Assessment of the Vulnerability of a Water Supply System to Attack. Y. Y. Haimes, N. C. Matalas, J. H. Lambert, and B. A. Jackson, Center for Risk Management of Engineering Systems, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
A framework for the hardening of a water supply system against tampering is developed. Critical points of the system are identified by characterizing the possibilities and the potential impacts of biological, chemical, explosive, and cyber attacks. Hardening options are classified according to whether they improve redundancy, resiliency, robustness, or site security. Emergency response plans, for example, provide enhanced resiliency. The framework builds on knowledge of the functions and interconnectedness of the major components of such a system, including reservoirs, dams, pipe mains, canals, raw water storage, water treatment plants, finished water storage, pumping, water distribution, system control, and customer demand points. The threat of tampering is one among a portfolio of threats to water systems. Approaches to consider the risk of a willful adversary among risks from natural hazards and accidents are considered. There are lessons in this work for the development of theoretical foundations for the protection of critical infrastructures other than water supply, such as natural gas, electrical distribution, and computer and information networks.