EPA Southeast Supports Texas Water System Recovery
ATLANTA – (Feb. 24, 2021) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 team deployed two mobile laboratories from its Athens, Ga. laboratory to assist local and state authorities in Texas as they restore drinking water systems following Winter Storm Uri. The labs are now operational in Houston and San Antonio, Texas. This support responds to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ) request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“Our EPA Southeast office stands ready to support our neighbors in Texas to ensure they have clean, safe drinking water following the devastating Winter Storm Uri,” said John Blevins, Acting Regional Administrator.
TCEQ is conducting assessments of drinking water and wastewater systems in Texas and reporting their findings to EPA. Drinking water systems remain heavily impacted in the state with many systems not operating at all or operating with restrictions such as boil advisories and conservation measures. Please refer to TCEQ’s website for the most up-to-date information on water systems.
Upon receiving a mission assignment from FEMA, EPA dispatched three mobile drinking water laboratories to assist TCEQ and FEMA with analysis of drinking water samples, including a third from Region 7 in Kansas City, Kan. The labs are certified to perform bacteriological analysis among other types of analyses.
EPA continues to support FEMA, state, local and tribal partners in response to Winter Storm Uri. EPA is taking action to ensure Superfund sites are secure following the storm, to assist public drinking water systems with rapid assessments and analyses, and to seamlessly integrate emergency response activities with Texas, and other federal agencies. EPA encourages affected communities to continue staying alert for instructions from local authorities.
Additional information about EPA Laboratories: https://www.epa.gov/regionallabs
More about EPA Region 4: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-epa-region-4-southeast