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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Inspector General
At a Glance
21-P-0032
December 3, 2020
Why We Did This Audit
We conducted this audit to
determine how the
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's preparedness and
response efforts for the three
major hurricanes of 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 response to
drinking water and wastewater
systems impacted by hurricanes
Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico
and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The OIG issued two previous
reports assessing EPA
Region 6's preparedness and
response efforts pertaining to
water issues associated with
Hurricane Harvey in Texas, and
EPA Region 4's preparedness
and response efforts pertaining
to water issues associated with
Hurricane Irma in Florida.
This audit addresses the
following:
•	Ensuring clean and safe water.
•	Partnering with states and
other stakeholders.
•	Operating efficiently and
effectively.
This audit addresses two top EPA
management challenges:
•	Overseeing states and
territories implementing EPA
programs.
•	Communicating risks.
Address inquiries to our public
affairs office at (202) 566-2391 or
OIG WEBCOMMENTS@epa.gov.
List of OIG reports.
Region 2's Hurricanes Irma and Maria Response
Efforts in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Show
the Need for Improved Planning, Communications,
and Assistance for Small Drinking Water Systems
What We Found
Before hurricanes Irma and Maria made
landfall, Region 2 established an incident
command structure and staffing plan to
direct and manage its emergency response
efforts. The region also contacted agencies
in Puerto Rico and the USVI to determine
the ability of the islands' drinking water and
wastewater systems to weather the storms.
Hurricane Irma approached Puerto Rico and the USVI on September 5, 2017,
as a Category 5 storm. Beginning on September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria
struck the USVI as a Category 5 storm and Puerto Rico as a Category 4 storm.
After the hurricanes, regional emergency response staff performed operational
assessments of drinking water and wastewater systems; conducted water
sampling and analyses; and helped small, rural drinking water systems obtain
generators. Despite these regional efforts and the federal government's largest-
ever hurricane response, some small, rural drinking water systems in Puerto
Rico and the USVI still had not returned to normal operations more than nine
months after the storms made landfall. The damage caused by the hurricanes
and the pre-storm conditions of those systems complicated the response.
The EPA's internal review processes delayed distribution of public health
announcements, such as instructions on how to treat drinking water to reduce
risk of illness. In addition, Region 2 did not fully engage its local staff in Puerto
Rico and the USVI during hurricane preparations. By adjusting its review-and-
approval process for public outreach information; strengthening the capacities of
small, rural drinking water systems; and involving local EPA staff in the planning
stages, Region 2 can improve the effectiveness of its emergency response
efforts.
Recommendations and Planned Agency Corrective Actions
We made three recommendations to Region 2: first, develop and train staff on a
procedure to locally disseminate public health information after emergencies;
second, develop a supplemental emergency response plan that includes roles
for local staff and addresses specific geographic, logistical, and cultural
challenges; third, help improve the capacity and resilience of small, rural drinking
water systems.
The region agreed with the recommendations and provided estimated milestone
dates for its planned corrective actions. All recommendations are resolved.
Enhancements to water system
capacity and emergency
preparation for island response
could better protect the health
of communities impacted by
hurricanes and other disasters.

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