWMD. “A pandemic flu planning team led by emergency management comprised of representatives from risk management, occupational health, information technology, legal and human resources are actively researching and identifying issues and options which must be addressed in the district’s pandemic flu response. Employee awareness and safety will be a primary focus regarding our plan.”

During a pandemic outbreak, having a response strategy will help managers identify essential chemicals, equipment and services needed to sustain critical functions. The key issues for water utilities will be the availability of chlorine for disinfectant and the assurance of reliable power resources. Because the avian flu virus is readily inactivated by chlorine, standard drinking water treatment processes should be effective as long as disinfectants are available.

“The good news is that public health officials are advising that the avian flu virus is not likely to be an issue as a contaminant in drinking water. Our ozone primary disinfection process is expected to inactivate any waterborne viruses in any event,” Laskey says.

In the face of a pandemic, utilities will turn to one another for help. Water agencies will collaborate with local health officials to provide the public with up-to-date information and possibly even vaccines. In several states, governmental agencies are setting up aid agreements with major water companies so that guidelines are in place. These agreements typically outline how physical and human resources will be shared.

Many states have set up a formalized system, called a Water Agency Response Network (WARN), that supports and promotes emergency preparedness, disaster response, and mutual assistance programs for water and wastewater utilities. To help water managers better prepare, the AWWA has put together an action plan for mutual aid and assistance networks, “Utilities Helping Utilities.”

Other groups are working to share information on a regular basis, so that officials do not have to “re-invent the wheel.”

“The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has prepared a draft Avian Influenza Continuity of Operations Plan that will be distributed to agency staff upon final review and approval,” according to Dee Ann Miller in FDEP’s press office. “The Florida DEP has worked closely with the Florida Department of Health and the Division of Emergency Management in developing our plan, and we have documented the names of other agencies, entities and individuals who have appropriate knowledge and skills to potentially perform agency critical functions during a time of crisis.”

Because the MWRA is the largest water supplier in New England, special arrangements are being made to ensure that water will flow to those in need. “MWRA functions as a wholesale provider of water and wastewater services to 60 communities, so we expect to be asked to provide mutual aid for our customers,” Laskey says. “The first step will be to help them develop pandemic plans similar to ours. We have coordinated with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, our state regulatory water agency, and EPA Region 1 to share our plans as we develop them. We also continue to maintain a close liaison with state and local public health agencies.”

The federal EPA Office of Water will distribute information on the virus and nominate priority water systems staff to be among the first to receive vaccines and antiviral drugs. In addition, the agency is developing emergency drills and cross-training guidance, as well as offering forums and workshops.

The federal government also has been working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization to monitor the spread of the avian flu.

© 2006 BROWN AND CALDWELL

Established in 1947, Brown and Caldwell is a multidisciplined environmental engineering and consulting firm. The employee-owned company is headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif., and employs more than 1,300 people in 45 offices nationwide. Engineering News-Record ranks Brown and Caldwell 54th among the nation's top 500 engineering firms and 9th largest in the Sewer/Waste market.