On June 1, AMWA President Scott Potter, Vice President Mac Underwood and CEO Diane VanDe Hei attended a full-day meeting with other water associations and top EPA officials to discuss priority issues for effective implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The meeting kicked off with EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy engaging participants in an hour-long discussion of opportunities for improving SDWA implementation and overall public confidence in drinking water. The discussions included the need for greater transparency, enhanced consideration of equity in regulatory development and implementation, and better risk/relative risk communications. Development and support of the “human infrastructure” necessary for effective SDWA implementation was also highlighted.
Four discussion sessions followed with Deputy Assistant Administrator of Water Joel Beauvais and Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water Director Peter Grevatt. The sessions covered the Lead and Copper Rule (current implementation and development of revisions), emerging/unregulated contaminants, environmental justice and equity in infrastructure funding, and oversight of SDWA implementation. Each session started with an overview of potential issues, followed by a robust discussion of how to improve on the status quo.
Meeting facilitators will develop a detailed summary of all discussions, which will be available in the coming weeks. EPA will use the ideas and recommendations from the meeting as it develops and revises strategic plans for the drinking water program.