Newly Introduced Legislation Aims to Increase Utility Participation in WaterISAC

Yesterday Senator Edward J. Markey and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky introduced the Water System Threat Preparedness and Resilience Act, legislation that would provide funding for water and wastewater utilities to become members of WaterISAC.

In introducing the legislation, Senator Markey and Congresswoman Schakowsky highlighted the “increasingly complicated threats” faced by water and wastewater utilities, including “from extreme weather to terrorism to cyberattacks.” They and sector leaders noted how WaterISAC helps utilities address these challenges, with National Association of Clean Water Agencies CEO Adam Krantz saying, “WaterISAC has been an invaluable tool in helping public wastewater and drinking water utilities better prepare and mitigate against the risks.” They also observed many utilities are not WaterISAC members and are not benefiting from its products and services. “While WaterISAC member utilities currently serve about 60 percent of the U.S. population, only about 400 of the nation’s nearly 50,000 community water systems and 16,000 wastewater systems are paying WaterISAC members that enjoy full access to all of the nonprofit’s threat and vulnerability alerts, subject matter expertise, and other information,” said John P. Sullivan, Chief Engineer of the Boston Water and Sewer Commission and Chairman of the WaterISAC Board of Managers. The proposed legislation would help more utilities become WaterISAC members by directing the EPA to create a new grant program that would help cover their dues. Read more at the official webpage of Edward Markey, United States Senator for Massachusetts.