At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the water industry's ability to maintain high-quality, uninterrupted service became a primary example of public health protection. But for water and wastewater utilities, the challenges were more about managerial resilience. As essential businesses, utilities must remain open and fully operational, even under extraordinary circumstances, so improving business continuity should always be a priority.
Resilience promotes continuity, and augmenting resilience requires an all-hazards approach. Threats range from malevolent to natural and proximity hazards. But for business continuity, dependency hazards often dominate: transportation issues or loss of utilities, vendors, treatment chemicals, key employees.
A business continuity plan (BCP) ensures essential functions persist during and after an event. It preserves the utility's ability to acquire supplies, pay personnel, maintain records, and continue operations. According to the National Fire Protection Association's standard 1600 (Continuity, Emergency, and Crisis Management), a BCP is “an ongoing process to ensure that the necessary steps are taken to identify the impacts of potential losses and maintain viable recovery strategies and continuity of services.” A robust BCP includes strategic planning, emergency operations, prevention, mitigation, and recovery components.
BCPs must be tested and updated regularly to reflect organizational changes, emerging threats, and lessons learned. Exercises and trainings can help validate assumptions and build confidence. Establishing relationships with mutual aid organizations enhances resilience, and comparing experiences with peer utilities fosters best practices.
Business continuity planning also addresses gaps in emergency management systems, strengthening a utility's ability to serve during crises by reducing downtime and costs. It focuses on mission-critical functions—emergency repairs, fuel and chemical supply, security—all of which promote continuous improvement.
Although not focused on business continuity, AWWA's J100 standard (Risk and Resilience Management of Water and Wastewater Systems) provides a consensus standard for risk and resilience assessment, offering detailed guidance adaptable to any organizational risk. Incorporating these practices helps protect public health, safety, and the environment while ensuring water services remain uninterrupted—no matter the crisis. To ensure uniformity, BCPs should be integrated with emergency response, mitigation, and any other recovery plans as described in J100.
All organizations and businesses in the water industry should understand how they will maintain continuity across a wide range of challenges. If you are interested in submitting an article on business continuity or other topics important to the water industry, contact me at [email protected].
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