Cooperation in the management of the water supply system during a terrorist attack

Abstract

The article presents the conclusions from the excercise of rescue services, the police, the institutions responsible for sanitary security and companies responsible for providing water for the Silesia Region in Poland, inhabited by approximately 3.5 mln people. In October 2018, the simulation excercise code-named ‘Crisis 2018’ was carried out. It involved an incident of a terrorist attack aiming at infecting drinking water in the Municipal Water Works. The simulation excercise carried out on the basis of the proprietary script was meant to check the effectiveness of the procedures expected to be used in such situations. It was established that contamination of water by pouring hazardous substances directly into the main waterwork is a serious danger due to the difficulty in its detection, pace and its impact. The conclusions motivate to accept new recommendations and introduce modifications of the secure procedures for critical infrastructure. The monitoring system of an extensive critical infrastructure should be equipped with the remote notyfing system informing about a possible interference. The duty to notify the area owner/ administrator, the Sanitary Inspection and the City Council about the suspicion of water contamination in order to turn off the relevant parts of a pipeline should be introduced to the notifying instruction used on the command post. The conclusions drawn from the observation like this could also make the water company better prepared for possible terrorist attacks in the future.