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At a Glance
Why We Did This Project
We conducted this audit to
determine how the
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's (EPA's)
preparedness and response
efforts for the three major
hurricanes of calendar
year 2017—specifically,
hurricanes Harvey, Irma and
Maria—protected human health
and water resources from
storm-related drinking water
and surface water
contamination. This report
addresses the Region 6
response to the drinking water
and wastewater facilities
impacted by Hurricane Harvey.
Hurricane Harvey made landfall
as a Category 4 storm on
August 25, 2017. In Texas
alone, Hurricane Harvey
claimed 68 lives, dropped
approximately 19 trillion gallons
of rainwater and caused
damages estimated at
$125 billion.
This report addresses the
following:
•	Ensuring clean and safe
water.
•	Partnering with states and
other stakeholders.
•	Operating efficiently and
effectively.
Address inquiries to our public
affairs office at (202) 566-2391 or
OIG WEBCOMMENTS@epa.gov.
EPA Region 6 Quickly Assessed Water Infrastructure
after Hurricane Harvey but Can Improve Emergency
Outreach to Disadvantaged Communities
What We Found
The EPA Region 6 water-related response
focused on determining the operational status of
drinking water and wastewater facilities over a
3-week period in the aftermath of Hurricane
Harvey. Extensive preparation activities and
close working relationships with state
emergency response partners enabled Region 6
to protect human health and water sector
resources as part of its Hurricane Harvey mission assignment. The Region 6
Superfund and Water Quality divisions coordinated with the Texas Commission
on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to conduct drinking water and wastewater
facility reviews, as well as to perform limited on-site technical assistance. These
reviews enabled EPA and TCEQ response staff to successfully determine and
track the operational status of facilities.
Enhancements to
environmental justice
outreach efforts during
emergencies could improve
the public health
protections of communities
impacted by hurricanes or
other disasters.
While Region 6 successfully fulfilled its water sector mission assignment in the
aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, we identified one area for improvement—staff
outreach to residents of vulnerable communities—that would further enhance the
region's emergency response capabilities.
Recommendations and Planned Agency Corrective Actions
We recommend that the EPA Region 6 Regional Administrator (1) include
environmental justice outreach in planning and pre-landfall preparation exercises
by gathering data to determine the population, unique needs and challenges of
vulnerable communities; (2) revise the Region 6 pre-landfall hurricane plan to
incorporate environmental justice outreach; (3) implement the recommendations
to improve environmental justice outreach identified at a June 2018
environmental justice forum; and (4) prepare and produce all outreach materials
in advance, in sufficient quantities and in the region's prevalent languages, and
post all translated materials online.
EPA Region 6 agreed with three of our recommendations but requested a
modification to Recommendation 3. However, we determined a modification was
not needed, since the region's proposed corrective actions address the intent of
Recommendation 3. We therefore consider all four of our recommendations
resolved with corrective actions pending. Region 6 officials have agreed to
complete corrective actions by March 31, 2021.
List of OIG reports.

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