EPA orders three drinking water systems to comply with AWIA requirements

The U.S. EPA has issued orders to three drinking water suppliers for allegedly failing to meet requirements under America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) of 2018.

The agency issued orders to drinking water systems in Caro, Michigan; Worth Township, Michigan; and Bellwood, Illinois.

EPA’s orders will help ensure that Caro and Worth Township certify their emergency response plans and that Bellwood certifies its risk assessment and emergency response plan.

The agency is ordering each system to submit a detailed compliance plan within 30 days for review and approval.

Under AWIA, any drinking water system which serves more than 3,300 people must develop or update a risk and resilience assessment and an emergency response plan. The law also establishes deadlines for certifying completion to EPA. Nationwide, more than 95% of water systems have complied with the requirements under AWIA.

EPA requires systems to assess risk and resilience and to re-evaluate vulnerabilities, threats and consequences from potential hazards. An emergency response plan describes strategies, resources, plans, and procedures that systems can use to prepare for and respond to an incident, natural or man-made, that threatens life, property, or the environment. Incidents can range from localized flooding or hacking of cybersecurity systems to large scale hurricanes, earthquakes, or terrorist attacks, among other examples.