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Securing Water and Wastewater Systems pp 287–313Cite as

Plan, Prepare and Safeguard: Water Critical Infrastructure Protection in Australia

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Part of the book series: Protecting Critical Infrastructure ((PCIN,volume 2))

Abstract

Protection of water critical infrastructure in Australia, which has become a significant national objective approached from an all hazard perspective, is presented in this paper. Indeed, threats to Australia’s water critical infrastructure include both all hazard incidents such as bushfires, droughts, floods and others and external human interventions, for example human error, sabotage and terrorism. Water critical infrastructure, originally designed and constructed for ease of maintenance with limited considerations for external adverse interventions, now displays vulnerabilities from those threats. Moreover, as complexity of water infrastructure increases with associated dependency and interdependency on other sectors of critical infrastructures, the consequences of its potential failure also increase. In Australia, planning for water critical infrastructure protection plays a critical role on a national level. This planning aims to ensure that an organisation is prepared to manage and mitigate consequences of an unpredictable incident regardless of its origin. Preparation for water critical infrastructure protection builds on strong cooperative and coordinated relationships between Commonwealth, State or Territory and Local Governments, inclusive of various Government Departments and agencies, represented in public, private and voluntary organisations. Protection of water critical infrastructure is a continual cyclic process consisting of vulnerable asset identification, threat, vulnerability and risk assessments, and protection strategies upgrade. These protection strategies may additionally include business continuity plans and crisis simulation exercises. The Australian model for protecting water critical infrastructure is an evolving process with continual improvements, focussing on planning and preparation with systems in place to anticipate and create a more resilient society for the effective infrastructure protection and assurance of service continuity during any potential crisis.

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Abbreviations

ASIO:

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation

BCP:

Business Continuity Plans

CBRN:

Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear

CFA:

Country Fire Authority

CHOGRM:

Commonwealth Heads of Government Regional Meeting

CI:

Critical Infrastructure

CIAC:

Critical Infrastructure Advisory Council

CIP:

Critical Infrastructure Protection

CIPMA:

Critical Infrastructure Protection Modelling and Analysis

CMT:

Crisis Management Team

COAG:

Council of Australian Governments

CSE:

Crisis Simulation Exercise

DHS:

Department of Human Services

DSE:

Department of Sustainability and the Environment

EMA:

Emergency Management Australia

IAAG:

Infrastructure Assurance Advisory Group

IMT:

Incident Management Team

NCTC:

National Counter-Terrorism Committee

SCADA:

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System

SES:

State Emergency Services

TISN:

Trusted Information Sharing Network

TRG:

Tactical Response Group

VicPol:

Victoria Police

WSIAAG:

Water Services Infrastructure Assurance Advisory Group

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Global Terrorism Research Centre, School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia

    Dave Birkett

  2. School of Science, Information Technology and Engineering, University of Ballarat, Mt Helen Campus, University Drive, Ballarat, VIC, 3353, Australia

    Helena Mala-Jetmarova

Authors
  1. Dave Birkett
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  2. Helena Mala-Jetmarova
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dave Birkett .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Engineering and Public Heath Consultant, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

    Robert M. Clark

  2. Department of Economics, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Simon Hakim

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Birkett, D., Mala-Jetmarova, H. (2014). Plan, Prepare and Safeguard: Water Critical Infrastructure Protection in Australia. In: Clark, R., Hakim, S. (eds) Securing Water and Wastewater Systems. Protecting Critical Infrastructure, vol 2. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01092-2_14

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