PREPARING FOR THE WORST: TEN RELATIVELY EASY AND INEXPENSIVE THINGS THAT SEWER COLLECTION SYSTEM MANAGERS CAN DO TO PREPARE FOR DISASTERS

Hurricane Katrina in 2005 served as a wake-up call for many agencies, including sewer collection systems. That event provided some new lessons in utility disaster preparedness, but primarily provided reminders of previously-known lessons. That event and others have dramatized the potential impact of natural and man-made disasters on utility infrastructure, including sewer collection systems. Although much of the subsequent focus has been on water systems, treatment plants and other infrastructure, sewer collection systems have also proven to be very vulnerable, with significant service and environmental consequences when they fail. Although many improvements have been made in recent years, there are a number of additional opportunities for improvement.