ABSTRACT
The Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission assessed performance of wastewater conveyance and treatment facilities for two catastrophic natural disasters: the Cascadia Subduction Zone seismic event (magnitude 9.0 to 9.2) and catastrophic 500-year flood event adjusted to reflect exacerbations from climate change. Performance was assessed with respect to achieving post disaster recovery goals set forth in the Oregon Resiliency Plan. As part of the assessment MWMC identified and assessed critical dependencies that could substantially impact their ability to respond and recover from the natural disasters. MWMC identified the most critical dependencies through collaborative staff engagement. The collaborative effort and assessments that followed allowed MWMC to identify actions that would help better prepare for any disaster event and minimize the potential for cascading failures. As an example, MWMC's Continuity of Operations Plan was as a useful tool for establishing minimum staffing levels for essential operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Copyright © 2021 Water Environment Federation