Location: Washington, DC Metropolitan Area

Services include:

• Water supply system assessment
• Terrorism assessment
• Gap analysis

Terrorist attacks on drinking water systems could cause human casualties in the thousands and billions of dollars of property damages. Even a single attack against any water system could have profound impact on our citizens’ perception of the safety of their own utility, creating intense fear and significant economic and social disruption.

In recognition of the vulnerability of water systems and their importance to our Nation, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), through the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA), commissioned Baker to study domestic municipal water supply systems to determine the potential threats to water distribution systems of varying sizes. The study assessed the potential threat to the nation’s drinking water system from chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR) terrorist attacks, as well as the related threat from a trusted insider. This assessment examined state-of-the-art water security technologies and procedures and identified technological and operational research gaps that must be addressed through scientific and technological development to respond to such threats and protect our citizens. The final report identified research gaps and short-term (1 to 5 year) and long-term (greater than 5 years) to be considered.