What is IOWARN

A Water and Wastewater Agency Response Network is a network of utilities helping other utilities to respond to and recover from emergencies. The purpose of a WARN is to provide a method whereby water/wastewater utilities that have sustained or anticipate damages from natural or human-caused incidents can provide and receive emergency aid and assistance in the form of personnel, equipment, materials and other associated services as necessary from other water/wastewater utilities.

Who can use IOWARN

Any public or private drinking water or wastewater utility can participate in IOWARN, regardless of size. The organization can be activated between utilities in crisis with or without a disaster declaration but integrates with the state’s Emergency Operations Center during a declared disaster.

What are the benefits of membership?

The goals of Iowa WARN are to provide:

• Intrastate WARNs are volunteer-based, utility-to-utility networks that prepare for disasters, then help member-utilities respond and recover by getting specialized utility resources-personnel and equipment- when and where they are needed.
• In times of reduced budgets, revenue interruption can be limited by quickly locating specialized resources to reduce costs associated with restoration and returning service in the shortest time possible. WARNs provide a tool to access and share limited and specialized resources.
• Without water, wastewater and power services residents cannot reoccupy their residences due to public health laws. Early WARN pioneers understood the criticality of restoring water and wastewater service as part of local government disaster recovery. Without water, fire suppression was compromised. Without potable water and wastewater systems, hospitals could not heal.

Formal Agreement and Operational Plan

Memberships and involvement in WARNs are managed through a utility-based volunteer organization, formalized by a Mutual Aid and Assistance Agreement, and mobilization is governed by an Operational Plan. The agreement and plan provide for:

• Inclusion of public and private utilities and associated resources.
• Formalization of the provision of mutual aid and assistance to enhance the water and wastewater sector resiliency against natural and human-made disaster to ensure continuity of service to our sectors customers.
• Deployment of resources, which remain under the authority of the sending utility and can be recalled at any time.
• Indemnification and worker compensation to protect participating utilities.
• Maintenance of voluntary response as there is no obligation to respond.
• Coordination with other agreements or statewide mutual aid programs. The agreement does not supersede existing agreements or programs.

IOWARN is similar and complementary to the Iowa Mutual Aid network as an organized arrangement to facilitate cooperation between local authorities during an emergency. IOWARN works within the National Incident Management System structure. Interstate aid is facilitated by the nationally adopted Emergency Management Assistance Compact in coordination with the National Response Framework.