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M/CLOUDY Temp: 41 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Saturday, December 21, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend December 4, 2002 Officials won’t leak water-security information By TONY BOOM Mail Tribune Don’t expect to learn about the local water systems’ vulnerability to terrorism from the folks who run them. Rogue Valley water officials will get previews of weak security spots when draft assessment documents arrive in mid-December. But they won’t be sharing the individual reports with the public or even each other. "The results will be kept pretty close under wraps," said Don Walker, Phoenix city administrator. "If you have vulnerabilities, why hang up a sign and say, ‘We are weak here?’ " Two teams from Black & Veatch of Lake Oswego scrutinized water facilities operated by the Medford Water Commission and 10 other jurisdictions for a week in mid-October. The studies arose as a result of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. "Everything kind of stemmed from that," said Larry Rains, principal engineer for the commission. "The government then decided that water systems needed to have vulnerability assessments." Medford Water Commission received the maximum $115,000 in federal grant funds available for a study from the Environmental Protection Agency in July. To meet grant requirements of a minimum 100,000 population, the commission included all communities it served in the application. In addition to Medford, reports will go to Central Point, Eagle Point, Jacksonville, Phoenix, Talent, Coker Butte Water Association, and the Jacksonville Highway, Kings Highway, Elk City and Charlotte Ann water districts. Final reports should be ready in early March. "Everyone will have their own final copy to do with what they want," said Rains. "They’ll have recommendations of what they should look into. Where the cities go is up to them." Rains also expects to see recommendations on how to keep the information from becoming public. "There will be limited copies of the vulnerability assessments," said Rains. "Before, anything and everything was open to the public." Team members studied all parts of the interconnected water system, including Big Butte Springs, treatment plants, pipelines, pumping stations and reservoirs. All reservoirs in the system are made of concrete and have covers, said Rains. Lines from the Big Butte Springs are underground. "We may see a need for a lock on a gate or a light over here," said Rains. The commission’s board will decide what measures to implement and how best to protect its information. As part of the grant, systems will need to update emergency management plans. Those must be completed in two years. Rains said it is unclear what federal government agency may review the assessments and updated plans. "It’s really a long shot, but you just don’t want to play with the public water supply," said Central Point City Administrator Phil Messina. Central Point has two reservoirs at the public works site and another on Old Stage Road. All are fenced. "There’s been no problem with folks trying to get in," said Messina. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S