How to Get Started on Your AWIA Risk and Emergency Updates
Julie Huerta
Regulatory Compliance Specialist
Water systems are approaching their five-year deadlines for recertification of their risk and resilience assessments and emergency response plans as required under the America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) of 2018.
Whatever the size of your system, Freese and Nichols’ experienced team can help you successfully complete updates to both your Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA) and your Emergency Response Plan (ERP).
A timeline of the upcoming deadlines is shown below.
The goal is to keep water supplies safe by assessing each system’s vulnerability to risks from natural and man-made hazards and developing plans for improved resilience and emergency response against those risks.
Compliance Actions Water Systems Should Take Now
- Review the AWIA Risk and Resilience Assessment and Emergency Response Plan you certified in 2020-21.
- Consider changes that have occurred since then, including new/commissioned drinking water facilities, actions taken because of natural disasters or cybersecurity events, and changes to your water supply.
- Consult the chart below to determine your deadline. (See more on the U.S. EPA website.)
- Once you’ve completed your update, submit your compliance certification to EPA.
How Freese and Nichols Can Help
Our team of water and wastewater engineers across the United States can help systems successfully complete recertification of RRA and ERP.
- We are committed to supporting systems in working toward resilience.
- We have extensive experience developing Risk Assessments, Risk Management Plans and Evaluations, and Resilience Programs for water utilities from less than 3,000 population to more than a million.
- We assisted communities with 70 RRAs and ERPs during the first round of certification and understand the AWIA-specific requirements and tools available.
- We can help new systems or newly qualified systems create an RRA and ERP.
- We can support systems in planning solutions for needs highlighted by their risk assessment.
Contact: Julie Huerta, julie.huerta@freese.com
Julie Huerta directs Freese and Nichols’ program to help clients meet new federal drinking water standards. She is based in Houston, Texas.