United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Water Laboratory Alliance
Response Plan
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA)
Water Laboratory Alliance (WLA) provides the
Water Sector with an integrated nationwide
network of laboratories. WLA Members have the
capabilities and capacity to analyze water samples
in the event of natural, intentional or unintentional
water contamination incidents involving chemical,
biological or radiochemical contaminants. The
Water Laboratory Alliance Response Plan (WLA-
RP) is a key component of the WLA. The WLA-
RP provides a comprehensive, national approach
to coordinating emergency response to water
contamination incidents that require analytical
support. This plan includes Water Sector best
practices that help sustain preparedness of
laboratories, utilities, emergency managers and
other Water Sector stakeholders involved in water
contamination incidents.
What is the Overall Goal of the
WLA-RP?
The goal of the WLA-RP is to improve Water Sector
preparedness for responding to water contamination
incidents that require analytical support. Finalized in 2010,
the WLA-RP is the result of best practices and lessons
learned from 11 Regional Laboratory Response Plans.
These plans were tested and refined through functional
exercises, by each of the ten EPA regions and Hawaii.
The WLA-RP provides the Water Sector with a structure for
a systematic, coordinated response to water contamination
incidents. This approach can be used in conjunction with
existing Incident Command System structures and procedures.
The WLA-RP also provides best practices to meet analytical
needs of an incident, including:
• Sample brokerage and tracking.
• Communication.
• Coordination of analyses.
• Recommendations for minimum QA and QC.
• Analyte-specific methods.
• Data review and reporting.
The WLA-RP can be accessed at http://www2.epa.
gov/sites/production/files/2015-08/documents/water_
laboratory_alliance_response_plan.pdf.
EBP
What are the Benefits to
the Water Sector?
• The WLA-RP provides best practices for
coordination of local, state and federal
laboratory efforts to meet analytical
needs. Using WLA-RP procedures helps
stakeholders to respond more quickly
and efficiently to an incident.
• The WLA-RP includes procedures that
have been tested and refined through
Analytical Preparedness Full-Scale
Exercises (AP-FSEs). These exercises
increase Water Sector preparedness
to respond to water contamination
incidents by providing the opportunity
to practice WLA-RP and internal
procedures and identifying areas of
improvement. The AP-FSEs also help
strengthen relationships between Water
Sector stakeholders; a critical factor for
successful emergency response.
• The WLA-RP also serves as the
foundation of the WLA by addressing
relevant issues such as coordination
of communication, analytical method
selection, and secure data transfer.
-------
Water Laboratory Alliance Response Plan
The WLA-RP was developed to provide flexibility regardless of the scale of the response. It
be used to coordinate laboratory response for multi-regional incidents requiring support from
laboratories. It can also be used for responses involving a single laboratory.
can
TI many
How are WLA-RP Best Practices Implemented?
EPA is committed to helping sustain Water Sector preparedness by implementing WLA-RP best practices
through AP-FSEs, tabletop exercises, and online WLA Training Center opportunities. For additional
information, visit the WLA Training Center at http://www2.epa.gov/waterlabnetwork/water-
laboratory-alliance-training-center.
Analytical Preparedness Full-Scale
Exercises
In order to increase use of WLA-RP best practices
and enhance communication in the Water Sector, EPA
conducts AP-FSEs in multi-regional and utility-led
formats. Multi-regional exercises require coordination in
response to mock, large-scale incidents, requiring dozens
of laboratories and are generally led by EPA regions.
These AP-FSEs allow participants to practice supporting a
combined environmental and public health incident.
Utility-led AP-FSEs provide the opportunity for utilities
to play the key coordination role. These smaller-scale
exercises ensure that utilities are knowledgeable about
WLA procedures, tools and resources available to support
water contamination incidents. As all emergency responses
begin locally, utility-led exercises are vitally important to
practice a more localized chain of command.
AP-FSEs involve actual sample analyses, communication,
coordination and data reporting. Exercises have several
major objectives including:
• Providing a venue for participants to utilize WLA-RP
best practices.
• Using the WLA-RP concurrent with Incident Command
System practices and procedures.
• Practicing communication and coordination with other
stakeholders that may be involved with a response.
AP-FSE Participating
Organizations
• State public health and environmental
laboratories.
• Drinking water and wastewater utilities.
• EPA regions.
• State and local health departments.
• State primacy agencies.
• Civil Support Teams.
• Local, state and federal first
responders.
• FBI.
• Law enforcement.
• Integrated Consortium of Laboratory
Networks including EPA's
Environmental Response Laboratory
Network (ERLN)/WLA, the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention's
Laboratory Response Network
(LRN), and the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration and U.S. Department
of Agriculture's Food Emergency
Response Network (FERN).
Tabletop Exercises
EPA conducts tabletop exercises that are designed to increase the participants' knowledge of the WLA-
RP and Water Security tools and resources. During these discussion-based exercises, participants address
situations and questions related to a water contamination scenario, drawing from their real-life experiences
and knowledge. Participants learn about the roles and responsibilities of utilities, laboratories and other
stakeholders during a response to a water contamination incident. These exercises also help participants
build relationships with potential response partners that are key to successful emergency response.
WLA-RP Training Module
The training module provides an overview of the WLA-RP in an interactive, scenario-based training.
Participants learn about the best practices included in the WLA-RP. The training module can be accessed at
http://www2.epa.gov/waterlabnetwork/water-laboratory-alliance-response-plan.
For additional information on the WLA-RP, 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-15-029 | November 2015
------- |