&EPA

                  Incident Action Checklist - Tsunami

  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 a tsunami. For on-the-go convenience, you can
  also populate the "My Contacts" section with critical information that your utility may need during an incident.


Tsunami Impacts on Water and Wastewater Utilities
A tsunami is a series of water waves of extremely long length generated  by undersea earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions or massive undersea landslides. A large tsunami can cause local devastation, as well as damage
thousands of miles away. Tsunamis can significantly impact coastal drinking  water and wastewater utilities.
These impacts may include,  but are not limited to:


   • Inundation of facilities due to high floodwaters, possibly
     resulting in loss of service
   • Direct damage to facilities and equipment due to high
     velocity waves, debris and coastal erosion
   • Loss  of power and communication infrastructure
   • Restricted access to facility due  to debris, flood waters and
     damage to roadways
   • Potential saltwater intrusion into groundwater aquifers and
     estuaries from high velocity waves
   • Possible backflows into wastewater systems if saltwater                                        EPA
     intrudes into a wastewater outfall


The following sections outline actions water and wastewater utilities can take to prepare for, respond to and
recover from a tsunami.


  Example  of Water Sector Impacts and Response to a Tsunami
  The Great Alaskan Earthquake and Tsunami of 1964
  The 1964 Alaska earthquake (also known as the Great Alaskan Earthquake, the Portage Earthquake and the Good
  Friday Earthquake) was a megathrust earthquake that happened on Good Friday, March 27, 1964. Across south-
  central Alaska, ground fissures, building collapses and coastal tsunamis resulting from the earthquake caused about
  131 deaths.
  Lasting nearly four minutes, the magnitude 9.2 earthquake was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in North
  America, and the second largest earthquake in recorded history at the time.
  In addition to liquefaction, the powerful earthquake produced ground fissures and failures which resulted in landslides
  and major structural damage in several  communities, including damage to water and sewer mains and electrical
  systems in Anchorage. Post-earthquake tsunamis of up to 50 feet high destroyed several communities along Prince
  William Sound and Kodiak Island, and affected areas as far away as Oregon  and California. In total, the tsunamis
  killed 119  people and caused nearly $400 million in damages in Alaska alone.

                                                            Source: The Watchers, "The Great Alaskan Earthquake 1964"
                                           Source: University of Southern California Tsunami Research Group, "1964 Alaskan Tsunami"
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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:
   •  Tsunami Alerts (National Oceanic and
     Atmospheric Administration [NOAA])
   •  National Tsunami Warning Center (NOAA/National
     Weather Service [NWS])
•   TsunamiReadv (NOAA)
•   Recent Earthquakes: Implications for U.S. Water
   Utilities (Water Research Foundation)
•   National Weather Service Weather Alerts (NOAA)
•   Planning for an Emergency Drinking Water Supply
   (EPA)
•   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)
•   Tabletop Exercise Tool for Water Systems:
   Emergency Preparedness. Response, and Climate
   Resiliency (EPA)
•   How to Develop a Multi-Year Training and Exercise
   (T&E1 Plan (EPA)
•   Make a Plan (Federal Emergency Management
   Agency [FEMA])
Coordination
•   Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network
   (WARN) (EPA)
•   Community Based Water Resiliency (EPA)

Facility and Service Area
•   Oregon Earthquake Resiliency Plan (see Chapter 8:
   Water and Wastewater Systems) (Oregon Seismic
   Safety Policy Advisory Commission)
•   Seismic Guidelines for Water Pipelines (American
   Lifelines Alliance)
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
•   National Tsunami Mitigation Program (NWS)
•   Mitigation Ideas (FEMA)
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                     Actions to Prepare for a Tsunami
Planning
I	I Review and update your utility's emergency
   response plan (ERP), and ensure all emergency
   contacts are current.

I	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.

I	| Develop an emergency drinking water supply
   plan and establish 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 tsunami events
   and how your utility may have been impacted.
   Consider taking actions to mitigate tsunami
   impacts to the utility, including those provided
   in the "Actions to Recover from a Tsunami:
   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).
Coordination
   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 source

   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.

Ensure credentials to allow access will be valid
during an incident by checking with local law
enforcement.

Sign up for mobile and/or email alerts from your
local EMA, if available.
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                Actions to Prepare for a Tsunami (continued)
Communication with Customers	

I	I Develop outreach materials to provide your
   customers with information they will need
   after a tsunami (e.g., clarification about water
   advisories, instructions for private well and septic
   system maintenance).
   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) and
   distributing them to customers using appropriate
   mechanisms, such as reverse 911.
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

     •   Tarps/tape/rope

     •   Cots/blankets

        First aid kits

        Foul weather gear

        Plywood

        Flashlights/flares

     •   Sandbags (often, sand must be ordered as
        well)

        Bottled water

        Batteries

        Non-perishable food
I Ensure communication equipment (e.g., radios,
 satellite phones) works and is fully charged.

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 Establish a water-tight or offsite facility to store
 essential records and equipment.
                                                   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.

 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.
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                Actions to Prepare for a Tsunami  (continued)
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.

   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.
                                                                                             FEMA
r Notes:
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                    Actions to Respond to a Tsunami
Planning
   Tsunamis often result from earthquakes; review
   the Earthquake Incident Action Checklist for
   more information on how to respond to an
   earthquake.
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.,
   water buffalos, water sampling teams,
   generators) through mutual aid networks, such
   as WARN.

I	I Assign a representative of the utility to the
   incident command post or the community's EOC.

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, are
inaccessible or have been destroyed.

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.

Turn off water meters at destroyed homes and
buildings.

Monitor water quality, develop a sampling plan
and adjust treatment as necessary.

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.
r Notes:
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              Actions to Respond to a Tsunami  (continued)
   Wastewater Utilities

  \ Inspect the utility and service area, including lift
   stations, for damage, downed trees 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.

  I Notify regulatory/primacy agency of any changes
   to the operations or required testing  parameters.
Documentation and Reporting
Personnel
   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.

   Work with your local EMA on the required
   paperwork for public assistance requests.
   Account for all personnel and provide emergency
   care, if needed. Caution personnel about known
   hazards resulting from tsunamis.

   Deploy emergency operations and clean-up
   crews (e.g., securing heavy equipment). Identify
   key access points and roads for employees
   to enter the utility and critical infrastructure;
   coordinate the need for debris clearance with
   local 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 the
   generators.

   Maintain contact with electric provider for power
   outage duration estimates.
  Example of Water Sector Impacts and Response to a Tsunami

  Tohoku, Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011
  A magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit the northeastern part of Japan on March 11, 2011, triggering multiple tsunami events.
  While drinking water systems in the region suffered little to no tsunami damage, they did experience moderate to
  major earthquake damage. For example, earthquake liquefaction effects contributed to hundreds of broken water
  distribution pipes.
  The tsunamis did have major effects on several wastewater treatment plants. For example, the primary treatment
  plant of the Miyagi Prefecture was impacted by two tsunamis. The first caused little damage because most facility
  components were constructed at a height above the 5 meter wave. The second tsunami, however, was approximately
  10-15 meters high and eroded building structural foundations, overtopped treatment tanks, destroyed electrical
  controls and wiped out power supplies and emergency generators.

                                      Source: American Society of Civil Engineers and Technical Council on Lifeline Earthquake Engineering
                                                     "Report on the 11 March 2011 9.0 Tohoku. Japan Earthquake and Tsunami"
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                   Actions to Recover from a Tsunami
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.
                                          FEMA
   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 Utilities—Water/Wastewater—in 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 to keep a record of your
   response activities. Update your vulnerability
   assessment,  ERP and contingency plans.

   Revise budget and  asset management plans to
   address increased costs from response-related
   activities.
                                                 Mitigation
                                                    Identify mitigation and long-term adaptation
                                                    measures that can prevent damage and
                                                    increase utility resilience. Consider impacts
                                                    related to earthquakes when planning for system
                                                    upgrades (e.g., replacing pipes, wellheads and
                                                    water tanks to address seismic weaknesses).
 Notes:
                               Office of Water (4608-T)  EPA 817-F-15-008 January 2015
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