ECHO Update

EPA recently announced the launch of an update to the Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) website that improves the ability to do a variety of searches. Facility searches, like the All Data and Water searches, now offer a suite of features that improve the functionality of mapped search results, compiling regulatory enforcement data about companies is easier, and Drinking Water system searches are more complete.  The following information describes features of particular interest to state drinking water programs.
Map Filter. This collection of features makes it much easier to interact with data without needing to run new searches. The updated look and feel is inspired by popular travel and shopping websites that make it easy to find and filter places and products. Map Filter allows users to modify search conditions directly on the map with easy-to-use sliders and checkboxes. As users create their desired list of facilities, they also can add map layers that are beneath facility points. The layers include a variety of boundaries, places, and demographic maps to help customize the map. Additionally, a search can be initiated from a map by clicking “Create Maps” on the ECHO home page and selecting a program of interest. Users also may choose to get facility search results without a map. These features are fully developed for All Data and Water facility searches, with some improvements for Air and Hazardous Waste facility searches.
Improved Drinking Water system searching.  ECHO provides Public Water System compliance and enforcement data in its facility searches. Enhanced features make it easier to search for violations by specific contaminants and to identify the newest violations.  ECHO also now offers a capability to search for lead and copper action level exceedances (ALEs). The ALE data indicate when measured values for lead or copper are at a level that requires action on the part of the drinking water system. Lead and copper samples data add context to the Detailed Facility Report. Additionally, ECHO will show monthly violations when they are received by the national data system rather than waiting for the official quarter of data to be complete. This change allows users to see violation data sooner, but comes with the caveat that such data are voluntarily entered and are not always complete or fully quality assured. So, when primacy agencies choose to report violations and enforcement actions into the national system of record beyond the end of the current official quarter, they will be included in the search and displayed on the Detailed Facility Report.
Use of the site has more than tripled since 2008 when EPA began enhancing the content in ECHO.  Since January 1, 2016, the site had about 80,000 new users and more than 3 million page views.
You can access information about, and register for upcoming trainings to be more informed about ECHO and its updated features.