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Guidance Developed by US EPA
Suggested pre-hurricane activities for wastewater facilities
General:
�1 Identify and schedule emergency operations and cleanup crews. This could consist of heavy
equipment and extra personnel to assist in clean-ups after the storm.
2. Adjust work schedules so that key staff members are onsite or can be reached to keep all
services operational if the facility remains online or to shutdown and startup facilities if and
when necessary.
3. Review your emergency response plan and make sure it and contacts are current.
4. Notif�, ahead of time, and setup clear lines of communication with local police and fife
department, in case of an injury or other emergencies. Request that local law enforcement
check on any water staff that remain onsite at the water system. If communication channels
are down with these sites,this check needs to continue on a routine basis until
communication channels are reestablished.
SO Make arrangements with the local power utility to be prepared to restore power to the
wastewater system as a priority customer.
Pre-arrange to purchase materials and supplies and to borrow/lease heavy equipment needed
to make repairs to the water system. This could include piping, valves, chemical feed-line
tubing, and hydrants.
7. Make arrangements to have materials and chemicals delivered to your location as soon as it
is safe and you are ready for operation.
8. Establish which media you will use for customers to access information and press
advisories.
9. Stock up on first-aid supplies,batteries, flashlights, and cellular phones or other wireless
communication devices. Check all normal and emergency communication equipment and
charge or replace batteries.
10. Stock an adequate supply(one week) of non-perishable food and water for any essential
persons that remain on site or are considered first responders to the wastewater system.
11. Establish alternative transportation strategies for rotating in core employees to the facility if
high water prevents travel. Personnel should bring a jump bag with them,which contains
change of clothes, sleeping bag, flashlights, extra batteries, medications, and other essentials.
12. Make sure all essential personnel are trained to shut down and start up system in case of
emergency.
13. Notify the Emergency Management Agency(EMA) and the wastewater primacy agency for
your State if a plant is taken off-line or you are unable to operate the system. Be sure to
obtain EMA and primacy locations before any potentially known disasters occur such as a
hurricane.
14. Review conveyance system maps to ensure they are up-to-date. Extra copies may be
necessary for staff working in the field.
Grounds and Common Areas:
17. Inspect treatment facility for security concerns. Test backup lights and generators.
18. For all systems, check backup pumps and controls.
19. In addition to regular preventive maintenance, all systems (surface, ground and purchased)
should check backup chemical feeders and all pumps and motors. Verify that spare pumps,
motors and other necessary spare parts are available.
20. Check manual controls and oil levels.
21. Fuel and service vehicles. Stock service vehicles with equipment and supplies, and move
service vehicles to high ground or temporarily locate them out of the threat of damage.
22. Have sufficient supplies of sand bags available and sandbag the entrances, the area around
critical equipment, and other critical areas.
23. Ensure that emergency electrical generators are not located in flood-prone areas of the
facility. Obtain extra fuel for generators. Ensure adequate number of generators for water
systems that require generators for wastewater and water pumping operations.
24. Board up all windows and doors to prevent wind damage, as necessary.
Administration and Laboratory Buildings: (relocation of movable assets may be necessary)
26. Secure important records in a well-protected location, including plant operations manual and
conveyance(sewer) system mapping.
27. Remove all sensitive laboratory equipment from the flood zone, where possible. Remove
portable electrical equipment and small motors from the flood zone.
28. Protect computers from potential damage.
29. Check bacteriological sampling materials --be prepared for increased or special monitoring
after the storm.
30. Remove or store furnishings in a safe place, when practical.
31. Disconnect electrical power to the water system building,workshops, or offices if possible.
Treatment Plant and Pumping Stations:
32. Run diagnostic tests on Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition(SCADA) and control
systems.
33. All pump stations should be in a well-drained area and be designed to remain in operation
during flood events. If not, the pumps should be shut down and protected from electrical
damage if they should become submerged. After any major storm event, check raw water
intakes to minimize any debris or other materials which could enter. Ensure operators and
staff are familiar with manual operations within the system should SCADA become
inoperable.
34. Check that all chemical bulk storage tanks are properly labeled to include chlorine cylinders
and chemical mix tanks. This will help in identification should these items be washed or
wind-blown away.
35. Be sure all dry chemicals are stored off the floor in a dry room that is protected against
flooding and water from floors, walls and ceilings.
36. Check chemical inventory. A storm event could cause a greater demand for disinfectant to
address broken waterlines and increases in turbidity, so more disinfectant and coagulant
chemicals may be required. Verify that the current supply of calcium hypochlorite(if used)is
adequate for this potential increased use.
37. Remove or move chemicals to a safe area. If chemicals are removed from an underground or
above ground tank, fill the tank with water, if possible,to prevent floating.
38. Remove fuel from underground storage tanks to prevent contamination and loss of the fuel.
If possible move above ground fuel storage tanks to a safe,high area. Fuel will be needed for
emergency and plant vehicles until new supplies arrive. Prepare for one week supply, if
possible.
39. Remove electrical motors, where possible. If not, wrap the motors in plastic and seal as tight
as possible, in order to protect the motor from silt,mud, and dirt. Any electrical motors that
are submerged, should be cleaned and dried prior to start up to prevent damage.
40. Remove shop tools and electrical hand tools from water system facilities.
41. Monitor tank levels. Fill elevated and ground storage tanks to full capacity. Storage tanks
should be valved off from the distribution system immediately prior to the storm event to
prevent loss of water during the storm.