Physical Security

Water white paper

by Mark Rowe

The National Critical Infrastructure Protection Plan, a document which unifies the UK’s energy, nuclear, finance, transport and water sectors, identifies the very real threat our world faces from terrorism, writes the security product company LOCKEN.

Although it is not the only threat facing our global infrastructure, terrorism is, unfortunately, a very topical one which must be taken seriously. One area frequently unheeded by citizens, however, is a genuine risk to our water infrastructure. The consequences of an attack on water would, of course, extend into homes, and may be initially undetectable by the population – the consequences of which could be very serious. From disruption of service, to intentional pollution, such potential attacks can be extremely dangerous and recent studies have revealed that drinking water systems are highly vulnerable to pollution. Undertaken by the United States Air Force and Colorado State University these studies have revealed that:

-A few litres of a highly toxic substance are sufficient to pollute an entire food system of a population of 100,000 people in just a few hours
-The contamination would not be confined to areas near the point of introduction, but quickly flow throughout an entire neighbourhood, accessing major pipelines, leading to pollution of the entire system
-The use of a common chemical agent within our waters up to 10% of the affected population would receive a dose sufficient to cause death while this figure increases to 20pc with a military agent
-Disturbingly this type of attack could be organised for less than £0.04 per death
An attack on water resources undoubtedly satisfies the terrorist criteria, which was outlined by the 9/11 Commission. This is also not a hypothesis but a very real threat to each national society, with historical evidence of attacks on water resources has been played out throughout history, recorded as early as 1000 BC, when Chinese warriors contaminated the water resources of their enemies with arsenic.

Prevention

An attack on the drinking water system can take a variety of forms as the supply to our homes is a complex process involving many different steps, from reservoirs to processing plants, and all are, to some extent, vulnerable to terrorist acts.

As always the first line of defence against any attack is prevention, particularly physically securing our water infrastructure and prohibiting unauthorized access to these sites. With many sites isolated and manned by countless personnel across an entire region, delivering a robust and fully traceable access control solution is essential. LOCKEN’s solution compromises of a smart, electronic key incorporating passive electronic cylinders that only unlock on contact, enabling access control and tracking from one smart electronic device. Each smart key holds a unique serial number, which cannot be duplicated but can be reprogrammed, enabling it to open one or all access points.

Crucially, each key can be suspended quickly if lost, while allowing for one-time access to people in a position outside the usual area of operations.

While enabling quick access, the power-free, electronic cylinders cannot be picked. With admission rights provided by the key and data recorded within it, electronic locks provide vastly increased security compared to any other access control solution on the market and, in the event of loss or theft, can quickly be disabled. Full audit trails, through a Bluetooth key combined with the MyLocken App, provide management with full traceability access authorisation.

While even the slightest hint of terrorism is always alarming, it may be the least risky threat to our water infrastructure. However, given the potential risk an act of this nature could deliver, it is necessary to be prepared and secure our sources now. With approximately 6.5 billion cubic metres of water directly abstracted for public use in England and Wales each year alone, securing and controlling access to drinking water sites is of critical importance.

With over one million access points secured worldwide and LOCKEN solutions used by 14 major water companies, there is no doubt that the simple and flexible solution will play a strategic role in security solution for the water industry.

Visit www.locken.co.uk.

While not exhaustive, some of the most recently documented incidents are listed below:

• 2002- In Rome, Italy, four men of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) are arrested in possession of chemicals, false papers and detailed plans for the water supply network in the zone of the Embassy of the United States.
• 2002 -Two Al-Qaeda agents arrested in Denver with plans to poison water resources.
• 2004 – The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security issue a bulletin warning that terrorists are trying to recruit employees from water treatment plants as part of a drinking water poisoning project.
• 2006 – A water tank in Tring, England, is deliberately contaminated with herbicide.
• 2006 – Strychnine (a pesticide) is intentionally released into a Danish artificial lake
• 2007 – In China, 201 people die using water intentionally contaminated with fluoroacetamide (a pesticide) to prepare oatmeal.
• 2008 – In Varney, Virginia, a man was arrested in possession of two vials of cyanide to poison the water supply system.
• 2008 -The water supply system of a Burmese refugee camp in Thailand (with a population of 30,000) is intentionally poisoned with herbicide.
• 2009 – In the Philippines, the Frente Moro de Liberación Islámica (MILF) poisons sources of water used by government soldiers and the population.
• 2010 – In the Kashmir region of India, Maoist rebels poison a pond used as a source of drinking water by the Central Reserve Police Force, a paramilitary group.
• 2010 – In England, two neo-Nazis, father and son, are convicted of several counts of terrorism, including castor-making and conspiracy with Serbian Nazis to poison water resources used by Muslims.
• 2011 – Documents seized during the operation causing the death of Osama bin Laden reveal plans for poisoning water resources.
• 2011 – In Spain (La Línea de la Concepción, Cadiz), a conspiracy to poison water resources in response to the death of Osama bin Laden is thwarted.
• 2012 – In Australia, two 5,000-liter drinking water tanks are deliberately poisoned with Diuron (a herbicide).
• 2012 – In Afghanistan, hundreds of girls in a school fall ill after deliberate poisoning of the water supply system.

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