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Date(s): March 26, 2003
Location: Audio/Web Broadcast
Description: WEF and APWA, in cooperation with the EPA, is sponsoring a webcast on application of VSAT™ and includes case studies of how two utilities have conducted a vulnerability assessment at their facility. The webcast will focus on VSAT™, or vulnerability self-assessment tool, which is a customized risk and cost-managed security planning software that is free for wastewater, water, and joint water/wastewater utilities.



Featured Speakers:
Dr. Kenneth I. Rubin, senior partner, PA Consulting Group
Cliff Arnett, Vice President - Operations, Columbus Water Works
Daniel C. Rees, Vice President, SCIENTECH, Inc.
Don Broussard, Water Operations Manager, Lafayette, LA Utility System



Collectively Dr. Rubin and Mr. Rees have over 55 years experience working with water and wastewater utilities on the management, economics, and finance of public infrastructure and are the principal authors of the VSAT™ software tool. Mr. Billy Turner and Mr. Don Broussard are experienced water/wastewater executives who have recently used VSAT™ to conduct a vulnerability assessment at their facility.



This course will provide:
  • A Brief Overview of the Principles of Vulnerability Analysis and Security Planning

  • Case Studies on how a Joint Water/Wastewater Utility and a Water Utility have
    Conducted a Vulnerability Assessment Using VSAT™

  • An Overview of Current Federal Requirements for Utilities to Conduct and Submit VAs



    VSAT™ , developed by the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA) in collaboration with PA Consulting and SCIENTECH, Inc. is designed to provide a comprehensive, intuitive system for all size water and wastewater utilities seeking to analyze their vulnerabilities and implement appropriate countermeasures. The software was developed for implementation by publicly owned wastewater utility staff and/or their designees. Use by any individual or entity not designated by a utility to assist in VSAT™ is prohibited. For more information go to vsatusers.net
    • Speaker: Daniel Rees

    SCIENTECH

    Dan Rees is a Vice President with SCIENTECH, Inc. Mr. Rees has worked as a design engineer, maintenance engineer, maintenance superintendent and engineering consultant for over 30 years. He has been responsible for management of complex risk assessment projects for Utilities, Nuclear Power Plants, Petrochemical Complexes and other high-risk facilities throughout the world, including Security Vulnerability and Risk Assessments and Emergency Plan development, upgrades and testing. He has developed risk assessment and risk monitoring software for large multi-national clients as well as being responsible for engineering major upgrades and enhancements to clients existing risk management tools. Mr. Rees was a principle author of the AMSA Asset Based Vulnerability Checklist and architect of the VSAT software for vulnerability assessment and security planning for wastewater utilities. Over the past 8 months he has conducted several workshops on the VSAT methodology and software usage for the Water Environment Federation. Current activities include adaptation of the VSAT software for Medium and Small Water Utilities, and the performance of vulnerability assessments for
    water utilities.
    Speaker: Dr. Kenneth I. Rubin

    Senior Partner, PA Consulting Group

    Dr. Rubin has 25 years experience working with water and wastewater utilities and other public and private clients on the management, economics, and finance of public infrastructure. An author of several books on the subject, Dr. Rubin has worked extensively with the water industry in the US and overseas on efficient utility operations. Dr. Rubin recently designed a risk-based vulnerability planning, response, and recovery program for wastewater utilities and is managing the preparation of software for implementation of these techniques. In other work, Dr. Rubin regularly conducts industry-sponsored workshops to help water and wastewater utilities manage risks as they migrate to world-class competitive enterprises. Dr. Rubin holds a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering (Cornell University), an MSPH in Environmental Engineering (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), and both an SM and PhD in Environmental Systems Engineering (Harvard University).
    Speaker: Cliff Arnett

    Mr. Cliff Arnett is Senior Vice President for the Columbus Water Works in Columbus, Georgia. His responsibilities include senior management of water treatment and distribution, wastewater treatment and collection as well as combined sewer treatment and conveyance. He has over 30 years experience in the water and wastewater utility field as a general contractor, consultant, and the last 13 years with Columbus Water Works.


    Columbus Water Works serves the consolidated area of Muscogee County/Columbus, Georgia (USA), a geographical area of approximately 144 square miles and a population of 200,000. Its service area is expanding into a regional provider of water and wastewater services . Columbus is located approximately 115 miles Southwest of Atlanta, Georgia on the Chattahoochee River.


    Mr. Arnett is active in a number of AWWA, WEF, and AMSA activities, having served on the Joint AMSA/EPA CSO performance measures committee, and currently serving as an AWWA QualServ peer reviewer, AWWARF Project Advisory Committee, WERF wet weather committee and is Project Manager for Columbus Water Works national demonstration projects for CSO and Watershed research. He has presented numerous papers on the Columbus Water Works wet weather water quality programs.
    Speaker: Don Broussard

    In 1978, Don Broussard graduated from the-then University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana-Lafayette) in Civil Engineering. He is currently serving as Water Operations Manager for the Lafayette (LA) Utilities System with responsibility for all drinking water operations from source to tap. Don is currently serving as Trustee for the American Water Works Association Southwest Section. He is currently serving on Louisiana’s Safe Drinking Water Coalition, and most recently, has served as a Task Force Member of the Source Water Assessment Program with the State of Louisiana’s Department of Environmental Quality. He is serving as Chairman of the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies’ Legislative Committee. He is a registered professional engineer in Louisiana.
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