EPA Assistance to Small Drinking Water Systems: Current Activities

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EPA Assistance to Small Drinking Water Systems
Current Activities Future Directions

• Mindy Eisenberg, Associate Chief
• Drinking Water Protection Branch
• 2009 RCAP Conference
• September 15, 2009

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Small Systems Have Special Challenges Due to
Their Size

• Regulatory Compliance
• Dis-economies of Scale
• Insufficient Revenue
• Addressing Current and Future Infrastructure
  Needs
• Workforce
• Water Availability

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The numbers on the map represent the total number
and percentage of public water systems in each
State serving less than 10,000.
A Total of 47,856 Community Water Systems Serve
Less than 10,000
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A Total of 43,018 Community Water Systems Serve
Less than 3,300
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The numbers on the map represent the total number
and percentage of public water systems in each
State serving less than 500.
A Total of 29,160 Community Water Systems Serve
Less than 500
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Health-based Violations2003-2007
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Current and Future Activities

• Community and System Sustainability

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EPAs Drinking Water Program Goals

• Americas drinking water is safe, affordable, and
  secure everywhere, every day, and Americans know
  it.
• Access to safe drinking water should not be based
  on ability to pay.
• Ensure that public water systems are both
  sustainable and supported by strong federal and
  state programs.

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Principles for Assisting Small Systems

• Provide small systems a hand-up not a hand-out.
• Employ a variety of strategies to address the
  full spectrum of needs.
• System treatment technology
• System management capacity
• System operator training technical assistance
• State program implementation
• Ensure long-term sustainability of small systems.
• Better target assistance to those small systems
  that are most in need.

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What Can EPA Do?

• Give money --
• To States through PWSS, SRF capitalization grants
  and set-asides, Expense Reimbursement Grants
• Direct grants to technical assistance providers
• Develop guidance documents and fact sheets
• Provide training to states, systems, TA
  providers
• Develop tools and information exchange
• Support state programs promote what works and
  identify what doesnt
• Partnerships.

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Regulatory ComplianceNew from EPA

• Web-based rules training.
• Revising and updating existing guidance documents
  to reflect the newer rules (i.e., LT2/Stage 2,
  and GWR)
• Updating the iWriters (CCR and PN) along with
  their manuals to reflect the new rules (LT2,
  Stage 2, and GWR).
• GWR CT (chlorine contact time) Calculator - Help
  ground water systems determine minimum virus log
  inactivation at each ground water treatment
  facility.
• Technical webinars GWR, simultaneous compliance
  issues.

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Lessons from Arsenic
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1.44 Billion for State Set-Asides 16.1 of
Federal Grants (Cumulative for DWSRF program,
state fiscal years 1997 2008)
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Re-energize Capacity Development Program

• Work with states to better target this assistance
  to systems likely to be challenged by new
  regulations.
• Work with states to evaluate the success of new
  systems program and make needed policy or
  regulatory changes to improve its efficacy.
• Work with states to evaluate and update state
  capacity development strategies for existing
  systems.
• Build on board member training efforts and reach
  out to governing organizations to promote the
  training.
• Develop information, resources and events that
  will allow the states to learn about other
  successful strategies used across the nation.

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Other Activities to Help Small Systems Be
Sustainable

• Better utilization of the DWSRF disadvantaged
  communities program.
• Streamlining the process for providing DWSRF
  assistance to small systems.
• Educating the public and local decision-makers on
  the value of safe water.
• Evaluate and target tools toward voluntary
  restructuring and consolidation where necessary
  to achieve long-term sustainability.
• Cooperative agreements, Supervisory Control and
  Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, regional
  planning, and restructuring options.

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Options for Small Systems System Partnership
Spectrum
Informal Cooperation
Contractual Assistance
Joint Powers Agency
Ownership Transfer
Restructuring -- changing the operational,
managerial or institutional structure of a water
system in order to meet the increasing costs and
responsibilities of the SDWA while still
providing water at an affordable price.
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Asset Management

• A process for maintaining a desired level of
  customer service at the best appropriate cost.

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Energy Efficiency

• Drinking water and wastewater systems use 3-4 of
  energy in U.S. 45 million tons GHG/annually.
• DW and WW plants are typically the largest energy
  consumers of municipal government 30-40 of
  total energy consumed.
• Energy can be up to 40 of system operating costs
  expected to rise in next 15 years.
• Small- and medium-sized systems can save through
  process optimization.

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Help for Smaller Systems

• Developing protocol for conducting an energy
  audit
• How to collect data and determine baseline energy
  use
• How to conduct pump and other equipment
  efficiency testing and developing pumping curves
• How to develop performance metrics to track
  improvements.
• Developing a spreadsheet for conducting
  self-audits (baseline energy consumption and
  costs, and tracking performance improvements).
• Developing pocket guide of best energy practices.
  
• Pilot test with drinking water and wastewater
  systems.
• Webinar on tool.

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Water Efficiency

• Water loss control and prevention programs can
  benefit the bottom line of a public water system.
  
• Reduced water losses in the distribution system
  can translate to
• Less electricity required to treat and pump the
  water
• Potential reduction in the feed rates of
  treatment chemicals
• Potential reduction in disinfectant dose
• Deferred treatment facility upgrades.

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Help for Smaller Systems

• Develop fact sheets on water efficiency and water
  availability and variability.
• Develop manual for systems on establishing water
  loss control programs, including information on
  leak detection equipment.
• Develop a Webinar training to promote water
  efficiency and energy efficiency, and address
  water availability/variability issues.
• Develop a cost/analysis template for implementing
  water loss control program -- help systems
  conduct simplified cost/benefit analysis for
  implementing a water loss management program.

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Workforce

• Over 1/3 of all current water operators are
  eligible to retire within 7 years, including
• 33 of executives
• 30 of management supervisory employees
• 21 of operators
• 14 of engineers
• 13 of purchasing employees
• 80 of useful operating knowledge is tacit and
  susceptible to loss through retirements.
• DOL Maintains statistical information on
  employment of water operators a segment
  expected to grow by 14 between 2006 - 2016,
  which is faster than the national average for all
  occupations.

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Why is EPA Involved in Workforce?

• As baby boomers begin to retire, the next
  generation of water professionals is faced with
  tough challenges
• Infrastructure needs - 250B nationwide to
  replace compromised infrastructure
• Dwindling sources of clean and safe water
• Complex treatment processes to meet stringent
  federal and state regulations
• Increasing customer expectations for reliable,
  safe water at below-cost prices.

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EPA Workforce Activities

• Work with other federal agencies to explore
  opportunities to promote the water sector.
• Developing a Water Sector Competency Model.
• Partnering with AWWA WEF on a nationwide
  strategy to raise visibility.
• Partner with EPA Regions local chapters to
  develop a compilation of workforce development
  partnerships mentoring programs.
• Workforce DVD
• Develop a water treatment curriculum.
• Various new EPA initiatives with water/wastewater
  operations as part of greening the workforce.

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Sustainability How Can RCAP Continue to Help?

• Work with EPA on new tools, workforce issues, and
  board member training.
• Training to help systems understand rules.
• Help systems develop asset management plans
  CUPSS.
• Help systems with rate setting and restructuring
  decisions apply for SRF loans.
• Feedback to EPA and states on what tools are
  working and what is needed.

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Thank You!

• Questions?