RAPID: Collaborative Research: Enhance the Resilience of Water Infrastructure in Mid-sized Cities Adjacent to Energy Industry

1759542 (Lou)/1760673 （reliable）。在美国能源和化学加工工业的中心，飓风哈维造成了多起化学品泄漏/爆炸，超级基金场地被淹没，甚至一个主要泵站被淹没，该泵站将河水输送到饮用水处理厂（WTP）。如果水源受到从多个来源释放的危险化学品的污染，再加上污水处理厂的失败，公共卫生和当地工业的生产力将受到严重威胁。本研究将解决重大自然灾害期间危险化学品释放威胁下的饮用水安全问题，并确定提高中等城市基础设施复原力的战略。这项研究将获得与“哈维”造成的饮用水质量和危险化学品的释放和运输有关的极有价值的数据。调查将提供以下关键问题的答案：1)在重大自然灾害下，能源生产区哪种危险化学品最容易释放并污染水源？2)它们从源头到进水点的分布、命运和运输模式如何？3)与能源产业相邻的沿海中等城市应采取哪些策略来增强饮用水系统的弹性？研究结果将使社区更好地了解风险以及如何管理风险。该应急计划可以适用于资源有限、替代方案很少的中小城市。所确定的战略将加强城市基础设施的完整性以及工业活动的正常生产。

1759542 (Lou)/1760673 (Reible). At the heart of U.S. energy and chemical processing industry, Hurricane Harvey caused multiple chemical spills/explosions, flooding of superfund sites, and even the flooding of a primary pump station, which draws river water to a drinking water treatment plant (WTP). If the source water is contaminated by hazardous chemicals released from multiple sources, compounded by the failure of a WTP, public health, and also productivity of the local industry will be severely threatened. This study will address drinking water safety issues under threats of the release of hazardous chemicals during major natural disasters, and identify strategies to improve infrastructure resilience in mid-sized cities. This research will obtain extremely valuable data relating to the drinking water quality and the release and transport of hazardous chemicals caused by Harvey. The investigation will provide answers to the following critical questions: 1) What kind of hazardous chemicals in an energy production region have the highest risk to be released and contaminate source water under major natural disasters? 2) What are their distribution, fate and transport patterns from the source point to WTP intake spots? 3) What strategies should be taken to enhance the resilience of the drinking water system in mid-sized coastal cities adjacent to energy industry? The research results will provide communities a better understanding of the risks and how to manage them. The contingency plan can be applied to small and mid-sized cities, which often have limited resources and few alternatives. The strategies identified will enhance the integrity of urban infrastructure, as well as the normal production of industrial activities.