when was wastewater treatment added to critical infrastructure

by Lavada Wisoky I Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Why is wastewater treatment important?

Water and Wastewater Systems Sector Safe drinking water is a prerequisite for protecting public health and all human activity. Properly treated wastewater is vital for preventing disease and protecting the environment.

When did the water sector change its name to water and wastewater?

Presidential Policy Directive 21 changed the name of the Water Sector to the Water and Wastewater Systems Sector in 2013. For resources available to Water and Wastewater Systems Sector partners, go to the Environmental Protection Agency website. Was this webpage helpful?

How vulnerable is the water and wastewater systems sector to natural disasters?

The sector is also vulnerable to natural disasters. Critical services, such as firefighting and healthcare (hospitals), and other dependent and interdependent sectors, such as Energy, Food and Agriculture, and Transportation Systems, would suffer negative impacts from a denial of service in the Water and Wastewater Systems Sector.

What is wastewater?

What is Wastewater? Wastewater is water that has been used and must be treated before it is released into another body of water, so that it does not cause further pollution of water sources. Wastewater comes from a variety of sources.

What type of infrastructure is involved in dealing with wastewater?

Wastewater infrastructure includes a network of sewer pipes that collect and carry household, business, and industrial effluents to wastewater treatment systems — onsite or centralized facilities.

How old is water infrastructure in the US?

The average US water-network pipe is 45 years old, with some cast-iron pipes more than a century old. 2. “Wastewater,” The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2021 Infrastructure Report Card, 2021, infrastructurereportcard.org.

Is water treatment infrastructure?

An extensive network of water pipelines, treatment plants, wells, tanks, and pumps is the means by which Cal Water provides high-quality water to you and your neighbors. It's what we call our infrastructure.

Why is water a critical infrastructure?

Safe drinking water is a prerequisite for protecting public health and all human activity. Properly treated wastewater is vital for preventing disease and protecting the environment. Thus, ensuring the supply of drinking water and wastewater treatment and service is essential to modern life and the Nation's economy.

What did the Clean Water Act of 1972 do?

(1972) The Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters.

When has the water crisis been created?

1960s: World Vision begins small water projects. Early 1980s: Severe droughts in Africa focus the world's attention on the urgent need for clean, accessible water.

When did cities get running water?

The first public water main was installed under New York streets in 1830. Multiple fires meant there was a need for an adequate water supply for fire fighting. The first floor of the White House received running water in 1833.

What is critical water infrastructure?

Water systems are considered one of the nation's critical infrastructures. It is assumed that no physical or software protection can prevent all attacks. So this critical infrastructure requires increased protection and the ability of utilities to detect, respond to, and recover from physical and cyberattacks.

What is the difference between water treatment and wastewater treatment?

While water treatment plants are used to clean and purify water, wastewater treatment plants are used to clean and purify wastewater.

How many wastewater treatment plants are there in the US?

16,000Today, more than 16,000 publicly-owned wastewater treatment plants operate in the United States and its territories.

What is a critical infrastructure facility?

Critical infrastructure includes the vast network of highways, connecting bridges and tunnels, railways, utilities and buildings necessary to maintain normalcy in daily life. Transportation, commerce, clean water and electricity all rely on these vital systems.

When did the Water Sector change to Wastewater?

Presidential Policy Directive 21 changed the name of the Water Sector to the Water and Wastewater Systems Sector in 2013.

Why is water and wastewater important?

Properly treated wastewater is vital for preventing disease and protecting the environment.

What is the water sector vulnerable to?

The Water and Wastewater Systems Sector is vulnerable to a variety of attacks, including contamination with deadly agents; physical attacks, such as the release of toxic gaseous chemicals; and cyberattacks.

What sectors are vulnerable to natural disasters?

Definition

Critical infrastructure is comprised of those systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, that are so essential to a nation that any interruption could have a severe impact on national security, public health or safety, economic well-being, or any combination thereof (GAO 2011 ).

Introduction

A nation’s critical infrastructure, especially its water and wastewater treatment systems, provides the foundation for supporting public health, economic vitality, and healthy environment; defines its standard of living; and is the basis for a competitive advantage compared with other nations (Alcaraz and Zeadally 2015; EPA 2017; Jacobsen 2018 ).

How much electricity does a wastewater treatment plant use?

Across the country, municipal wastewater treatment plants are estimated to consume more than 30 terawatt-hours per year of electricity, which equates to about $2 billion in annual electric costs.

Why is wastewater important?

Why It Is Important. Wastewater operations are typically the largest energy expense in a community, and reductions in energy usage can yield significant environmental, economic, and social benefits for these communities. Across the country, municipal wastewater treatment plants are estimated to consume more than 30 terawatt-hours per year ...

What is SWIFT phase 1?

SWIFt Phase 1 began as a three-year partnership (2016–2019) of 25 state, regional, and local agencies that engaged with more than 70 water resource recovery facilities in their jurisdictions, committing to short-term 5% energy savings goals and long-term 30% energy savings goals. During Phase 1, facility partners reduced their total energy consumption by almost 7% and adopted best-practice energy management approaches in their facilities. The tools and resources developed during this three-year initiative were compiled into an online Wastewater Energy Management Toolkit to help wastewater treatment facilities beyond the Accelerator adopt the approaches used by SWIFt partners.

What is tertiary wastewater treatment?

Tertiary (or advanced) treatment removes dissolved substances, such as colour, metals, organic chemicals and nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen.

What are the different levels of wastewater treatment?

There are several levels of wastewater treatment; these are primary, secondary and tertiary levels of treatment. Most municipal wastewater treatment facilities use primary and secondary levels of treatment, and some also use tertiary treatments.

How to reduce pressure on septic system?

Following some water conservation practices can greatly reduce pressure on your septic system. For more information about conserving water, see the fact sheet about Water Consumption. Here are a few things that you can do to care for your septic system: 1 Do not use your drain or toilet as a garbage disposal; avoid putting dental floss, diapers, coffee grounds and paper towel down the drain, as they can clog up your septic system. 2 Spread your loads of laundry out over the week. When too much water is added to the septic tank, it does not have time to treat wastes, and you could be flooding your drainfield with wastewater. 3 Plant grass on your drainfield, but keep trees and shrubs away from it, because roots can clog the system and cause damage. 4 Do not drive on your drainfield, because this can compact the soil and damage the septic system components.

Why is oxygen important in wastewater treatment?

The oxygen helps the bacteria to digest the pollutants faster. The water is then taken to settling tanks where the sludge again settles, leaving the water 90 to 95 percent free of pollutants. The picture below shows the settling tanks in the Winnipeg Wastewater Treatment Plant.

What is the process of removing pollutants from water?

Another natural method is called rapid infiltration, which is a process where a basin is filled with wastewater, which has already gone through a pre-treatment. The ground acts as a filter and removes the pollutants from the water. This method is similar to what happens in a septic system.

What is the process of tertiary treatment?

One of the biological treatment processes is called Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR). This diagram shows the treatment steps that Saskatoon wastewater goes through. Biological Nutrient Removal Process.

What is the Canadian Environmental Protection Act?

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act governs the release of toxic substances into the environment and allows the federal government to develop regulations for the use of toxic substances. Most provincial and territorial governments have legislation regarding wastewater treatment standards and requirements.

Attacks on Water and Wastewater Utilities Are on the Rise

Recent industrial control system (ICS) events have reinforced these concerns. Control systems, which are part of a utility’s OT environment, manage chemical feeds, pumps and other aspects of water treatment and movement.

Protecting Water Systems Means Investing in Cybersecurity Infrastructure

The recent ICS incidents in the water and wastewater sector likely could have been prevented by limiting access to sensitive systems, not sharing passwords, and removing access for former employees.

A System for Sharing Threat and Incident Information Is Critical

If your car has never been stolen, you might think car theft is not a risk and therefore leave your doors unlocked. But if your neighbors are reporting break-ins, then you are likely to take steps to ensure the same thing won’t happen to you.

Think Like Your Adversaries

Consequence-driven Cyber-informed Engineering (CCE) is a new, four-step methodology for preventing sabotage.

Safeguard Water Systems From ll Threats

Risks to today’s water and wastewater systems are increasing — due to more effective threat actors, expansion of remote working, and increased automation and smart water technology. Hurricanes, flooding and wildfires are challenging to predict and can wreak havoc on water and wastewater infrastructure and operations.

Which agency is responsible for identifying critical infrastructure workers?

In addition, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, an agency that operates under the Department of Homeland Security, released a memo on Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers During COVID-19 Response.

What is the EPA's letter to the governors?

Last week, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler sent a letter to Governors in all 50 states, territories and Washington, D.C. urging them to ensure that drinking water and wastewater employees are considered essential workers by state authorities when enacting mobility and travel restrictions to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Drinking water and wastewater services are critical during this public health crisis. In the letter, Wheeler requests that, “water and wastewater workers, as well as the manufacturers and suppliers who provide vital services and materials to the water sector, are considered essential workers and businesses by state authorities…” The letter was announced in an EPA press release which includes additional information. EPA continues to add new information and resources for water stakeholders to use to support operations during the pandemic.