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The
water sector was designated by President Bill Clinton's 1998 Decision
Directive (PDD) 63 and President George W. Bush's 2001 Executive
Order (EO) 13231 as one of eight critical infrastructure sectors
deemed essential to the nation's wellbeing. A key objective of PDD
63 and EO 13231 was the establishment of Information Sharing and
Analysis Centers to improve security by facilitating the sharing
of information. Additionally, Homeland Security Presidential Directive
(HSPD-7) encouraged the creation of private sector information sharing
and analysis mechanisms, such as the WaterISAC, to protect drinking
water and wastewater infrastructure from attack.
In 2001, the Association
of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) was selected as the official
liaison between the water sector and the federal government and immediately
established the WaterISAC with a grant from the US Environmental Protection
Agency. The WaterISAC's development has relied on advisory groups
that include individual utility subscribers and representatives of
the AMWA, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, the National
Association of Water Companies, the American Water Works Association
Research Foundation, the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators,
the National Rural Water Association and the American Water Works
Association.
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