Tag Archives: “vulnerability assessment”

A new bill covering drinking water facility security is being considered by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and will shortly be introduced. Until now, water facilities have been exempt from the requirements of Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), which expires in late 2009. The Drinking Water System Security Act of 2009 will apparently replace or update those requirements and remove the water facility exemption.

At most water facilities the “substance of concern” is gaseous chlorine, frequently held in one-ton cylinders. Like many hazardous substances, chlorine is a very useful material that also poses significant risk. In this case it is a long-established component of clean drinking water, providing disinfection. It creates the “bleach” smell we might note in our tap water. On the other hand, both sides also used it as a weapon in WWI, though not a particularly effective one.