Stakeholders and management bodies

The execution of the plan developed under the leadership of the High Commission for National Protection (Haut-Commissariat à la protection nationale - HCPN) falls under the remit of the Prime Minister and the Minister with responsibility for water.

All the ministries, agencies and departments of the State, as well as the operators/owners of water treatment infrastructures, are required to cooperate in the implementation of the plan using all the means available to them.

An emergency is deemed to be a serious disruption to supplies of drinking water resulting from either a technical or weather-related incident (quantitative problem) or accidental pollution (qualitative problem) which could cause significant dysfunction adversely affecting the vital interests or essential needs of all or part of the country or population of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Routine incidents are managed by the operators/owners of water treatment and distribution infrastructures and the various agencies according to their respective missions and following their own specific procedures.

Crisis Cell

The Crisis Cell (Cellule de Crise - CC) is activated by the Prime Minister in the event that a crisis is imminent or has occurred. It initiates, coordinates and monitors the execution of all the measures intended to deal with the crisis and its effects and return the situation to normal. It prepares the necessary decisions and submits them to the Government for approval. In the event that an operational response on the ground is required, the Crisis Cell's mission extends to coordinating and monitoring the execution.

In an emergency situation, the Crisis Cell is composed of the following people at the least:

• the High Commissioner for National Protection;
• the Director of the Luxembourg Fire and Rescue Corps;
• the Director of the Water Management Authority;
• the Director of the Administration for Roads and Bridges;
• the Director of Health;
• the Director of the Crisis Communication Service;
• a representative of the ministerial department with responsibility for water;
• a representative of the Ministry of Home Affairs;
• a representative of the Esch-sur-Sûre water syndicate (Syndicat des Eaux du Barrage d'Esch-sur-Sûre - SEBES).

Depending on the circumstances, the CC can be expanded to include representatives from the ministerial departments involved, plus representatives of the water sector.

The CC operates throughout the duration of the crisis until the situation returns to normal.

Operational Cell

The Crisis Cell can appoint an Operational Cell (Cellule Opérationnelle - CO) to execute, implement and monitor the ordered measures and activities.

Cell for assessing the risk of a disruption in the water supply

The CERREP's role (Cellule d’évaluation du risque de rupture d’approvisionnement en eau potable - CERREP) in managing the crisis is to monitor the emergency situation as it evolves, and to keep the Crisis Cell informed. Made up of experts, the CERREP assesses the situation and increases surveillance before the Crisis Cell is activated.

Communication/Information Cell

The CCI  (Cellule Communication/Information - CCI) is responsible for communication and information for the benefit of the media and the public. The horizontal coordination of organising external communication falls to the Crisis Communication Service.