How did InWARN begin?
InWARN is modeled after existing networks in Florida (FlaWARN) and California (CalWARN) which have demonstrated that a network of “utilities helping utilities” can improve significantly the Industry’s emergency response capabilities when water and wastewater utilities are damage during natural disasters. Most notably, FlaWARN helped utilities in Mississippi and Alabama after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
InWARN is modeled after existing networks in Florida (FlaWARN) and California (CalWARN) which have demonstrated that a network of “utilities helping utilities” can improve significantly the Industry’s emergency response capabilities when water and wastewater utilities are damage during natural disasters. Most notably, FlaWARN helped utilities in Mississippi and Alabama after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
InWARN was launched on August 29, 2007, the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall on the Gulf Coast. While it is very unlikely that utilities in Indiana will ever be damaged by a major hurricane like Katrina, the state’s water and wastewater systems can and have been damaged by tornados, floods, ice storms and earthquakes. By proactively establishing partnerships and response plans, utilities and other associations are doing their part to protect the well-being of Hoosiers.
What is the organizational structure?
The Network is composed of public and private water and wastewater utilities that have joined the Network by signing the Mutual Aid Agreement.
A steering committee provides leadership for InWARN, meeting via phone or in-person conferences as needed. The committee is composed of representatives of:
- Four state water/wastewater professional organizations, including Indiana Section American Water Works Association (AWWA), Indiana Rural Water Association (IRWA), Alliance of Indiana Rural Water (AIRW) and Indiana Water Environment Association ( IWEA).
- Two government agencies: Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS);
- One administrative organization: Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT).
How is InWARN funded?
Public and private water and wastewater utilities and members of the water and wastewater associations that have collaborated to create InWARN have volunteered their time to create the Network and man the steering committee. Funding for the creation of the InWARN Web site and for the first year of administration of the Network is being provided by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Additional funds for the maintenance and upgrading of our InWARN WebPage have been provided by our four state water/wastewater professional organizations.
For more InWARN FAQs, click here.