EPA Releases Guidance for Small Systems on AWIA Risk and Resilience Assessments

EPA recently released the final version of its Guidance for Small Community Water Systems on Risk and Resilience Assessments under America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA). This is a voluntary checklist that was designed for systems serving 3,301 to 50,000 people. For larger CWSs, EPA recommends the Vulnerability Self-Assessment Tool (VSAT) Web 2.0 or an alternate risk assessment method.

When completed, the checklist allows a system to meet the risk and resilience assessment requirements in AWIA Section 2013(a). It is also consistent with the qualitative risk assessment in VSAT and introduces no new information or methods.

CWSs serving 3,300 or fewer people are not required to conduct risk and resilience assessments under AWIA. EPA recommends, however, that very small CWSs use this or other guidance to learn how to conduct risk and resilience assessments and address threats from malevolent acts and natural hazards that threaten safe drinking water.

ASDWA’s Security Committee provided comments and feedback on previous versions of the Guidance, which have been incorporated into this final version.