About RWEAC
RWEAC Application
RWEAC Agreement

About RWEAC

In the aftermath of Hurricane Rita, the TRWA Board of Directors established the Rural Water Emergency Assistance Cooperative (RWEAC), designed to provide assistance to small and rural water/wastewater utilities sustaining physical damage from natural or man made disasters or other emergency situations.

TRWA Executive Director Tom Duck said, “RWEAC was created in recognition of the fact that rural utilities are often the last to receive vital state and federal assistance in times and circumstances of an emergency as demonstrated during Hurricane Rita this past September.”

RWEAC will focus on helping small and rural systems obtain emergency assistance in the form of personnel, equipment and other materials necessary to protect the health and welfare of the small and rural utilities’ customers. By collectively pooling these resources during a disaster, TRWA and RWEAC will be able to quickly respond to the needs of small systems and assist them in recovering from an emergency.

“This is truly a neighbor helping neighbor effort,” Duck said.

How does my utility participate?

Participation in RWEAC is voluntary and membership is free. To participate as a member of the RWEAC network, your water/wastewater utility will need to sign a mutual aid agreement with TRWA that will help identify the available resources you are willing to share with the network and the process of giving and receiving RWEAC assistance. Having the agreement in place prior to an emergency event will help expedite the response time for all participants. A copy of the RWEAC Mutual Aid Agreement and other enrollment documents are available at www.trwa.org/rweac. Signing the agreement does not obligate your utility to respond.

How does my utility get assistance during an emergency?

Any water/wastewater utility in Texas can request emergency assistance from RWEAC by calling 1-866-586-6480, a toll free hotline that is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You do not have to be a member of the RWEAC network to receive assistance, but priority will be given to RWEAC members. Assistance may be in the form of heavy equipment (portable generators, backhoes, etc.), supplies (pipes, valves, hydrants, fittings, etc.), or trained personnel (operators, electricians, instrument panel technicians, etc.). During an emergency, RWEAC will match the equipment, manpower and other resources needed with those available within the RWEAC network. RWEAC will coordinate and manage all disaster relief efforts for the donor utility and those utilities needing assistance. This includes working with the appropriate local, state and federal agencies if necessary.

What types of resources are needed by RWEAC?

The RWEAC primarily needs heavy equipment, fuel, supplies, food, bottled water and manpower. For example, there was an enormous need for portable generators during Hurricane Rita. If the RWEAC network had been in place during Rita, we would have known the size and type generators needed and then been able to match those needs with member utilities located outside the storm area that were willing to loan portable generators. Had the RWEAC network been in place prior to Rita, we would have been able to respond more quickly instead of waiting on state and federal generators which in many incidences never arrived or arrived without cables or fuel.

If my utility loans equipment to RWEAC during an emergency, what happens if it is damaged or stolen?

Although TRWA encourages utilities providing assistance to keep their own insurance in place, TRWA will maintain insurance on all equipment that is made available to a utility needing the assistance and used during an emergency. The RWEAC agreement requires that the equipment being loaned is properly insured, serviced and maintained while in our care.

My utility is willing to donate equipment, fuel, food, bottled water and manpower to RWEAC during a natural disaster like Rita, but how much time and expense is involved? What if our crews are needed back home?

In the event of a natural disaster or other emergency, the RWEAC staff will activate a command center in Austin that will coordinate the movement of equipment, supplies, food, bottled water and manpower from the donor utility to the utility needing assistance. RWEAC will contact each member participant who has signed a mutual aid agreement and verify the specific resources that are being donated and for how long. As a donor utility, you will have the option to determine the degree of participation and level of expense you are willing to incur prior to your commitment to providing the assistance. If at any time you need to recall your equipment or crews, you may do so. RWEAC will coordinate all the pick up and delivery details for you. During Hurricane Rita, many utilities were unable to provide crews or equipment, but instead donated cash funds so that TRWA could purchase bottled water, food and supplies for the crews providing disaster assistance. Other utilities donated the use of their facilities as staging areas for the emergency workers. Any type of assistance, large or small, is appreciated.

Will my utility be reimbursed for the use of any equipment, fuel, supplies and/or personnel loaned to RWEAC during a disaster?

No, probably not. In some cases FEMA may provide reimbursement for equipment, fuel and personnel used in a disaster, but this will vary according to the severity of the disaster, the extent of the damage and other factors. RWEAC will work with both the damaged utility and the utility providing assistance in an effort to obtain reimbursement if it is available.

Why should my utility participate?

Because —— happens. You never know when a disaster will strike and you will need help from RWEAC. During Hurricane Rita, many small water utilities with limited personnel were overwhelmed by the damage they sustained. Most were without electrical power, telephones, fuel, food, water and supplies for weeks. TRWA and our rural water partners in Florida, Oklahoma and New Mexico came to the aid of more than 100 small water systems by providing them with generators, chlorine, bottled water and food donated by other water utilities. Our emergency crews worked onsite in the disaster zone around the clock helping water systems remove debris, fix water leaks, collect bacteriological samples and coordinate resources with state and federal agencies. This is what RWEAC is all about.

Will RWEAC help in disasters other than hurricanes?

Yes, RWEAC will help all parts of the state impacted by a disaster. If your system needs emergency assistance in the event of a flood, tornado, ice storm, fire or any other man made or natural disaster, RWEAC will respond.

Who is RWEAC and how is it funded?

The Rural Water Emergency Assistance Cooperative is a program provided by the Texas Rural Water Association to help small and rural water/wastewater systems in Texas in the event of a natural disaster or public emergency. The program is funded by TRWA and from cash donations made by water utilities and individuals to the TRWA Disaster Relief Fund.

Does RWEAC have a staff?

During an emergency, RWEAC will utilize trained TRWA staff and a team of first responders who will coordinate resources and help you get your water system up and running with a minimal amount of government red tape and bureaucratic run around. Our staff will make a personal onsite visit to your water system, help assess the damage and assist you in locating the equipment, manpower and supplies you need to start pumping water again. The RWEAC network will match utilities needing assistance with those offering assistance. First priority will be given to helping small rural water systems that are often the last to receive help under other assistance programs.

How is RWEAC different from TxWARN?

TxWARN is an internet-based system. RWEAC is designed to be more hands-on with a “people helping people” approach to disaster relief. By utilizing a trained team of first responders, RWEAC will be able to more quickly help you perform damage assessments and get you the resources you need to get your water system back in business. During Hurricane Rita, TRWA was able to place manpower, equipment and supplies in the disaster area within a matter of hours. More than 3,500 man-hours were spent on the ground helping small water/wastewater systems get power restored and water pumping. This personal, on-site technical assistance is what makes RWEAC unique.

What are the benefits of RWEAC?

• No membership fee.

• Participation is voluntary.

• No obligation that a participating water/wastewater system respond to a disaster.

• Establishes a network of manpower, equipment and supplies that are available to your utility in the event of a disaster or other emergency.

• On-site technical assistance. RWEAC will dispatch a team of first responders to your utility in the event of a disaster to help you coordinate and manage resources.

• Priority is given to small rural utilities that are often the last to receive assistance during a disaster.

How do I sign up?

Complete the online application, mutual aid agreement and resource survey form available at www.trwa.org/rweac or contact TRWA at (512) 472-8591 and request a hard copy. We will send you a welcome packet and set your utility up in the RWEAC network. Periodically, we will contact you to make sure the information and resources you listed are updated.