United States Office of Water EPA816-F-02-040
Environmental Protection (4606) November 2001
Agency Washington, D.C. 20460
Use of the Drinking Water State Revolving
Fund (DWSRF) to Implement Security
Measures at Public Water Systems
Every American needs to be confident that the water they drink from their tap is safe.
Ensuring adequate protection of public water system's (PWS) facilities and drinking water
sources has been an important goal of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) drinking
water program. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, we have received questions
from states about the eligibility of security measures for financial assistance through the Drinking
Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).
While the events of September 11 have focused attention on this matter, it is important to
note that PWSs have always worked to protect facilities from vandalism and have monitored
drinking water sources to assess their vulnerability to contamination. EPA encourages state
drinking water programs and DWSRF programs to continue to work with PWSs to help them
identify their vulnerability to security threats and vandalism and take steps to ensure protection of
the public health of their customers. This fact sheet discusses the types of projects that may be
fundable through the DWSRF that will help PWSs ensure the protection of their facilities.
What is the DWSRF program?
The EPA DWSRF program provides grant funding to states to allow them to assist public
water systems (PWS) to make infrastructure improvements needed to protect public health and
ensure compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. States may use DWSRF monies to
provide loans to PWSs for infrastructure improvements and also have the ability to reserve a
portion of their grants (i.e., set-asides) to finance other projects and activities that protect sources
of drinking water and enhance the technical, financial and managerial capacity of PWSs.
While the primary type of assistance available through the program is in the form of loans, it
is important to note that states have the flexibility to use a portion of their grants to provide
principal forgiveness to qualified PWSs and may also be able to provide direct assistance through
the set-asides.
What can water utilities do to ensure security?
Water utilities can take straightforward, common sense actions to increase security and
reduce threats from terrorism. Areas in which to focus attention, as recommended by American
Water Works Association, the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, and other leading
professional organizations, include guarding against unplanned physical intrusion, making
security a priority for employees, coordinating actions for effective emergency response and
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investing in security and infrastructure improvements. A May 2001 article in the Journal for the
American Water Works Association also noted counter-terrorism measures PWSs can take in
ensuring the protection of their facilities (www.awwa.org/public ep/may.pdf).
What security measures can be funded through the DWSRF?
States may provide DWSRF assistance to PWSs to allow them to complete vulnerability
assessments and contingency and emergency response plans. Many of the types of infrastructure
improvements a water system would need to take to ensure security are also eligible for DWSRF
funding and may have already been included within the scope of infrastructure projects funded
through the program to date. Protection of drinking water sources may also be funded through
the DWSRF set-asides. The table below identifies examples of activities that PWSs could take
to ensure the security of their systems and indicates if the activity would be eligible through the
DWSRF program. However, it is ultimately the state's decision as to whether they will provide
assistance for any one activity.
Security Measures and Eligibility under the DWSRF Program
Type of Activity
Eligible under
infrastructure Fund
Eligible under
set-asides
General
Vulnerability Assessments
Contingency/Emergency Response Plans
Yes
Yes
Yes1
Yes1
Protecting Sources of Drinking Water
Fencing
Security Cameras
Security Guards
No
No
No
Yes2
Yes2
No
Facility
Security Guards
Fencing
Security Cameras/Lighting
Motion Detectors
Redundancy (systems and power)
Secure Chemical and Fuel Storage
Lab Equipment
Monitoring
Enhanced Filtration/Disinfection (for
biological agents)
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
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Type of Activity
Enhanced Treatment (for chemical agents)
Distribution System
Backflow prevention devices in distribution
system
Cover finished water reservoirs
Installing security hatches on reservoir/tank
access panels and vents
Taking protective measures identifed as
necessary through a cross-connection control
program
Eligible under
infrastructure Fund
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Eligible under
set-asides
No
No
No
No
No
1 - Activities to develop assessments and plans may be eligible through set-asides adressing capacity
development and technical assistance.
2 - Activities to enact protective measures for sources of drinking water may be eligible through set-asides
dedicated to implementing source water protection measures.
What security measures cannot be funded through the DWSRF?
It should be noted that maintaining a human presence can be the most important security
measure a PWS can take to ensure that its facilities are protected. The DWSRF program cannot
fund operations and maintenance activities for PWSs and therefore could not provide financing
for an increased human security presence. Likewise, the DWSRF program cannot provide
assistance to help a system purchase the chemicals needed to increase disinfection.
How will states fund projects identified by PWSs?
If a PWS is interested in obtaining financing to implement security measures, the first step in
seeking assistance is to contact the state DWSRF representative - who can be found on the Office
of Ground Water and Drinking Water website at www.epa.gov/safewater/dwsrf.html.
Typically, any project that will receive DWSRF funding must go through public review as
part of development of an annual Intended Use Plan which lays out how the state will implement
its DWSRF program over the subsequent year. States do, however, have the ability to include
procedures in their programs that can allow them to fund emergency projects. Each state should
consider the proposals they receive from PWSs in order to make a determination as to whether
the proposed improvement would qualify as an emergency project that should be addressed
immediately.
In some cases the types of activities that will need to be implemented may have a longer time
horizon. For example, a surface water system may determine that it needs to increase the level of
filtration to ensure removal of potential biological contaminants. This type of project, which may
require time for design and planning, will be on a longer timeline than a project needed to install
adequate security fencing, and would thus more likely go through the traditional process for
funding DWSRF projects.
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Where can I find more information?
The Agency will continue to work with the drinking water industry to provide information
and technical assistance to states and utilities to help during this time. EPA is working
collaboratively with the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies and other groups to
develop an Information Sharing and Analysis Center to bolster coordinated notification and
response to threats and vulnerabilities. For additional information, you can also visit the
following websites:
EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water: www.epa.gov/safewater
EPA Counterterrorism: www.epa.gov/ebtpages/ecounterterrorism.html
EPA Alert on Chemical Accident Prevention and Site Security:
www. epa.gov/ceppo/pubs/secale.pdf
U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: www.bt.cdc.gov
Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies: www.amwa.net/isac
American Water Works Association: www.awwa.org
National League of Cities: www.nlc.org/nlc org/site/newsroom/terrorism response
National Governors Association, Emergency Management and Terrorism:
www. nga.org/center/topics/1,1188,D_854, OO.html
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
(Mailcode 4606)
Washington, D.C. 20460
Fax: (202) 401-2345
www. epa. gov/safewater/dwsrf.html
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