COM 0988.001 2020-2022 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Conclusion The primary function of DWS is to provide safe drinking water service through its 23 individual water systems distributed throughout the island. The Department of Water Supply continuously strives to provide dependable, uninterrupted, high quality, potable water at a reasonable cost in compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. Contingency and continuity plans are similar: they both require specific procedures in instances where things go wrong to allow for continuing operations. A continuity plan is a broader plan that includes steps on the prevention and recovery of operations in the event of a disaster. Whereas a contingency plan is a vital part of the continuity plan that helps organizational leaders prepare for worst-case scenarios. In other words, contingency plans cover in-the-moment procedures in an emergency while a continuity plan covers how an organization will get up and running again. Best practices say that contingency plans should address specific criteria for the initiation and termination of water shortage stages, procedures for notification and education of the public, and procedures for monitoring the situation during water shortage stages. We commend the Department of Water Supply for their efforts to improve contingency plans to provide water to customers during a disruption of deepwell operations. To further strengthen internal controls over contingency plans, we've identified some opportunities: DWS should: • Review and update written plans accordingly • Consolidate applicable plans • Make plans accessible to appropriate DWS staff • Re-certify Continuity of Operations Plan annually In closing, to improve government accountability and ensure audit recommendations are implemented or resolved, we will continuously monitor the status of recommendations using our remediation tracker. To view the department's status, visit us at: https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/our-county/legislative/office-of-the-cou nty-auditor. 13 1 Conclusion