Water Infrastructure Under Review at Water Security Summit 2001

Water protection and counter terrorist experts will convene at the Water Security Summit 2001 to discuss the safety and security of water supply infrastructure. Organized by Haestad Methods, this nonprofit event is scheduled for December 3-4, 2001, in Hartford, CT, and is offered for qualified professionals.

Participants will learn to evaluate system vulnerability; develop guidelines for implementing security plans; and leverage existing federal, state, and private resources. The two-day event will include presentations and panel discussions from some of the foremost experts in water quality, bioterrorism, system vulnerability, and crisis management.

"Water is the quintessential target," said Peter Beering, Esq., domestic terrorism expert and Deputy General Counsel for the Indianapolis Water Company. "People are emotionally and physically dependent on water because it is the only consumable utility. Those charged with providing safe water should be at a heightened state of alert and should implement appropriate security measures," Beering continued.

Water agencies from around the United States are lobbying Congress for billions of dollars to safeguard the nation's drinking water. The Water Security Summit aims to foster increased communications between legislators, water utilities, engineers, and government authorities for the protection of the nation's water distribution systems.

Janet Pawlukiewicz, interim director of the U.S. EPA Water Protection Task Force, will give the keynote address. Some of the other presenters include: Peter Beering, Esq., domestic terrorism expert and Deputy General Counsel for the Indianapolis Water Company; Rolf Deininger, Ph.D., expert in growth and decay of waterborne biological agents and Professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health; and James Doane, P.E., one of two AWWA representatives appointed to the Water Critical Infrastructure Protection Advisory Group (CIP) set up by the President of the United States.

Presentation and panel discussion topics include

*System vulnerability

*Water quality *Emergency management and public safety *Domestic and international terrorism *Water distribution modeling *Monitoring and detection technologies

Conference findings and conclusions will be published in a comprehensive water security report.

Source: Haestad Methods