EPA has begun development of its new Compliance Monitoring Data Portal (CMDP) - a "cloud" portal that will support laboratory and water utility use of web services, web-based data entry screens, and downloadable templates to report drinking water data electronically to states. For each electronic reporting method, the CMDP will perform dynamic data validations of chemical sample results, microbiological sample results, and water system operational parameters to improve the accuracy and completeness of the data. Additionally, the CMDP will feature CROMERR-compliant electronic signature capabilities.
The CMDP is expected to be fully compatible with the next generation Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) also under development by EPA and, once fully utilized by labs and water utilities, is expected to reduce data management burdens, improve data quality, reduce IT expenditures and result in better and timelier compliance decisions. However, implementation of the CMDP and integration with state reporting systems is currently expected to be at the discretion of individual states.
More than a dozen AMWA member utilities are participating in a review of the CMDP and participated in a February webinar demonstrating how the proposed functionality of the CMDP would be used. Incorporating initial feedback from reviewers, EPA is developing a working version of the CMDP and a subset of the initial reviewers will be asked to participate in a pilot project to test its functionality. Pilot testing of the CMDP is expected to commence in 2016 with roll out and implementation of a final product later that year at the earliest.