Risk and Resilience Assessments and Emergency Response Plans

Section 2013 of America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA) requires community water systems that serve more than 3,300 people (not service connections) to complete a risk and resilience assessment and develop an emergency response plan.

Phase 1: Risk and Resilience Assessment

Your utility must conduct a risk and resilience assessment and submit certification of its completion to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by June 30, 2021 if serving 3,301 to 49,999 people. Every five years, your utility must review the risk and resilience assessment and submit a recertification to the U.S. EPA that the assessment has been reviewed and, if necessary, revised.

Phase 2: Emergency Response Plan

Your utility must develop or update an emergency response plan and certify completion to the U.S. EPA no later than six months after risk and resilience assessment certification. Each utility deadline is unique; however, the dates below are the due dates for utilities who submit a risk and resilience assessment certification by the final due date according to the population served.

Within six months of submitting the recertification for the risk and resilience assessment, your utility must certify it has reviewed and, if necessary, revised, its emergency response plan. The EPA recommends development of the plans and submission utilizing their designated software.

RVE has experience with regulatory compliance and permit negotiations. We are well versed in the required EPA designated software to ensure full compliance. Our staff members can relieve the strain on your utility –resulting in much faster completion.

For more information, please contact Stephanie Cuthbert, PE, CME.