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Security Assessments
 ABS
Consulting's engineers and scientists have been more actively
involved, than other firms, in counter terrorism risk assessments
and mitigation planning for 25 years. Industries served includes:
public utilities, FEMA, the Department of Defense, the Department
of Energy, the General Services Administration, and State
and Local Emergency Response Agencies. More recently, ABS
Consulting has been a dominant provider of services in public
sector infrastructure. The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is requiring all drinking water systems serving
populations greater than 3,300 to prepare Vulnerability Assessments.
This requirement by the EPA is in response to the Bioterrorism
Act passed by the U.S. Congress in June 2002. In addition,
the U.S. Congress is soon expected to pass similar legislation
applicable to wastewater systems, with Vulnerability Assessment
deadlines expected in 2004-2005.
Water systems serving a population of between 3,300 and
49,999 must complete and submit their Vulnerability Assessments
to EPA by June 30, 2004. Those water systems
serving a population of less than 3,300 are also encouraged
by EPA to prepare a Vulnerability Assessment.
EPA requires these Vulnerability Assessments to contain
the following six elements:
-
Characterization of
the Water System, including Mission and Objectives
-
Identification & Prioritization of Adverse Consequences
to Avoid
-
Determination of Critical Assets that might be subject
to malevolent acts from adversaries
-
Assessment of Likelihood (qualitative probability)
of malevolent acts
-
Evaluation of Existing Countermeasures
-
Analysis of Current Risk & Development of a Prioritized
Plan for Risk Reduction
In addition, EPA has indicated that the minimum acceptable
Design Basis Threat (DBT) that must be used in completing
these Vulnerability Assessments must consider some form
of terrorism (vandalism and theft are unacceptable DBTs)
and needs to cover the following three threat types for
both the Insider and Outsider perpetrator(s):
-
Water Contamination
-
Significant Physical Damage
-
Cyber Attack
ABS Consulting provides an easy, fast and cost-effective
way for water and wastewater systems to conduct Vulnerability
Assessments:
-
Assistance in preparing grant applications
for federal security funds up to $150,000
-
Impartial assessment and recommendations of security
hardware, software, and operational needs for Water
and Wastewater Systems
-
Proven history of on-time assessment completion
-
Written assessment report with clear, realistic security
enhancement and mitigation recommendations
-
Provide secure document control and confidentiality
of Utility's sensitive information
-
On-target methodologies/tools (RAM-W, VSAT, and NRWA)
provide fast turnaround and cost-effective compliance
to federal requirements enforced by EPA
-
Application of strict Quality Assurance procedures
(ISO 9001 certified) on all Vulnerability Assessments
Vulnerability and Security Assessment Process
For more information, contact:
Bryon Elwell
Director of Water and Wastewater Practice
1-801-333-7676 | belwell@absconsulting.com |
