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AWWA executive
director says water utilities doing everything to meet federal
security deadlines
U.S. Newswire -
3/11
DENVER,
March 11 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Jack Hoffbuhr, Executive Director
of the American Water Works Association, today responded to U.S.
Attorney General John Ashcroft's statement relating to the security
of U.S. water utilities.
Established in 1881, AWWA has over 56,000 members worldwide and
its 4,500 utility members serve 80 percent of America's population.
AWWA is the oldest and largest nonprofit scientific and educational
organization dedicated to safe drinking water in North America
"Water
utilities throughout the nation have spent hundreds of millions
of dollars in infrastructure costs including water monitoring,
physical security systems, and emergency training and planning
to protect America's water supplies from terrorism," Hoffbuhr
stated. "Water utilities are always committed to delivering
safe drinking water to the American public and take this responsibility
seriously."
Following
the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, regulatory and legislative
officials examined the security of America's drinking water supply.
The Public Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness Act mandates
that America's largest water systems (serving more than 100,000
persons) meet vulnerability assessments by March 31, 2003.
While
these drinking water systems have either met or are working to
meet the March 31st federal deadline to prepare vulnerability
assessments and update their emergency response plans, the vast
majority of the nation's public water systems serve populations
of fewer than 100,000 people and collectively, the AWWA estimates
that more than $450 million in federal assistance is required
for these assessments. Medium-sized systems (serving between 50,000
and 100,000 people) have until December 31, 2003 to meet the federal
deadline and the small-sized systems (serving 3,300 to 50,000
people) have until June 30, 2004. Updated emergency response plans
are due six months after the vulnerability assessments are completed.
Hundreds
of water utility executives and security experts from throughout
America will discuss best practice efforts and funding challenges
to securing the nation's water supply at the American Water Works
Association (AWWA) Water Security Congress March 23-26, 2003 in
Los Angeles. United States EPA Administrator Christie Whitman
is scheduled to speak at the conference luncheon on Tuesday, March
25, 2003.
The
AWWA Water Security Congress will provide opportunities for water
utility professionals to learn, network, and share ideas relating
to water security. The event will also feature seminars from some
of the leading water security experts in the nation and a vendor
exhibit hall displaying the latest innovations in utility security.
Topics will include implementing results of vulnerability assessments,
water quality monitoring, legislative and research updates, crisis
decision-making, and threat identification and response.
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