Protecting the Water System, Essay Example

Since there are many water main breaks that occur in the DC Metro area, it appears that the cause is due to failing infrastructure. The pipes that provide water to individuals living in this area are very old and subject to further problems. Ultimately, the pipe system needs to be replaced, but it is difficult to do so because of the inconvenience that this would cause many people. However, it is possible for a terrorist to duplicate these issues as an attack scenario. A pipe rupture would mean severe dehydration for many, so this is a possible target. It is therefore necessary to ensure that these pipelines are maintained.

Private and local authorities do not currently understand the potential threat of a cyber-attack on the water system, as demonstrated by the current lack of laws and regulations in place to police the internet. The authorities do not have the resources required to detect these breaches and to resolve the issues. Even though federal government agencies may have some of the tools necessary to prevent these crimes, it would be extremely expensive to pursue this activity as a member of a local police team. For example, the GAO recently made a claim that law enforcement agencies should “implement physical and technology solutions to improve security”. However, these improvements are often not within budgetary allowance, which is preventing the nation from truly becoming secure against these tacks. Ultimately, the water supply is an ideal terrorist target because it has the potential for severely weakening the country if it becomes contaminated or lessened.

There is a real threat to the US water supply on the basis of biological, chemical, and physical problems. According to the reading “chemical plants are frequently located near waterways”, which increases the risk of potential water contamination. It is possible for terrorists to target these chemical facilities to intentionally contaminate the nearby drinking water. It is therefore necessary to consider that the infrastructure of the country’s water supply extends to its surroundings. It is important to consider nearby facilities that would interact with the water supply and to provide security to these institutions as well. It is difficult for local water authorities to identify threats to their product, even though it is critical to sustain human life, because it has many threats from many different sources. It is challenging to determine which of these threats could be reasonably deterred.

Since the government requires a certain level of vulnerability assessment and resultant safety measures for drinking water plants, it would be valuable to implement these same measures for wastewater treatment facilities. This is considered a lower priority in many localities because it appears to be a less imminent threat. However, it is important to consider that water treatment is equally as important as ensuring drinking water safety because these two concepts are linked. Poorly treated wastewater or leaks from these facilities have the potential for contaminating drinking water. It is important to consider that wastewater is treated in large quantities and that a security breach could cause just as much damage to drinking water as a security breach or problem that occurs within a drinking water plant. It would be helpful for the authorities to consider this problem from many different angles before deciding what the proper action should be to ensure that our water supply remains safe.

References

Gerson, J. (n.d.) Water/Wastewater Utilities Implement, Enhance System Security. Water & Wastes Digest. Available from http://www.wwdmag.com/plantfacility-security-equipment/waterwastewater-utilities-implement-enhance-system-security

Homeland Security Newswire. (2011). Water security. Protecting U.S. water supplies. Available from http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20111209-protecting-u-s-water- supplies

Pitchforth,N. (2012). Threat of water supply bioterrorism: Who will it impact?.Available from  http://www.wwdmag.com/manhole-products/threat-water-supply-bioterrorism-who-will-it-impact

Rector, K., & Fenton, J. (2012, July 16). Water main break causes disruptions in downtown Baltimore. The Baltimore Sun. Available from http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-07- 16/news/bs-md-ci-light-st-water-main-20120716_1_kurt-kocher-proactive-repairs-public-works