CXC Insights - Explainer: Water Sector Leaders Want Greater National Focus
One theme that has surfaced repeatedly in CXC's recent engagements—from discussions at the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE), to our inaugural CXC Cross-Sector Symposium, to conversations with leadership from the Water Sector Coordinating Council (SCC): many in the water community believe the sector's critical role is not adequately reflected in national preparedness and emergency management planning.
The concern is not new, but it appears to be gaining renewed attention as communities grapple with aging infrastructure, cyber threats, extreme weather, and increasing interdependencies across critical infrastructure.
Water: foundational to all other critical infrastructure
Water and wastewater systems are foundational to every other critical infrastructure sector. Hospitals cannot operate without water. Manufacturing depends on reliable water supplies. Energy production, food and agriculture, transportation, chemical facilities, data centers, and emergency response all rely on functioning water systems.
Despite these dependencies, much of the nation's water infrastructure is owned and operated by local governments and utilities, many of which face persistent resource constraints. Unlike some other critical infrastructure sectors, many water utilities operate with limited staffing and budgets while managing increasingly complex physical and cyber risks.
As one participant noted during recent discussions, water is not simply another infrastructure sector—it is a dependency for nearly all of them.
An ESF for Water?
One topic receiving renewed attention is how the water sector is represented within the National Response Framework.
During major disasters, the federal government organizes emergency response activities through Emergency Support Functions (ESFs)—coordinated groups of federal agencies responsible for specific mission areas such as transportation, communications, public health, energy, and public works.
Today, the water sector is primarily addressed through Emergency Support Function #3 (ESF #3): Public Works and Engineering, for which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) serves as the coordinating agency.
Some within the water sector have questioned whether this structure provides sufficient visibility and prioritization for water-specific issues during disaster response and recovery. Over the years, various stakeholders have suggested creating a dedicated Emergency Support Function for water to better reflect its unique operational challenges and its role as a foundational dependency across critical infrastructure.
Others note that creating a new ESF would represent a significant structural change and would need to demonstrate clear operational benefits beyond existing coordination mechanisms.
Cascading Impacts = Cross-Sector Discussion
Regardless of where stakeholders stand on potential structural changes, the broader discussion highlights an important cross-sector issue: how should national preparedness frameworks account for infrastructure sectors that underpin the operation of nearly every other sector?
As these conversations continue, CXC will remain engaged with sector leaders, government partners, and industry stakeholders to better understand emerging priorities and identify opportunities to advance cross-sector collaboration.