Chicagoland Water and 

Wastewater Preparedness and 

Business Resiliency Summit: 

A Community Forum on 

Interdependencies 

MEETING SUMMARY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 

November 2008 
Office of Water (4608T) 

EPA No. 817-R-08-012 

November 2008 

www.epa.gov/safewater 
Prepared under 

Work Assignment No. 3-08 

Active and Effective Protective Program Support 

EPA Contract No. EP-C-05-045 

Technical, Analytical, and Regulatory Mission Support for the Water 

Security Division 

CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water 

(OGWDW) partnered with EPA Region 5 and the Chicago Manufacturing Center’s (CMC’s) Great Lakes 

Partnership (GLP) Program on a new pilot project in the Chicago metropolitan area. This pilot expands 

collaboration beyond traditional water sector partners, to enhance the capability of local communities to 

protect their water infrastructure, and to increase business resiliency. From a national perspective, one 

important output of this partnership is to create a methodology for other communities to use to replicate a 

similar water security and business resiliency project. 

Protection of water infrastructure is essential for the health and welfare of our residents, and to ensure the 

sustainability and resiliency of the nation’s economy. Because the Chicago metropolitan area is a 

national hub for several critical sectors, including banking, transportation, and manufacturing, Chicago’s 

resiliency is vital to the country’s economy. 

The Chicagoland Water and Wastewater Preparedness and Business Resiliency Summit was convened on 

November 28, 2007, in Chicago, Illinois. The Summit provided a unique opportunity for the public and 

private sectors to share information about drinking water and wastewater preparedness, and information 

about how water preparedness can help enhance business resiliency. 

To improve participants’ collective understanding of water sector interdependencies, and to identify next 

steps for building regional preparedness, the Summit agenda focused on: 

 Government perspectives on water sector interdependencies and the value of water infrastructure 

 Building a business case for private sector involvement in water preparedness 

 Risks facing the water sector 

 Risk reduction tools 

 Theory and real world practice of water emergency preparedness and response 

 Breakout sessions to discuss the effects of service disruption 

 Plenary discussions of next steps needed to increase water sector preparedness and business resiliency 

More than 100 participants attended the Summit and represented: 

 Federal, state, and local government officials 

 Drinking water and wastewater utility owners, operators, and bulk customers 

 Small and mid-sized manufacturing firms 

 Large multinational firms 

The Summit raised awareness of the importance of drinking water and wastewater services, and the 

potential economic and human consequences of a loss of services to the business community. 

Breakout sessions focused discussions on the effects of short, medium, and long term drinking water and 

wastewater service disruptions on various sectors. Report-outs highlighted several themes, including: 

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CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

 Water is often taken for granted. Many businesses and organizations do not realize how much they 

depend on drinking water and wastewater service. 

 For all sectors, a loss of water may result in the inability to run heating and cooling systems. 

 For most government agencies, associations, and consulting organizations, a short term (3 day) loss of 

drinking water and/or wastewater services might have a minimal impact because of the availability of 

telecommuting. 

 Without immediate access to water, the chemical, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and food 

processing industries would have to stop production. 

Participants provided numerous recommendations for improving preparedness and business resiliency 

practices. Highlights of the specific actions recommended are provided in Table E.1. 

Table E.1 Recommendations for Improving Preparedness and Business Resiliency 

Activity Recommendations 

Operations 







Ensure redundancy of key operations within drinking water and wastewater 

systems 

Secure alternate sources of water 

Implement real-cost pricing 

Update emergency action plans 

Communications 





Build public–private partnerships 

Develop, exercise, and update call down lists 

Develop and exercise telecommuting practices 

Education 





Promote understanding of importance of conservation and interdependencies 

between related sectors 

Develop incentives and business cases for implementing water sector 

preparedness measures 

Provide additional training, drills, and exercises 

At the conclusion of the Summit, then-EPA Regional Administrator (Region 5), Mary Gade, announced 

the establishment of an ongoing public–private water preparedness forum co-sponsored by EPA Region 5, 

CMC’s GLP Program, City of Chicago’s Department of Water Management, and the Metropolitan Water 

Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. 

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CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..................................................................................................... i 

Panel Discussion #1: Government Perspectives on Interdependencies and the Value of 

Panel Discussion #2: Building a Business Case for Private Sector Involvement in Water 

TABLE OF CONTENTS .....................................................................................................iii 

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 

PURPOSE ........................................................................................................................ 1 

DETAILED SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... 2 

Welcoming Remarks................................................................................................................. 2 

Water Infrastructure .................................................................................................................. 2 

Preparedness – Learning from Past Experiences and Planning for the Future ........................5 

Keynote Address .......................................................................................................................8 

Town Hall Meeting: Theory and Real World Practice of Water Emergency Response ............9 

Town Hall Meeting: Questions and Answers ..........................................................................13 

Facilitated Breakout Group Discussion: Coming Full Circle—Ensuring Business Resiliency . 14 

Group Report-Outs ................................................................................................................. 14 

Closing Remarks.....................................................................................................................16 

CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................ 16 

APPENDIX A: MEMBERS OF THE CHICAGOLAND DRINKING WATER AND WASTEWATER 

PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT PLANNING TEAM .................... 17 

APPENDIX B: SUMMIT AGENDA ..................................................................................... 18 

APPENDIX C: PARTICIPANTS LIST................................................................................. 22 

APPENDIX D: BREAKOUT GROUP DISCUSSIONS .......................................................... 32 

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CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

INTRODUCTION 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water 

(OGWDW) partnered with EPA Region 5 (which serves Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, 

and Wisconsin) and the Chicago Manufacturing Center’s (CMC’s) Great Lakes Partnership (GLP) 

Program on a pilot project in the Chicago metropolitan area. This pilot expanded collaboration beyond 

traditional water sector partners to enhance the capability of local communities to protect their water 

infrastructure, and to increase business resiliency. This pilot supported homeland security efforts related 

to: 

 Critical infrastructure protection 

 All-hazards preparedness, response, and recovery actions 

 Communication and information sharing 

This pilot was also intended to increase mutual understanding and foster collaboration among utilities, 

federal, state, and local governments, and the business sectors to support security and business resiliency 

within the local community. 

A major initiative of the pilot was an all-day, high-level summit of public and private sector leaders in the 

greater Chicago metropolitan area (Chicagoland). The hands-on summit explored interdependencies 

between the water sector and other critical infrastructures and started the dialog necessary to develop a 

framework for collaboration to address issues affecting water sector vulnerability and business resiliency. 

Members of the summit planning and facilitation teams are identified in Appendix A. 

From a national perspective, this project and similar community-focused pilot initiatives form the basis 

for creating a methodology (or “How-To” manual) for other communities across the country to use in 

replicating or adapting this type of water security project. 

PURPOSE 

The Chicagoland Water and Wastewater Preparedness and Business Resiliency Summit (Summit) agenda 

was designed to meet two needs (see Appendix B for Summit agenda). The first need was to provide 

participants with a common knowledge base through presentations and discussions about: 

•	 Drinking water and wastewater utility operations and services, an example of water sector 

service interruptions, and water sector security considerations 

•	 Building a business case for private sector involvement in water preparedness 

•	 Theory and real world practice of water emergency response 

•	 The risks facing drinking water and wastewater utilities and what EPA is doing to help reduce 

risks to the water sector 

The second need was to provide a forum for discussion and identification of the potential effects of a 

water sector service interruption, and to identify recommended actions to increase security and resiliency. 

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CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

The breakout session focused on the consequences of water sector service disruptions and the effects on 

private sector operations, supply chains, the water sector itself, and various levels of government. 

DETAILED SUMMARY 

The following sections highlight the key points provided by each speaker and/or panel member and 

document the discussions from the breakout session. 

Welcoming Remarks 

Mary Gade, Regional Administrator, U.S. EPA Region 5 

Mary A. Gade, then the Regional Administrator for EPA Region 5, welcomed attendees and described 

one goal of the Summit as increasing awareness among participants of the interdependence between 

businesses, particularly manufacturing, and drinking water and wastewater utilities. Ms. Gade noted: 

•	 Businesses need to consider more than buildings, roads, and bridges as critical infrastructure. For 

example: 

3⁄4	 Drinking water and wastewater systems are rarely viewed as critical infrastructure. These 

systems tend to be taken for granted because of their overall reliability in providing continuous 

service. Participants should note examples describing when access to safe drinking water was 

curtailed or jeopardized, such as the power blackout of 2003, Hurricane Katrina, and during the 

prolonged drought in the Southeast. 

•	 Participants may want to consider: 

3⁄4	 Possibility that drinking water systems could become the target of a terrorist attack 

3⁄4	 Potential impact of these systems being unavailable for days, weeks or maybe even months 

•	 Millions of people in the Chicago metropolitan area could be affected by a service interruption as 

there are more than 4,000 miles of water mains, and about the same amount of sewer pipes, under the 

City of Chicago alone. Certainly, the business community would be affected by a disruption of water 

systems and, when Chicago businesses are affected, the whole country is affected. 

Panel Discussion #1: Government Perspectives on Interdependencies and the 

Value of Water Infrastructure 

Irene Schild Caminer, Assistant Commissioner/Director of Legal Services, City of Chicago Department of 

Water Management (presenting on behalf of John F. Spatz, Jr., Commissioner, City of Chicago 

Department of Water Management) 

•	 The City of Chicago Department of Water Management serves 5.38 million people in the City of 

Chicago and 125 suburbs (approximately 43 percent of Illinois’ population). The system currently 

consists of two water purification plants, two intake cribs in Lake Michigan, 12 water pumping 

stations, 4,200 miles of distribution mains and 4,400 miles of sewer mains. The department is 

responsible for not only the treatment and distribution of drinking water, but also the transmission of 

wastewater to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD). 

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CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

•	 Since the events of September 11, 2001, the City of Chicago Department of Water Management has 

taken additional measures to incorporate security into its daily activities. Examples include: 

3⁄4	 Preparing a Threat and Vulnerability Assessment of its drinking water system 

3⁄4	 Revising protocols, operations, and facilities to include security measures 

3⁄4	 Incorporating security measures into contracts and capital planning 

3⁄4	 Improving communications and building relationships prior to an incident 

3⁄4	 Working closely with city, state, and federal agencies 

3⁄4	 Using other networking tools, such as the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center 

(WaterISAC) and the Illinois Public Works/Water/Wastewater Agencies Response Network 

(ILWARN) 

Richard Lanyon, General Superintendent, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago 

•	 The mission of MWRD of Greater Chicago is to protect the health and safety of residents, protect the 

water quality of Lake Michigan, improve the water quality of other Chicago area waterways, protect 

homes and businesses from flood damage, maintain navigational levels in the Chicago area 

waterways, and manage water as a vital resource. 

•	 The MWRD serves an area of 883 square miles, including the City of Chicago and 125 suburban 

communities; and serves a population equivalent of 10.35 million. The system has an annual flow of 

515.5 billion gallons and consists of seven treatment plants, 554 miles of intercepting sewers, 109.4 

miles of deep tunnels, and 76 miles of rivers and canals. The MWRD collects and treats an average 

of 1.4 billion gallons of wastewater daily. 

•	 Following the events of September 11, 2001, MWRD made numerous security improvements to its 

collection and treatment systems. These improvements included upgrading physical site security, 

improving security procedures and security training, conducting vulnerability assessments, providing 

redundant tunnel and reservoir plan (TARP) and waterway controls, and completing redundant power 

sources from the electrical power grid. 

•	 The MWRD promotes private sector participation through the understanding of how private sector 

discharges may impact the District’s collection and treatment systems. In addition, the private sector 

should consider the consequences of a disruption to the discharge collection system, disruption of 

wastewater treatment, and contamination of the Chicago area waterways. 

Pamela Turner, Assistant Director of Water Supply Operations; and George Ellenwood, Assistant 

Director of Public Affairs; City of Detroit Water and Sewerage Department 

•	 The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) is one of the largest drinking water and 

wastewater utilities in the U.S. and has been in service since the early 1800s. The DWSD provides 

water service to approximately 4.3 million people in 126 communities and serves approximately 43 

percent of Michigan’s population. The system includes approximately 3,800 miles of transmission 

and distribution mains and five water treatment plants that pump an average of 640 million gallons 

per day. 

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CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

•	 The DWSD provided a summary of its emergency response to the 2003 power grid failure that 

extended from the Eastern Seaboard to Southeast Michigan. DWSD had emergency generators for 

three of its five plants, but not all of them functioned as expected. DWSD lost substantial pumping 

capability as well as remote sensing and control capability. Land and cellular phone service became 

unreliable, and lack of direct communication with customers made it impossible to adequately 

monitor and control flows and pressures. Impacts of the power outage included: the rerouting of 

water to respond to a Marathon Refinery fire due to lack of pressure; increased levels of chlorine 

affecting soft drink bottlers; the need to provide alternate water supplies to dialysis clinics because of 

DWSD’s inability to guarantee water quality; and the need to re-route water in order to cool blood 

supplies at the American Red Cross. 

•	 Within 3 months of the power grid failure, DWSD and its customers held a day long debriefing on the 

blackout experience and discussed how to collectively prepare for future emergencies. The changes 

made at DWSD after the 2003 blackout include: community contact information is updated every 6 

months; DWSD developed a system-wide emergency communication plan; DWSD installed 

generators at the two remaining water treatment plants that previously lacked backup power and 

installed generators at the wastewater treatment plant and at two additional booster stations; DWSD 

developed an emergency fueling plan with suppliers; and tabletop exercises are held regularly with 

wholesale customers to ensure preparedness and business resiliency. 

Drew Orsinger, Protective Security Advisor for Chicago Great Lakes District, U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security (DHS) 

•	 On December 17, 2003, President George W. Bush released Homeland Security Presidential 

Directive 7 (HSPD-7)1

, which established a national policy for federal departments and agencies to 

identify and prioritize United States critical infrastructure and key resources (CI/KR) and to protect 

them from terrorist attacks. In response to HSPD-7, DHS developed the National Infrastructure 

Protection Plan (NIPP)2

 to protect all CI/KR. HSPD-7 designated EPA as the Sector-Specific Agency 

(SSA) for the water sector, which includes drinking water and wastewater treatment systems. 

•	 In May 2007, EPA, in conjunction with DHS and the Water Sector Coordinating Council (SCC), 

released the Water Sector-Specific Plan (SSP)3

. The Water SSP follows and supports the risk 

management approach and key steps outlined in the NIPP. The goal of the Water SSP is to: 

3⁄4	 Describe and develop the water sector’s (drinking water and wastewater) strategy and programs 

to protect identified CI/KR assets 

3⁄4	 Identify priorities and goals based on risk analysis and describe the resources needed to protect 

CI/KR 

3⁄4	 Track progress 

3⁄4	 Identify gaps 

3⁄4	 Establish research and development priorities 

3⁄4	 Identify best practices 

1

 HSPD-7 available at http://cfpub.epa.gov/safewater/watersecurity/legislation.cfm 2

 NIPP available at http://www.dhs.gov/nipp 3 Water SSP available at http://cfpub.epa.gov/safewater/watersecurity/legislation.cfm 

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3⁄4	 Work with DHS to continuously improve the NIPP 

•	 The ILWARN is a voluntary statewide mutual aid program designed to provide utility-to-utility 

assistance during an emergency. The mission of ILWARN is to support and promote statewide 

mutual aid assistance for public and private drinking water and wastewater utilities.4 

•	 In 2004, DHS deployed Protective Security Advisors (PSAs) to serve as on-site critical infrastructure 

and vulnerability specialists, and to be a vital communication channel for private sector owners and 

operators of CI/KR. Because the majority of critical infrastructure is owned by the private sector, 

maintaining these private sector relationships is important to protect the economy and to deliver 

essential services to the community. 

Panel Discussion #2: Building a Business Case for Private Sector Involvement in 

Water Preparedness – Learning from Past Experiences and Planning for the 

Future 

Demetria Giannisis, President and CEO, Chicago Manufacturing Center (CMC) and Managing Director, 

Great Lakes Partnership (GLP) Program 

•	 The CMC is committed to fostering public–private partnerships to enhance infrastructure security and 

resilience. The CMC is also a part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s 

Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP) network. 

•	 The MEP network helps manufacturers implement business growth and operational excellence 

strategies. MEP collaborates with EPA to deliver Green Supplier Network and Waste to Profit 

Network services. 

•	 The CMC founded the GLP program in recognition of the need to apply regional, systems-based, and 

cross-sector solutions to interdependency challenges. The vision is to ensure the economic vitality of 

the Great Lakes region through the effective integration of security, sustainability, and innovation. 

The program mission is to bring business and government leaders together to advance resiliency and 

provide solutions for homeland security and economic issues. 

•	 The GLP program approach calls for a systems-based culture of preparedness within companies, up 

and down the supply chain, within and across industry sectors, and between public and private 

sectors. Public and private teams work together to identify gaps in areas such as cross-industry 

communications and critical supply chains. The GLP program further identifies opportunities for 

innovation – ways to bridge gaps with improved business processes, product development, and new 

technologies. 

•	 Why invest in resiliency? In nearly all cases, the cost of preparedness is significantly less than the 

cost of recovery. The successful management of business risk has the potential to improve the “triple 

bottom line” (economic, social, and environmental). Many companies are being measured by this 

framework of how economic, social, and environmental performance impacts sustainability. The 

triple bottom line is a growing competitive advantage and may soon be a requirement. In addition, 

4

 Information on Mutual Aid/Assistance and WARNs available at 

http://cfpub.epa.gov/safewater/watersecurity/home.cfm?program_id=8 

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CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

traditional risk management capabilities cannot manage the scope and complexity of risks that face 

today’s global organization. The following concepts are part of an evolving resilience solution: 

3⁄4	 Sustainability + Preparedness = Resilience 

3⁄4	 Risk Mitigation + Natural Resource Management = Economic Advantage 

Jenni Cawein, Corporate Environmental, Health, and Safety Engineering Manager, Baxter Healthcare 

Corporation 

•	 Baxter Healthcare Corporation is a leading global supplier of healthcare products. Their product 

portfolio includes medication delivery products; renal products, services, and management; and 

bioscience therapies. 

•	 What is the importance of water to Baxter? It is the foundation of their business. As part of their 

operations, Baxter fills more than 2 million intravenous bags per day with water-based solutions and 

uses more than 3.7 billion gallons of water annually. 

•	 Based on these numbers, Baxter has a corporate responsibility to protect water resources. Baxter 

looks for ways to reduce overall water consumption used during processing, which in turn reduces 

processing cost and increases efficiency. 

•	 Baxter has become known for applying unusual techniques to reduce water consumption, such as 

applying Six Sigma tools5

 and applying Lean techniques6 such as Value Stream Mapping (i.e., flow of 

materials and information currently used to bring a product or service to a customer). 

•	 Water conservation focuses on understanding consumption, true costs, and acting on opportunities to 

reduce waste. 

•	 Baxter is currently involved in the following public–private partnership opportunities: 

3⁄4	 Creating and testing tools to eliminate waste and deliver quality products (e.g., EPA’s The Lean 

and Environment Toolkit7

) 

3⁄4	 Green Suppliers Network technical reviews for developing and gathering information, and 

strengthening security of delivery systems (e.g., public utilities) 

Dr. Linda Bowles, Manager, Quality Systems, Corn Products International 

•	 Corn Products International is an agriculturally based ingredient supplier, headquartered in 

Westchester, Illinois. During corn wet milling, water is used to separate the corn product into starch, 

5

 Six Sigma is a management philosophy used to minimize substandard results. Benefits may include process cost
 

reduction, cycle-time improvement, less waste of materials, a better understanding of customer requirements, 

increased customer satisfaction, and more reliable products and services. 6

 Lean Manufacturing is a methodology based on maximizing value and minimizing waste in the manufacturing 

process.

7

 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s The Lean and Environment Toolkit is available at 

www.epa.gov/lean/toolkit; January 2006; EPA Publication #100-K-06-003.
 

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oil, fiber, and protein. In addition, water is used as an ingredient in products, as well as for cooling, 

heating, and sanitation. 

•	 The availability and quality of water supplies is a major consideration in the decision to locate or 

reinvest in a facility. Plants are designed and built with a focus on the efficient use of water and 

water usage is a benchmark against which plant performance is evaluated. As a contingency for 

minor disruptions in water service, water is stored on site; however, the business continuity is 

dependent on a safe and abundant water supply. 

Ed Collins, National Director, ProtectingAmerica.org; and Managing Counsel, The Allstate Corporation 

•	 ProtectingAmerica.org is a coalition dedicated to preparing for, and protecting the nation from, 

catastrophes that threaten lives, property, and economic security. Preparing and protecting America 

from natural catastrophes is about “saving lives and protecting what people spend their whole lives 

building.” However, homeowners face many risks with a patchwork of coverage, despite the fact that 

for most Americans, financial security is in their homes. In addition, there is a perceived growing 

protection gap with risks rising and the level of protection decreasing. 

•	 To provide answers to concerns about the growing risk, the public and private sectors need to 

strengthen their partnerships at the local, state, and national levels. A comprehensive, integrated 

solution would include: 

3⁄4	 Improving financial protection for consumers by establishing special financial backstops at the 

state and national level to provide recovery and rebuilding funds in case of major natural 

catastrophes 

3⁄4	 Improving prevention and mitigation programs through stronger building codes 

3⁄4	 Strengthening first responder preparation and coordination through well defined emergency 

response plans and enhanced capacity of emergency management, law enforcement, and 

firefighting personnel 

3⁄4	 Educating consumers about the perils they may face during and after a catastrophe so they 

understand the risks 

3⁄4	 Encouraging rigorous oversight and continuous improvement 

•	 “The Next Big One: Are We Ready?” It is not a question of if, but a matter of when the next 

catastrophe will happen. Now is the time to prepare, and not after an emergency as suggested in the 

following scenarios participants were asked to consider: 

3⁄4	 If an earthquake occurred along the New Madrid Fault System today, the damage would be 

extensive and halt productivity in the Midwest. The New Madrid Earthquake of 1811 was so 

powerful it caused rivers to change direction and a church bell to ring in Boston. 

3⁄4	 If the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake occurred today, it is estimated that there would be $400 

billion in economic damages. 

Sean Ahrens, Senior Security Consultant, Schirmer Engineering, an Aon Subsidiary 

•	 Reasons for the private sector to adopt a security culture include return on investment and the mindset 

“security is the cost of doing business.” The return on investment for water security is the ability to 

respond to, and recover from, a disruption in water service. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. 

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•	 Risk assessment of critical assets should not only address physical security, but also 

interdependencies, such as electricity, telecommunications, and water. Companies should assess how 

a disruption of any of these critical assets will impact their business. 

•	 Preparation and being proactive in water security leads to business continuity, recovery, and 

restoration. It is a common misconception that water is infinite and always available. Water is used 

in all facets of industry and is a critical asset for maintaining life, production and manufacturing 

processes, and facilities management. 

Keynote Address 

Benjamin H. Grumbles, Assistant Administrator for Water, U.S. EPA 

•	 Since 1970, EPA’s mission has been the protection of human health and the environment. Post 

September 11, 2001, EPA’s core responsibilities—especially, in the areas of water preparedness and 

response—have served the dual role of supporting homeland security as well as public health and 

environmental protection. EPA is now helping the water sector prepare for, and respond to, all types 

of hazards (i.e., natural disasters and intentional acts). 

•	 The water sector faces three distinct types of risk: 1) vulnerabilities, 2) threats, and 3) consequences. 

For example, utilities can be vulnerable to the adverse effects of natural disasters, accidents, or 

intentional acts such as contamination. Consequences of incidents or threats could impact not only 

public health but also seriously impact a community’s economy. 

•	 Historically, water has been delivered with a high degree of reliability at relatively low cost to 

consumers. The absence of clean water and sanitary disposal options can be easily overlooked as a 

potential vulnerability. There are few studies that look at the valuation of water for industrial 

purposes. One compilation of water valuation studies found more than 200 studies focusing on the 

value of water for recreational purposes and more than 175 that focused on the value of water for 

irrigation. However, only seven studies were found to estimate the value of water for industrial 

purposes. 

•	 EPA is conducting the following efforts to reduce risk and foster business resiliency: 

3⁄4	 Adopting an all-hazards approach to drinking water and wastewater preparedness so we are ready 

for weather-related emergencies and other natural disasters, power outages, accidents, and 

criminal acts 

3⁄4	 Promoting new programs, such as: 

	 Features of an Active and Effective Protective Program: This is a framework to develop a 

voluntary water security program. Features address organizational, operational, 

infrastructure, and external efforts (e.g., communications and partnerships) that can be 

tailored by utilities to address what they consider to be their greatest threats or vulnerabilities. 

	 Water and Wastewater Agency Response Networks (WARNs): These are utility-driven 

agreements to facilitate response and recovery efforts after an incident by expediting the 

sharing of personnel and resources within a state. The water sector professional associations, 

with support from EPA, are working to encourage local utilities in every state to establish a 

WARN. 

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	 Water Contaminant Information Tool (WCIT): This tool assists utilities in planning for, and 

responding to, water contamination incidents. WCIT is a secure online database that provides 

responders with information on the fate, transport, and health effects of chemical, biological, 

and radiological contaminants of concern. WCIT can be used as a planning tool to support 

vulnerability assessments, emergency response plans, and site-specific response guidance, 

and as a response tool to help responders make appropriate response decisions. 

	 Water Security Initiative (WSi): This project supports the design, deployment, and testing of 

comprehensive contamination warning systems at pilot utilities. In addition to online water 

quality monitoring, WSi components include public health surveillance, distribution system 

sampling and analysis, enhanced security monitoring, and consumer complaint surveillance. 

	 Water Laboratory Alliance (WLA): WLA provides a network of laboratories that can 

provide analysis of contaminants that routine drinking water laboratories generally lack the 

capability to handle, including chemical, biological, and radiological contaminants. It is also 

a part of EPA’s Environmental Response Laboratory Network (ERLN), which includes 

analytical capability for all environmental matrices. 

	 NIPP: Provides partnership framework through which EPA has established the Water 

Government Coordinating Council (GCC) to serve as a government counterpart to the selfgoverning Water SCC. The Water GCC and SCC have jointly worked on the NIPP, SSP, 

consequence and vulnerability analysis, decontamination, threat and interdependency 

analysis, risk analysis, and both cross-sector and sector-specific performance metrics. 

Town Hall Meeting: Theory and Real World Practice of Water Emergency 

Response 

Nanci Gelb, Deputy Director of EPA’s OGWDW, moderated the Town Hall Meeting. The six-member 

panel represented federal, state, local and private sector partners involved in water emergency response. 

She began by asking each participant to describe their organization’s roles/responsibilities in drinking 

water or wastewater emergency incidents. 

Earl Zuelke, Jr., Deputy Director, City of Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communication 

(OEMC) 

•	 OEMC provides support to four primary areas: 

3⁄4	 Call Center – operates and maintains 911 Emergency and 311 City Services lines, and can 

track/record service requests for city officials. 

3⁄4	 Emergency Management – develops emergency response and notification plans, training 

programs, and exercises. OEMC has adopted an all-hazards approach (27 hazards have been 

identified) to preparedness planning. In addition, they address all phases of emergency 

management and preparedness for collaboration between the public and private sectors. 

3⁄4	 Communication Systems – provide homeland security 24-hour monitoring of planned events and 

activates emergency notification and warning systems. 

3⁄4	 Traffic Management Authority – manages public safety announcements, transit information, and 

fiber networks. 

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CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

•	 OEMC has run an aggressive campaign, the “Private Sector Camera Initiative,” to link Chicago-based 

organizations, companies, and non-profit camera systems into OEMC’s state-of-the-art unified video 

surveillance network. The new private sector camera feeds will provide first responders and 

Homeland Security officials with additional points of contact throughout the City that can be viewed 

during an emergency. 

•	 OEMC’s take-home message is that “we must continue to work in synergy and build a regional 

culture of preparedness.” 

Andrew Velasquez, Director, Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) 

•	 Communication, cooperation, and coordination are the three C’s critical to preparing for an 

emergency response. 

•	 IEMA is responsible for protecting the State of Illinois through integrated approaches to emergency 

management and homeland security. This is accomplished by working in partnership with: 

3⁄4	 State Emergency Operations Center – merges the State Incident Response Center, IEMA 24-hour 

Communications Center, Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center, and the Radiological 

Emergency Assistance Center under one roof. 

3⁄4	 Illinois Terrorism Task Force – created to further disaster preparation efforts to specifically 

address the State’s role in weapons of mass destruction (WMD) preparedness and to coordinate 

the response to WMD events throughout the state, using local, state, federal levels of expertise 

across many different disciplines. The Task Force includes 70 entities and has 15 committees. A 

key contribution was the development of the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS) 

and Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), which have become statewide law enforcement 

and fire models for mutual aid. 

3⁄4	 Illinois Mitigation Program – designed to identify hazards, assess vulnerabilities, and to 

implement a strategy to mitigate effects of the hazards. 

3⁄4	 Division of Nuclear Safety – protects the state from the effects of radiation releases and is 

recognized as a leader in radiation safety. 

3⁄4	 Disaster Assistance and Preparedness Programs – provided to lessen overall impacts on the lives 

of residents. 

Ed Buikema, Director, Region V, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security 

•	 The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region V office works with emergency 

management stakeholders to deliver disaster assistance in the form of response, recovery, and 

mitigation. Region V is the second most populated of the 10 FEMA regions, serving more than 49 

million people. It also has the highest volume of shipped hazardous materials and is home to 16 of 

the nation’s nuclear power plants. 

•	 Regional responsibilities include: 

3⁄4	 Developing more robust disaster response teams and capabilities to provide the critical support 

needed to help state, local, and tribal governments respond to disasters 

NOVEMBER 2008 10 
 

 

CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

3⁄4	 Providing financial assistance as a direct result of a major disaster 

3⁄4	 Managing the National Flood Insurance Program designed to reduce future losses to homes, 

businesses, schools, public buildings and critical facilities from floods, earthquakes, tornadoes 

and other natural disasters 

Holmes Walters, Disaster Program Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters, Office of 

Homeland Security 

•	 Under the National Response Framework8

, DHS’s guide to how the Nation conducts all-hazards 

response, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is the primary agency for providing 

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #3 technical assistance, engineering, and construction 

management resources and support during response activities. As ESF #3 coordinator, USACE 

coordinates meetings, plans, exercises, training, and other activities with DHS/FEMA, the private 

sector, and the ESF #3 support agencies. 

•	 USACE provides emergency repair of damaged infrastructure and critical public facilities (temporary 

power, emergency water, sanitation systems, etc.), and supports the restoration of critical navigation, 

flood control, and other water infrastructure systems, including drinking water distribution and 

wastewater collection systems. Additional coordination responsibilities under ESF #3 may include 

managing, monitoring, and/or providing technical advice in the clearing, removal, and disposal of 

debris from public property and the reestablishment of ground and water routes into impacted areas. 

•	 During a disaster, USACE provides temporary power generators at public facilities such as fire 

station, hospitals, and water treatment plants; staging areas for meals, bottled water and cots; and 

levee and flood control. 

•	 USACE would like to continue public–private sector networking in efforts to improve 

communication and understanding of all roles and responsibilities. The private sector owns or 

operates a large proportion of the Nation’s infrastructure and is a partner and/or lead for the rapid 

restoration of infrastructure-related services. Through ongoing planning and coordination, the private 

sector provides critical details for incident action planning and decision making processes during an 

incident. Also, private-sector mutual aid and assistance networks facilitate the sharing of resources to 

support response and recovery. 

Debbie Newberry, Chief, Security Assistance Branch, Water Security Division, OGWDW, U.S. EPA 

•	 The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act (Bioterrorism Act) of 

2002 and HSPDs specifically delineate the responsibilities of EPA and the water sector in: 

3⁄4	 Assessing vulnerabilities of water utilities 

3⁄4	 Developing strategies for responding to and preparing for emergencies and incidents 

3⁄4	 Promoting information exchange among stakeholders 

3⁄4	 Developing and using technological advances in water security 

8

 National Response Framework (January 2008), including Emergency Support Function Annexes and Support 

Annexes, is available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 

NOVEMBER 2008 11 
CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

•	 These directives and laws supplement existing legislation, such as the Safe Drinking Water Act and 

the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act), which have always had the goals of 

promoting a clean and safe supply of water for the nation’s population and protecting the integrity of 

the nation’s waterways. These directives and laws affect the actions and obligations of EPA, the 

Water Security Division, and water utilities. For example, HSPD-7 designates EPA as the SSA for 

the drinking water and wastewater sector. Other HSPDs specific to the Water Security Division 

include HSPD-8: National Preparedness, HSPD-9: Defense of United States Agriculture and Food, 

and HSPD-10: Biodefense for the 21st Century. 

•	 The Water Security Division has been tasked with developing the Water SSP as input to the DHS’s 

NIPP. The SSP addresses processes for: 

1.	 Identifying assets within the sector 

2.	 Identifying and assessing vulnerabilities, and prioritizing assets within the sector 

3.	 Developing sector specific strategic protective programs 

4.	 Measuring the effectiveness of the sector specific critical infrastructure protection program 

•	 EPA is the primary agency coordinator for ESF #10 (Oil and Hazardous Materials Response) and 

provides support in response to an actual or potential discharge and/or uncontrolled release of oil or 

hazardous materials when activated. Specific responsibilities include: 

3⁄4	 Providing damage reports, assessments, and situation reports to support ESF #5 (Emergency 

Management) 

3⁄4	 Providing technical, coordination, and administration support and personnel, facilities, and 

communications 

3⁄4	 Providing On-Scene Coordinators for incidents within its jurisdiction 

	 Coordinates, integrates, and manages the overall federal effort to detect, identify, contain, 

decontaminate, clean up, dispose, or minimize discharges of oil or releases of hazardous 

materials, or prevent, mitigate, or minimize the threat of potential releases 

•	 EPA’s supporting agency role under ESF #3 during an emergency response includes: 

3⁄4	 Conducting infrastructure protection activities for drinking water and wastewater agencies in the 

water sector, in its responsibilities as the designated SSA 

3⁄4	 Assisting in determining the suitability of water for human consumption and in identifying 

hazardous materials that may affect water supplies 

3⁄4	 Assisting in identifying resources for critical water sector needs 

3⁄4	 Assisting in determining the operating status of drinking water and wastewater systems 

•	 EPA is also engaged in encouraging utilities to prepare for an emergency by joining water sector 

associations, using WaterISAC, and understanding the benefits of mutual aid and assistance 

agreements. 

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CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

Cortez Trotter, Vice President and Director for Midwest Region, James Lee Witt Associates, a part of 

GlobalOptions Group 

•	 James Lee Witt Associates (JLWA) provides emergency management and preparedness expertise to 

the GlobalOptions Group. JLWA builds coalitions that link agencies, first responders, and 

communities in planning for an all hazards approach. 

•	 Collaboration, coordination, and communication are critical to developing an effective emergency 

response plan regardless of the crisis, emergency, or disaster. All three “C’s” must be included to 

contribute to a successful outcome. Elements of a crisis communication plan should include strategic 

message development, and dissemination of information using a multi-media approach, rapid 

response, and media monitoring. 

•	 Preparedness training should include tabletop and full-scale exercises for a comprehensive 

understanding of how to respond to an all-hazards or hazard-specific event. 

•	 “All Hazards – All Hands” should be involved in planning at the state, local, and federal levels. 

Town Hall Meeting: Questions and Answers 

1) How can the private sector participate in exercises conducted by the City of Chicago? 

Interested parties should contact Earl Zuelke. OEMC can look for ways to incorporate the private sector 

into training programs with common objectives. 

2) What steps are needed to recover from an incident? 

Participants should begin by conducting a vulnerability assessment and develop/update their emergency 

response plan. This process will help organizations better understand potential threats, their own 

vulnerabilities, and how best to quickly respond to, and recover from, an incident. 

3) What type of training makes the most sense in today’s environment? 

It is very important to host internal exercises and give personnel hands on experience. Templates for 

conducting tabletop exercises are available. Running through a simulated event, assessing who is in 

charge, and identifying roles and responsibilities of key personnel are invaluable. 

In addition, private sector organizations can refer to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 

1600, Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs9

, for criteria 

used to assess programs or to develop, implement, and maintain aspects for prevention, mitigation, 

preparation, response, and recovery from emergencies. 

4) Can preparedness be regulated as an industry requirement? 

On November 20, 2007, DHS published Appendix A of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards 

(CFATS) rule requiring a facility to submit and complete a Top Screen questionnaire if it possesses any 

chemical of interest in a quantity that equals or exceeds an applicable screening threshold quantity. DHS 

9

 NFPA 1600 is available at www.nfpa.org/assets/files/pdf/nfpa1600.pdf. 

NOVEMBER 2008 13 
 

CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

will review these questionnaires and use the responses contained as part of its screening process to 

determine which facilities should be required to prepare Security Vulnerability Assessments and to 

prepare and implement Site Security Plans under the Department’s CFATS rule. 

Facilitated Breakout Group Discussion: Coming Full Circle—Ensuring Business 

Resiliency 

Participants (see Appendix C) were separated into four groups, based on their sector experience, to 

exchange information on potential effects of disruptions in drinking water and wastewater service. The 

resiliency of the Chicagoland region depends on giving careful thought to sector interdependency, and 

how best to protect the public welfare and the regional economy. 

Participants were asked to imagine drinking water and wastewater service disruptions of 3 days, 3 weeks, 

and 3 months. For drinking water, disruption could mean no water, reduced pressure, or water that may 

not be drinkable due to contamination or treatment failure. For wastewater, disruption could mean 

inability to discharge. Participants provided input on how each of these situations would affect their 

business, broader sector, or agency. In addition, the breakout groups developed recommendations on 

specific actions needed to increase water sector preparedness and business resiliency. Appendix D 

presents a summary of some of the major interdependent sector impacts and a list of recommendations. 

Group Report-Outs 

Patrick Crawford, Director of Disaster Services for America’s Second Harvest, and Drew Orsinger, DHS, 

moderated the report-out and open discussions. Each breakout group was asked to report out on two 

sectors across each service disruption time frame. Key points included: 

•	 Water is often taken for granted. People assume that it is infinite and always accessible. Many 

businesses/organizations do not realize how much they rely on water for manufacturing and 

transporting products. 

•	 For all sectors, a loss of water may result in the inability to run heating and cooling systems. In 

addition, products that are made with water may not be bought or distributed because of potential 

contamination issues. 

•	 Many participants understood interdependencies and cascading impacts to multiple sectors much 

better as a result of the Summit presentations and discussions. 

•	 For most government agencies, associations, and consulting organizations, a short-term (3 day) loss 

of drinking water and/or wastewater would have a minimal impact on their operations. Employees 

could telecommute from remote locations. If the outage continued for 3 weeks or longer, companies 

suffer from a loss of productivity and may need to consider relocating. The situation was much more 

severe for manufacturers. 

•	 Without immediate access to water, the chemical, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and food 

processing industries would have to stop production. An extended outage would result in a loss of 

revenue and customer confidence. Eventually, companies would be forced to go out of business or 

relocate their operations. 

NOVEMBER 2008 14 
 

CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

A recurring theme throughout the Summit was the necessity of continuity of operations planning for both 

the public and private sectors. The loss of water service can bring operations to a halt, thus potentially 

shutting down operations. This could cause great financial losses to businesses, such as manufacturing 

and chemical industries. A disruption to water supplies may drastically impact the ability of the public 

and medical sectors to meet the needs of the community. Specific recommended actions included: 

•	 Operational: 

3⁄4	 Increase drinking water and wastewater system redundancy. This redundancy may include, but is 

not limited to, backup generators at treatment plants and pumping stations, water interconnection 

pipelines, and reliable power sources. 

3⁄4	 Secure alternate sources of water, such as storage tanks, mobile water treatment units, and bottled 

water. Contractual agreements could be used to secure alternate sources of water prior to a 

disruption in service. 

3⁄4	 Consider increasing rates (real cost pricing) to recover costs for repairing and replacing water 

infrastructure. Proactively repairing and replacing aging infrastructure will result in increased 

preparedness, lessen the likelihood of a disaster, and reduce long-term costs. 

3⁄4	 Develop or update emergency response plans for all-hazards. These plans should be regularly 

tested and updated as needed. 

•	 Internal and External Communication: 

3⁄4	 Build public–private partnerships in advance. Do not wait until an event occurs to build these 

relationships. 

3⁄4	 Develop and regularly update contact lists for both employees and clientele. A stoppage or 

reduction in business operations could have a negative financial impact on businesses. 

3⁄4	 Implement a system for communicating with employees during and after an incident. Key staff 

should be identified in advance. 

3⁄4	 Implement telecommuting practices to continue with business as usual in the short term. This 

may involve providing staff with laptops (with e-mail access) and other necessary devices. 

•	 Educational: 

3⁄4	 Promote the importance of water, water conservation, and the interdependencies with other 

sectors. 

3⁄4	 Provide information on how to secure funding to implement additional water preparedness 

measures. Education is needed on how federal funding is distributed to the states and then to 

local governments. 

3⁄4	 Provide incentives, or a business case, that organizations can use to promote implementation of 

water sector preparedness measures. If these preparedness measures could favorably affect a 

company’s bottom line, businesses would be more likely to implement such measures. This 

could be as simple as enhancing water conservation efforts (e.g., preventing open valves or 

leaks). 

3⁄4	 Provide additional training, drills, and exercises to test emergency response plans and identify 

areas for improvement. The public sector often conducts exercises to test their plans and improve 

interagency communication and coordination and should include private industries in these 

exercises. 

NOVEMBER 2008 15 
 

 

 

CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

Closing Remarks 

Mary Gade, Richard Lanyon, John Spatz, and Demetria Giannisis thanked everyone for participating in 

the Chicagoland Water and Wastewater Preparedness and Business Resiliency Summit. The discussions 

and enthusiasm created by participants more than met their expectations. All agreed that the Summit 

helped raise awareness of the importance of drinking water and wastewater services and the potential 

consequences of service disruptions. This Summit brought the public and private sectors together to 

address a common interest—protecting the water infrastructure that helps deliver goods and services to 

the community and drive our economy. 

Mary Gade announced that to sustain momentum gained from the Summit, a forum or water users group 

would be created to build regional capacity and establish a continuing water emergency preparedness 

network. Participants were invited to sign up for membership in the users group. By drawing upon the 

collective knowledge and resources of the public and private sectors, this group will be able to positively 

impact water preparedness and business resiliency in the Chicago metropolitan area. 

CONCLUSION 

Building on the knowledge of business and public sector leaders, the Chicagoland Summit was the first of 

its kind to focus on public–private sector perspectives emphasizing the value of the area’s water 

infrastructure and focusing on business resiliency as a competitive strategy. Participants left with a better 

understanding of the interdependencies between water and other critical sectors. In addition, they gained 

insight on how to make a business case to build stronger public–private partnerships on water 

preparedness issues, and identified next steps to enhance regional water preparedness. The Summit was a 

very successful first step and the outputs of this collaboration can help other communities across the 

country replicate the methodology on their own. 

As a follow-up to the Chicagoland Summit, EPA Region 5 and the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare 

Council co-sponsored the Hospital and Water Sector Interdependency Summit - Keeping Patients Safe on 

September 18, 2008. Approximately 75 people attended the day-long summit designed to promote a 

better understanding of public-private sector interdependencies, foster a greater understanding of water 

infrastructure loss and potential impacts on critical healthcare facilities; and identify resources needed to 

respond to, and recover from, a water emergency. In addition, the summit offered participants an 

opportunity to discuss water usage and conservation methods, water discharge, and preparedness planning 

in healthcare facilities. 

NOVEMBER 2008 16 
CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

APPENDIX A: MEMBERS OF THE CHICAGOLAND DRINKING WATER 

AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY 

SUMMIT PLANNING TEAM 

Irene Schild Caminer, City of Chicago, Department of Demetria Giannisis, Chicago Manufacturing Center’s 

Water Management (CMC’s) – Great Lakes Partnership (GLP) Program 

Joyce Coffee, City of Chicago, Department of the Roger Kanerva, U.S. EPA Region 5 

Environment 

Patrick Crawford, America’s Second Harvest (formerly Drew Orsinger, Protective Security Advisor for Chicago 

of James Lee Witt and Associates) Great Lakes District, U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security 

Nicholas Damato, U.S. EPA Region 5, Water Division Antonio Quintanilla, Metropolitan Water Reclamation 

District of Greater Chicago 

Charlene Denys, U.S. EPA Region 5, Water Division Marc Santora, U.S. EPA Office of Ground Water and 

Drinking Water, Water Security Division 

James Duncan, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Earl Zuelke, Jr., City of Chicago, Office of Emergency 

Agency, National Preparedness Division Management and Communication 

Laura Flynn, U.S. EPA Office of Ground Water and 

Drinking Water, Water Security Division 

Summit Facilitation Team 

Yolanda Bouchee, U.S. EPA Region 5 Patricia Krause, U.S. EPA Region 5 

Marcia Damato, U.S. EPA Region 5 Jan Tarpey, U.S. EPA Region 7, Lead 

Morgan Jencius, U.S. EPA Region 5 Kenneth Westlake, U.S. EPA Region 5 

Summit Logistics Team 

Aaron George, CSC Rebecca Tirrell, CSC, Lead 

Becky McCarthy, CSC 

NOVEMBER 2008 17 
 

CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

APPENDIX B: SUMMIT AGENDA 

CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY 

SUMMIT 

A Community Forum on Interdependencies 

Ralph H. Metcalfe Federal Building 

General Services Administration Conference Center, 3rd Floor Room 331 

77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60604
 

NOVEMBER 28, 2007 

Agenda 

8:00 – 8:30 Registration and Informal Networking 

8:30 – 8:45 Welcoming Remarks 

Mary A. Gade, Regional Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency Region 5 

8:45 – 10:00 Panel Discussion #1 

Moderator 

Mary A. Gade, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

Government Perspectives on Interdependencies and the Value of 

Water Infrastructure 

Speakers 

Irene Schild Caminer, Assistant Commissioner/Director of Legal Services, 

City of Chicago Department of Water Management 

Richard Lanyon, General Superintendent, Metropolitan Water 

Reclamation District of Greater Chicago 

Pamela Turner, Assistant Director of Water Supply Operations; and 

George Ellenwood, Assistant Director of Public Affairs; City of Detroit 

Water and Sewerage Department 

Drew Orsinger, Protective Security Advisor for Chicago Great Lakes 

District, U.S. Department of Homeland Security 

Questions and Answers 

NOVEMBER 2008 18 
 

 

 

 

CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

10:00 – 10:15 Break 

10:15 – 11:45 Panel Discussion #2 

Moderator 

Demetria Giannisis, President and CEO, Chicago Manufacturing Center 

and Managing Director of the Great Lakes Partnership Program 

Building a Business Case for Private Sector Involvement in Water 

Preparedness – Learning from Past Experiences and Planning for 

the Future 

Speakers 

Jenni Cawein, Corporate Environmental, Health, and Safety Engineering 

Manager, Baxter Healthcare Corporation 

Dr. Linda Bowles, Manager Quality Systems, Corn Products International 

Sean Ahrens, Senior Security Consultant, Schirmer Engineering, an Aon 

Subsidiary 

Ed Collins, National Director, ProtectingAmerica.org; and Managing 

Counsel, The Allstate Corporation 

Questions and Answers 

11:45 – 12:30 Lunch and Networking – On your own at the Metcalfe Building Food 

Court, seating available in the GSA conference rooms 

12:30 – 12:50 Keynote Speaker 

Benjamin H. Grumbles, Assistant Administrator for Water, U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency 

NOVEMBER 2008 19 
 

CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

12:50 – 2:00 Town Hall Meeting

 Moderator 

Nanci Gelb, Deputy Director, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water 

Theory and Real World Practice of Water Emergency Response 

Speakers 

Earl Zuelke, Deputy Director, City of Chicago Office of Emergency 

Management and Communications 

Andrew Velasquez, Director, Illinois Emergency Management Agency 

Edward Buikema, Director, Region 5, Federal Emergency Management 

Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security 

Holmes Walters, Disaster Program Manager, U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers Headquarters, Office of Homeland Security 

Debbie Newberry, Chief, Security Assistance Branch, Office of Ground 

Water and Drinking Water, Water Security Division, U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency 

Cortez Trotter, Vice President and Director for Midwest Region, James 

Lee Witt Associates, a part of GlobalOptions Group 

Questions and Answers 

2:00 – 2:10 Break 

2:10 – 3:35 Facilitated Breakout Group Discussions 

Coming Full Circle – Ensuring Business Resiliency 

Questions 

As context for the questions below, participants will be asked to imagine 

water and wastewater service disruptions of 3 days, 3 weeks, and 3 

months. For drinking water, disruption can mean no water, reduced 

pressure, or water that may not be drinkable due to contamination or 

treatment failure. For wastewater, disruption can mean inability to 

discharge. 

•	 How would each of these situations affect my business, my broader 

sector, or my agency? 

NOVEMBER 2008 20 
 

 

CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

•	 What specific actions would you recommend to increase water sector 

preparedness and business resiliency? 

3:35 – 3:45 Break 

3:45 – 4:40 Report-Outs and Open Discussion 

Moderators 

Patrick Crawford, Director of Disaster Services, America’s Second 

Harvest 

Drew Orsinger, U.S. Department of Homeland Security 

Speakers 

Breakout Group Leaders 

Questions and Answers 

4:40 – 5:00 Closing Remarks 

Speakers 

Mary A. Gade, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

John Spatz, City of Chicago Department of Water Management 

Richard Lanyon, Metropolitan Wastewater Reclamation District of Greater 

Chicago 

Demetria Giannisis, Chicago Manufacturing Center 

NOVEMBER 2008 21 
 

CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

APPENDIX C: PARTICIPANTS LIST 

Sean Ahrens 

Senior Security Consultant 

Schirmer Engineering, an AON Insurance 

Services Company 

707 Lake Cook Road 

Deerfield, IL 60015-4997 

sean_ahrens@schirmereng.com 

Ray Ames 

Water Plant Superintendent 

Wilmette Water Plant 

200 Lake Avenue 

Wilmette, IL 60091 

Tel: 847-853-7531 

Fax: 847-853-7702 

amesr@wilmette.com 

Lauren Bean 

Manager of Communications & Research 

National Strategy Forum 

53 West Jackson Boulevard 

Suite 516 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-697-1286 

Fax: 312-697-1296 

bean@nationalstrategy.com 

Sam Borries 

Regional Security Advisor 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackson Boulevard SE-5J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-353-8360 

borries.samuel@epa.gov 

Linda Bowles 

Manager Quality Systems 

Corn Products International 

5 Westbrook Corporate Center 

Westchester, IL 60154 

linda.bowles@cornproducts.com 

Sara Alexander 

ChicagoFirst 

One North Wacker Drive 

Suite 500 

Chicago, IL 60606 

sara.alexander@chicagofirst.org 

Libby Allen Augustine 

Community Resilience Coordinator 

Chicago Manufacturing Center 

247 South State Street 

Suite 1000 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-542-0496 

lallen@cmcusa.org 

Anthony Bilotti 

Environmental Services Manager 

Kowalenko Consulting Group, Inc 

118 North Peoria Street 

Suite 5N 

Chicago, IL 60607 

Tel: 312-853-0500 

Fax: 312-853-0311 

abilotti@kowalenkogroup.com 

Yolanda Bouchee 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackson Boulevard P-19J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-353-3209 

bouchee.yolanda@epa.gov 

William Bresnahan 

First Deputy Commissioner 

City of Chicago, Dept. of Water Management 

1000 East Ohio 

Chicago, IL 60611 

Tel: 312-744-7001 

Fax: 312-744-9631 

NOVEMBER 2008 22 
CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

Edward Buikema 

Region 5 Administrator 

DHS FEMA 

536 South Clark Street 

Sixth Floor 

Chicago, IL 60605 

Willie Cade 

CEO 

PC Rebuilders & Recyclers 

3642 North Springfield Avenue 

Chicago, IL 60618-4029 

Tel: 773-583-7575 

Fax: 773-583-7585 

willie@pcrr.com 

Tressa Chambers-Milton 

Director, Environmental Health and Safety 

W. W. Grainger, Inc. 

100 Grainger Parkway 

Lake Forest, IL 60045 

Tel: 847-535-0662 

Fax: 847-535-4005 

tressa.chambers-milton@grainger.com 

Ed Collins 

National Director - ProtectingAmerica.org 

Managing Counsel - The Allstate Corporation 

2775 Sanders Road 

Northbrook, IL 60060 

Patrick Crawford 

Director of Disaster Services 

America's Second Harvest 

35 East Wacker Drive 

Suite 2000 

Chicago, IL 60601 

Tel: 312-641-6846 

pcrawford@secondharvest.org 

Katherine Burns 

Intern 

U.S. EPA - Water Security Division 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 

MC: 4608T 

Washington, DC 20460 

Tel: 202-564-2106 

Fax: 202-566-0055 

burns.katherine@epa.gov 

Jenni Cawein 

Senior Manager, Environmental Health & Safety 

Baxter International 

One Baxter Parkway 

4-3W 

Deerfield, IL 60015 

Tel: 847-948-4044 

Fax: 847-948-3660 

jenni_cawein@baxter.com 

William Christiansen 

Program Planner 

Alliance for Water Efficiency 

P.O. Box 804127 

Chicago, IL 60680-4127 

Tel: 773-360-5100 

Fax: 773-345-3636 

william@a4we.org 

Kevin Connell 

Director 

Science, Engineering, & Mission Support 

CSC 

6101 Stevenson Avenue 

Alexandria, VA 22304 

Tel: 703-461-2394 

Fax: 703-461-2020 

kconnell2@csc.com 

Rita Culp 

Water Division 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackon Boulevard 

MC WC-15J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-886-7454 

culp.rita@epa.gov 

NOVEMBER 2008 23 
CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

Marcia Damato 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackson Boulevard 

MC: G-17J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-886-0266 

damato.marcia@epa.gov 

Jenny Davison 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackon Boulevard 

Water Division, MC: WC-15J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-886-0184 

davison.jenny@epa.gov 

Dave Dickinson 

Protective Security Advisor for Chicago 

U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security 

525 West Van Buren 

Chicago, IL 60607 

Tel: 630-967-4776 

david.dickinson1@dhs.gov 

Steven Edwards 

Safety Officer 

University of Chicago Hospital & Health 

Systems 

5841 South Maryland Avenue 

Chicago, IL 60637 

Tel: 773-702-1733 

Fax: 773-834-0037 

steve.edwards@uchospitals.edu 

Charna Epstein 

Associate Director, Crisis Prevention & 

Distaster Recovery 

Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & 

Human Rights 

4411 North Ravenswood Avenue 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 773-728-5960 ext. 6220 

Fax: 773-728-4907 

cepstein@heartlandalliance.org 

Nick Damato 

Program Analyst 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackson Boulevard WG-15J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-886-0190 

Fax: 312-886-6171 

damato.nicholas@epa.gov 

Charlene Denys 

Senior Water Security Program Advisor 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackson Boulevard WG-15J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-886-6206 

Fax: 312-886-6171 

denys.charlene@epa.gov 

James Duncan 

Division Director 

DHS FEMA National Preparedness Division 

536 South Clark Street 

Sixth Flr 

Chicago, IL 60605 

Tel: 312-408-5592 

Fax: 312-408-5572 

james.duncan@dhs.gov 

George Ellenwood 

Assistant Director of Public Affairs 

City of Detroit, Water and Sewerage Department 

735 Randolph Street 

Detroit, MI 48226 

Laura Flynn 

Team Lead, Active & Effective Security 

Programs 

U.S. EPA - Water Security Division 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 4608T 

Washington, D.C. 20460 

Tel: 202-564-4611 

Fax: 202-566-0055 

flynn.laura@epa.gov 

NOVEMBER 2008 24 
CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

Michael Foley 

Deputy Commissioner 

City of Chicago, Department of Water 

Management 

1000 East Ohio Street 

Chicago, IL 60611 

Tel: 312-744-5070 

mfoley@cityofchicago.org 

Nanci Gelb 

Deputy Director 

U.S. EPA Office of Ground Water & 

Drinking Water 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 

MC: 4601M 

Washington, D.C. 20460 

Tel: 202-564-6817 

Fax: 202-564-3753 

gelb.nanci@epa.gov 

Demetria Giannisis 

President & CEO, Chicago Manufacturing 

Center 

Managing Director, Great Lakes Partnership 

Program 

247 South State Street, Suite 1000 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-542-0444 

Fax: 312-922-8557 

dgiannisis@cmcusa.org 

Ben Grumbles 

Assistant Adminstrator for Water 

U.S. EPA Office of Water 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 

MC: 4101M 

Washington, D.C. 20460 

Tel: 202-564-5700 

grumbles.benjamin@epa.gov 

Duane Heaton 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackon Boulevard 

Water Division, MC: WC-15J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-886-6399 

heaton.duane@epa.gov 

Mary A. Gade 

Regional Administrator 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackson Boulevard 

MC: R-19J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-886-3000 

gade.mary@epa.gov 

Aaron George 

Senior Environmental Scientist Professional 

CSC 

6101 Stevenson Avenue 

Alexandria, VA 22304 

Tel: 703-461-2381 

Fax: 703-461-2020 

ageorge22@csc.com 

Thomas Gray 

Consulting Editor, Property Risk Control 

CNA Insurance 

333 South Wabash Avenue 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-822-6862 

Fax: 312-817-2322 

thomas.gray@cna.com 

Jacob Hassan 

Environmental Scientist 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackson Boulevard 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-886-6864 

hassan.jacob@epa.gov 

Mark Hilty 

Director,Water Department 

City of Franklin Water Management Dept. 

405 Hillsboro Road 

Franklin, TN 37064 

Tel: 615-794-4554 

Fax: 615-790-1340 

mark.hilty@franklin-gov.com 

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CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

Allan Hug 

President 

InnerGuide Technologies 

1050 North State Street 

Suite 201 

Chicago, IL 60610 

Tel: 800-856-5571 

Debra Jacobson 

IDNR 

Waste Management & Research Center 

1010 Jorie Boulevard 

Suite 12 

Oak Brook, IL 60523 

Tel: 630-472-5019 

Fax: 630-472-5023 

djacobso@wmrc.uiuc.edu 

Morgan Jencius 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackson Boulevard 

MC: R-19J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-886-2407 

jencius.morgan@epa.gov 

Fred Kaehler 

Lieutenant Colonel 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago 

District 

111. North Canal Street 

Chicago, IL 60606 

Tel: 312-846-5301 

fredric.kaehler@usace.army.mil 

Patti Krause 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackson Boulevard 

MC: P-19J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-886-9506 

krause.patricia@epa.gov 

Brian Jack 

Water & Sewer Superintendent 

Village of Oak Park 

201 South Boulevard 

Oak Park, IL 60302 

Tel: 708-358-5700 

Fax: 708-358-5711 

jackb@oak-park.us 

Osoth Jamjun 

Chief of Maintenance and Operations 

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District 

of Greater Chicago 

100 East Erie Street 

Chicago, IL 60611 

Tel: 312-751-5101 

osoth.jamjun@mwrd.org 

Anna Jozefowski 

Chief Financial Officer 

Chicago Manufacturing Center 

247 South State Street 

Suite 1000 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Roger Kanerva 

Special Assistant for Homeland Security 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackson Boulevard 

MC: R-19J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-353-9390 

Fax: 312-353-1120 

kanerva.roger@epa.gov 

Richard Lanyon 

General Superintendent 

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District 

of Greater Chicago 

100 East Erie Street 

Chicago, IL 60611 

NOVEMBER 2008 26 
CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

Mary Lee 

Staff Engineer, Safety, Health & the 

Environment 

Nalco Company 

1601 West Diehl Road 

Naperville, IL 60563 

Dean Maraldo 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

Water Division 

77 West Jackon Boulevard 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-353-2098 

Fax: 312-886-7804 

maraldo.dean@epa.gov 

James McBride 

V.P. of Quality Assurance 

Schulze & Burch Bisc. Co. 

1133 West 35th Street 

Chicago, IL 60609 

Tel: 773-927-6622 ext. 6030 

james.mcbride@schulzeburch.com 

Terry McGhee 

Manager of Water Operation 

Dupage Water Commission 

600 East Butterfield Road 

Elmhurst, IL 60126 

Tel: 630-834-0100 

Fax: 630-834-0120 

mcghee@dpwc.org 

Tanya Mottley 

Associate Director 

U.S. EPA - Water Security Division 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 

MC: 4608T 

Washington, DC 20460 

Simon Manoyan 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackon Boulevard 

Water Division, MC: WW-16J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-353-2681 

manoyan.simon@epa.gov 

Robert Martin 

General Manager 

Dupage Water Commission 

600 East Butterfield Road 

Elmhurst, IL 60126 

Tel: 630-834-0100 

Fax: 630-834-0120 

martin@dpwc.org 

Becky McCarthy 

Senior Environmental Scientist Professional 

CSC 

6101 Stevenson Avenue 

Alexandria, VA 22304 

Tel: 703-461-2409 

Fax: 703-461-2020 

rdohse@csc.com 

Rick McPeak 

Water Distribution Superintendent 

City of Franklin Water Management Dept. 

405 Hillsboro Road 

Franklin, TN 37064 

Tel: 615-794-4554 

Fax: 615-790-1340 

rickm@franklin-gov.com 

Dick Mulvihill 

Managing Partner 

HexiSTOR Data Protection Services, LLC 

2132 West Moffat Street 

Suite 300 

Chicago, IL 60647 

Tel: 312-593-6100 ext. 102 

dick@hexistor.com 

NOVEMBER 2008 27 
CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

Barrett Murphy 

Managing Deputy, Bureau of Operations & 

Distribution 

City of Chicago, Dept. of Water Management 

1000 East Ohio 

Chicago, IL 60611 

Debbie Newberry 

Chief, Security Assistance Branch 

U.S. EPA - Water Security Division 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 

MC: 4608T 

Washington, DC 20460 

Tel: 202-564-1415 

Fax: 202-564-8513 

John Norton, Jr. 

Senior Consulting Engineer 

MWH, Inc. 

175 Jackson Boulevard 

Suite 1900 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-831-3440 

Fax: 312-831-3889 

john.norton@mwh.global.com 

Rob Pepin 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackon Boulevard 

Water Division, MC: WN-16J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-886-1505 

pepin.robert@epa.gov 

Tony Quintanilla 

Assistant Chief Engineer 

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District 

of Greater Chicago 

North Side Water Reclamation Plant 

3500 West Howard Street 

Chicago, IL 30076-4078 

Tel: 773-256-3503 

Fax: 773-256-3888 

antonio.quintanilla@mwrd.org 

Virginia Narsete 

Public Information Officer 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackon Boulevard 

MC: SE-5J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-886-4359 

narsete.virginia@epa.gov 

Robert Newport 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackson Boulevard 

MC: WW-19J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-886-1513 

newport.bob@epa.gov 

Drew Orsinger 

Protective Security Advisor for Chicago 

DHS Great Lakes District 

525 West Van Buren 

Suite 900 

Chicago, IL 60607 

Tel: 312-469-1547 

drew.orsinger@dhs.gov 

Andrea Putz 

Director of Water Research 

City of Chicago, Dept. of Water Management 

1000 East Ohio 

Chicago, IL 60611 

Sean Ramach 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackon Boulevard 

Water Division, MC: WN-16J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-886-5284 

ramach.sean@epa.gov 

NOVEMBER 2008 28 
CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

Roger Remblake 

Regional Director - Security and Life Safety 

Tishman Speyer Properties 

10 South Wacker Drive 

Suite 1200 

Chicago, IL 60606 

Tel: 312-869-8809 

Fax: 312-869-8761 

rremblak@tishmanspeyer.com 

Marc Santora 

Project Lead, Active & Effective Security 

Programs 

U.S. EPA - Water Security Division 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 4608T 

Washington, D.C. 20460 

Tel: 202-564-1597 

Fax: 202-566-0055 

santora.marc@epa.gov 

Roger Selburg 

Manager, Division of Public Water Supplies 

Illinois EPA 

P.O. Box 19276 

Springfield, IL 62794 

Tel: 217-785-8653 

Fax: 217-782-0075 

roger.selburg@illinois.gov 

Charles Stack 

Vice President 

Constant Compliance Inc. 

140 South Dearborn Street 

Suite 411 

Chicago, IL 60603 

Tel: 630-841-8706 

Fax: 312-782-0936 

cstack@2ci.com 

James Sullivan 

General Counsel 

Water Environment Federation 

601 Wythe Street 

Alexandria, VA 22314 

Tel: 703-684-2436 

jsullivan@wef.org 

Bobby Roberson 

Site Coordinator 

The Inner Voice Inc. 

1639 West Walnut Street 

Chicago, IL 60612 

Tel: 312-226-2730 

Fax: 312-226-4697 

broberson@innervoicechicago.org 

Irene Schild Caminer 

Asst. Commissioner/Director of Legal Services 

City of Chicago, Dept. of Water Management 

1000 East Ohio 

Chicago, IL 60611 

Tel: 312-745-1028 

Fax: 312-744-9631 

icaminer@cityofchicago.org 

John Spatz 

Commissioner 

City of Chicago, Dept. of Water Management 

1000 East Ohio 

Chicago, IL 60611 

jspatz@cityofchicago.org 

David Stoneback 

Superintendent -Water & Sewer 

City of Evanston 

555 Lincoln Street 

Evanston, IL 60201 

Tel: 847-866-2942 

Fax: 847-475-8851 

dstoneback@cityofevanston.org 

Russell Sullivan 

Water Treatment Superintendent 

City of Franklin Water Management Dept. 

405 Hillsboro Road 

Franklin, TN 37064 

Tel: 615-794-4554 

Fax: 615-790-1340 

russell_s@franklin-gov.com 

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CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

Jan Tarpey 

U.S. EPA Region 7 

901 North Fifth Street 

MC: PLMGHROD 

Kansas City, KS 66101 

Tel: 913-551-7223 

tarpey.jan@epa.gov 

Rebecca Tirrell 

Project Manager 

CSC 

6101 Stevenson Avenue 

Alexandria, VA 22304 

Tel: 703-461-2321 

Fax: 703-461-2020 

rtirrell@csc.com 

Cortez Trotter 

Vice President & Director for Midwest 

Region 

James Lee Witt Associates 

161 North Clark Street 

Suite 2070 

Chicago, IL 60601 

ctrotter@wittassociates.com 

Diane VanDe Hei 

Executive Director 

Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies 

1620 I Street, NW 

Suite 500 

Washington, D.C. 20006 

Tel: 202-331-2820 

Fax: 202-785-1845 

vandehei@amwa.net 

Andrew Velasquez, III 

Director 

Illinois Emergency Management Agency 

2200 South Dirksen Parkway 

Springfield, IL 62703 

Tel: 217-782-2700 

Fax: 217-524-7967 

andrew.velasquez@illinois.gov 

Dileep Thatte 

Senior Business Advisor 

Chicago Manufacturing Center 

247 South State Street 

Suite 1000 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-542-0492 

Fax: 312-922-8557 

dthatte@cmcusa.org 

Robert Tolpa 

Acting Director, Water Division 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackson Boulevard 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-353-3121 

tolpa.robert@epa.gov 

Pamela Turner 

Assistant Director of Water Supply Operations 

City of Detroit, Water & Sewerage Department 

735 Randolph Street 

Detroit, MI 48226 

George Vander Velde 

Director 

State of IL-Waste Management & Research 

Center 

1 Hazelwood Drive 

Champaign, IL 61820 

Tel: 217-333-8569 

Fax: 217-333-8940 

gvvelde@wmrc.uiuc.edu 

John Walsh 

U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security 

525 West Van Buren 

Suite 900 

Chicago, IL 60607 

Tel: 312-469-1503 

Fax: 312-353-1225 

john.m.walsh@dhs.gov 

NOVEMBER 2008 30 
 

 

CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

Holmes Walters 

Disaster Program Manager 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

441 G Street, NW 

Washington, DC 20314 

Tel: 202-439-8446 

holmes.w.walters@us.army.mil 

Earl Zuelke, Jr. 

Deputy Director 

City of Chicago, Office of Emergency 

Management and Communications 

1411 West Madison Street 

Chicago, IL 60607 

Tel: 312-746-1828 

Fax: 312-746-6456 

ewzuelkejr@cityofchicago.org 

Kenneth Westlake 

U.S. EPA Region 5 

77 West Jackson Boulevard 

MC: E-19J 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Tel: 312-886-2910 

westlake.kenneth@epa.gov 

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CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

APPENDIX D: BREAKOUT GROUP DISCUSSIONS 

Objective: 

The purpose of the breakout group was to exchange information on the potential effects of drinking water 

and wastewater service disruptions in order to prevent, minimize, and if all else fails, recover from service 

disruptions. The resiliency of the region depends on giving careful thought to sector interdependency, 

and how best to protect the public welfare and the economy of the region. Each group was tasked with 

“brainstorming” the effects and necessary preparedness action associated with water and wastewater 

service disruptions in their sector. 

The following questions were presented to the participants: 

1. Imagine a water and wastewater disruption to your facility or business. For 

drinking water, disruption can mean no water, reduced pressure, or water that is 

not potable due to contamination or treatment failure. For wastewater, 

disruptions can mean inability to discharge. Specifically, how would each of 

these situations affect your business, sector, or agency for 3 days, 3 weeks, or 3 

months? 

Water Service Impacts 

The perceived effects of water service disruptions varied widely, depending on the water needs of the 

private sector enterprises. For companies that have the option of having their work force telecommute, 

the general feeling was that operations would be less than ideal, but they could operate. One factor that 

might make that impossible, however, is if they require cooling water for computer banks that are 

essential to business operations. Without cooling water, the computers would have to be shut down, and 

operations might need to stop. If the service disruption extended to employees’ homes, participants 

thought that the disruption to home life would be extensive and would adversely affect telecommuting 

work productivity. 

For companies that depend on water for production of a product, a water disruption as short as 3 days 

could shut down the operation. Adjunct water needs, such as the need to sanitize food-grade tanker trucks, 

could also slow or stop operations by making it impossible to transport already-existing product. The 

consequence of having to stop operations even temporarily could mean long-term loss of revenue because 

clients will get their product from elsewhere. In the worst case scenario, a company would have to close 

down, or move operations to another location. 

In addition to cooling water needs for computers, water is also extensively used for general building 

cooling, heating, and for steam sterilization. Hospitals, for example, are vulnerable because they have 

interior temperature requirements; if they can’t stay within a specified temperature range, they cannot stay 

open. Alternative forms of sterilization are slower, producing another cascading effect from the initial 

direct effects of water service disruption. 

Other water-dependent operations include laboratories for medical diagnostics and for research and 

development, food preparation, sanitation, and of course, firefighting. 

In the event that water is available, but is contaminated, some companies would have to stop operations 

because they depend on a source of potable water. Other companies already have additional water 

NOVEMBER 2008 32 
CHICAGOLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER PREPAREDNESS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCY SUMMIT 

treatment systems as part of their manufacturing processes, and could use contaminated water as an 

acceptable source for their manufacturing. 

Depending on local requirements, buildings may be considered unfit for occupation due to either a water 

or wastewater service disruption, regardless of the availability of alternative water supplies for drinking. 

Wastewater Impacts 

If there is no water service for about 3 weeks, wastewater plant operations could be severely affected. If 

there is no sewage flow, the waste water treatment plant biological treatment processes would be 

damaged. Once water flow resumed, it would take a minimum of 6 weeks for the biological processes to 

be functional, and in the meantime, wastewater flows to the environment would be essentially untreated 

wastewater. If there is no water flow for 3 months, it could take 6 months for the wastewater treatment 

processes to be fully functional. 

The effects of a disruption in waste water services, i.e., an inability to discharge to the sewer system, also 

varied, depending on the water-dependence of the particular enterprise. For companies that are not major 

water users, it may be possible to store and then transport waste water off site. For companies that are 

major water users, the inability to discharge to a sewer would immediately cause at least a production 

slow-down, rapidly escalating to a production stoppage. 

Supply Chains 

As part of the discussions about the effects of water and/or waste water service disruptions, participants 

also discussed the need to look at the water dependencies of supply chains both upstream and 

downstream, since no enterprise operates entirely independently. 

2. What specific actions would you recommend to increase water sector 

preparedness and business resiliency?
 

Activity Recommendation 

Operations 







Ensure redundancy of key operations within drinking water and 

wastewater systems 

Secure alternate sources of water 

Implement real-cost pricing 

Update emergency action plans 

Communications 





Build public–private partnerships 

Develop, exercise, and update call down lists 

Develop and exercise telecommuting practices 

Education 





Promote understanding of importance of conservation and 

interdependencies between related sectors 

Develop incentives and business cases for implementing water sector 

preparedness measures 

Provide additional training, drills, and exercises 

NOVEMBER 2008 33