In 2018, the President’s National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) found that “existing national plans, response resources, and coordination strategies would be overwhelmed in the event of a catastrophic power outage.” In response, Congress passed the AWIA of 2018. This law requires municipal water systems to assess their facilities and operations for risk of disruption from natural and cyber events. It also requires water systems to prepare an emergency response plan. Funding is equivalent to federal government grants/loans. This proactive approach is a good start.

The AWIA programs are geared toward diesel generators! There is limited funding for transmission and distribution facilities. This is where everything has gone wrong! The funding and costs for transmission and distribution facilities and the required analyses exceeded the budgets of the water systems and states. The EPA review is not authoritative! The EPA only reviews whether the water systems submit certifications.

AWIA requires water systems to coordinate emergency response plans with statewide emergency response organizations. State review is not required. In fact, no state agency in Utah reviews assessments and emergency response plans. Public review and access is limited to obtaining copies of certifications.

The whole thing got off on the wrong foot when water systems purchased diesel generators and began certifying incomplete evaluations. In 2020, the National Renewable Energy Laboratories concluded that diesel generators were not sufficiently safe to operate for multi-day use!

Five of the largest systems in Utah have purchased diesel generators.

Neither the EPA, Utah nor the public know the nature or extent of the emergency power supply to the water systems.

Last year, while fighting a forest fire in Kula on Maui, the water ran out because the emergency power supply was not sufficient!

Are Utah residents destined to follow in the footsteps of the people of Kula, who are lamenting the loss of emergency power this fire season?

Richard Williams, Ogden

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