A National Rural Water Association Washington D.C. Briefing highlighted the challenges in providing support to rural and small water and wastewater systems in the face of natural disasters, (i.e. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita). Officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, Rural Utilities Service and the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators participated.
Rural water operators from Louisiana and Mississippi accompanied their state rural water association offices to report on the hurricane damages to their systems and how rural water helped them immediately following the storms. The operators also discussed the long-term support rural water is still providing, along with how rural water can better prepare to meet future disasters.
One of the most notable outcomes discussed was the need for governmental agencies to recognize water and wastewater personnel as first responders since they are just as critical as police and fire.
One presenter noted that fire, police and emergency crews were asked to do all they could in the aftermath of the storms. They were provided generators to set up emergency offices; yet, when rural water helped hook up generators to the water systems, officials often deemed them as secondary and would not support fueling for the generators to keep the water flowing.
How can emergency crews run their hospitals and fire crews fight fires without water? It is essential in future emergencies that water/wastewater utilities and rural water associations be included in the first responder process.
The D.C. Briefing to EPA and RUS continues National Rural Water’s long-term communication efforts with both agencies to help them better understand rural water commitment to the environment.
Source: National Rural Water Association
