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RTC#02-385

October 8, 2002

SUBJECT:

Award and Acceptance of United States Environmental Protection Agency Grant for Water Infrastructure Vulnerability Assessment and Security Plan for the City of Sunnyvale Department of Public Works and Budget Modification No. 5

REPORT IN BRIEF

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received supplemental appropriations to be used to improve the safety and security of the Nation’s water supply. Specifically, this funding is intended to help water utilities reduce vulnerability to terrorist attacks, improve security, and enhance their ability to respond to emergency situations. The EPA is administering this funding through a grant program. The City of Sunnyvale met the criteria required by the EPA to qualify for funding and submitted an application by the deadline. The City has received confirmation from the EPA that a grant has been approved in the amount of $115,000.00. The funds will be used to complete a vulnerability assessment and to update the Emergency Operations Plan.

Staff is recommending that Council approve the application for the grant and second authorize acceptance of the grant from the EPA.

BACKGROUND

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the EPA has increased efforts that were already underway to promote security at America's 168,000 public drinking water facilities and 16,000 wastewater facilities. Water utilities today find themselves facing new challenges in an effort to strengthen the security of their facilities. Presidential Decision Directive (PDD) 63, issued May 22, 1998, established the requirement for "…vulnerability assessments for each sector of the economy and each sector of the government that might be a target of infrastructure attack intended to significantly damage the United States…." The need for efforts "…within both the government and the private sector to sensitize people to the importance of security and to train them in security standards…" was cited. The EPA was designated as the lead federal agency to provide an assessment of the current conditions and help address any known vulnerabilities of the Nation’s water supply infrastructure. The Office of Management and Budget also directed the EPA to work with water utilities to "undertake measures to safeguard water supplies from terrorist and seditious acts."

The EPA is now partnering with states as well as the water community to help water systems improve security as soon as possible. The funds available through EPA apply only to large (serving minimum populations of 100,000) publicly owned water systems. The EPA has placed priority on funding vulnerability assessments and subsequently completing or updating an agency’s Emergency Response Operations Plan.

EXISTING POLICY

Goal 3.1C of the Water Resources Sub-element "During Emergency Conditions, ensure that the water distribution system can meet minimum fire suppression and quality standards."

DISCUSSION

The City of Sunnyvale provides water to its customers through a complicated distribution system that includes tie-ins with the City’s suppliers and neighboring water utilities, transmission pipelines, distribution pipelines, valves, fire hydrants, storage reservoirs, booster pumps, backflow devices, service lines, water meters and vaults, water sampling stations, a supervisory control and data acquisition system, wells, and other miscellaneous facilities.

The Sunnyvale Department of Public Works will use the grant funding to pay for an assessment of its water system by a trained security specialist. The assessment will identify what the City can do to: 1) help reduce the vulnerability of the water utility to terrorist attacks and 2) enhance security and the City’s ability to respond to emergency situations. The first priority will be to complete the vulnerability assessment (V/A) which will include a look at all of the water system components described above. The second priority will be to bring the City’s Emergency Response Operations Plan up to date.

Due to provisions recently enacted in the Public Health Security and Bio-terrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 that require all water systems to perform vulnerability assessments, the demand on the EPA funds is high. A waiting list has been created for those agencies that did not apply by the deadline. The EPA is anxious to have those receiving notice of award complete the V/A within a six-month timeframe from the date of funds available to the agency, sooner if possible. In our application to the EPA we identified performing the work during the second half of this fiscal year. Acceptance of the grant is necessary to allow staff to proceed with the consultant selection process and move forward with the V/A.

FISCAL IMPACT

Approval of this budget modification would appropriate $115,000 of revenue into the Water Supply and Distribution Fund. The budget modification would also appropriate $115,000 to a new project where the monies will be spent. There is no net fiscal impact to the Water Supply and Distribution Fund.

Budget Modification No. 5
Fiscal Year 2002/2003

 

Current Budget

Increase (Decrease)

Revised Budget

Fund 455-100

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expenditures:

 

 

 

New Project - Water Infrastructure Vulnerability Assessment

$0

$115,000

$115,000

 

 

 

 

Revenues:

 

 

 

U.S. EPA Grant

$0

$115,000

$115,000

PUBLIC CONTACT

Public contact was made through posting of the Council agenda on the City's official notice bulletin board, posting of the agenda and report on the City's web page, publication of the Council agenda in the San Jose Mercury News, and the availability of the report in the Library and the City Clerk's Office.

ALTERNATIVES

  1. Authorize participation in the program and accept U.S. EPA Grant, and direct staff to proceed with the process of selecting a consultant to complete a Vulnerability Assessment as specified in the work plan on the grant application.
  2. Do not accept the grant.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends Alternative 1.

Prepared by:
Jim Craig
Field Services Superintendent

Timothy J. Kirby
Revenue Systems Supervisor

Reviewed by:
Mary J. Bradley
Director of Finance

Marvin A. Rose
Director of Public Works
Approved by:
Robert S. LaSala
City Manager

Attachments
  1. Grant Application
  2. Grant Acceptance Letter from the Environmental Protection Agency

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