A Vision and Direction for Water Sector Security and Preparedness Initiatives

Abstract

This article describes the development of a strategic plan for integrating existing and future water sector security efforts under a single all‐hazards risk management framework, embodied in the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP). The plan, finalized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHA) in 2006, establishes the processes for combining consequence, vulnerability, and threat information to produce a comprehensive, systematic, and rational assessment of national or sector‐specific risk that drives activities for protecting critical infrastructure sectors and key resources (CI/KR). During the past year, the Water Sector Coordinating Council (WSCC) has worked in collaboration with the DHS, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and the Government Coordinating Council (GCC) on the development of the Water Sector Specific Plan (Water SSP). The GCC includes federal and state governmental agencies with oversight of water sector CI/KR. At the core of the Water SPP is a vision statement, the Security Vision, and a series of goals and objectives that will help drive development and implementation of protective programs for the water sector based on the NIPP risk management framework and other supporting HSPD initiatives. This article discusses four goals that include: sustain protection of public health and the environment; recognize and reduce risks in the water sector; maintain a resilient infrastructure; and, increase communication, outreach, and public confidence.