Replies

Clean Water Advocacy - Security

Articles on Water Infrastructure Security - 2001

Chemical Plants Should Focus on "Inherent Safety" Measures

The Newark Star-Ledger reports that chemical plants, including wastewater treatment plants, that store chlorine, should be focusing on "inherent safety" -- changing processes or substituting chemicals to minimize the use of dangerous substances.

The article cites a Cleveland environmentalist as saying, "The week after Sept. 11, we had a meeting on plant security. We had a big regional wastewater-treatment plant and we said, 'Isn't it great? They don't have to worry because they switched from chlorine to sodium hypochlorite [bleach] to purify their water."

The article goes on to report that the way the Cleveland wastewater community took care of the potential threat is exemplary, and that chemical plants should not view physical security measures, such as fences or armed guards, as the answer. (The Newark Star Ledger, Security Not Enough, Some Say, 12/16/01)

*****

December 27, 2001

House Pipes Can Be Used to Poison Water Supply

The Wall Street Journal reports that cities nationwide are "taking steps to prevent terrorists from reversing the flow of water into a home or business -- which can be accomplished with a vacuum cleaner or bicycle pump -- and using the resulting "backflow" to push poisons into a local water-distribution system."

This would spread toxins into nearby homes and businesses. As the article points out, most reservoirs hold such large amounts of water that they would dilute any poison to the degree where it would require huge amounts of poison to do any serious damage while the treatment process would also destroy potentially dangerous poisons.

A backflow attack, however, cannot be easily prevented and would spread highly concentrated poisons to a smaller area of a few thousand homes and/or businesses. Backflowing water results in decreased pressure that can be monitored, but the drops in pressure are sometimes very minor and difficult to detect. (The Wall Street Journal, Water Utility Officials Fear 'Backflow' from Terrorists, Yochi Dreazen, 12/27/01)

*****

November 18, 2001

Federal Government Takes Steps to Limit Availability of Sensitive Info

The Los Angeles Times reports that the Government Printing Office (GPO) is actively contacting libraries to have them destroy potentially sensitive information, including a CD Rom survey on reservoirs and dams that could be used by terrorists.

The GPO has contacted over 1300 libraries to destroy sensitive documents and at least 15 agencies have yanked information off their web sites. The article reports that states are following the federal lead in limiting potentially sensitive information the before September 11 was readily available. (The Los Angeles Times, Response to Terror: Rising Fears that What We Do Know Can Hurt Us, Eric Lichtblau, 11/19/01)

***** Chemical Plants, Chlorine Gas Vulnerable to Terrorism

The Washington Post reports that last February, environmentalists concerned about security problems in the chemical industry scaled the fence of a large Dow Chemical plant in Louisiana and gained access to the panel that regulates potentially discharges of chlorine into the Mississippi River. (The Milwaukee Journal & Sentinel, Formula for Trouble at Chemical Plants, Eric Pianin, 11/18/01)

*****

November 17, 2001

Water System More Vulnerable than Federal Officials May Believe

The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that two officials, one from the United States Department of Agriculture, and a city administrator in Edwardsville, Illinois, state that, contrary to the FBI's view, it would be quite simple to contaminate the water supply.

The article explains that the introduction of enriched salmonella or E. Coli into the water supply is a relatively uncomplicated task. (The St. Louis Post Dispatch, Water System Is Vulnerable, 2 Speakers Say at Forum, Robert Kelly, 11/17/01)

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies - Security