Title
Mutual Aid Agreement Among Members of the Arizona Water and Wastewater Agency Response Network (Ordinance S-45390)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into a Mutual Aid Agreement (Agreement) among members of the Arizona Water and Wastewater Agency Response Network (AZWARN) to enable exchange of mutual aid among water and wastewater agencies and the state agency.
Report
Summary
AZWARN is a voluntary network of Arizona utilities organized by a Mutual Aid Agreement (Agreement) supported by state and federal agencies that unites member agencies by a common cause, i.e., natural or human-caused disaster; provides agencies with rapid deployment of local resources in times of need to ensure the continuous operation of life-essential services to customers; assists with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement; and is consistent with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) protocol established by the Federal National Response Plan for emergency responses.
Local emergencies or a governor-declared state of emergency may overwhelm the ability of a water and/or wastewater utility to provide services to its customers. These emergencies may require assistance in the form of personnel, equipment, services, and supplies from outside the area of the impact of the emergency. In accordance with this Agreement, one or more utilities may find it necessary to use all their own resources to cope with a local emergency or a state of emergency and may require the assistance of another utility. This Agreement: (1) provides the procedures to notify utilities of the need for assistance; (2) provides procedures for utilities to request assistance; and (3) provides a mechanism for resource compensation.
Execution of this Agreement does not create any duty to provide assistance.
Phoenix has been a member of AZWARN since 2007. The current agreement, Contract 123247, expires June 30, 2020. This new Agreement will supersede the existing agreement.
Contract Term
The Agreement term will be from March 30, 2019, to June 30, 2030. Any utility may terminate or withdraw from this Agreement subject to Agreement terms and conditions.
Financial Impact
There is no financial impact to the City of Phoenix.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The City Council approved Contract 123247 on Oct. 31, 2007.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Karen Peters and the Water Services Department.