COMMUNITY-BASED WATER RESILIENCY (CBWR) What is CBWR? The CBWR program is designed to ensure that communities can rebound quickly when water services are interrupted. Essential steps to improve community resiliency include 1) identifying the critical interdependencies and dependencies between water utilities and other critical sectors and 2) building response relationships among the sectors. Who is the audience for CBWR? Most critical infrastructure sectors have interdependencies with, or dependencies on, the water sector. Currently, the CBWR program focuses on six of these sectors: 1. Energy 4. Healthcare and Public Health 2. Food and Agriculture 5. Emergency Services 3. Chemical 6. Transportation System This list is not exhaustive and other sectors in a community may also rely heavily on water, such as Critical Manufacturing and Government Facilities. The entire community can be involved in CBWR: staff from drinking water and wastewater utilities, state primacy agencies, and hospitals as well as emergency responders, emergency managers, elected officials, private sector representatives, and concerned citizens. What are the objectives of CBWR? CBWR is designed to help water utilities and communities prepare for water service interruptions before an emergency occurs. The program aims to: • Promote a better understanding of public-private sector interdependencies. • Foster a greater understanding of water infrastructure and the potential impacts from a loss of service. • Identify the actions and resources needed to increase resilience by starting a conversation between water utilities and the community. • Assist stakeholders in building strong response plans for water service interruptions. How does CBWR accomplish these objectives? CBWR is implemented through a variety of outreach methods, from tools and resources to webinars and workshops. Currently, the program has hosted numerous national webinars and workshops on both the east and west coasts and points in between. v>EPA ------- Wondering what a CBWR webinar is all about? You can watch the Forging Partnerships Between Water Utilities and Interdependent Sectors: An Important Step to Build Community Water Resilience webinar here. Speakers include Steven Hancock (Manager, Emergency Management & Security Division, Sonoma Water) and Jeffrey DuVali (Director of Emergency Management, Sonoma County). What are the CBWR tools and resources? You can watch both the CBWR Introducton and the CBWR Training videos. The Community-Based Water Resilience Guide is designed to help water utilities and communities prepare for water service interruptions before an emergency occurs. You can conduct your own CBWR Workshop in your community with help from EPA's CBWR Workshop Materials. What are some of the lessons learned from the workshops? Lessons learned have been as unique and varied as the workshop communities. Based on workshop evaluations, participants noted the following: • Drinking water and wastewater utilities should coordinate with their local emergency management agency (EMA) and be represented at the local Emergency Operations Center - an EMA can facilitate coordination between multiple entities and jurisdictions during an incident and assist in locating needed resources. • Ask your EMA to be responsible for distributing alternate emergency drinking water, which lets utility staff focus on system repairs during an incident response. • Make sure your electric utility knows what and where your critical facilities are; remember, it is not just your treatment plant but facilities like remote pump sites too. • Leverage your jurisdiction's hazard mitigation planning process to improve CBWR by meeting with your utility's response partners and planning mitigation projects together. • Encourage your customers and community members to opt in for utility text alert notifications before a water emergency occurs. SEPA "During my 40-year career in the utility sector, I have found that there is great value from collaborating with others. When we work with others, knowledge and past experiences are exchanged and that is where the added value comes from. Additionally we can establish new contacts so you have somebody you can connect with later, during an emergency or not. All who participate in emergency response and service restoration play a vital role in our societal community needs. The end goal is to provide the best service at all times. Any time we can leverage our learning and knowledge gain, we should take advantage of the opportunity. Please take the opportunity to participate in the Community-Based Water Resiliency workshops and you will be better prepared and be able to provide a higher level of service to the community that you serve." Perry Dahlstrom GM (retired), Golden State Water Company Office of Water (4608T) EPA 810-F-24-003 March 2024 NO TURNS] EXCEPT BUSES1 ------- |