&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA's Support to the Water Sector
Under the National Response Framework
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Response Framework (NRF) establishes a comprehensive, all-
hazards approach to domestic incident response—from the smallest incident to the largest catastrophe. The Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) coordinates response support across the federal government by activating, as
needed, one or more of 15 Emergency Support Function (ESF) Annexes to the NRF. EPA has developed this fact sheet to
inform drinking water and wastewater utilities, and other partners and stakeholders, about the roles and functions performed
by EPA for the water sector under the NRF.
How EPA's Support Responsibilities Are Organized in the NRF
EPA's support to the water sector (which includes drinking water and wastewater systems) is organized as functions in
several of these ESF Annexes. In anticipation of, or in response to, declared disasters and emergencies under the Stafford
Act, the ESFs are a critical mechanism for coordinating federal department and agency capabilities and resources. Activities
under each ESF are coordinated by a primary agency. The primary agency has the greatest authorities, roles, resources, or
capabilities for a particular function within an ESF. The primary agency may direct support agencies to provide specific
additional capabilities.
The table below provides an overview of the ESFs that can include an EPA role in support of the water sector. For each
ESF, the table indicates EPA 's function and the page reference in the ESF for this activity.
Annex
ESF #3 - Public Works and Engineering
Primary Agencies:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE)
- response
FEMA - recovery
E SF #3 is the primary ESF for natural
disasters with water sector impacts.
USAGE facilitates and coordinates
support from federal departments and
agencies providing public works and
infrastructure support assistance. In
support of ESF #3, EPA works closely
with USAGE and FEMA.
ESF#4-Firefighting
EPA Role
Support Agency
Support Agency
EPA's Water Sector-Related Function
Conducts infrastructure protection activities for drinking water and
wastewater treatment systems in the water sector, in accordance with its
responsibilities as the designated Sector-Specific Agency for this sector
as described in Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7.
Assists, in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human
Services, in determining the suitability for human consumption of water
from local sources and in identifying hazardous materials having the
potential to affect drinking water supplies.
Assists in identifying critical water and wastewater needs, including
personnel, electrical power, and treatment chemicals.
Assists, in conjunction with state/tribal primacy agencies and permitting
authorities, in determining the operating status of water and wastewater
systems.
Assists state solid waste agencies with assessments of staging/storage
areas, solid waste facilities, and wastewater facilities; environmental
sampling and monitoring; and inspections, resources, data, and other
support as appropriate.
Assists in investigation and intelligence analysis for hazardous materials
incidents involving contaminated water and wastewater systems, pursuant
to existing EPA statutory authorities.
Provides assistance in identifying an uncontaminated, operational water
source for firefighting.
December 2009
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EPA's Support to the Water Sector Under the NRF
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United Slates
Annex
EPA Role
EPA's Water Sector-Related Function
ESF#4-Firefighting
Primary Agency: Department of
Agriculture/Forest Service
Support Agency
Provides assistance in identifying critical water systems requiring priority
restoration forfirefighting.
Provides technical assistance on issues concerning the impacts of
firefighting chemicals on wastewater treatment facilities.
ESF #8 - Public Health and Medical
Services
Primary Agency: Department of Health
and Human Services
Support Agency
Provides technical assistance and environmental information for the
assessment of the public health/medical aspects of situations involving
hazardous materials, including technical and policy assistance in matters
involving water and wastewater systems, for critical health care facilities.
Assists in identifying alternate water supplies and wastewater collection
and treatment for critical health care facilities.
ESF #10 - Oil and Hazardous Materials
Primary Agency: EPA
Primary Agency
Samples drinking water supplies to determine if there has been intentional
contamination.
ESF #11 - Agriculture and Natural
Resources
Primary Agencies: Department of
Agriculture, Department of the Interior
Support Agency
Provides technical assistance in determining when water is suitable for
human consumption.
ESF #12-Energy
Primary Agency: Department of Energy
Support Agency
Assists in identifying critical water and wastewater systems requiring
priority power restoration.
ESF #14 - Long-Term Community
Recovery
ESF Coordinator: FEMA
Support Agency
Provides technical assistance in contaminated debris management,
environmental remediation, and watershed protection, planning,
management, and restoration.
Provides technical assistance in developing appropriate drinking water
and wastewater infrastructure projects and in identifying financial
assistance options.
Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources
Support
Coordinating Agency: Department of
Homeland Security
Support Agency
Serves as the Sector Specific Agency for the Drinking Water and
Wastewater Treatment Sector
Contact Us
For additional information on EPA's water sector support under the National Response Framework, please visit
http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nrf. For additional information on EPA's activities related to water security, including
resources related to emergency/incident planning, please visit www.epa.gov/watersecuritv.
Office of Water (4608-T) | EPA 817-F-09-011 | December 2009 | www.epa.qov/watersecuritv
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