vvEPA
Incident Action Checklist- Extreme Cold and
Winter Storms
The actions in this checklist are divided up into three "rip & run" sections and are examples of activities that water and
wastewater utilities can take to: prepare for, respond to and recover from extreme cold. For on-the-go convenience, you
can also populate the "My Contacts" section with critical information that your utility may need during an incident.
Extreme Cold and Winter Storm Impacts on Water and Wastewater
Utilities
Cold weather brings with it the potential for freezing temperatures, heavy snowfall and ice incidents that can
have multiple impacts on a community. Impacts to drinking water and wastewater utilities may include, but are
not limited to:
Pipe breaks throughout the distribution system, due to freeze/thaw cycles
Loss of power and communication lines
Limited access to facilities due to icy roads or debris such as downed tree limbs
Reduced work force due to unsafe travel conditions throughout the service area
Source water quality impacts due to increased amount of road salt in stormwater runoff
Potential flooding risk due to snowpack melt and ice jams (accumulations of ice in rivers or streams)
Potential surface water supply challenges as ice and frozen slush can block valves and restrict intakes
The following sections outline actions water and wastewater utilities can take to prepare for, respond to and
recover from extreme cold and winter storms.
Example of Water Sector Impacts and Response to a Winter Storm
Kentucky 2009 Ice Storm
Kentucky experienced a severe winter storm in January 2009 that resulted in the largest power outage in the
state's history. The storm began as a mixture of snow, followed by sleet and freezing rain coupled with strong
winds. Although there was advanced notice of hazardous weather, the storm was more severe than anticipated
and significant impacts to the water sector occurred. Ninety water utilities regulated by the Kentucky Public
Service Commission (PSC) were impacted by the ice storm, and over 32,000 customers were without water at
some point during the storm. One utility, the Hickory Water District in Graves County, Kentucky, lost all service
during the storm. Although the Water District had approximately 48 hours of water storage, they were unable
to supply water to their customers once that storage was exhausted, as they were without power and had no
back-up power source.
A significant number of utilities had service restored the day after the ice storm as a result of prioritization by
electric providers. Following the ice storm response, the PSC provided a number of recommendations to water
and wastewater utilities on how to better prepare for future incidents. Recommendations included issuing
consumer advisories prior to incidents that may result in service disruptions, considering the establishment of
interconnections, and joining a mutual aid network, such as WARN.
Source: Kentucky Public Service Commission,
"Ike and Ice: The Kentucky Public Service Commission Report on the September 2008 Wind Storm and the January 2009 Ice Storm."
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My Contacts and Resources
CONTACT NAME
UTILITY/ORGANIZATION NAME
PHONE NUMBER
Local EMA
State EMA
State Primacy Agency
WARN Chair
Power Utility
Planning
Incident monitoring:
. Storm Prediction Center (National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration [NOAA])
. Winter Weather Safety and Awareness (NOAA)
Winter Storms: The Deceptive Killers (NOAA)
Planning for an Emergency Drinking Water Supply
(EPA)
National Weather Service Weather Alerts (NOAA)
All-Hazard Consequence Management Planning
for the Water Sector (Water Sector Emergency
Response Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory
Council [CIPAC] Workgroup)
Vulnerability Self Assessment Tool (VSAT) (EPA)
How to Develop a Multi-Year Training and Exercise
(J&E) Plan (EPA)
Preparing for Extreme Weather Events: Workshop
Planner for the Water Sector (EPA)
Tabletop Exercise Tool for Water Systems:
Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Climate
Resiliency (EPA)
Make a Plan (FEMA)
Coordination
Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network
(WARW (EPA)
Communication with Customers
Salt Pollutes postcard (tips for customers on ways
to reduce salt) (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
[MPCA])
Facility and Service Area
A Fresh Look at Road Salt: Aquatic Toxicitv and
Water-Quality Impacts on Local. Regional, and
National Scales (United States Geological Survey
[USGS] and Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene
[WSLH])
The Kentucky Public Service Commission Report
on the September 2008 Wind Storm and the
January 2009 Ice Storm (Kentucky Public Service
Commission [KYPSC])
Power, Energy and Fuel
EPA Region 1 Water/Wastewater System Generator
Preparedness Brochure (EPA)
Documentation and Reporting
Federal Funding for Utilities In National Disasters
(Fed FUNDS^ (EPA)
Mitigation
Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool
(GREAT)
Adaptation Strategies Guide (EPA)
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Actions to Prepare for Extreme Cold and Winter Storms
Planning
Coordination
I I Actively monitor weather conditions for inclement
weather.
I | Review and update your utility's emergency
response plan (ERP), and ensure all emergency
contacts are current.
I | Conduct briefings, training and exercises to
ensure utility staff is aware of all preparedness,
response and recovery procedures.
I | Identify priority water customers (e.g., hospitals),
obtain their contact information, map their
locations and develop a plan to restore those
customers first, in case of water service
disruptions.
I | Develop an emergency drinking water supply
plan and establish response partner contacts
(potentially through your local emergency
management agency [EMA] or mutual aid
network) to discuss procedures, which may
include bulk water hauling, mobile treatment
units or temporary supply lines, as well as
storage and distribution.
I | Conduct a hazard vulnerability analysis in which
you review historical records to understand the
past frequency and intensity of winter storms
and how your utility may have been impacted.
Consider taking actions to mitigate extreme
cold, snow and ice storm impacts to your utility,
including those provided in the "Actions to
Recover from Extreme Cold and Winter Storms:
Mitigation" section.
I | Complete pre-disaster activities to help apply
for federal disaster funding (e.g., contact state/
local officials with connections to funding, set
up a system to document damage and costs,
take photographs of the facility for comparison to
post-damage photographs).
Join your state's Water/Wastewater Agency
Response Network (WARN) or other local
mutual aid network.
Coordinate with WARN members and other
neighboring utilities to discuss:
Outlining response activities, roles and
responsibilities and mutual aid procedures
(e.g., how to request and offer assistance)
Conducting joint tabletop or full-scale
exercises
Obtaining resources and assistance, such as
equipment, personnel, technical support or
water
Establishing interconnections between
systems and agreements with necessary
approvals to activate this alternate source.
Equipment, pumping rates and demand on
the water sources need to be considered and
addressed in the design and operations
Establishing communication protocols and
equipment to reduce misunderstandings
during the incident
Coordinate with other key response partners,
such as your local EMA, to discuss:
How restoring system operations may
have higher priority than establishing an
alternative water resource
Potential points of distribution for the delivery
of emergency water supply (e.g., bottled
water) to the public, as well as who is
responsible for distributing the water
Understand how the local and utility emergency
operations center (EOC) will be activated and
what your utility may be called on to do, as
well as how local emergency responders and
the local EOC can support your utility during a
response. If your utility has assets outside of the
county EMA's jurisdiction, consider coordination
or preparedness efforts that should be done in
those areas.
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Actions to Prepare for Extreme Cold and Winter Storms
(continued)
\ | Work with community partners to ensure the
utility is properly prioritized when determining
plowing and road salting/sanding operations.
I | Ensure credentials to allow access will be valid
during an incident by checking with local law
enforcement.
I | Sign up for mobile and/or email alerts from your
local EMA, if available.
Communication with Customers
I Review public information protocols with local
EMA and public health/primacy agencies. These
protocols should include developing water
advisory messages (e.g., boil water, warnings
that service disruptions are likely due to extreme
winter weather) and distributing them to
customers using appropriate mechanisms, such
as reverse 911. Keep in mind that the notice
may need to be delivered prior to the storm to be
effective.
I Instruct customers on how to prevent pipe
breaks in their homes (e.g., insulating outdoor
faucets, drip warm water from an indoor faucet)
and what to do if a pipe breaks.
Facility and Service Area
Inventory and order extra equipment and
supplies, as needed:
Motors
Fuses
Chemicals (ensure at least a two week supply)
Cellular phones or other wireless
communications device
Emergency Supplies
Salt
Shovels/snow blowers
Tarps/tape/rope
Cots/blankets
First aid kits
Foul weather gear
Plywood
Flashlights/flares
Bottled water
Batteries
Non-perishable food
I Ensure communication equipment (e.g., radios,
satellite phones) works and is fully charged.
I Prepare equipment and vehicles to start and run
in cold weather (e.g., tune ups, batteries, engine
block heaters).
I Develop a GIS map of all system components
and prepare a list of coordinates for each facility.
I Document pumping requirements and storage
capabilities, as well as critical treatment
components and parameters.
I Prior to a storm, apply road salt/sand as
necessary, and pre-stage snowplow equipment.
I Consider installing wind or snow drift barriers at
critical facilities.
I If surface water systems are equipped with
intake heaters, ensure they are maintained and
in working order before winter begins.
Personnel
Identify essential personnel and ensure they are
trained to perform critical duties in an emergency
(and possibly without communication), including
the shut down and start up of the system.
Establish communication procedures with
essential and non-essential personnel. Ensure
all personnel are familiar with emergency
evacuation and shelter in place procedures.
Pre-identify emergency operations and clean-
up crews. Establish alternative transportation
strategies if roads are impassable.
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Actions to Prepare for Extreme Cold and Winter Storms
(continued)
Consider how evacuations or limited staffing
due to transportation issues (potentially all
utility personnel) will impact your response
procedures.
Identify possible staging areas for mutual
aid crews if needed in the response, and the
availability of local facilities to house the crews.
Encourage personnel, especially those that
may be on duty for extended periods of time, to
develop family emergency plans.
Power, Energy and Fuel
Evaluate condition of electrical panels to accept
generators; inspect connections and switches.
Document power requirements of the facility;
options for doing this may include:
Placing a request with the US Army Corps
of Engineers 249th Engineer Battalion
(Prime Power): http://www.usace.army.
mil/249thEngineerBattalion.aspx
Using the US Army Corps of Engineers on-line
Emergency Power Facility Assessment Tool
(EPFAT): http://epfat.swf.usace.army.mil/
Confirm and document generator connection
type, capacity load and fuel consumption. Test
regularly, exercise under load and service
backup generators.
Fuel vehicles and fill fuel tanks to full capacity
and ensure that you have the ability to manually
pump gas in the event of a power outage.
Ensure this equipment and other hazardous
materials are located in a safe zone.
Contact fuel vendors and inform them of
estimated fuel volumes needed if utility is
impacted. Determine your ability to establish
emergency contract provisions with vendors
and your ability to transport fuel if re-fueling
contractors are not available. Develop a backup
fueling plan and a prioritization list of which
generators to fuel in case of a fuel shortage.
Collaborate with your local power provider and
EOC to ensure that your water utility is on the
critical facilities list for priority electrical power
restoration, generators and emergency fuel.
Example of Water Sector Impacts and Response to a Winter Storm
2014 Northern Ohio Winter Water Shortage
In January 2008, ice accumulation on the intake valves for Avon Lake Regional Water severely reduced water
production and caused the utility to ask customers to reduce usage. Avon Lake Regional Water's source
water is Lake Erie, and it provides water to over 200,000 residential and commercial customers in multiple
communities in and around the western Cleveland suburbs. The utility contracted with another company to put
six additional pumps into Lake Erie to increase water flow to the plant. This involved workers cutting through ice
300 feet from shore to put new pipes in the water. The utility was forced to deliver two sets of automated phone
calls to residents: the first asked them to reduce water use by refraining from washing clothes or taking long
showers; the second asked people to stop using water altogether, if possible. Mayors in communities affected
by the water shortages worked with their local EMAs to discuss contingency plans in the event of a fire. At least
one county declared a State of Emergency in order to free up resources around the state if they were needed.
The City of Cleveland was able to supply water to several communities served by Avon Lake Regional Water
Authority through interconnections. Its intakes were not affected, as they are farther out into Lake Erie where
the water is deeper.
Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer, "Water shortage reaching critical point in Avon as utility tries another way to pull water from the frozen lake."
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Actions to Respond to Extreme Cold and Winter Storms
Coordination
I I Notify your local EMA and state regulatory/
primacy agency of system status.
I I If needed, request or offer assistance (e.g.,
equipment, personnel) through mutual aid
networks, such as WARN.
I I Assign a representative of the utility to the
incident command post or the EOC for the
community.
Communication with Customers
Notify customers of any water advisories
and consider collaborating with local media
(television, radio, newspaper, etc.) to distribute
the message. If emergency water is being
supplied, provide information on the distribution
locations.
Facility and Service Area
Overall
Conduct damage assessments of the utility to
prioritize repairs and other actions.
Check that back-up equipment and facility
systems, such as controls and pumps, are
in working order, and ensure that chemical
containers and feeders are intact.
Drinking Water Utilities
Inspect the utility and service area for damage.
Identify facility components (e.g., valve boxes)
and fire hydrants that have been buried in snow,
frozen in ice or are inaccessible.
Systems that utilize surface water should monitor
intakes, as ice and frozen slush can block valves
and cause restrictions.
Ensure pressure is maintained throughout the
system and isolate those sections where it is not.
Isolate and control leaks in water transmission
and distribution piping.
Monitor source water quality, develop a sampling
plan and adjust treatment as necessary;
increased usage of road salt within the service
area may be a concern for utilities.
Notify regulatory/primacy agency if operations
and/or water quality or quantity are affected.
Utilize pre-established emergency connections
or setup temporary connections to nearby
communities, as needed. Alternatively, implement
plans to draw emergency water from pre-
determined tanks or hydrants. Notify employees
of the activated sites.
Wastewater Utilities
Inspect the utility and service area, including
lift stations, for damage and power availability.
Inspect the sewer system for debris and assess
the operational status of the mechanical bar
screen. If necessary, run system in manual
operation.
Notify regulatory/primacy agency of any changes
to the operations or required testing parameters.
Monitor the type and amount of bacteria in the
treatment process, as severe cold can affect
growth rates.
Consider curtailing or ceasing secondary
treatment wasting procedures during periods
of heavy freezing rain or snowmelt to conserve
bacteria and prevent it from washing out of the
plant.
Documentation and Reporting
Document all damage assessments, mutual aid
requests, emergency repair work, equipment
used, purchases made, staff hours worked and
contractors used during the response to assist
in requesting reimbursement and applying for
federal disaster funds. When possible, take
photographs of damage at each work site (with
time and date stamp). Proper documentation is
critical to requesting reimbursement.
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Actions to Respond to Extreme Cold and Winter Storms
(continued)
Work with your local EMA on the required
paperwork for public assistance requests.
Personnel
Account for all personnel and provide emergency
care, if needed. Caution personnel about known
hazards resulting from severe winter weather.
Deploy emergency operations and clean-up
crews. Identify key access points and roads
for employees to enter the utility and critical
infrastructure; coordinate the need for snow and
ice clearance with local officials and/or emergency
management or prioritize it for employee
operations.
Power, Energy and Fuel
Use backup generators, as needed, to supply
power to system components.
Monitor and plan for additional fuel needs in
advance; coordinate fuel deliveries to generators.
Maintain contact with electric provider for power
outage duration estimates.
r Notes:
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Actions to Recover from Extreme Cold and Winter Storms
Coordination
Documentation and Reporting
I I Continue work with response partners to obtain
funding, equipment, etc.
Communication with Customers
Assign a utility representative to continue
to communicate with customers concerning
a timeline for recovery and other pertinent
information.
Facility and Service Area
I I Complete damage assessments.
I I Complete permanent repairs, replace depleted
supplies and return to normal service.
Compile damage assessment forms and cost
documentation into a single report to facilitate
the sharing of information and the completion
of state and federal funding applications.
Visit EPA's web-based tool, Federal Funding
for UtilitiesWater/Wastewaterin National
Disasters (Fed FUNDS), for tailored information
and application forms for various federal
disaster funding programs: http://water.epa.gov/
infrastructure/watersecurity/funding/fedfunds/
Develop a lessons learned document and/or an
after action report (AAR) to keep a record of your
response activities. Update your vulnerability
assessment, ERP and corresponding extreme
cold and winter storm contingency plans.
Revise budget and asset management plans to
address increased costs from response-related
activities.
Mitigation
- Notes:
Identify mitigation and long-term adaptation
measures that can prevent damage and increase
utility resilience. Consider impacts related to the
increased frequency of extreme cold and intense
snow and ice storms when planning for system
upgrades (e.g., replacing weak pipes to reduce
the risk of main breaks, landscaping and tree
trimming to minimize debris issues).
Office of Water (4608-T) EPA 817-F-15-003 January 2015
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