ADVISORY/Spokesperson Availability: March 31 Deadline: USFilter Water Security Expert Available to Discuss How Local Water Agencies Are Safeguarding Local Water Systems and Supplies.

News Editors/Business Editors

Topical News: War On Terrorism

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 24, 2003

WHAT:   USFilter spokesperson Peter Beering is available for comment
        to discuss the steps cities and water agencies are taking to
        safeguard local water systems and supplies against potential
        terrorist attack.

        Beering will be speaking at the American Water Works
        Association's (AWWA) Water Security Conference scheduled for
        March 23-26 in Los Angeles. He also can address the impact the
        March 31 deadline -- for cities with populations over 100,000
        to conduct vulnerability assessments -- is having on the
        safety of the nation's water supply.

WHO:    Peter Beering, USFilter Director of National Security
        Initiatives

        As director of national security initiatives for USFilter
        Operating Services, Peter Beering oversees the company's
        efforts to help municipalities meet the requirements of the
        Public Health, Security and Bioterrorism Act of 2002.
        USFilter, the nation's leading water and wastewater treatment
        company, conducts the mandated vulnerability assessments used
        to develop security protection plans for water supply,
        treatment and distribution systems and submits the resulting
        report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Under
        Beering's direction, the company's technical experts guide
        municipalities through the EPA Federal Funding Grant
        application process for upgrading systems to meet new security
        requirements and will update or redraft a water system's
        existing emergency response plan.

WHY:    In June 2002, the federal Public Health, Security and
        Bioterrorism Act was signed into law. According to this
        mandate, all U.S. water utilities serving more than 3,300
        people must conduct vulnerability assessments of local water
        treatment operations and develop a security plan to ensure
        these systems are protected in the event of an act of
        terrorism or sabotage.

        The first deadline for completed vulnerability assessments is
        March 31, 2003 for water systems serving more than 100,000
        people. This critical date will require hundreds of cities to
        have plans in place to safeguard water systems against
        possible attack.