EPA Releases Memo on Asset Management and Capacity Development

On December 2nd, Jennifer McLain of EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water issued the memorandum below to the EPA Regional Water Division Directors to assist them and the states with implementing the new provisions in Section 2012 of America’s Water Infrastructure Ace (AWIA). The provisions in this Section require state drinking water programs to revise their capacity development strategies to include and promote asset management.

The memo includes information about the new AWIA provisions, background information about capacity development and asset management, and an attachment about the new AWIA provisions with five core questions/components for an asset management framework. The memo also includes questions for states to explain their current asset management approach and how they will meet the new AWIA requirements.

The deadlines below are important for compliance with the new AWIA requirements:

  • September 30, 2020: States that revise their strategy prior to September 30, 2020 must address asset management promotion in their 2020 triennial Capacity Development Report to the Governor, and every three years thereafter.
  • December 31, 2021: State drinking water programs must submit their revised capacity development strategy to their EPA regional office for approval.
  • September 30, 2023: States that revise their strategy after September 30, 2020 must address asset management promotion in their triennial Report to the Governor by September 30, 2023, and every three years thereafter.

AWIA SEC 2012 Reflections Memo_508