Small Drinking Water Utilities Get Funds For Security Planning
Small drinking water utilities across the Uniited States will be able to better assess their vulnerabilities to terrorist attack with a grant totalling nearly $2 million to the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) announced today.
Through this grant award, NRWA will assist small community water systems serving populations between 3,300 and 10,000 people with security planning, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Assistant Administrator for Water G. Tracy Mehan III.
By June 30, 2004, these drinking water systems are required to submit vulnerability assessments to the agency under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002.
Through a combination of training sessions, on-site technical assistance, and internet based tools, the NRWA will educate system personnel about the Act and provide assistance in preparing vulnerability assessments and emergency response plans.
Under this project, NRWA will assist approximately 4,400 community water systems in complying with the Act. The 4,400 systems serve between 3,300 and 10,000 people in the lower 48 states and the state of Alaska.
Community drinking water systems that serve populations of 50,000 to 100,000 will be able to access no cost security training through the City/County Management Association and the Water Environment Federation.
These organizations are coordinating efforts to provide free vulnerability assessment and emergency response plan training for the nation’s medium sized community drinking water systems.
Provided by theEnvironmental News Service.