AWWA WSC61415

The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has provided guidance for how water utilities should prepare for the threat or actualintentional contamination of a water system. Water utilities must take a realistic look at the aspects of aresponse plan that can be sustained using the existing resources of their water quality managers and thestate-certified environmental laboratories. Water quality managers and laboratory managers can providea reasonable level of response by embedding within their existing and routine operations manycomponents as suggested by the USEPA such as in laboratory certification and accreditation, in aquality assurance program, in safety training, through backup laboratory contracts, with oversight ofsample collection and the training of more experienced sample collection personnel for unusualsituations, with emergency response communication guidelines, by retaining experienced employees incritical positions, and through the support of a high level customer service response program. The following modules from the USEPA guidance, that will be referred to in this paper, are from the"Response Protocol Toolbox: Planning for and Responding to Drinking Water Contamination Threatsand Incidents"(USEPA December, 2003):Module 1: Water Utility Planning Guide - provides an overview of contamination threats that couldoccur and what a water utility can do to prepare for response to threats;Module 3: Site Characterization and Sampling Guide - provides guidance on preparations forresponding to a threat including site characterization, sampling, sample handling, informationreporting, and the site hazard assessment evaluates whether there exists a low hazard or aradiological, chemical or biological hazard; and,Module 4: Analytical Guide - provides guidance on developing an approach to sample analysesincluding testing for unknowns, proper data and information collection, reporting, and more. Includes tables, figures.

Product Details

Edition:

Vol. - No.

Published:

04/10/2005

Number of Pages:

18

File Size:

1 file