Item 8 - Staff Briefing — original pdf

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Austin Water Winter Weather Preparation  Shay Ralls Roalson, P.E., Director | January 17, 2024 Water and Wastewater Commission Austin Water Winter Weather Preparation  Hardened equipment and facilities + fleet preparation  Provided winter weather toolkits and tips to customers  Enhanced facility power resiliency  Prepared emergency  Staged personnel supplies communications  Expanded incident management team with extreme weather activation thresholds  Real-time outage map in place year-round  Water distribution plans in place Winter Preparations Overview 3 Winter Preparation Activities  Extreme weather activation thresholds set for the Incident Management Team  Facility winterization check lists and continuity of operations (COOP) posted and accessible in VEOCI (Virtual Emergency Operations Center)  Beginning each October, AW reviews winter SOPs, schedules preparatory work, and purchases necessary supplies and equipment Operational Readiness  Water treatment plants maintain a baseline capacity of 235 MGD for operational and system readiness  Equipment, materials, and people staged ahead of incoming weather  Generators are in place at critical facilities, with emergency backup generator contracts that can be called in immediately when needed  Plans, supplies and equipment are in place for community-wide potable water distribution Emergency Supplies  Hub Warehouse Equipped for Incidents and Emergencies • Shelter in place supplies for staff: cots, blankets, meals ready to eat, bottled water, and hygiene kits • Emergency water distribution supplies for customers: bottled water, water totes, fire hydrant adaptors  Two Potable Water Trucks  Bottled Water Contracts Ready • Local vendor with supply on hand • Second vendor for multiple truck load shipments 6 Enhanced Emergency Management 7 Emergency Management  Coordination and use of VEOCI system for all routine and emergency communication year-round  Completed multiple emergency tabletop exercises in partnership with other City departments and agencies  Conducting monthly emergency notification, life safety plan, shelter in place and/or emergency evacuation drills throughout our system  Added an Emergency Plans Officer Senior focused on community resilience Incident Management Team  Incident Management Team • Three rotating shifts • 34 positions • 154 named and trained staff • Clearly defined roles • Enhanced communications roles  Incident Command System Training • Online and in-person training • Role specific • Hosting and instructing FEMA ICS-300 (Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents) classes in February, April, and July 9 Facility Winterization Preparation 10 Facility Winterization Preparation Water Treatment Plants  Insulation of weather exposed critical components  Installing heaters in sludge hopper facilities  Winterization of copper sulfate system at Davis WTP  Developed cold weather strategy for solids management Facility Winterization Preparation Distribution System Pressure Points  Pressure points provide operational data for the water system  AW has been moving these points underground • 50% are completed • Remaining to arrive and be installed in December  Pressure points that can not be buried are either insulated or have heaters installed Facility Winterization Preparation Pump & Lift Stations  Davis Lane Pump Station: large rental generator in place December through March  15 Docking Stations purchased for expedited generator hook up at additional pump & lift stations  3 portable generators purchased for lift stations to add to the current fleet of 77 fixed and portable generators to maintain the wastewater collection system  Citywide rental generator contract to be used as a supplement when needed Communications and Community Winter Weather Preparation 14 Communications  Enhanced Winter Weather Preparedness messaging • locating your water shutoff • weatherizing your home and pipes • properly dripping home faucets to prevent freezing • staying informed  Tips are translated into 11 languages and include written and video instructions: AW Cold Weather Tips  Real-time outage map (always active): AW Leak & Outage Map  Distributing toolkits and information at AW and Citywide preparedness events  Continued customer communication through My ATX Water portal  Outreach plan for multi-family properties in place  Coordination with 3-1-1 and COA Utilities Winter Weather Preparation for Employees 16 Winter Winterization Preparation for Employees  Cold weather training and safety briefings  Provide coats, gloves, head cover, and other durable clothing  Warming stations  Weather forecast monitoring (VEOCI)  Supplies for driving on ice (chains for tires and spikes for boots)  Shelter and bottled water supplies at plants for staff AUSTIN WATER austinwater.org 512-972-1000 18