Atlantic City Utilities Site Survey Reveals Major Threat Concerns

We have obtained a copy of a comprehensive site survey report that was prepared on April 15, 2020 for the Atlantic City Municipal Utilities Authority.

The site survey was conducted by the Falcon Consulting Group on April 9, 2020.

The Falcon Consulting Group Managing Partner is Thomas W. Raftery, III, a retired career Senior FBI Agent.

Raftery was the lead Senior FBI Agent in charge of several major Atlantic City political corruption operations, that resulted in numerous convictions, e.g. “Operation Broken Boards,” for example.

Raftery’s report is 12 detailed pages long. So as not to subject the Atlantic City Municipal Utilities Authority to further potential dangerous exposure, we will be selective in what we reveal in terms of the many serious ACMUA vulnerabilities that existed then and our ACMUA inside sources say still exist today.

Raftery and the Falcon Consulting Group concluded that:

Overall, the ACMUA's assets are at risk and there are potential liability issues under the current environment.

Falcon Consulting Group recommended the following:

• Conduct an extensive threat assessment to include all ACMUA assets.
• Rewrite the security guard contract to eliminate non security guard duties.
  Consider expanding security guard coverage as outlined above.
• Solicit additional proposals for CCTV coverage. Consider rewriting requests to include 1 main camera monitor and upgraded alarm system.
• Rewrite 2020 Emergency Response Plan - Water Section.

Here’s an example of a deficiency that was uncovered during the site inspection. The photo (below) shows the gate at West California Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey that should be locked at all times. It was left wide open and could allow potential unwanted entrance.

A second deficiency was that Calgon tanks are too close to fence line. “Given their proximity to the fence and possible blind spots, tanks could be compromised,” according to the site survey report. (See photo below).

The site survey report details significant deficiencies in the headquarters building, plant, along with other significant findings.

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We spoke with former Atlantic City Municipal Utilities Authority Chairman John Devlin last night.

Devlin addressed many concerns, including that the Atlantic City water has not been treated with fluoride for months.

Previous ACMUA public comments about this deficiency explains it away by saying they’ve run out of fluoride and that it could be many months before they have it back in stock.

Devlin advised that the Atlantic City water had been “treated with fluoride for about 160 years,” said Devlin.

Devlin is also concerned about the hiring practices at the ACMUA, where big ticket salaries are being brought on board, “with employees who are not qualified abd do not possess required licenses,” said Devlin.

In previous coverage about the ACMUA, Devlin has detailed that significant costs are incurred, because the ACMUA has to pay outside contractors, so that the ACMUA is in compliance regarding required licenses in order to legally operate the utility.

According to Devlin and others at the ACMUA, it appears that little to none of the threat assessment recommendations have been adequately been addressed.

Sources maintain that even the approach to the main entrance to the building remains unprotected.

Falcon concluded its report by stating that they recommend that “the ACMUA conduct a full threat assessment of its assets.”

To date, this has not occurred.

We will be conducting a wide-ranging on-air interview with Raftery in the very near future.

SOURCES: Falcon Consulting Group site survey of April 9, 2020 & John Devlin.