Water Safety

LCPW's Commitment to Water Safety

The Laurens Commission of Public Works (LCPW) has always worked to ensure the quality of your drinking water supply. Our team works closely with EPA, SCDHEC, and others to identify vulnerable points in our water system and to mitigate the threat from potential terrorist attacks as quickly as possible.

Laurens CPW is one of over 148,000 public water systems across the United States. Laurens CPW is required to have an emergency response plan that provides for shutting down the system, notifying the public of any emergency steps they might need to take, and providing alternate sources of water. An extensive emergency response system is in place in which EPA, SCDHEC, and others are prepared to respond to a drinking water emergency should an incident occur. Through existing procedures, Laurens CPW would work closely with the EPA, the law enforcement community, the Dept of Defense, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and SCDHEC to minimize the impact of any potential attacks.

We have received the following questions form concerned citizens regarding the safety of our water:

 

Q: Is the nation's water supply safe from terrorist attacks?
 
A: Overall, the threat of contamination of drinking water through terrorist activities is low. Most harmful substances or contaminants would need to be used in very large quantities, which minimizes an actual threat. Existing treatment processes are designed to deactivate many contaminants.
 
Q: Could a small amount of biological or chemical agent contaminate a whole city's drinking water supply?
 
A: This is highly unlikely. Over the years, the EPA and other experts from the CDC and the Department of the Army have studied chemical and biological threats to water supplies. They have consistently found that it would take very large amounts of a contaminant to compromise the safety of a water system. With increased security at water reservoirs and utilities around the country, would make it difficult for anyone to introduce the necessary amounts without being detected. If a contaminant were introduced, the existing water treatment systems already in place would, in many cases, remove the immediate threat to public health before it reaches their taps.

So, what can the public do to help? You should be suspicious of anyone asking for details about the water system such as the location of raw water sources, treatment facilities, or distribution facilities. Additionally, keep an eye out for unauthorized individuals  in the vicinity of parts of the water distribution system, such as hydrants and water tanks.

Please report criminal threats or suspicious behavior immediately to law enforcement officials and the Laurens Commission of Public Works.