Yesterday, Columbia area residents got a close-up “for-real” look at a national infrastructure incident. A for real-real look at a response to a “what-if” critical incident and how that is communicated to the citizens.  There are lessons learned for everyone involved.

“Since the events of 9/11, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been designated as the sector-specific agency responsible for infrastructure protection activities for the nation’s drinking water and wastewater systems.” As such, the EPA has developed numerous exercises that are designed to test water company responses to incidents – natural or “man caused” ones.

A key component of the exercises that test responses is the one of communication. For example, here are some of the communication questions from one of those exercises:

• Is a “boil water” notice appropriate?
• What type of information should appear in a “boil water” notice?
• Who is responsible for working with the Public Information Officer (PIO) to ensure that accurate and timely information is provided to the media and the public?
• If utilities do not have PIOs, who have they designated to fulfill that role and why?
• How involved is the utility with the local media?  Has a relationship been established?
• What forms of notification are used in an emergency situation?
• What is the notification plan in the event of a widespread phone and power outage?

Here’s the EPA manual for planning

A perspective of yesterday’s timeline of communication

1:40 pm … Columbia Water Company notification produced: “ March 14, 2013 Columbia Water Company is issuing a “DO NOT CONSUME” order for customers of Columbia Water Company due to potential contamination of the drinking water supply. It was discovered today that a break-in occurred over night at one of the storage tank/pumping station locations. At this time, it is unknown if the water in the storage tank was tampered with.”  Sometime after that, the Columbia Water Company updated the Website and included the notice. Here is a screen print of the Website; we have added a few comments to make a few points.

1. Persons seeking information at the Website could “click through” to be connected to the message.
2. If you’ve not visited the Website before, you’ll notice the Swift 911 notification. Everyone who uses water supplied by the Columbia Water Company ought to consider registering telephone and SMS (text) contact numbers there.

2:57 pm … WHTM-TV – online article: “The Columbia Water Company has issued a “Do Not Consume” notice to customers due to a break-in at one of its storage tank locations. About 8,600 customers in Mountville Borough, West Hempfield Township and Manor Township are affected.”

Sometime after 3:00 pm … (text from neighbor) “ ___________ told me there is a boil water in effect for Columbia Water Co. I haven’t seen it yet but wanted to alert you.”

Two minutes later … (text from neighbor) “I just saw it. It is do not consume.” Made three calls to Columbia Water Company, got busy signal each time.

Sometime after 3:00 pm … (unidentified source) Columbia Borough receives notification from Columbia Water Company.

3:10 (estimated) … Called Columbia Borough; learned Borough had just received notification. Went to Columbia Water Company Website for information.

3:18 pm (estimated) … WPMT-TV online article: “Columbia Water Company issued a “Do Not Consume” order for customers of Columbia Water Company due to potential contamination of the drinking water supply. It was discovered today that a break-in occurred over night at one of the storage tank/pumping station locations. At this time, it is unknown if the water in the storage tank was tampered with. The notice applies to all customers of Columbia Water Company except those in the Marietta Division. Do not drink the water until further notice.”

3:20 pm … Columbia news, views & reviews online article: “Emergency Notices and Urgent Messages – Columbia Water Company Check here for the latest updates and notifications including Emergency Notices, Urgent Messages and other helpful information related to your water service.”

3:23 pm … LancasterOnLine online article: “A break-in at a Columbia Borough water facility has prompted officials to issue a “Do Not Consume” order to about 8,700 customers. Officials at Columbia Water Co. said there is no confirmed contamination, but they issued the order as a precaution.”

3:55 pm … Columbia PA 17512 blogspot online article: “Columbia Water customers should not drink water March 14, 2013 03:15 PM EDT Customers of Columbia Water Company have been asked to not drink water due to potential contamination, according to company officials.

5:26 pm … WGAL-TV – online article: “Customers of Columbia Water Company have been asked to not drink water due to potential contamination, according to company officials. Officials said a break-in at a storage tank/pumping station happened early Thursday and they are not sure if the water was tampered with. About 21,000 customers are affected. Customers in the Marietta Division of Columbia Water company are not affected. Columbia police said they were called to a storage tank north of the borough about noon Thursday.

6:00 pm … WGAL-TV video report includes Mayor Lutz acknowledging the incident happened “this morning.”

6:14 pm … ColumbiaTalk … modified online post: “DRINKING WATER WARNING Columbia Water Company ISSUES A “DO NOT CONSUME” ORDER FOR CUSTOMERS of Columbia Water Company DO NOT CONSUME THE DRINKING WATER  UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

6:18 pm … Call to Columbia Water Company … This is the recorded message; no mention of the incident nor any updated information; still no updated message about the incident.

8:49 pm … CBS21-TV – online article: “About 8,700 Columbia Water Company customers are told not to drink or use the water for 3-5 days. The General Manager for the water company says that someone broke into one of the water storage tanks overnight, and they don’t want you using or drinking the water, until it has been tested. Right now, the water is still not safe to drink. The Columbia Mayor recently contacted the County Emergency Management to try to get more water trucks out to Columbia and into neighboring communities, like Mountville and Manor Township, because these people could also be without water up through Sunday. Columbia Water Company’s General Manager says, early Thursday morning, workers discovered that someone broke into one of the water storage tanks overnight.

– to be continued tomorrow –