FLOOD 2018 Austin Water Impacts and Response Chuck Chapman: - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

COLORADO RIVER FLOOD 2018

Austin Water

Impacts and Response

Chuck Chapman: Utility Emergency Management Coordinator Rick Beaman: Utility Emergency Plans Officer

Association of Safety Professionals Conference – April 4, 2019

AUSTIN WATER

 Operating since 1900  Provide water and wastewater services to >1M customers  2018 – began operating Longhorn Dam to maintain Lady Bird Lake  Raw water intake from Lake Travis and the Colorado River  1200 employees, 3 major water treatment plants, 40+ reservoirs,

40+ pump stations, 3842 miles of pipeline on the water side

 Average 120+ MGD potable water produced

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

First titled Emergency Management Coordinator 2014

15 major facilities: Water – Wastewater – Reclaim –

Wildland Conservation – Service Centers – Bio-solids

All-Hazards: Floods, Freeze, Drought, Wild Fire, Chemicals,

BWN, Etc….

Incident Management Team – 2016 2018 – Emergency Plans Officer

FLOOD INCIDENT

 October 15 – 16: Increased rainfall to the NW of Austin Original AW concerns – Longhorn Dam Oct 18: begin 24 hour manned Ops at the dam –

Stage AW DOC for possible activation - WTPs begin to see elevated raw water turbidity

Oct 21: DOC Activation Oct 22: Boil Water Notice

FLOOD INCIDENT

 AW DOC: Converted conference room

FLOOD INCIDENT

17 – 12 hour Operational Periods over 9 days Multiple first-time responders in the DOC Advanced ICS – Branch Tactical Planning TCEQ Representatives Liaised with AW IMT in

AW DOC

Utilized Skype and Smart Devices for

communications

ICS CHALLENGES

Integrating utility components untrained in ICS

Systems Planning – Situation Unit

Adhoc DOC in non-permanent setting EOC – DOC interface Communications Utilizing ICS forms

INCIDENT CHALLENGES

Incoming raw water damaging to plants

High Turbidity places demands on filtration, pumps,

and related infrastructure

Water Quality Expectations Requests for public reduction in usage Water supply versus water quality

Filter Basins at Ullrich and Davis WTP’s

LESSONS LEARNED

AW needs a permanent DOC – in progress Need to expand IMT to include multiple AW

working groups – Systems Planning – Logistics – Customer Service – Wholesale Customers

Expand ICS training across utility Technical training – Skype – applications –

documentation - WebEOC

AFTER ACTION PROCESS

In-house review of response process In-house technical review City-wide AAR

Chuck Chapman – AW Emergency Management Coordinator (512) 972-0129 chuck.chapman@austintexas.gov Rick Beaman – AW Emergency Plans Officer (512) 972-0135 richard.beaman@austintexas.gov

Questions?