Community-Based Water Resiliency and All-Hazards Preparedness

A critical component of public health is the availability of clean, safe, and reliable drinking water. In the event of a water service interruption, communities must be prepared to face human health risks, as well as the risks to other critical community services such as food sanitation, patient care, and firefighting. To aid communities with this responsibility, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the Community-Based Water Resiliency (CBWR) initiative in 2011.

The CBWR initiative raises awareness about how communities use water and provides resources to help build resiliency in emergencies that cause drinking water and wastewater service interruptions.   The CBWR electronic tool allows communities to assess their preparedness for, and resiliency to, water service interruptions from both man-made and natural events, and recommends resources that would aid in enhancing water resiliency.

This session will provide participants with training on the CBWR tool, including lessons learned from other communities who have implemented water resiliency programs. Participants of this session will better understand how to prepare for water service interruptions from all-hazards, including: hurricanes, tornadoes, drought, and many others. Session participants will also learn how increased preparedness enhances public health preparedness and community resiliency through scenario-based activities. After completing this training, participants will have the tools necessary to take CBWR back to their individual communities and begin implementation.