Trophy Club Municipal Utility District No. 1 (the District) requested Halff to prepare a series of plans to improve the operation’s preparedness and resilience for a variety of manmade and natural hazards. This initiative included four projects, beginning with the preparation of a Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA) as mandated by the 2018 America’s Water Infrastructure Act.
The District’s RRA used an assessment methodology grounded in American Water Works Association standards to identify vulnerabilities that could compromise its ability to provide water to customers. Halff completed a Utility Resilience Index assessment to gauge the District’s preparedness for a variety of hazards. Halff also used the Vulnerability Self-Assessment Tool (VSAT) to identify what hazards posed the greatest threat to the system’s water towers, pump stations, treatment centers and transmission lines. The Assessment produced a series of recommended mitigation actions to reduce the utility’s vulnerability to service disruptions, mitigating injury and loss of life.
Based on the results of the RRA, the District’s Emergency Response Plan (ERP) outlined an emergency response approach that addressed identified vulnerabilities and complemented broader local and regional efforts. It outlined and proposed standard operating procedures (SOPs), maintenance requirements and established chain of command for response to natural disasters, direct attacks, accidental damages and cyberattacks. The final Assessment and Plan enhanced the City’s resilience to a wide variety of threats.
In the wake of the devastating 2021 Winter Storm Uri, Texas mandated that all water utilities develop an Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP). The District engaged Halff to determine how to provide an auxiliary power supply in the event of a disruption in the power grid. This Plan provides solutions for emergency operations during extended power outages lasting more than 24 hours, while also maintaining a minimum water system pressure of 20 pounds per square inch (psi).
The Business Continuity Plan (BCP) complements the ERP and EPP by providing solutions to protect the financial integrity of water service operations in the event of a hazard. It outlines steps to protect critical business operations, maintain the supply chain and essential inventory, and alternate locations for operations. Following the preparation of the BCP and emergency plans, Halff revisited the Utility Resilience Index prepared at the outset of this process. The District’s score rose substantially as a result of these efforts.
