Members of the Water Supply Forum are working together to safeguard our region’s water supply in the event of a major earthquake. Earthquakes can significantly damage water systems at the local and regional levels, heavily impacting the 2.3 million people who live in our three-county region. After a catastrophic seismic event, one or more of the major water suppliers in the region – Everett Public Works, Seattle Public Utilities, and/or Tacoma Water – could take up to 60 days to restore water to at least 90 percent of its customers.
No one can predict when or where the next major earthquake will occur. But the Water Supply Forum is taking steps to better plan and prepare the region to respond and recover.
REGIONAL STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE RESILIENCY
In 2014, the Water Supply Forum embarked on a two-phased project to evaluate the region’s water supply systems and plan for potential water supply disruptions due to various natural disasters, including earthquakes. In the first phase, the project looked at four earthquake scenarios, the likelihood of their occurrence, and possible consequences of earthquake damage. The second phase identified a comprehensive list of specific actions the major utilities can take in the near term and over the long run to enhance the region’s resiliency.
The Water Supply Forum has and continues to implement many actions called out in the project. In 2019 it hosted a workshop with emergency responders from local, state, and federal agencies, and the American Red Cross. The workshop emphasized coordination and communication to ensure water is available in the aftermath of an earthquake for firefighting, hospitals, and the general public. Another workshop is planned for 2023.
Other joint activities that are under way or planned include:
At the local level, individual utilities are upgrading key water systems that are most vulnerable to earthquake damage and critical to public safety and making other preparations, including: