EPA Water Contaminant Information Tool (WCIT) Newsletter, Summer 2021


NEWSLETTER &EPA
WATER CONTAMINANT INFORMATION TOOL, Summer 2021
Water Contaminant Information Tool:
Newest Database Additions
U.S. EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
(OGWDW) has recently added one new full
(comprehensive) WOT profile for the potent synthetic
opioid fentanyl, With the opioid crisis in the U.S., fentanyl
is increasingly prominent as a water contaminant of
concern. This chemical is persistent on surfaces and in
water under normal environmental conditions and is lethal
at small doses. In addition, EPA will add another new full
(comprehensive) WCIT profile for the pathogenic
bacterium Leptospira by September 2021. This bacterium
can cause the waterborne disease leptospirosis.
Leptospirosis is transmitted by contaminated drinking
water, recreational water, and animal vectors, and it is of
particular concern after floods and hurricanes.
The addition of these two profiles will bring the total
number of full (comprehensive) WCIT profiles to 113.
These profiles include medical information, early warning
indicators, drinking water treatment, and more. As EPA
makes plans to develop additional full (comprehensive)
WCIT profiles, we would like to know what contaminants
are of greatest interest to you — see "Nominate a
Contaminant" on the last page.
Inside		_
the Database
Feedback for WCIT
Do you have questions or
suggestions for the WCIT
team? Is there information
you would like to see added to
the database? We want to hear
from you! Email is always a
good way to reach us
(WCIT @epa. gov), but you
may also submit comments
using the WCIT feedback
form embedded in the tool.
EPA relies on input from users
like you to ensure that the
application continues to be
useful and up-to-date! While
browsing the database, please
consider using the feedback
form to relay issues you have
encountered, or to suggest
new content to add.
The feedback form is just one
of the features WCIT offers
beyond the contaminant
profiles themselves. We
encourage you to take the
time to explore WCIT's
additional resources and
capabilities.
Office of Water (4608T) • EPA 817-N-21-001 • Summer 2021

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WCIT Newsletter Summer 2021

Susan Corder
ADH, QA Manager
WCIT gaining traction as a tool for
Arkansas Department of Health
In the State of Arkansas, it is a joint responsibility of the Arkansas Department of
Health (ADH) and public water systems to monitor water quality. Susan Corder
oversees coordination of compliance sampling and analysis at the ADH for
approximately 1,036 community, transient non-community, and non-transient non-
community water systems. The ADH is responsible for testing a broad range of
possible contaminants and is known for a strong record of compliance with the Safe
Drinking Water Act. Ms. Corder has been a Water Contaminant Information Tool
(WCIT) user for about six years and utilizes the tool in many ways. She was
introduced to WCIT after attending an online training and has since taken
advantage of additional webinars to further understand advanced features of the
tool. In general, she and her team use WCIT about 5-6 times per quarter.
Ms. Corder uses WCIT as a research tool when a contaminant is detected in a sample. Particularly
useful, she reports, is that "WCIT provides the chemical makeup of contaminants and possible health
effects." It provides her with baseline understanding and information to decide how to move forward
with the situation. In addition to using WCIT as a resource during routine monitoring, Ms. Corder has
also taken advantage of it during contamination incidents. During the 2013 Mayflower oil spill in
Arkansas, Ms. Corder used the database to conduct initial research about possible contaminants to
prepare her response in case the spill affected drinking water. "If we receive information of a chemical
spill, agriculture spray, or customer complaint, WCIT provides chemical components and possible
health effects. It is extremely useful determining what type of chemical testing is required to protect the
drinking water in the State of Arkansas." She says the tool is an "excellent resource for water utilities"
and will continue to use it frequently, for routine monitoring and to prepare during possible
contamination incidents.
WCIT Online Training
Whether you are new to WCIT, in need of a refresher, or
an experienced user who wants to learn how to get more
out of the resource, EPA has a training for you!
EPA offers two live webinar-based trainings every quarter,
each one hour long. "WCIT: Learning the Basics" is an
introductory training. Each session of "WCIT: Becoming
an Advanced User" goes into some depth on one or two
features of the application, to help users develop their
capabilities in a hands-on way
A recording of "WCIT: Learning the Basics" is also
available on EPA's website as an on-demand training.
To learn more, sign up for live trainings, or access
recordings, visit the WLA Learning Center website.
Office of Water (4608T) • EPA 817-N-21-001 • Summer 2021

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WCIT Newsletter Summer 2021
WCIT Challenge
Read the scenario below and use WCIT to
answer the questions. Send your answers to
WCIT@epa.gov.
A tanker truck capsizes near the lake that
supplies your drinking water system. You
learn that it was transporting No. 2 fuel oil.
Using WCIT, create a briefing for system
managers that summarizes:
•	Risks posed to the water treatment plant
and to customers.
•	Options for monitoring and treating the
contamination.
•	Options for decontamination.
To take the challenge, log into WCIT at
https://cdx.epa.gov/. Enjoy!
Nominate a Contaminant
The WCIT team wants to hear from you! What
contaminants that do not currently have a full
WCIT profile do you consider a high priority
for drinking water emergency response? EPA
will consider user nominations when setting
priorities for WCIT profile development in the
year ahead. To make your voice heard, please
email your contaminant suggestion(s) with a
rationale to WCIT@epa.gov by December 31,
2021, with "nominate a contaminant" in the
subject line.
Of course, you are also welcomed to email
WCIT@epa.gov at any time to offer
suggestions or ask questions. Thank you for
being a part of the WCIT community!
5-EPA
Office of Water (4608T) • EPA 817-N-21-001 • Summer 2021

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