WaterISAC has developed this survey for utilities to report supply disruptions they've experienced as part of an effort to further understand issues as they emerge nationwide.
Liquid Oxygen Disruptions - One ongoing issue is with liquid oxygen (LOX). WaterISAC received reports of water utilities being impacted by LOX disruptions beginning in the summer of 2021. Based on recent reports, the issue is continuing and potentially affecting more areas. The disruptions primarily stem from healthcare facilities requiring more oxygen to treat surges of COVID-19 patients and shortages of trucks and drivers to support higher numbers of deliveries.
The survey also provides the opportunity to report other supply chain disruptions (e.g. other chemicals, electronics). Additionally, utilities can report supply chain disruptions or ask questions by emailing analyst@waterisac.org or calling 866-H2O-ISAC.
How Will the Information Be Used? - The information collected from this survey will be treated as TLP:GREEN (see the Traffic Light Protocol, or TLP, webpage for more information) and shared within the water and wastewater sector, including with WaterISAC member and non-member utilities, sector associations, and federal partners. This information could be used to help identify areas where the federal government and regional or local networks can assist. Respondents have the option of making their identity and that of their utility confidential.
To increase participation in the survey, utilities are encouraged to forward this email and the survey information to colleagues in their utilities, peers in other utilities, and government partners. There is currently no response deadline for this survey; WaterISAC will keep the survey open indefinitely for utilities to report issues as they emerge.
What Is WaterISAC? - WaterISAC, or the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center, provides security and preparedness information to the water and wastewater sector. It does this through trusted partnerships with water and wastewater utilities; federal, state, and local governments, including intelligence and law enforcement agencies, and ISACs in other sectors. For more information, please visit https://www.waterisac.org or email info@waterisac.org.
