EPA Regional Laboratory
Contacts
Region 1 - Ernest Waterman
(Waterman.Ernest@epa.gov)
Connect/cut, Maine, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont
Region 2 - John Bourbon
(Bourbon.John@epa.gov)
New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico,
and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Region 3 - Cindy Caporale
(Caporale.Cynthia@epa.gov)
Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland,
Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia
Region 4 - Gary Bennett
(Bennett.Gary@epa.gov)
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi,
North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee
Region 5 - Dennis Wesolowski
(Wesolowski.Dennis@epa.gov)
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota,
Ohio, and Wisconsin
Region 6 - David Neleigh
(Neleigh.David@epa.gov)
Arkansas, Louis/ana, New Mexico,
Oklahoma, and Texas
Region 7 - Michael F. Davis
(Davis.Michael@epa.gov)
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska
Region 8 - Mark Burkhardt
(Burkhardt.Mark@epa.gov)
Colorado, Montana, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming
Region 9 - Brenda Bettencourt
(Bettencourt.Brenda@epa.gov)
Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada,
and the Pacific Islands
Region 10 - Barry Pepich
(Pepich.Barry@epa.gov)
Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington
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&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Water Laboratory Alliance
EPA. NRML, Office of Research and Development, photo by P.P. Williams. Jr.
Office of Water (4608-T)
www.epa.gov/safewater
EPA 817-F-10-001
April 2010
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Water Laboratory Alliance:
Purpose and Background
The EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
(OGWDW) Water Laboratory Alliance (WLA) has the
goal of providing the Water Sector with an integrated
nationwide network of laboratories. This network
will provide the capabilities and capacity to analyze
water samples in the event of natural, intentional, or
unintentional water contamination involving chemical,
biological, or radiochemical contaminants. The WLA
is composed of drinking water, public health, environ-
mental, and select commercial laboratories. The WLA
focuses solely on drinking water and is an integral part
of the EPA Office of Emergency Management (OEM)
Environmental Response Laboratory Network (ERLN).
Benefi
v%rll%rll
WLA Implementation Status
Prior to the WLA launch in the Fall of 2009, EPA
and its partners established regiona labora-
tory networks through development and testing
(table-top and functional exercises) of Regional
Laboratory Response Plans (RLRPs) in collaboration
with each of EPA's 10 Regions and Hawaii. These
1 1 RLRPs provided the basis for development of the
WLA-Response Plan (WLA-RP), which serves as the
foundation of the WLA on a national level.
The WLA-RP establishes a comprehensive, national
laboratory response approach to water contamination
that covers a spectrum of activities including utility
and laboratory preparedness, response, remediation,
and recovery. The WLA-RP is being practiced through
full-scale exercises, which include participants from
drinking water utilities, EPA Regions, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, the Federal Bureau
of Investigation, state public health and state envi-
ronmental laboratories, first responders, and law
enforcement.
WLA membership is structured to expand in phases
with the first phase being coordinated through a joint
roll-out with the ERLN. This first phase will include
regional, state, and water utility labs that meet ERLN
requirements. A second phase of WLA expansion will
include additional laboratories that do not meet ERLN
membership requirements.
for Participating
Laboratories
Improved preparedness for analytical support
to respond to emergencies
ing
ofi
Improved communications with peer labo-
ratories to help address emerging analytical
capability and capacity, laboratory security, or
laboratory operational challenges
Partnership with neighboring laboratories to
support surge capacity needs
Knowledge of neighboring laboratory analyti-
cal capability and available personnel
Analytical support to address analyses not per-
formed by your laboratory (e.g., select agent
pathogens, chemical warfare agents)
Coordination and standardization of data re-
porting systems
Coordination and standardization of analytical
methods
Priority access to planned EPA water security-
related exercises and training opportunities
Coordination of technology transfer efforts from
EPA and other Federal agencies to laboratories
WLA name recognition for governmental
initiatives
Opportunity to review and comment on Federal
documents related to drinking water laborator
issues
Future access to EPA-provided Proficiency Test-
ing (PT) samples for unregulated contaminants
interest to the Water Sector
For More Information
on the WLA, contact Latisha Mapp, EPA Office
of Water (OW) at Mapp.Latisha@epa.gov.
Information on OW's activities, tools, products,
and the latest advances to protect drinking
water and wastewater utilities are available
online at http://cfpub.epa.gov/safewater/
watersecurity/wla.cfm
ERLN/WLA
Membership Criteria
Participation in the ERLN is based on a laboratory's
ability to meet ERLN's core requirements, which apply
to both public and private laboratories. Each laboratory
must establish, maintain, and demonstrate:
• A quality system consistent with ISO 1 7025, TNI,
or State/EPA Regional Drinking Water Certification
(as applicable);
• Documented policies and procedures;
• Sample management systems;
• Facilities for sample handling and secure storage;
• Data management and exchange procedures;
• Analytical capabilities and capacities for chemical,
biological, and radiochemical contaminants.
ining the WLA
^^
Laboratories participating in the WLA may be part
of EPA's ERLN, if they apply and meet ERLN crite-
ria. Laboratories applying for membership must:
• Review ERLN Laboratory Requirements and
Policy for Membership;
• Complete Laboratory Membership for ERLN
application;
• Indicate WLA Membership on ERLN
application;
• Provide supporting documentation with your
application, as appropriate;
• Read and sign Acknowledgement of Labora-
tory Responsibilities checklist, and;
• Register in the EPA Laboratory Compendium
(separate compendium factsheet available).
Admission into the ERLN is based on review of the
application package. A laboratory will be notified
by EPA of their membership status within sixty
(60) days of receipt of the completed application.
Laboratories interested in joining the ERLN
should contact Schatzi Fitz-James, EPA Home-
land Security Laboratory Response Center, at
Fitz-James.Schatzi@epa.gov.
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