Every time you open a valve, restart a pump, or walk a fence line, you are protecting something the federal government legally classifies as critical infrastructure. Water and wastewater systems sit alongside the power grid and the financial system on that list — because if they fail, people get sick, fires can't be fought, hospitals can't operate, and entire communities stop functioning within hours, not days. This guide is your starting point for understanding what can go wrong, how your utility prepares for it, and — most importantly — what YOU are expected to do in the first minutes of an emergency, before anyone else arrives to help.
Why Emergency Preparedness Matters
Drinking water and wastewater utilities are designated critical infrastructure sectors because nearly every other function of a community depends on them directly or indirectly: public health, fire suppression