Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment Sixth Report to Congress

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment Sixth Report to Congress Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment Sixth Report to Congress Office of Water (4606M) EPA 816-K-17-002 March 2018 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment Sixth Report to Congress U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water Drinking Water Protection Division Washington, D.C. 20460 Contents Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment ............................................................................... 1 Sixth Report to Congress .................................................................................................................................... 1 Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................ 9 Total National Need ............................................................................................................................................ 9 National Need Compared to Previous Needs Assessments .............................................................................. 10 Individual State Need ........................................................................................................................................ 10 Regulatory Need ............................................................................................................................................... 11 Small System Need ........................................................................................................................................... 11 Needs of American Indian and Alaska Native Village Water Systems ............................................................ 11 Water Industry Capital Investment Planning and Documentation of Needs .................................................... 12 Chapter 1: Findings - National Need .................................................................................................................... 12 2015 Total National Need ................................................................................................................................. 13 2015 Total National Need Compared to EPA’s Previous Assessments ........................................................... 15 Total National Need by Project Category ......................................................................................................... 20 New Infrastructure Needs versus Needs Associated with Existing Infrastructure ........................................... 28 Need by System Size ........................................................................................................................................ 29 Needs Associated with SDWA Regulations ..................................................................................................... 30 Chapter 2: Findings - State Need .......................................................................................................................... 35 State-Specific Needs ......................................................................................................................................... 35 Needs of Water Systems in U.S. Territories ..................................................................................................... 39 Changes in State-Specific Need through Assessment Cycles ........................................................................... 40 Chapter 3: American Indian and Alaska Native Village Need ............................................................................. 42 American Indian and Alaska Native Village-Specific Needs ........................................................................... 43 American Indian Needs..................................................................................................................................... 44 Alaska Native Village Needs ............................................................................................................................ 44 Chapter 4 Conclusions .......................................................................................................................................... 46 Appendix A - Survey Methods ............................................................................................................................. 47 Assessing the Needs of Water Systems in States and U.S. Territories ............................................................. 47 Assessing the Need for Small Systems ............................................................................................................. 54 Assessing the Need of Not-for-Profit Noncommunity Water Systems ............................................................ 54 Assessing the Need of American Indian and Alaska Native Village Water Systems ....................................... 55 Appendix B - Data Collection ............................................................................................................................... 56 Survey Instrument ............................................................................................................................................. 57 Project Documentation ...................................................................................................................................... 57 Cost Estimates and Modeling ........................................................................................................................... 58 Website and Database ....................................................................................................................................... 58 Quality Assurance ............................................................................................................................................. 59 Continuing Evolution of the DWINSA ............................................................................................................. 60 Appendix C – Statutory and Regulatory Criteria and Policies ............................................................................. 62 Project Allowability .......................................................................................................................................... 62 Documentation Requirements ........................................................................................................................... 63 Appendix D - Accuracy, Precision, and Uncertainty ............................................................................................ 68 Uncertainty ........................................................................................................................................................ 68 Precision ............................................................................................................................................................ 68 Bias ................................................................................................................................................................... 69 Appendix E - Summary of Findings for State-Systems Serving 10,000 and Fewer People ................................. 71 Community Water Systems Serving 10,000 and Fewer People ....................................................................... 71 Glossary ................................................................................................................................................................ 73 Acknowledgments Many dedicated individuals contributed to the 2015 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. We would like to thank the states for their active participation and continuing interest in the project. And most importantly, we would like to thank the operators and managers of the thousands of water systems who spent their valuable time providing information for the Assessment. Executive Summary Total National Need The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) sixth national assessment of public water system infrastructure needs shows a total $472.6 Billion is Needed 20-year capital improvement need of $472.6 billion. This estimate The nation’s drinking water utilities represents Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) - eligible need $472.6 billion in infrastructure infrastructure projects necessary from January 1, 2015, through investments over the next 20 years December 31, 2034, for water systems to continue to provide safe for thousands of miles of pipe as drinking water to the public. The national total comprises the well as thousands of treatment infrastructure investment needs of the nation’s approximately 49,250 plants, storage tanks, and other key 1 community water systems (CWSs), 21,400 not-for-profit assets to ensure the public health, noncommunity water systems (NPNCWSs), American Indian water security, and economic well-being 2 systems and Alaska Native Village water systems. The findings are of our cities, towns, and based on the 2015 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and communities. Assessment (DWINSA or Assessment), which relied primarily on a statistical survey of public water systems. The survey response rate was 99.7 percent (2,592 responses from 2,600 systems surveyed), the highest response rate in the history of the Assessment, providing a high degree of confidence in the statistical precision of the Assessment’s findings. Authority, Purpose, and History The estimate covers infrastructure needs that are
Recommended publications
  • State Approaches to Building Water System Regulation ASDWA STATE APPROACHES to BUILDING WATER SYSTEM REGULATION
    State Approaches to Building Water System Regulation ASDWA STATE APPROACHES TO BUILDING WATER SYSTEM REGULATION Background The most commonly reported cause of waterborne outbreaks in drinking water is by the bacterium Legionella (Benedict et al., 2017; CDC, 2019), which causes Legionellosis, a respiratory disease. The Legionella bacteria infect the lungs and can cause a severe pneumonia called Legionnaires’ disease. The bacteria can also cause a less serious infection that causes mild flu-like symptoms called Pontiac fever. Legionella is found naturally in aquatic and moist environments like lakes, rivers, ground water and soil, and can be detected at low levels in treated drinking water, but it’s important to note that the presence of Legionella is not always associated with a case of Legionnaires’ disease. The biggest threat of Legionnaires’ disease comes from the water in building water systems when the organisms proliferate and become aerosolized. This leaves state primacy agencies in an uncertain position of trying to protect public health in an environment where it has very little to no legal authority or regulatory requirement to do so: there is no primary drinking water standard for Legionella. Furthermore, the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was not expressly intended to apply to building water systems. How can states protect public health where there are no specific requirements they can enforce within regulations? The mission of this project was to provide states with some guidance. PAGE 2 ASDWA STATE APPROACHES TO BUILDING WATER SYSTEM REGULATION Project Overview This document is the culmination of a study ASDWA conducted in 2019 to review state law, federal rules, and practice that address building water systems that are a customer of a public water system (i.e., do not have their own source of supply) but that install treatment to control Legionella.
    [Show full text]
  • Large but Finite
    Department of Mathematics MathClub@WMU Michigan Epsilon Chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon Large but Finite Drake Olejniczak Department of Mathematics, WMU What is the biggest number you can imagine? Did you think of a million? a billion? a septillion? Perhaps you remembered back to the time you heard the term googol or its show-off of an older brother googolplex. Or maybe you thought of infinity. No. Surely, `infinity' is cheating. Large, finite numbers, truly monstrous numbers, arise in several areas of mathematics as well as in astronomy and computer science. For instance, Euclid defined perfect numbers as positive integers that are equal to the sum of their proper divisors. He is also credited with the discovery of the first four perfect numbers: 6, 28, 496, 8128. It may be surprising to hear that the ninth perfect number already has 37 digits, or that the thirteenth perfect number vastly exceeds the number of particles in the observable universe. However, the sequence of perfect numbers pales in comparison to some other sequences in terms of growth rate. In this talk, we will explore examples of large numbers such as Graham's number, Rayo's number, and the limits of the universe. As well, we will encounter some fast-growing sequences and functions such as the TREE sequence, the busy beaver function, and the Ackermann function. Through this, we will uncover a structure on which to compare these concepts and, hopefully, gain a sense of what it means for a number to be truly large. 4 p.m. Friday October 12 6625 Everett Tower, WMU Main Campus All are welcome! http://www.wmich.edu/mathclub/ Questions? Contact Patrick Bennett ([email protected]) .
    [Show full text]
  • Practical Experiences Operating a Hospital As a Regulated Public Water System
    Practical Experiences Operating a Hospital as a Regulated Public Water System Jeff Swertfeger Superintendent Water Quality Management Division Greater Cincinnati Water Works Deborah H. Metz, Mariano Haensel* Water safe as it leaves plant Water safe as it travels through system SDWA stops at premise Building owner’s responsibility starts Long stagnant time Low chlorine residuals Warm water (80F-110F). “Green” modifications Reserviors (water heater, shower hose, etc) Hilborn, et al. “Surveillance for Waterborne Disease Outbreaks Associated with Drinking Water and Other Nonrecreational Water — United States, 2009–2010” MMWR, September 6, 2013 / 62(35);714-720 Naturally occurring bacteria L. pneumophilia – Legionairre’s disease Inhalation, not drinking Up to 18,000 pneumonia cases per year 20% total mortality About 70% of hospital systems test positive CDC and ASHE have guidelines Heat treatment, flushing to 130F Eliminate stagnant zones Chloramines, free chlorine, chlorine dioxide, silver/copper Very renowned local hospital concerned Chose silver/copper treatment Contacted Ohio EPA Must have a Licensed Operator Approached GCWW Amps = Flow of electrons Volts = force required to maintain amps Effective No reagents, moving parts, complex monitors Little/no DBPs No primary MCLs Easy system (A) “Public water system” means a system for the provision to the public of water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances if the system has at least fifteen service connections or regularly serves at least twenty-five individuals. “Public water system” includes any collection, treatment, storage, and distribution facilities under control of the operator of the system and used primarily in connection with the system, any collection or pretreatment storage facilities not under such control that are used primarily in connection with the system, and any water supply system serving an agricultural labor camp as defined in section 3733.41 of the Revised Code.
    [Show full text]
  • Drinking Water
    7762 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 29 / Friday, February 11, 2011 / Proposed Rules (2) A quorum consists of five is not placed on the Internet, but will be NOEL—no observed effect level members. publicly available in hard copy form. NPDWR—National Primary Drinking Water Regulation * * * * * Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically through NRC—National Research Council Dated: February 2, 2011. PBPK—Physiologically-Based http://www.regulations.gov or in hard Thomas L. Strickland, Pharmacokinetic copy at the Water Docket, EPA/DC, EPA PWS—public water system Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Parks, Department of the Interior. RfD—reference dose Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The Public SDWA—Safe Drinking Water Act Dated: January 18, 2011. Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to UCMR—Unregulated Contaminant Beth G. Pendleton, 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, Monitoring Rule μ Regional Forester, USDA—Forest Service. excluding legal holidays. The telephone g—microgram (one-millionth of a gram) U.S.—United States [FR Doc. 2011–2959 Filed 2–10–11; 8:45 am] number for the Public Reading Room is BILLING CODE 3410–11–P; 4310–55–P (202) 566–1744, and the telephone I. General Information number for the EPA Docket Center is (202) 566–2426. Does this action impose any requirements on my public water FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION system? AGENCY Burneson, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, Standards and Risk Today’s action notifies interested 40 CFR Part 141 Management Division, at (202) 564– parties of EPA’s determination to regulate perchlorate, but imposes no [EPA–HQ–OW–2008–0692, EPA–HQ–OW– 5250 or e-mail [email protected].
    [Show full text]
  • Grade 7/8 Math Circles the Scale of Numbers Introduction
    Faculty of Mathematics Centre for Education in Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 Mathematics and Computing Grade 7/8 Math Circles November 21/22/23, 2017 The Scale of Numbers Introduction Last week we quickly took a look at scientific notation, which is one way we can write down really big numbers. We can also use scientific notation to write very small numbers. 1 × 103 = 1; 000 1 × 102 = 100 1 × 101 = 10 1 × 100 = 1 1 × 10−1 = 0:1 1 × 10−2 = 0:01 1 × 10−3 = 0:001 As you can see above, every time the value of the exponent decreases, the number gets smaller by a factor of 10. This pattern continues even into negative exponent values! Another way of picturing negative exponents is as a division by a positive exponent. 1 10−6 = = 0:000001 106 In this lesson we will be looking at some famous, interesting, or important small numbers, and begin slowly working our way up to the biggest numbers ever used in mathematics! Obviously we can come up with any arbitrary number that is either extremely small or extremely large, but the purpose of this lesson is to only look at numbers with some kind of mathematical or scientific significance. 1 Extremely Small Numbers 1. Zero • Zero or `0' is the number that represents nothingness. It is the number with the smallest magnitude. • Zero only began being used as a number around the year 500. Before this, ancient mathematicians struggled with the concept of `nothing' being `something'. 2. Planck's Constant This is the smallest number that we will be looking at today other than zero.
    [Show full text]
  • Guidelines for Design of Small Public Ground Water Systems
    Guidelines for Design of Small Public Ground Water Systems Division of Drinking and Ground Waters 2015 Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Division of Drinking and Ground Waters P.O. Box 1049 Columbus, OH 43216-1049 www.epa.ohio.gov/ddagw Ohio EPA is an Equal Opportunity Employer Printed on Recycled Paper FOREWORD This publication has been prepared as a guide for professional engineers and water supply specialists engaged in the design or development of small public water systems using only ground water. The objective here is to assure that new or substantially modified public water system facilities, such as those for factories, mobile home parks, office buildings, restaurants, condominiums, schools, churches, hospitals, campgrounds, resorts, gas stations, nursing homes, golf courses, and the like will be capable of producing an adequate supply of potable water in compliance with applicable regulations. The purpose of this manual is to present the requirements and procedures necessary to develop an approved water supply system where connection to an existing public water system cannot be made at reasonable cost. This publication includes treatment design criteria for iron, manganese and hardness removal. The design of water systems using surface water or ground water under the direct influence of surface water is beyond the scope of this manual. Refer to the latest edition of “Recommended Standards for Water Works” for design criteria. The requirements, criteria, and procedures described in this publication represent current practices of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA). They are subject to change whenever in the judgment of the Agency such a change will be more effective in fulfilling its responsibility under the law.
    [Show full text]
  • WRITING and READING NUMBERS in ENGLISH 1. Number in English 2
    WRITING AND READING NUMBERS IN ENGLISH 1. Number in English 2. Large Numbers 3. Decimals 4. Fractions 5. Power / Exponents 6. Dates 7. Important Numerical expressions 1. NUMBERS IN ENGLISH Cardinal numbers (one, two, three, etc.) are adjectives referring to quantity, and the ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.) refer to distribution. Number Cardinal Ordinal In numbers 1 one First 1st 2 two second 2nd 3 three third 3rd 4 four fourth 4th 5 five fifth 5th 6 six sixth 6th 7 seven seventh 7th 8 eight eighth 8th 9 nine ninth 9th 10 ten tenth 10th 11 eleven eleventh 11th 12 twelve twelfth 12th 13 thirteen thirteenth 13th 14 fourteen fourteenth 14th 15 fifteen fifteenth 15th 16 sixteen sixteenth 16th 17 seventeen seventeenth 17th 18 eighteen eighteenth 18th 19 nineteen nineteenth 19th 20 twenty twentieth 20th 21 twenty-one twenty-first 21st 22 twenty-two twenty-second 22nd 23 twenty-three twenty-third 23rd 1 24 twenty-four twenty-fourth 24th 25 twenty-five twenty-fifth 25th 26 twenty-six twenty-sixth 26th 27 twenty-seven twenty-seventh 27th 28 twenty-eight twenty-eighth 28th 29 twenty-nine twenty-ninth 29th 30 thirty thirtieth 30th st 31 thirty-one thirty-first 31 40 forty fortieth 40th 50 fifty fiftieth 50th 60 sixty sixtieth 60th th 70 seventy seventieth 70 th 80 eighty eightieth 80 90 ninety ninetieth 90th 100 one hundred hundredth 100th 500 five hundred five hundredth 500th 1,000 One/ a thousandth 1000th thousand one thousand one thousand five 1500th 1,500 five hundred, hundredth or fifteen hundred 100,000 one hundred hundred thousandth 100,000th thousand 1,000,000 one million millionth 1,000,000 ◊◊ Click on the links below to practice your numbers: http://www.manythings.org/wbg/numbers-jw.html https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/numbers/index.php 2 We don't normally write numbers with words, but it's possible to do this.
    [Show full text]
  • Federally Supported Projects and Programs for Wastewater, Drinking Water, and Water Supply Infrastructure
    Federally Supported Projects and Programs for Wastewater, Drinking Water, and Water Supply Infrastructure Updated August 24, 2021 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R46471 SUMMARY R46471 Federally Supported Projects and Programs for August 24, 2021 Wastewater, Drinking Water, and Water Jonathan L. Ramseur, Supply Infrastructure Coordinator Specialist in Environmental For decades, Congress has authorized and modified federal programs to help communities Policy address water supply and water infrastructure needs, including both wastewater and drinking water. Departments and agencies that administer this assistance include the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA). These agencies administer these programs in multiple ways. In terms of funding mechanisms, projects developed or assisted by Reclamation and USACE are often funded through direct, individual project authorizations from Congress. In contrast, the other agencies administer programs with standing authorizations that establish eligibility criteria rather than identify specific projects. A key practical difference is that with the individual project authorizations, there is no predictable assistance or even guarantee of funding after a project is authorized, because funding must be secured each year in the congressional appropriations process. The programs, on the other hand, have generally received some level of annual appropriations and have set program criteria and processes by which eligible parties can seek funding. In terms of scope and mission, the primary responsibilities of the federal agencies discussed in this report cover a wide range.
    [Show full text]
  • A Public Health Legal Guide to Safe Drinking Water
    A Public Health Legal Guide to Safe Drinking Water Prepared by Alisha Duggal, Shannon Frede, and Taylor Kasky, student attorneys in the Public Health Law Clinic at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law, under the supervision of Professors Kathleen Hoke and William Piermattei. Generous funding provided by the Partnership for Public Health Law, comprised of the American Public Health Association, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, National Association of County & City Health Officials, and the National Association of Local Boards of Health August 2015 THE PROBLEM: DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATION Clean drinking water is essential to public health. Contaminated water is a grave health risk and, despite great progress over the past 40 years, continues to threaten U.S. communities’ health and quality of life. Our water resources still lack basic protections, making them vulnerable to pollution from fracking, farm runoff, industrial discharges and neglected water infrastructure. In the U.S., treatment and distribution of safe drinking water has all but eliminated diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery and hepatitis A that continue to plague many parts of the world. However, despite these successes, an estimated 19.5 million Americans fall ill each year from drinking water contaminated with parasites, bacteria or viruses. In recent years, 40 percent of the nation’s community water systems violated the Safe Drinking Water Act at least once.1 Those violations ranged from failing to maintain proper paperwork to allowing carcinogens into tap water. Approximately 23 million people received drinking water from municipal systems that violated at least one health-based standard.2 In some cases, these violations can cause sickness quickly; in others, pollutants such as inorganic toxins and heavy metals can accumulate in the body for years or decades before contributing to serious health problems.
    [Show full text]
  • Simple Statements, Large Numbers
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln MAT Exam Expository Papers Math in the Middle Institute Partnership 7-2007 Simple Statements, Large Numbers Shana Streeks University of Nebraska-Lincoln Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/mathmidexppap Part of the Science and Mathematics Education Commons Streeks, Shana, "Simple Statements, Large Numbers" (2007). MAT Exam Expository Papers. 41. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/mathmidexppap/41 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Math in the Middle Institute Partnership at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in MAT Exam Expository Papers by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Masters Exam Shana Streeks In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts in Teaching with a Specialization in the Teaching of Middle Level Mathematics in the Department of Mathematics. Gordon Woodward, Advisor July 2007 Simple Statements, Large Numbers Shana Streeks July 2007 Page 1 Streeks Simple Statements, Large Numbers Large numbers are numbers that are significantly larger than those ordinarily used in everyday life, as defined by Wikipedia (2007). Large numbers typically refer to large positive integers, or more generally, large positive real numbers, but may also be used in other contexts. Very large numbers often occur in fields such as mathematics, cosmology, and cryptography. Sometimes people refer to numbers as being “astronomically large”. However, it is easy to mathematically define numbers that are much larger than those even in astronomy. We are familiar with the large magnitudes, such as million or billion.
    [Show full text]
  • Water System Partnership: STATE
    WATER SYSTEM PARTNERSHIPS: STATE PROGRAMS AND POLICIES SUPPORTING COOPERATIVE APPROACHES FOR DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS Office of Water (4606M) EPA XXX X XX XXX XXXX 2017 Office of Water (4606M) EPA 816-S-17-002 August 2017 CONTENTS About This Guide ........................................................................................................................................................1 Drinking Water Systems Challenges ...........................................................................................................................2 Types of Partnerships .................................................................................................................................................2 State Drinking Water System Partnerships Summary ................................................................................................4 Commonly Used Acronyms ........................................................................................................................................5 Alabama ......................................................................................................................................................................6 Alaska ..........................................................................................................................................................................7 Arizona ........................................................................................................................................................................8
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Powers of Two
    A. V. GERBESSIOTIS CS332-102 Spring 2020 Jan 24, 2020 Computer Science: Fundamentals Page 1 Handout 3 1 Powers of two Definition 1.1 (Powers of 2). The expression 2n means the multiplication of n twos. Therefore, 22 = 2 · 2 is a 4, 28 = 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 is 256, and 210 = 1024. Moreover, 21 = 2 and 20 = 1. Several times one might write 2 ∗ ∗n or 2ˆn for 2n (ˆ is the hat/caret symbol usually co-located with the numeric-6 keyboard key). Prefix Name Multiplier d deca 101 = 10 h hecto 102 = 100 3 Power Value k kilo 10 = 1000 6 0 M mega 10 2 1 9 1 G giga 10 2 2 12 4 T tera 10 2 16 P peta 1015 8 2 256 E exa 1018 210 1024 d deci 10−1 216 65536 c centi 10−2 Prefix Name Multiplier 220 1048576 m milli 10−3 Ki kibi or kilobinary 210 − 230 1073741824 m micro 10 6 Mi mebi or megabinary 220 40 n nano 10−9 Gi gibi or gigabinary 230 2 1099511627776 −12 40 250 1125899906842624 p pico 10 Ti tebi or terabinary 2 f femto 10−15 Pi pebi or petabinary 250 Figure 1: Powers of two Figure 2: SI system prefixes Figure 3: SI binary prefixes Definition 1.2 (Properties of powers). • (Multiplication.) 2m · 2n = 2m 2n = 2m+n. (Dot · optional.) • (Division.) 2m=2n = 2m−n. (The symbol = is the slash symbol) • (Exponentiation.) (2m)n = 2m·n. Example 1.1 (Approximations for 210 and 220 and 230).
    [Show full text]