EPA orders three Ohio water systems to comply with America's Water Infrastructure Act
(UI) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued orders to three water systems in Ohio for failing to meet requirements under America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, or AWIA. The EPA took action to ensure the Village of McDonald, the Leading Creek Conservancy District in Rutland and the Buckeye Water District in Wellsville certify their risk and resilience assessments and emergency response plans.
A risk and resilience assessment evaluates the vulnerabilities, threats, and consequences from potential hazards to drinking water systems. 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.
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 96% of water systems have complied with the requirements under AWIA.
The EPA is ordering the systems to submit a detailed compliance plan within 30 days for review and approval.
The EPA continues to work with drinking water systems to ensure they are compliant. To date, the EPA has issued orders to a total of 17 drinking water systems in Michigan, Illinois and Ohio. Twelve orders were terminated after the systems returned to compliance.
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