Vulnerability Assessment for Reducing Risks during Water Distribution

Lifeline systems are those facilities which provide the main utility or transportation services to a community. The lifeline vulnerability analysis (LLVA) developed in this study is a flexible, risk-based approach which can be used to develop strategies to minimize risks of system failure which may lead to a service disruption. The risk-based approach incorporates the important hazard elements into a framework to estimate a set of vulnerability priority numbers (VPN) that can be used for risk management and decision-making. The LLVA can be used and periodically revised for updating the system risks. The periodic upgrades in the system can be incorporated into the system evaluation and the sequential improvements based on the calculated risk factors. A sample risk analysis algorithm was presented to evaluate the vulnerability of the water distribution system components (i.e., buried pipes, pump stations, storage tanks and electrical and mechanical equipment). The vulnerability priority numbers were developed for comparative risk analysis, assessment relative risks, and assessment of interdependence of key components which may result into domino effect consequences.