Emergency Response: Drinking Water Supply Planning and Treatment Technology Deployment Webinar
- February 25, 2025 from 2-3:30pm ET
- A recording will be posted within two weeks of the webinar.
- Small Drinking Water Systems Webinar Series
About the Webinar
1. Planning for an Emergency Drinking Water Supply
During an incident that disrupts the availability of drinking water on a large-scale or regional basis, clarity in the roles and responsibilities of those involved with locating, securing, and delivering an emergency drinking water supply (EDWS) will be critical. An EDWS is alternate drinking water supply (e.g., bottled/bulk water) provided to residents when a community’s drinking water utility can no longer treat and/or distribute water. Provision of an EDWS involves the development of an emergency drinking water plan by a local water utility and also involves the collaboration and partnership between various levels of local government. This presentation will discuss how small drinking water utilities can develop an EDWS plan and coordinate with other local partners to provide emergency drinking water when there is a disaster.
Jessica Habashy, EPA Office of Water. Jessica has been an environmental engineer with EPA’s Office Water, Office of Ground Water Drinking Water for five years. She is on the Planning, Response, Recovery team to help utilities with disaster preparation, planning, and relief. Prior to joining the EPA, Jessica worked on global water and wastewater infrastructure and education through international development and disaster relief.
2. Portable Treatment System to Provide Drinking Water During Emergencies
Following an emergency event, communities need access to clean water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and medical triage. EPA researchers partnered with the nonprofit organization, WaterStep, to develop a modular, mobile water treatment system known as Water on Wheels– Emergency Mobile Water Treatment System (WOW Cart). This presentation will discuss this inexpensive and versatile water treatment system that’s about the size of a shopping cart. It is configured with multiple treatment technologies and is equipped with alternative power sources. The system is easy to operate and can be deployed to critical infrastructure ahead of oncoming natural events to build resiliency.
James Goodrich, EPA Office of Research and Development. Jim is a senior science advisor with EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response. During his career, Jim has managed large multidisciplinary research programs relative to water infrastructure protection, small community drinking water and wastewater needs, watershed protection and restoration, source water spill modeling, and international drinking water treatment technology demonstrations. He is currently responsible for development and evaluation of innovative emergency water treatment technology systems, adaptation of river spill models, stormwater infrastructure mitigation tools, and full-scale evaluations of drinking water infrastructure decontamination approaches.