Water Resiliency - Recover

Recover from incidents and return to normal, or as normal as can be.  The faster you recover from the incident, the less “pain” is experienced by the community, and the greater the success.  It is important to remember that the goal of the recovery is to bring the community back to normal as soon as possible. 

Working with Partners and Stakeholders increases the probability of success:

Partners and Stakeholders

• Local Primacy Agencies (LPAs) – regulate the small water systems through authority to enforce the safe drinking water act.  They may have access to resources and guidance.
• California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) – is instrumental with guidance, information, and intelligence over the roadways necessary to transport critical equipment and materials in response to and recovery from all hazards.
• CalEPA – OEHHA, ARB, DPR, DTSC
• CDPH – FDB, L&C
• SWRCB - Divisions, RWQCBs
• United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the federal entity charged with protecting the environment and all related matters.  A few immediate associations include the Water Security Division (WSD) that provide guidance and tools aimed at increased resiliency in the face of all hazards, the Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water (OGWDW) charged with the areas of regulation and compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, and Superfund charged with the regulation and compliance with the Comprehensive Emergency Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA).
• The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) is the point organization in the face of all hazards.  They do efforts at prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from all hazards.  Focused on resilience, CalOES offers various resources including the California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI) – www.CSTI.org.  The CSTI is the training arm of CalOES.
• Community – a key partner and stakeholder, they are a focus in the consequences and the efforts at prevention, preparing, response and recovery.   It is acknowledged that a community that is self-reliant is one that is more resilient.  Various activities can be implemented by the community to increase resilience including establishing its Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).
• Public Water Systems (PWS) – in the face of all hazards incidents, quick access to the right resources is key to a successful outcome.  Maintaining collaborative relations with neighboring public water systems helps to increase resiliency.  Forming a network is even better.  Information on neighboring public water systems can be found here - https://data.ca.gov/dataset/drinking-water-public-water-system-information
• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) – these organizations, such as the American Red Cross (https://www.redcross.org/), Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (https://www.namb.net/southern-baptist-disaster-relief/), or the Salvation Army (https://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/) step-up and serve when needed and called.  These organizations have proven very integral and helpful during disasters and include missions in mass care and shelter, food and sustenance for responders and community, guidance and assistance.
• California Water/Wastwater Agency Response Network (CalWARN) is the California’s statewide mutual aid/assistance network in the water sector.  There is strength in a network and this entity can assist in quicker assessment and access to necessary resources in the face of all hazards.  Membership and participation is encouraged and there is no cost for participation.  Coordination is established with the emergency management systems.  Resources and information can be found here – www.CalWARN.org. 
• Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center (WaterISAC) is the Water Sector fusion center.  This organization (the creation of which was encouraged by the DHS and the FBI) receives, analyzes, shares and makes connections on information and intelligence potentially affecting the water sector.  Recent focus has been on the cyber threats.  There is a fee for membership and there is a free trial membership.  Resources and information can be found here – www.WaterISAC.org.
• California Utilities Emergency Association (CUEA), operating out of the CalOES headquarters office in Mather, is a fee membership network of California utilities and include electric power, water and wastewater, communications, fuel, and gas.  They work to facilitate coordination among the critical utilities with other partners and stakeholders.  Resources and information can be found here – www.cueainc.com.
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - www.fema.gov is the United States point organization in the face of all hazards.  They do efforts at prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from all hazards.  Focused on resilience, FEMA offers various resources including the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) – https://training.fema.gov/emi.aspx.  The EMI is the training arm of FEMA.
• DFW – OSPR
• DHS
• Operational Area (County) -
• Environmental and social justice organizations