United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Water Laboratory Alliance
A Utility Perspective
Overview
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the Water
Laboratory Alliance (WLA) in 2009. The WLA provides the Water
Sector, including drinking water and wastewater utilities, with an
integrated nationwide network of laboratories. The WLA is comprised
of public health, environmental and commercial laboratories that can
respond to natural, intentional or unintentional water contamination
incidents. These laboratories have the capability and capacity to
analyze water samples involving chemical, biological or radiochemical
contaminants. The WLA is an integral part of EPAs Environmental
Response Laboratory Network (ERLN). As part of the ERLN, the
WLA serves as the water component of this "all hazards" network that
covers all environmental matrices of concern. In addition, EPAs WLA
Team provides tools, resources and best practices that help facilitate
successful and timely incident response.
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Benefits to Water Utilities
Water utilities that take advantage of WLA resources gain
valuable avenues to enhance preparedness. These resources
increase knowledge on how to identify laboratories that can
provide analytical support before, during and after water
contamination incidents. In addition, the WLA provides many
benefits to water utilities:
• Enhanced preparedness for emergency response.
• Improved communications with laboratories, state and
municipal agencies and reporting authorities.
• Opportunity to participate in emergency response exercises.
• Water security-related training opportunities with a focus on
Water Sector best practices and lessons learned.
• Access to water-security related tools and resources that will
help facilitate response to water contamination incidents.
Water Laboratory Alliance
Response Plan (WLA-RP)
The WLA-RP establishes a comprehensive, national response
approach to water contamination incidents requiring analytical
support. The plan includes information on preparedness, response,
remediation and recovery. Specifically, the WLA-RP addresses
incidents that, due to their suspected cause or size, may require
more analytical support than a single laboratory can provide.
The WLA-RP shares best practices with utilities and laboratories
for a systematic, coordinated response to a water contamination
incident. The best practices contained in the WLA-RP can be used
ed
EPA Water Security-Relate
Tools and Resources
EPA Compendium of Environmental
Testing Laboratories (Laboratory
Compendium)
EPAs Laboratory Compendium is a secure,
Web-based tool that helps utilities and
other users identify laboratory support. The
Laboratory Compendium provides real-time
data related to laboratory contact, capability
and capacity information. This resource
is intended to assist EPA; state, local and
federal emergency response; and water utility
personnel in responding to contamination
threats. A brief application must be completed
in order to access this tool. https://cfext.epa.
gov/cetl
Water Contamination Information Tool
(WCIT)
WCIT is a secure online database with
methods for more than 800 analytes. The
database includes detailed profiles for over
100 chemical, biological and radiochemical
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Water Laboratory Alliance A Utility Perspective
in conjunction with existing Incident Command System (ICS)
structures. In addition, key principles of the WLA-RP can
be applied to responses that only involve a single laboratory.
The WLA-RP can be accessed at http://www2.epa.gov/
waterlabnetwork/water-laboratory-alliance-response-plan.
Analytical Preparedness
Full-Scale Exercises (AP-FSEs)
In an effort to support Water Sector preparedness, EPA's WLA
Team conducts utility-led AP-FSEs on an ongoing basis. These
exercises enable utilities and other participants to practice
coordinated response to a major environmental and public health
incident. AP-FSEs have involved a wide spectrum of participants
including:
• EPA regional, state environmental and public health,
municipal, utility and commercial laboratories.
• Emergency response personnel.
• Partnering federal, state and municipal agencies.
The goal of these exercises is to establish a learning environment
in which participants:
• Gain experience with response best practices from the WLA-
RP.
• Improve both internal and external communications.
• Interact with others to address a mock water contamination
incident.
These exercises allow the coordinating utility to:
• Identify and coordinate analytical support.
• Work with state and municipal agencies and reporting
authorities (e.g., department of environmental quality, state
drinking water authority, public health department).
• Establish relationships and a framework that can be used
during a real incident.
WLA Training Center
The WLA Training Center was developed to familiarize
WLA Member laboratories, utilities, and other stakeholders
with Water Sector best practices. Courses cover topics such
as emergency response, analytical methods, sample handling
and data reporting. The WLA Training Center helps ensure
that stakeholders can take advantage of WLA benefits, and
operate effectively during a response. The curriculum utilizes
enhanced computer-based training, including webcasts and
online modules when in-person training is not an option. Many
courses are self-administered and can be accessed at any time
via the WLA Training Center website at http://www2.epa.gov/
waterlabnetwork/water-laboratory-alliance-training-center.
•PA Water Security-Related Tools
and Resources continued from page 1
contaminants of concern for the Water
Sector. WCIT allows users to compare and
contrast the performance, speed and relative
cost of analytical methods for response to
incidents. This tool compiles drinking water-
and wastewater-specific data in a single
location. As such, WCIT helps utilities and
laboratories plan for and respond to water
contamination incidents. WCIT functionality
and data were shaped and validated by water
utility professionals, scientists and public health
experts. For more information and to sign-up for
WCIT, visit http://www2.epa.gov/waterdata/
water-contaminant-information-tool-wcit.
Sampling Guidance for Unknown
Contaminants in Drinking Water
This document provides comprehensive
guidance that integrates recommendations
for biological, chemical and radiochemical
sample collection, preservation and transport
procedures. This guidance enables utilities
to collect samples that will support multiple
analytical approaches for the detection and
identification of contaminants in drinking water.
http://www2.epa.gov/waterlabnetwork/
sampling-guidance-unknown-
contaminants-drinking-water
Containment and Disposal of Large
Amounts of Water: A Support Guide for
Water Utilities (Disposal Guide)
The Disposal Guide serves as a reference to
assist utility actions related to containment,
treatment or disposal of large amounts
of water from a contamination incident. It
contains decision-making flowcharts, as well
as information on nearly 70 contaminants
of concern to the Water Sector. To view
the guide, visit http://www2.epa.gov/
waterutilityresponse/containment-and-
disposal-large-amounts-contaminated-
water.
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-15-028 | November 2015
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