When Everything Goes Wrong, Preparation Makes the Difference.
It's 2:17 a.m. on a Saturday.
A severe thunderstorm is moving through your service area.
The power goes out at your primary pumping station.
Your SCADA system loses communication with two remote facilities.
An elevated storage tank is dropping faster than expected.
And just as you're trying to figure out what's happening, your phone rings.
There's a major water main break on the other side of town.
Now what?
For water utility workers, situations like these aren't difficult to imagine. Power failures, equipment breakdowns, severe weather, chemical incidents, and distribution emergencies are real possibilities in an industry responsible for providing an essential public service around the clock.
Most utilities have an Emergency Response Plan (ERP).
Many have backup generators, emergency contacts, written procedures, and contingency plans.
But having those resources doesn't necessarily mean the utility is ready.
The real question is whether your people know what to do when those plans are put to the test.
Emergency preparedness isn't simply about maintaining a document or satisfying a regulatory requirement.
It's about protecting employees, maintaining public health, preserving critical infrastructure, and restoring reliable service when normal operations are disrupted.
Here are six areas every water utility should evaluate before the next emergency occurs.
1. Power Failures: What Happens When the Lights Go Out?
Electricity is one of the most critical resources supporting water operations.
Without it, utilities can lose the ability to operate:
Groundwater wells
Raw-water pumping stations
Treatment equipment
Chemical-feed systems
Booster pumps
High-service pumps
Remote monitoring equipment
SCADA and communication systems
Some facilities have backup generators.
Others depend on portable generators, alternate pumping arrangements, storage reserves, or emergency interconnections.
But there's a major difference between having backup power and knowing that backup power will actually work.
Questions every utility should ask
Are generators routinely inspected and tested?
Can backup power support the equipment required for critical operations?
Are automatic transfer switches functioning properly?
Is sufficient fuel available for an extended outage?
Are fuel-delivery arrangements established?
Can critical facilities operate manually if automation fails?
How long can the system maintain adequate pressure and service using available storage?
Do employees understand the sequence for safely restoring equipment?
Consider a small groundwater utility operating three wells and one elevated storage tank.
If a prolonged outage disables all three wells, the utility may have only its available storage to maintain service.
That storage provides a limited operating window.
An operator who understands demand patterns, storage capacity, pumping requirements, and emergency operating procedures can help management make informed decisions before the situation becomes critical.
EPA provides power-resilience guidance specifically for water utilities, including generator preparedness, telecommunications, and outage response.
The lesson: A generator that starts during a monthly test is valuable. A workforce that understands how to maintain safe operations during an extended outage is essential.
2. Chemical Leaks: Are Your Employees Prepared to Respond Safely?
Water treatment and distribution systems may use hazardous chemicals as part of normal operations.
Depending on the utility, these may include:
Chlorine gas
Sodium hypochlorite
Anhydrous or aqueous ammonia
Sodium hydroxide
Acids
Coagulants
Other treatment and disinfection chemicals
These substances are useful in producing safe drinking water, but improper handling or an uncontrolled release can create serious hazards.
Now imagine a chlorine gas detector activates during the night.
An operator responds to the alarm and discovers evidence of a potential release.
What happens next?
Does the employee know the evacuation procedure?
Do they understand the difference between recognizing a hazardous condition and attempting to control it?
Who contacts emergency responders?
Who establishes incident command?
Who determines whether employees can safely reenter the affected area?
Training must match responsibility
One of the most dangerous assumptions a utility can make is that every operator should be capable of responding directly to a hazardous chemical release.
That's not how hazardous-material response works.
Employees must operate within their training, protective equipment, authorization, and applicable emergency-response requirements.
For some employees, the correct response may be to recognize the hazard, warn others, evacuate, and notify the designated responders.
Specialized response activities require appropriately trained and equipped personnel.
Utilities should ensure employees understand:
Chemical hazards and Safety Data Sheets
Emergency notification procedures
Evacuation routes and accountability
Incident command responsibilities
Emergency isolation procedures, when safe and authorized
Coordination with fire departments and hazardous-material teams
Medical response procedures
Reentry and recovery requirements
Practice before the alarm sounds
A chemical emergency exercise doesn't necessarily require a live release or a complex field operation.
A tabletop exercise can reveal significant gaps.
Present employees with a simulated chlorine leak.
Ask them to explain their actions.
Who makes the first call?
Where do employees assemble?
What happens if the wind is blowing toward the normal evacuation point?
Who communicates with emergency responders?
If employees cannot confidently explain the procedure during a controlled exercise, expecting them to improvise safely during an actual emergency is unreasonable.
The lesson: Emergency preparedness starts with knowing the hazard, understanding your role, and recognizing when specialized assistance is necessary.
3. Major Water Main Breaks: Can Your Utility Maintain Control?
Water main breaks are among the most common emergencies facing distribution utilities.
Some are relatively straightforward.
Others can disrupt service to hundreds or thousands of customers, damage property, reduce distribution pressure, and create potential contamination risks.
Consider a 16-inch transmission main failure during peak demand.
Water is escaping rapidly.
System pressure is dropping.
Storage levels are declining.
Customers are calling.
And the repair crew needs to isolate the damaged section.
Does your team know the system?
Operators and distribution personnel should understand:
Critical transmission and distribution mains
Valve locations and isolation boundaries
Pressure zones
Storage facilities
Emergency interconnections
Booster-station operations
Critical customers and facilities
Flushing and disinfection procedures
Applicable sampling requirements
Regulatory notification and public-notice procedures
One of the most valuable emergency resources a utility can maintain is an accurate distribution system map.
But a map is only useful if employees know how to interpret it and can locate the necessary equipment in the field.
A valve shown on a map may be buried, inaccessible, damaged, or inoperable.
That's why routine valve exercising, system familiarization, and asset documentation matter.
Don't overlook water quality
Restoring pressure is only part of the response.
Depending on the circumstances, a major main break or loss-of-pressure event may require additional protective measures, disinfection, flushing, bacteriological sampling, and regulatory coordination.
In Texas, utilities must follow applicable TCEQ requirements when evaluating low-pressure events, potential contamination, and the need for a boil-water notice.
The goal isn't simply to restore flow.
It's to restore safe, reliable service.
The lesson: The middle of a major main break is a terrible time to discover that nobody knows which valves isolate the damaged line.
4. Cyberattacks: What Happens When You Can't Trust Your SCADA System?
Cybersecurity is no longer just an information technology concern.
It is an operational responsibility.
Modern water utilities depend on interconnected systems for monitoring, control, communication, and recordkeeping.
These may include:
SCADA servers
Human-machine interfaces
Programmable logic controllers
Remote terminal units
Networked instrumentation
Remote-access connections
Digital maintenance systems
Cloud-based applications
These technologies improve efficiency, but they also introduce potential vulnerabilities.
A cybersecurity incident could affect a utility's ability to monitor or control critical processes.
Imagine an operator notices that a remote pump station is showing unexpected equipment commands.
Or a chemical-feed setpoint changes without an authorized adjustment.
Or the SCADA interface becomes unavailable.
The operator must consider whether the issue involves instrumentation, communication, equipment failure, human error, or potentially unauthorized activity.
Every operator should understand basic cybersecurity practices
These include:
Using authorized accounts and secure credentials
Recognizing suspicious activity
Reporting unexpected system behavior
Following remote-access procedures
Avoiding unauthorized software or removable devices
Knowing when to contact IT or operational-technology support
Understanding approved manual-operation and contingency procedures
Operators should never attempt improvised cybersecurity remediation on critical control systems.
Suspected incidents should be escalated through established procedures so qualified personnel can investigate, contain, preserve evidence, and coordinate recovery without creating additional operational hazards.
EPA provides cybersecurity incident-response resources specifically designed for drinking water and wastewater utilities.
The bigger question
If your SCADA system became unavailable tomorrow, could your employees still safely operate critical facilities?
Could they verify tank levels?
Confirm pump status?
Monitor water quality?
Communicate with remote stations?
Maintain required records?
Technology improves our capabilities.
But operational knowledge and well-practiced contingency procedures remain essential.
The lesson: Cybersecurity preparedness means protecting the system while maintaining the ability to operate safely when digital tools become unreliable.
5. Severe Weather: Texas Doesn't Always Give You Much Warning
Texas water utilities face a wide range of severe-weather threats.
Winter storms.
Tornadoes.
Flooding.
Hurricanes along the coast.
Extreme heat.
Drought.
Wildfires.
Severe thunderstorms.
Each creates different operational challenges.
A winter storm can freeze exposed piping, disrupt chemical deliveries, and disable power.
Flooding can make facilities inaccessible or threaten source-water quality.
Extreme heat can increase demand and strain pumping equipment.
Drought can reduce available water supplies and increase pressure on groundwater and wholesale-water systems.
Preparation should be seasonal
Utilities should evaluate their readiness before predictable seasonal hazards occur.
For example, winter-weather preparation may include:
Inspecting freeze protection
Checking facility heating systems
Testing backup power
Evaluating chemical inventories
Protecting exposed piping
Reviewing staffing arrangements
Confirming emergency communications
Coordinating with suppliers and contractors
For severe storms and flooding, preparation may focus on facility access, electrical equipment, drainage, storage reserves, and alternate operating arrangements.
Don't forget the employees
A utility cannot maintain emergency operations without personnel.
Managers should consider how employees will safely travel, report for duty, obtain relief, and maintain adequate rest during extended incidents.
Emergency staffing plans should account for fatigue and employee safety—not simply assume the same people can remain on duty indefinitely.
The lesson: Weather preparedness isn't just protecting infrastructure. It's protecting the workforce that keeps that infrastructure operating.
6. Communication: The Most Important Tool During an Emergency
A utility can have excellent equipment, experienced operators, and a detailed emergency response plan.
But if communication breaks down, the response can quickly become disorganized.
During an emergency, information must move between:
Operators
Supervisors
Maintenance personnel
Utility management
Emergency responders
Regulatory agencies
Wholesale-water providers
Neighboring utilities
Contractors
Customers
Public-information personnel
Poor communication can lead to duplicated work, conflicting instructions, delayed decisions, and unnecessary risk.
Consider two different emergency reports
Report A:
"The pump station is down. We're having problems."
Report B:
"At approximately 02:15, the North Booster Station lost commercial power. The backup generator did not start automatically. Both booster pumps are unavailable, and the elevated tank is currently at 48% capacity. Electrical maintenance has been notified, and the standby operating procedure is being implemented."
The second report gives decision-makers something useful.
It explains the problem, the time, the operational impact, and the actions already taken.
Build communication redundancy
Utilities should also prepare for the possibility that normal communication systems may fail.
That may require approved alternatives such as radios, alternate telephone systems, backup communication equipment, or designated reporting locations.
Emergency contact information should be maintained, accessible, and routinely verified.
And employees should know who has authority to make operational decisions, issue public statements, and coordinate outside assistance.
EPA provides dedicated resources for water utility emergency communications and public messaging.
The lesson: Clear communication doesn't eliminate emergencies, but it can prevent a difficult situation from becoming worse.
Your Emergency Response Plan Should Be More Than a Binder
The federal America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) amended the Safe Drinking Water Act to establish Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA) and Emergency Response Plan requirements for community water systems serving more than 3,300 people.
These systems must periodically review their assessments and plans, incorporate applicable findings, and certify completion according to federal requirements.
Smaller systems below that federal population threshold are not subject to the same AWIA certification requirement, but they still benefit from formal emergency planning and must comply with other applicable federal and state obligations.
For Texas utilities, emergency preparedness should also account for applicable TCEQ requirements and system-specific emergency planning obligations.
But regardless of system size, the most important question remains:
Can employees actually carry out the plan?
A written plan should identify:
Critical assets and operational vulnerabilities
Emergency roles and responsibilities
Notification and escalation procedures
Emergency operating procedures
Available equipment and resources
Backup power and alternate water supplies
Coordination with outside agencies
Public communication responsibilities
Recovery and restoration procedures
Training and exercise expectations
A plan that hasn't been reviewed, tested, or practiced may create a false sense of security.
Tabletop Exercises: One of the Best Investments a Utility Can Make
Emergency exercises don't always require expensive consultants or elaborate simulations.
Sometimes the most useful exercise begins with a supervisor sitting down with operators and asking:
"What would we do if this happened right now?"
Consider a scenario:
It's 6:30 p.m. during a severe thunderstorm.
Commercial power fails at the main pumping station.
The backup generator starts, but one critical pump fails to restart.
A remote storage tank is declining.
The primary SCADA communication link becomes unavailable.
And a major wholesale customer is requesting an update.
Ask the team:
Who takes command of the response?
What are the immediate safety and operational priorities?
How will employees verify system conditions?
What backup equipment or operating arrangements are available?
Who must be notified?
What conditions would trigger additional protective actions?
How will information be documented?
What must happen before normal operations resume?
The purpose isn't to embarrass anyone who doesn't know an answer.
It's to identify weaknesses while there's still time to correct them.
A successful exercise should produce specific improvements, assigned responsibilities, and follow-up actions.
If every exercise ends with "Everything went great," you may not be challenging the team enough.
Emergency Readiness Starts With Leadership
Supervisors and utility managers play a critical role in preparedness.
Employees need clear expectations.
They need access to training.
They need functioning equipment.
They need accurate procedures.
And they need leadership that takes emergency readiness seriously before something goes wrong.
That means making time for:
Emergency response training
Tabletop exercises
Equipment inspections
Cross-training
Emergency contact verification
Plan reviews
After-action discussions
Corrective-action tracking
It also means developing employees who can think critically when conditions change.
A strong emergency response program doesn't depend entirely on one experienced employee knowing everything.
It builds a team capable of recognizing problems, communicating effectively, and responding within established procedures.
The Real Test: Are You Ready for the Unexpected?
Here's a useful exercise for any water utility.
Imagine that tomorrow morning your most experienced operator is unavailable.
Your primary SCADA system goes offline.
A critical pump fails.
And a severe-weather event prevents outside assistance from arriving quickly.
Would your remaining employees know what to do?
Would they know where to find the procedures?
Could they identify the critical equipment?
Would they understand who to contact?
Could they maintain safe operations while coordinating the response?
If the answers are uncertain, you've identified an opportunity to improve preparedness.
And that's exactly what emergency planning is supposed to accomplish.
The Bottom Line: Preparation Is a Daily Responsibility
Emergencies don't wait for convenient staffing levels.
They don't care whether the budget is tight.
They don't schedule themselves around holidays, weekends, or shift changes.
And they certainly don't wait until everyone has finished their training.
That's why readiness must be developed before an incident occurs.
Plan for the failure.
Train for the response.
Practice the communication.
Verify the equipment.
Learn from the exercise.
Improve the plan.
At Lone Star WaterOps Training, we believe emergency preparedness begins with knowledgeable, well-trained water professionals who understand their systems, recognize hazards, and know how to respond when normal operations are disrupted.
Whether you're responsible for a large surface water treatment plant, a small groundwater utility, or a wholesale-water distribution system, the responsibility remains the same:
Protect public health. Protect your people. Maintain reliable service.
Because when the next emergency happens, the question won't be whether your utility has an emergency response plan.
**It will be whether your team is prepared to use i
