AWWA Risk Assessment and Mitigation 3

Question 1

Which chemical contamination scenario poses the GREATEST challenge for a water utility's risk mitigation plan due to detection difficulty?

Accepted Answer

Odorless, colorless toxin introduced post-treatment

Answer

Odorless, colorless toxins introduced post-treatment are difficult to detect by standard online sensors, maximizing exposure risk before discovery.

Question 2

A utility's Emergency Response Plan (ERP) should be updated whenever a significant change occurs. Which change MOST warrants an immediate ERP revision?

Accepted Answer

Addition of a new water source or treatment process

Answer

Adding a new water source or treatment process fundamentally changes the system's risk profile and requires ERP revision to address new hazard scenarios.

Question 3

What does 'residual risk' mean in the context of water system risk management?

Accepted Answer

Risk remaining after mitigation measures have been implemented

Answer

Residual risk is the level of risk that remains after all selected countermeasures have been applied.

Question 4

Which approach best describes a 'defense-in-depth' strategy for a water treatment plant?

Accepted Answer

Applying multiple overlapping layers of security controls

Answer

Defense-in-depth uses multiple overlapping layers so that failure of any single control does not result in a successful breach.

Question 5

For a water utility performing a risk assessment, 'asset characterization' involves:

Accepted Answer

Documenting all physical, cyber, and chemical assets and their criticality

Answer

Asset characterization identifies and describes system components including their function, value, and criticality to system operations.

(AWWA) American Water Works Association Practice Test

(AWWA) American Water Works Association Practice Test

AWWA Risk Assessment and Mitigation 3