Qualifications

Carollo has been working with public agencies throughout the country to complete security planning, design, construction, and commissioning projects; water and wastewater security master plans; and VAs and ERP and resiliency plans since 2003, Carollo has built a dedicated team of internal and external experts equipped to address each of the AWIA's scope requirements. We have been using the current AWWA guidance documents on our projects for several years and have been in regular communication with EPA and AWWA to develop a thorough understanding of how to apply our previous experience to ensure compliance with the AWIA and minimize risks to our clients.

Carollo's Areas of Expertise:

Security Planning, Including Threat Risk Analysis Using AWWA J100

Security master planning efforts include a full AWWA J100 assessment, which helps to identify specific safety and security threats. These plans include completion of risk and vulnerability assessments in accordance with AWWA J100 and AWWA G430 standards. Security master plans identify a series of recommended improvements, which are prioritized based on achieving the greatest value relative to addressing the identified consequences. Threat risk analysis involves analyzing systems for vulnerabilities, examining potential threats associated with those vulnerabilities, and evaluating the resulting security risks to create a comprehensive security plan.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is included within the scope of emergency preparedness, as described in AWIA. Carollo’s internal experts collect current cybersecurity plans from clients and perform cybersecurity assessments to identify any weaknesses or vulnerabilities that could affect overall reliability and resiliency of a utility and its water system assets. Carollo’s team carefully crafts strategies and recommends resources to improve cybersecurity.

Emergency Response Planning

Emergency Response Plans (ERP) are developed or updated according to the specific risks identified in the Risk and Resiliency Assessment (RRA). The Carollo team conducts a resiliency assessment and integrates the results into an updated ERP. If an ERP already exists, Carollo reviews the city’s current ERP and updates the document with new information regarding threats and consequences developed as a part of the RRA. Carollo also provides detailed mitigation measures and strategies to decrease the impact of malevolent acts or natural hazards.

Holistic Resiliency Planning

Carollo understands that a holistic approach to security and resiliency planning is obligatory. Teams comprised of industry-leading technical experts join together to create a comprehensive approach to risk and resiliency planning that draws on all parts of a water system to provide adequate resiliency for all hazards, including malevolent acts and natural hazards. As such, Carollo conducts assessments that consider the physical security, operational procedures, water system configuration, cybersecurity, and other relevant factors that contribute to the overall reliability and resiliency of a water district and its water system assets.

Natural Hazard and Climate Change Evaluations

Carollo’s climate change resilience analysis experts perform climate change risk and resilience assessments to construct reliable, long-term strategies for clients.

Risk Mitigation Studies

Carollo has worked on over 100 security- and resiliency-related projects for clients throughout the US. Carollo’s team of experts updates and builds upon previously identified vulnerabilities, conducts analyses to identify other vulnerabilities, and develops updated mitigation and resiliency strategies while meeting the AWIA requirements. Carollo’s experience with risk mitigation studies and projects enables our team to not only craft effective mitigation plans and strategies for clients, but also help clients meet their operational and business objectives.

Operational Security Evaluations Using AWWA G430

The AWWA G430 standard describes requirements for establishing and operating a protective security program for water, wastewater, or reuse utility. Carollo has completed a multitude of projects relating to physical, electronic, and operational security and is intimately familiar with the current AWIA supporting guidance documents provided by the American Water Works Association (G430, G300, J100).

Security and Resiliency Policy and Procedure Development

Our internal experts are intimately familiar with the current AWIA supporting guidance documents provided by the American Water Works Association (AWWA G430, G300, J100). We recognize that AWWA is updating specific aspects of the existing guidance documentation to be consistent with the AWIA objectives. We are in regular communication with AWWA’s manager of federal relations for updates on potential changes and requirements that could influence the content and approach for the RRA and ERP.

Risk and Resiliency Implementation, Including Design, Start-up/Commissioning, and Training

Carollo has helped a wide range of clients design and implement risk and resiliency projects. However, we realize it's not enough to just help provide a solution. Knowing this, we take the time to train agency representatives on what's involved in completing AWIA compliant risk and resiliency assessments and emergency response plans, the tools used, and the best ways to use those tools to be successful in future updates.