The Colorado Department of Health & Environment (CDPHE) has developed a Drinking Water Security Response Toolbox including planning resources, guidance for reporting and responding to security threats, and information on statewide network CoWARN. Utilities and other organizations can apply to join CoWARN, a partnership among utilities, various state and local agencies, and water and wastewater organizations that provides mutual aid, quick response and recovery resources, and a forum for developing contacts.
In developing the toolbox, CDPHE collected resources from U.S. EPA, the Cybersecurity Infrastructure & Security Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency, American Society of Civil Engineers, and state organizations. The resource provides tips on how water utilities can use each resource in preparation and response to malevolent acts. In addition, a guidance document describes what constitutes a tampering event, as well as appropriate reporting actions to take, including who to contact, information to communicate, and what to expect after reporting. The guidance also provides steps for preventing tampering events.
