Item 28 - Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan

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Santa Ana 2020 Water Shortage Contingency Plan 3-11 southern California region, including seismic events along the San Andreas Fault. In addition, MET is working with the state to implement a comprehensive improvement plan to address catastrophic occurrences outside of the southern California region, such as a maximum probable seismic event in the Delta that would cause levee failure and disruption of SWP deliveries. Water Emergency Response Organization of Orange County Emergency Operations Plan In 1983, the Orange County water community identified a need to develop a plan on how agencies would respond effectively to disasters impacting the regional water distribution system. The collective efforts of these agencies resulted in the formation of WEROC to coordinate emergency response on behalf of all Orange County water and wastewater agencies, develop an emergency plan to respond to disasters, and conduct disaster training exercises for the Orange County water community. WEROC was established with the creation of an indemnification agreement between its member agencies to protect each other against civil liabilities and to facilitate the exchange of resources. WEROC is unique in its ability to provide a single point of contact for representation of all water and wastewater utilities in Orange County during a disaster. This representation is to the county, state, and federal disaster coordination agencies. Within the Orange County Operational Area, WEROC is the recognized contact for emergency response for the water community, including the City. As a member of WEROC, the City will follow WEROC’s EOP in the event of an emergency and coordinate with WEROC to assess damage, initiate repairs, and request and coordinate mutual aid resources in the event that the City is unable to provide the level of emergency response support required by the situation. The EOP defines the actions to be taken by WEROC Emergency Operations Center (EOC) staff to reduce the loss of water and wastewater infrastructure; to respond effectively to a disaster; and to coordinate recovery operations in the aftermath of any emergency involving extensive damage to Orange County water and wastewater utilities. The EOP includes activation notification protocol that will be used to contact partner agencies to inform them of the situation, activation status of the EOC, known damage or impacts, or resource needs. The EOP is a standalone document that is reviewed annually and approved by the Board every three years. WEROC is organized on the basis that each member agency is responsible for developing its own EOP in accordance with the California Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS), National Incident Management System (NIMS), and Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 to meet specific emergency needs within its service area. The WEROC EOC is responsible for assessing the overall condition and status of the Orange County regional water distribution and wastewater collection systems including MET facilities that serve Orange County. The EOC can be activated during an emergency situation that can result from both natural and man-made causes, and can be activated through automatic, manual, or standby for activation. WEROC recognized four primary phases of emergency management, which include: Preparedness: Planning, training, and exercises that are conducted prior to an emergency to support and enhance response to an emergency or disaster. Response: Activities and programs designed to address the immediate and short-term effects of the onset of an emergency or disaster that helps to reduce effects to water infrastructure and speed recovery. This includes alert and notification, EOC activation, direction and control, and mutual aid.