Last month I provided a summary of the requirements in the America Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) that impact public water suppliers including the need to complete Risk and Resiliency Assessments and Emergency Response Plan Updates. The EPA has posted additional information on their website including specific deadlines based on service population and the general components involved in each plan.
Systems serving greater than or equal to 100,000 people: Risk Assessment is due March 21, 2020
Systems serving 50,000 to 99,999 people: Risk Assessment is due December 31, 2020
Systems serving 3,301 to 49,999 people: Risk Assessment is due June 30, 2021
Emergency Response Plan updates are to be done 6 months after the Risk Assessment deadline.
Risk and Resiliency Assessment must include:
1. the risk to the system from malevolent acts and natural hazards;
2. the resilience of the pipes and constructed conveyances, physical barriers, source water, water collection and intake, pretreatment, treatment, storage and distribution facilities, electronic, computer, or other automated systems (including the security of such systems) which are utilized by the system;
3. the monitoring practices of the system;
4. the financial infrastructure of the system;
5. the use, storage, or handling of various chemicals by the system; and
6. the operation and maintenance of the system.
Emergency Response Plans must include:
1. strategies and resources to improve the resilience of the system, including the physical security and cybersecurity of the system;
2. plans and procedures that can be implemented, and identification of equipment that can be utilized, in the event of a malevolent act or natural hazard that threatens the ability of the community water system to deliver safe drinking water;
3. actions, procedures and equipment which can obviate or significantly lessen the impact of a malevolent act or natural hazard on the public health and the safety and supply of drinking water provided to communities and individuals, including the development of alternative source water options, relocation of water intakes and construction of flood protection barriers; and
4. strategies that can be used to aid in the detection of malevolent acts or natural hazards that threaten the security or resilience of the system.
Visit EPA’s site for additional information and a presentation they posted on the site regarding the requirements. https://www.epa.gov/waterresilience/americas-water-infrastructure-act-2018-risk-assessments-and-emergency-response-plans
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