United States
             Environmental Protection
             Agency
   EPA's  Water  Laboratory Alliance:
  A Powerful Resource for State  Primacy Agencies
  verview

U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) launched the
Water Laboratory Alliance
(WLA) in 2009. This launch
marked a dynamic effort to
equip the Nation's Water
Sector with a means to
analyze samples in response
to natural, intentional or
unintentional contamination
incidents. The WLA is
comprised of laboratories
with the expertise to analyze
water samples for chemical,
biological or radiochemical
contaminants.

The launch of the WLA
coincided with the second
phase roll-out of EPA's
Environmental Response
Laboratory Network (ERLN).
The WLA is an integral
part of the ERLN, focusing
solely on water. The ERLN
also addresses other
environmental matrices
including air, soil and
surfaces.

Did you know?
There is no limit
on the number of
laboratories within
a state that can
apply for WLA
membership.
How does the WLA benefit state primacy
agencies?
While state drinking water primacy agencies cannot themselves
become WLA Members, primacy agencies
can benefit from the WLA in several ways:
•  First, primacy agencies benefit from
  expanded laboratory capability and capacity
  within their states. This ensures that
  drinking water systems are better prepared
  to respond to contamination incidents.
•  Second, primacy agencies have access to
  WLA security-related tools and resources, such as:
  - EPA's Compendium of Environmental Testing Laboratories
   (Laboratory Compendium): Primacy agencies can use the
   Laboratory Compendium to identify WLA Member laboratories to
   provide analytical support to impacted water systems.
   https ://cfext.epa.gov/cetl
  - WLA Response Plan (WLA-RP): The best practices contained in
   the WLA-RP can aid primacy agencies in coordinating laboratory
   support, http://www2.epa.gov/waterlabnetwork/water-
   laboratory-alliance-response-plan
  - Water Contaminant Information Tool (WCIT): Provides
   primacy agencies with contaminant information on more than 800
   potential contaminants, http://www2.epa.gov/waterdata/water-
   contaminant-information-tool-wcit
•  Primacy agencies also have access to WLA Training Center courses.
  This resource provides training on topics ranging from chain of
  custody,  to coordination of water contamination incident response
  through tabletop exercises, http://www2.epa.gov/waterlabnetwork/
  water-laboratory-alliance-training-center

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                                  Water Laboratory Alliance
How will state laboratories
and water utilities benefit from
the WLA?
State laboratories and water systems can
access critical resources that strengthen their
preparedness level for responding to water
contamination incidents.

Specific benefits of leveraging the WLA
resources include:
• Opportunities to participate in water
 contamination emergency response exercises
 and webcasts.
• Enhanced networking opportunities with
 Water Sector stakeholders including utilities,
 laboratories, emergency responders and
 government personnel.
• Enhanced preparedness for emergency
 response.
• Improved knowledge
 of how to identify
 laboratories when the
 nature or scope of a
 contamination incident
 exceeds in-house
 capabilities or capacity.
• Priority access to
 water security-related training, tools and
 resources.

As WLA Members, both state and utility
laboratories, become part of a network with
                      enhanced laboratory
                      capabilities. Members
                      can quickly identify
                      and access qualified
                      laboratories nationwide
                      to help support their
                      Did you know?
                      Best practices
                      included in the
                      WLA-RP can
                      be leveraged by
                      all Water Sector
                      Stakeholders; not
                      just laboratories!

Did you know?
Utilities can
access the WLA
whether or not
their laboratory is a
WLA Member.
                      analytical needs. This
                                            support can be scaled to varying levels depending
                                            on the type and volume of sample analyses
                                            required. Accessing WLA laboratory support is
                                            not limited to specialized capabilities. Member
                                            laboratories can be accessed for more routine
                                            analytical needs such as processing regulatory
                                            samples or providing surge capacity.

                                            WLA Member laboratories have the added
                                            recognition of being identified as a member of the
                                            network. Membership in such laboratory networks
                                            can enhance a laboratories' credibility, especially
                                            when pursuing governmental opportunities.
                                              Did you know?
                                              Providing support during a contamination
                                              incident is completely voluntary. When a
                                              WLA Member laboratory is contacted, it can
                                              decide whether or not to provide services.
How can laboratories become
WLA Members?
State, utility, public health, environmental and
commercial laboratories must apply to be part of
the ERLN and can apply for WLA membership at
the same time. Access the membership application
at http://www2.epa.gov/waterlabnetwork/
water-laboratory-
alliance-membership-
application In addition
to completing the
membership application,
                                                                    Did you know?
                                                                    Becoming a
                                                                    WLA Member is
                                                                    completely FREE!

laboratories must
register for EPAs Laboratory Compendium at
https ://cfext.epa.gov/cetl

For detailed information on how to become a
WLA Member, access the "Becoming a Water
Laboratory Alliance Member" training course at
http://www2.epa.gov/waterlabnetwork/learn-
about-water-laboratory-alliance#Apply.
   DON'T WAIT— Tell Your State Labs to Become Members Today!

     For additional information on the WLA, contact the WLA Helpline at 703-461-2400 or
       WLA@epa.gov, or visit the WLA homepage at http://www2.epa.gov/waterlabnetwork.
                      Office of Water (4608-T) | EPA 817-F-15-027 | November 2015

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