The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the EPA Region 2 states and territories are hosting a free one-day virtual workshop to assist community (drinking) water systems (CWSs) in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands with developing or updating Emergency Response Plans (ERPs) in accordance with America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA) Section 2013(b). AWIA Section 2013(b) requires CWSs serving more than 3,300 people to develop or update ERPs that incorporates the findings of their risk and resilience assessment.
The law specifies the components that ERPs must address and establishes deadlines by which water systems must certify to EPA completion of the ERP. This workshop will provide a broad overview of the requirements and the new EPA ERP Template and Instructions that will assist water utilities with developing an ERP in accordance with AWIA Section 2013(b).
The virtual workshop will also provide more detailed information on specific response areas such as cybersecurity among others. More information about AWIA Section 2013(b) compliance is available at https://www.epa.gov/waterresilience/awia-section-2013
Who Should Attend: This workshop is designed for CWSs serving greater than 3,300 people, but all EPA Region 2 water systems are invited to attend.
In addition, vendors and consultants, especially those who are assisting CWSs in achieving the requirements of AWIA Section 2013 can attend as well. Applications will be submitted for Region 2 water operators to receive renewal training hours for participating in this virtual workshop.
To register for the workshop, please go to: https://tinyurl.com/jc8jufau. For more information, please contact: Bria Crawford, EPA; 202-564-9553; crawford.bria@epa.gov Will Keefer, Horsley Witten Group; 508-833-6600; wkeefer@horsleywitten