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WaterNews for March 10, 2005Benjamin Grumbles WaterNews is a weekly on-line publication that announces publications, policies, and activities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water. In This Week’s WaterNews:
EPA to Strengthen Protection From Lead in Drinking WaterOn Monday, March 7, 2004, EPA initiated a Drinking Water Lead Reduction Plan to strengthen, update and clarify existing requirements for water utilities and states to test for and reduce lead in drinking water. This action, which follows extensive analysis and assessment of current implementation of these regulations, will tighten monitoring, treatment, lead service line management and customer awareness. The plan also addresses lead in tap water in schools and child care facilities to further protect vulnerable populations. "We need to free people from worrying about lead in their drinking water," said Benjamin H.Grumbles, EPA Assistant Administrator for Water. "This plan will increase the accuracy and consistency of monitoring and reporting, and it ensures that where there is a problem, people will be notified and the problem will be dealt with quickly and properly." From 1995-2004, states have concluded 1,753 enforcement actions to ensure compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR), and EPA has concluded 570. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, state agencies take a lead role in enforcing the LCR. More information on National Review of LCR Implementation and Drinking Water Lead Reduction Plan is available online at: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lcrmr/lead_review.html. Information about lead in drinking water is available online at: www.epa.gov/safewater/lead or by calling the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791. Information about lead around the home is available online at: www.epa.gov/lead or from EPA's National Lead Information Center (NLIC) at 1-800-424-LEAD (5323). To read the full press release visit http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/b1ab9f485b098972852562e7004dc686?OpenView&Start=1&Count=30&Expand=1.1 Emergency Response Exercises for Drinking Water and Wastewater SystemsOn Monday, March 7, 2004, EPA’s Office of Water announced a new training tool to help water and wastewater systems improve their emergency response capabilities. Responding to requests from our partners in the water sector, we have created Emergency Response Tabletop Exercises for Drinking Water and Wastewater System, a CD-based tool that will allow water suppliers to test their Emergency Response Plans before an actual incident occurs. Carrying out the exercises provided on the CD can help strengthen relationships between a water supplier and their emergency response team. While we encourage users to adapt the materials for their own needs, the exercises include roles for water suppliers, health officials, laboratories, fire, police, emergency medical services, local, state, and federal officials. You can find information on how to get the CD at www.epa.gov/safewater/security, by calling the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 or contacting John Whitler at 202-564-1929. EPA Issues a Request For Proposals (RFP) for the National Lakes Assessment Planning ProjectThe Office of Water issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) for the National Lakes Assessment Planning Project (NLAPP) on March 3, 2005. This assistance funding, offered as cooperative agreements, will provide eligible applicants an opportunity to develop pilot projects to contribute to the design of a future national lakes assessment. These projects may include evaluations of indicators of lake condition, sampling methods, interpretation tools and organization of a lake assessment practitioners conference or workshop. It is anticipated that up to five projects may be selected. Awards will likely range from $100,000 to $300,000 for each applicant. Proposals are due by April 17, 2005. The complete RFP is posted at: www.epa.gov/owow/funding.html. Contact Otto Gutenson at gutenson.otto@epa.gov or 202-566-1183 for more information. Subscribe to WaterNewsPlease forward this message to your friends and colleagues who share an interest in water-related issues and would like to hear from EPA's Office of Water. To subscribe to the WaterNews listserve: Send an email message, leave the subject line blank, and address it to: In the body of the message write: Subscribe WaterNews firstname lastname (Please leave one blank space between each word, do not include any other message, and use your actual name- i.e. Subscribe WaterNews Robert Jones) A welcome message will appear in your email box once you are officially subscribed.
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