Early detection of a water contamination incident is only beneficial if effective response decisions can be made in a timely manner. A consequence management plan that outlines procedures for responding to a trigger from a contamination warning system (CWS) is therefore an integral component of the WaterSentinel (WS) program. Water utilities agree the sector's existing emergency planning capabilities should be enhanced, and the American Water Works Association (AWWA), a leading water industry group, has recently highlighted the role of consequence management in contamination warning systems (AWWA, 2005). Moreover, lessons learned during the implementation of analogous monitoring programs for air quality and mail delivery systems have underscored the importance of consequence management. A robust and tested consequence management plan is a critical element of WS that should be in place prior to the initiation of monitoring and surveillance activities at the WS pilot utility. This document describes the strategy for development of a consequence management plan as part of the WS pilot.