During emergencies, water utilities, healthcare facilities, nursing homes, public health agencies, primacy agencies and local emergency managers should work together to minimize detrimental impacts to public health caused by disruptions in drinking water and wastewater services. Early planning and communications are vital. Facilities such as hospitals need safe drinking water to care for patients, perform surgeries and sterilize instruments, especially when an emergency strikes a community. Water utilities need to know how they can best assist and advise their critical healthcare customers.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a resource with emergency management strategies around coordination and communication between water utilities and healthcare/public health partners.