vvEPA
Incident Action Checklist- Flooding
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 flooding. For on-the-go convenience, you can
also populate the "My Contacts" section with critical information that your utility may need during an incident.
Flooding Impacts on Water and Wastewater Utilities
Flooding is common throughout much of the United States and can be caused by heavy precipitation events,
storm surge, levee or dam failures or inadequate drainage. These events often occur with little or no notice,
and can cause extensive damage to drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. Flooding impacts to utilities
often include, but are not limited to:
Infrastructure damage, possibly resulting in service interruptions
Pipe breaks due to washouts, which could result in sewage spills or low water pressure throughout the
service area
Debris blockage at an intake or unearthed water and wastewater lines due to falling trees
Loss of power and communication lines
Combined sewer overflows (CSOs)
Water quality changes to source waters and treated effluents, including increased turbidity, increased
nutrients and other potential contaminants
Restricted access to the facility due to debris, flood waters and damage to roadways from washouts and
sinkholes
Loss of water quality testing capability due to restricted facility and laboratory access and damage to
utility equipment
The following sections outline actions water and wastewater utilities can take to prepare for, respond to and
recover from floods.
Example of Water Sector Impacts and Response to a Flood
Warwick, Rhode Island Wastewater Treatment Plant Flooding
In March of 2010, a monthly record of nearly 16 inches of rain caused extreme flooding along the Pawtuxet River
in the City of Warwick, Rhode Island, and left the Warwick Wastewater Treatment Plant completely flooded. Staff
members were forced to move critical mobile equipment to higher ground as flood waters rose and threatened
electrical equipment. The flood took the facility and six pumping stations along the Pawtuxet River offline. The
Warwick Sewer Authority was forced to purchase five large portable pumps to keep up capacity.
Although the levees in Warwick were built three feet higher than the 100-year flood level, the river reached three
feet above the levees during the 2010 flood. Rhode Island Department of Emergency Management (RIDEM)
personnel recommended that the wastewater treatment plant be designed to higher flood levels (e.g., 500-year
flood) to mitigate future damage from flooding events. Since the flood, the utility moved its Supervisory Control
and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to the second floor from the ground floor of the operations building. The
utility has also purchased several new generators and other energy efficient equipment.
Source: Brown University Center for Environmental Studies, "Emergency Management in Rhode Island:
A Look at the State's Level of Preparedness and Management of Resources. Communication, and Infrastructure During the March 2010 Floods."
Source: Treatment Plant Operator Magazine, January 2011 Issue,
"Managers and operators at two Rhode Island treatment plants report experiences and lessons learned from the severe floods of March 2010."
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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:
. Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts (National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA])
. Excessive Rainfall Forecasts (NOAA)
. River Observations. Forecasts, and Experimental
Lona-Ranae Flood Risk (NOAA)
U.S. Spring Flood Risk (NOAA)
. Flood Inundation Mapper (United States
Geological Survey [USGS])
. WaterNow (USGS)
. WaterAlert (USGS1
. WaterWatch (USGS1
Map Service Center to find flood map by address
(Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA])
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)
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)
How to Develop a Multi-Year Training and Exercise
fT&B Plan (EPA)
Make a Plan (FEMA)
Coordination
Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network
(WARN1 (EPA)
Community Based Water Resiliency (EPA)
Facility and Service Area
Emergency Response and Preparedness Florida
WARN Best Management Practices for Water and
Wastewater Systems (University of Florida Center for
Training)
What to Do After the Flood (EPA)
Mitigation
Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool
(GREAT) (EPA)
Adaptation Strategies Guide (EPA)
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Actions to Prepare for a Flood
Planning
Monitor weather and stream/river flow conditions
to anticipate potential flooding conditions.
Sign up for US Geological Survey's (USGS)
WaterAlert service to receive an email or text
message alert when the river gauges that you
have identified surpass specified parameters.
Review and update your utility's emergency
response plan (ERP), and ensure all emergency
contacts are current.
Conduct briefings, training and exercises to
ensure utility staff is aware of all preparedness,
response and recovery procedures.
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.
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.
Consult Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) flood maps (link provided in
the Resources section of this document) to
determine which locations in your service area
are most vulnerable to flooding.
Conduct a hazard vulnerability analysis in which
you review historical records to understand the
past frequency and intensity of flood events
and how your utility may have been impacted;
consult USGS's WaterWatch (link provided in
the Resources section of this document) to
review archived streamflow maps. Consider
taking actions to mitigate flood impacts to the
utility, including those provided in the "Actions to
Recover from a Flood: Mitigation" section.
I 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 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
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Actions to Prepare for a Flood (continued)
\ | 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.
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
Facility and Service Area
I Develop outreach materials to provide your
customers with information they will need during
a flood (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,
warnings that service disruptions are likely) 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.
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
Ensure communication equipment (e.g., radios,
satellite phones) works and is fully charged.
Develop a GIS map of all system components
and prepare a list of coordinates for each facility.
Document pumping requirements and storage
capabilities, as well as critical treatment
components and parameters.
r Notes:
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Actions to Prepare for a Flood (continued)
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.
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.
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.
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Actions to Respond to a Flood: With Advance Notice
Facility and Service Area
I Secure equipment; move electronics, equipment
and important data to a water-tight facility or out
of flood-prone areas. Determine areas outside of
the floodplain where vehicles/equipment can be
moved.
I Clear storm drains and set up sandbags to protect
facilities in flood-prone areas. Place sandbags
on the top of tanks so that backwash water is
directed away from plant structures.
I Check that back-up equipment and facility
systems, such as controls and pumps, are in
working order, and ensure that the utility has a
two week supply of all chemicals on hand.
Protect exposed lines or pipes that may become
vulnerable due to streambank erosion.
Fill storage tanks to full capacity to maximize
storage and fill empty chemical storage tanks with
water if a heavy precipitation event is anticipated,
to prevent floating.
Wastewater utilities should empty holding tanks,
ponds and/or lagoons to prepare for an increase
in flow and to minimize the chance of a release
during heavy weather incidents.
Power, Energy and Fuel
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.
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NOAA
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Actions to Respond to a Flood
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 community's EOC.
Communication with Customers
I I 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
_l Conduct damage assessments of the utility to
prioritize repairs and other actions.
_l 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.
_l If necessary and possible, turn off all utilities
associated with your facilities to prevent further
damage and minimize electrical and explosive
hazards.
Drinking Water Utilities
Inspect the utility and service area for damage
due to debris, downed trees and floodwaters.
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.
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.
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.
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Actions to Respond to a Flood (continued)
\ Inspect all manholes and pipelines in flood-prone
areas for inflow and infiltration after the flood
waters recede.
I Consider suspending solid waste processing
during periods of high flow to conserve bacteria
and prevent it from washing out of the plant.
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 floods.
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 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 generators.
Maintain contact with electric provider for power
outage duration estimates.
r Notes:
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Actions to Recover from a Flood
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 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 intense flooding when
planning for system upgrades (e.g., elevating
critical utility assets above projected flood levels,
waterproofing building access areas, using flood
control methods to modify runoff, managing
stormwater through green infrastructure).
Office of Water (4608-T) EPA 817-F-15-005 January 2015
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