WaterNews for March 24, 2005

Benjamin Grumbles
Assistant Administrator
Office of Water

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 Provides $10 million to Improve Beach Water Quality Monitoring
• Security Product Guide Update
• Grumbles Attends Coastal America Kick-off Event
• Ground Water Awareness Week Observed
• Greening EPA’s Federal Triangle Complex
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EPA Provides $10 million to Improve Beach Water Quality Monitoring

EPA has announced that about $10 million is now available to eligible territories, tribes, and states to help them monitor beach water quality. "Americans want clean and healthy beaches," said EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Water Ben Grumbles. "These funds will help improve water monitoring and public information programs to alert beachgoers about the health of their coastal waters." To learn more about the grants and the beach program, you can visit EPA’s web site at www.epa.gov/waterscience/beaches/.

Security Product Guide Update

The EPA Security Product Guide is a tool to help drinking water and wastewater utilities make informed decisions about security-related products. EPA has updated the Guide to include these new products: Wireless Data Communications, Alarms, Biometric Hand and Finger Geometry Recognition, Manhole Intrusion Sensors, Reservoir Covers, and Intrusion Sensors. Based on feedback received through our website, we also revised the existing guide for Biometric Security Systems. You can view the latest information or provide comments at www.epa.gov/safewater/security/guide/index.html. Since we keep this tool current, users should check back frequently for the latest updates.

Grumbles Attends Coastal America Kick-off Event

Assistant Administrator Ben Grumbles spoke at an event in Richmond, Virginia, on March 24th to recognize and support the new Virginia Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership. The national Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership (CWRP) is a public-private partnership between the federal Government, state governments and private corporations. The CWRP’s objective is to protect, enhance and restore wetlands and other aquatic habitats by partnering to leverage the collective resources, skills and processes of the private and public sectors. You can learn more about the Coastal American program by visiting the federal website at www.coastalamerica.gov .

Ground Water Awareness Week Observed

This year, Ground Water Awareness Week was observed from March 13 to 19. Established by the National Ground Water Association (NGWA), the annual observance is designed to raise public awareness and appreciation of ground water resources and the professionals who work with ground water. For more information, visit the NGWA’s web site for ground water professionals at www.ngwa.org or their site for consumers at www.wellowner.org. For information on EPA’s activities related to ground water, visit our web site at www.epa.gov/safewater/protect/national.html.

Greening EPA’s Federal Triangle Complex

As part of its "whole building" approach to facilities management, EPA promotes water efficiency at its laboratories and office buildings. One such project is underway the Federal Triangle campus in Washington, where EPA demonstrating ways to manage urban stormwater. By incorporating Low Impact Development (LID) strategies, EPA hopes to reduce peak volume and pollutant load of its stormwater runoff and serve as a model for future LID projects in the District and across the country. This project will demonstrate that sustainable design and LID can be successful in high-profile urban sites. For more information about this project, visit our web site at www.epa.gov/greeningepa/stormwater/ or to learn about the Greening EPA initiative, visit www.epa.gov/greeningepa.

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