Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism: TICs & TIMs

Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism
Training Support Package
Participant Guide
Slide 9
Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism:
TICs & TIMs
Water System Vulnerabilities
The Water System,
• Is essential for health & safety
• Comprises spatially diverse elements
• Is susceptible to intrusion
• Provides numerous attack sites
• Is difficult to protect against backflow attacks
• Contamination is difficult to trace
Module One - Chemical Contamination of Food, Water, and Medication
9
The US public drinking water system is vitally necessary.
It is spatially diverse providing numerous possible attack vectors and targets.
Distribution systems are quite complex and the low pressure flow patterns are highly
variable and difficult to predict.
Many of the water pumps are custom built and, if damaged, would takes months to
replace. Apart from providing potable drinking water, in most cities fire fighters depend
on the public water system for fire control and suppression.
These reasons, among others, make the US public drinking water system a tempting
target for would be terrorists. Compared to other kinds of community assault, an attack
on the water system would be particularly troubling.
December 2008 Version 2.0 Page 265