Research Highlights

Water Sector Security Workshops

Approximately 100 stakeholder group representatives participated in each of the three EPA/WEF Water Sector Security Workshops. A major goal of the workshops was to ensure a balance of participation among key water sector stakeholders.

Approximately 100 stakeholder group representatives participated in each of the workshops. A major goal of the workshops was to ensure a balance of participation among key water sector stakeholders. This included small, medium, and large urban water sector utilities; rural water sector utilities; and other appropriate stakeholders, such as government agencies, public health organizations, and emergency responders. All workshop invitees were approved by a steering committee of representatives from WEF, EPA, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Agenda and Goals of Workshops

• General sessions
• A series of facilitated breakout group sessions
• A final facilitated discussion of applications, research trends, and needs identified during the course of the workshop

All sessions were focused on the needs of either water sector security applications (e.g., funding, tools, training) or water sector security research (e.g., monitoring systems, treatment technology). The goals of the workshop included:

• Providing participants with an overview of the current state of water sector security and updates on application and research activities in preparation for focused breakout group sessions.
• Increasing knowledge among participants regarding a wide range of current water security practices and challenges confronting water sector utilities and stakeholders, and providing stakeholder input to WEF, EPA, DHS, and others regarding priority water sector application and research needs.
• Providing an opportunity for workshop participants to introduce needs and ideas not already discussed; clarify important needs; share and discuss security challenges with other stakeholders; ask questions of WEF, EPA, DHS, and others; and provide input regarding how best to address needs identified during the workshops.

Significantly more detail on the methodology used for the workshops and full workshop agendas are available from the three interim reports available on the Water Security Network at http://www.waterisac.org/ .

Conclusions and Path Forward 

The workshops identified challenges and needs associated with water sector utilities. Overarching challenges identified include:

• Maintaining support for security investments by water sector utilities
• Addressing vulnerabilities of water sector utility distribution systems
• Managing water sector security information

The workshops also determined that to better secure our nation’s critical drinking water and wastewater infrastructures, the water sector needs to continue to focus on having security programs in place. Such programs enhance the ability to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from potential terrorist or other intentional acts, or natural disasters. These efforts will assist in ensuring the safety of the drinking water supply and protection of water quality by reducing the risk to public health, the environment, and critical infrastructure.
EPA has initiated research projects to address the challenges and needs identified in these workshops and will continue to collaborate and build upon existing relationships with key partners within the sector—drinking water and wastewater utilities; DHS; other critical infrastructure sectors; state, local and tribal governments; and stakeholders.  Collaboration efforts will assist in:

• Understanding interdependencies
• Developing tools and training
• Improving information-sharing and exchange mechanisms
• Conducting research to ensure that critical water sector operations are not interrupted by potential terrorist or other intentional acts

Availability of Workshop Information

WEF has published interim reports from each of the three workshops on the Water Security Network, at http://www.waterisac.org . These reports provide the results of the workshops, detail specific lessons learned, and identify critical needs related to both applying water sector security programs and supporting research and technology development.

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