In only 30 minutes, about a mile of tunnels full of vital equipment were flooded at West Point Treatment Plant in Seattle

In northern Wisconsin, extensive washouts destroyed roads, bridges and harbors. It could be years before the area fully recovers.

In this week's water and wastewater news, Texas reports a fatal chemical explosion, Missouri treatment plants come back online after flooding, and Des Moines sets denitrification records

In this week's water and wastewater news, water customers get an unpleasant surprise in their tap water, Lake Erie water intakes test positive for microcystin and Texas drought restrictions return.

Crisis management begins with a strong foundation. At Spartanburg Water, that foundation led the utility through a PCB contamination crisis and, later, made the utility a leader in Ebola preparation.

Thanks to Utilities Manager Dan Wasko, emergency sewerage communication with customers is as simple as pushing a button.

When the media needs information, keep your cool and follow these communication guidelines.

There's no need to panic during disaster. Find out how to prepare your wastewater treatment plant for the worst with these practical solutions.

Keep your facility running smoothly with a well-written standard operating procedure.