Public health professionals gain access to new and enhanced EPA tools for responding to chemical, biological, and radiological contaminants in drinking water and wastewater

Today, water systems face serious threats, either accidental or intentional, from chemical, biological, and radiological contaminants. To address these threats, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed secure, online tools for water sector professionals—including those in water utilities, government agencies, and public health authorities. EPA is expanding the capability of two of these tools, the Water Contaminant Information Tool (WCIT) and the National Environmental Methods Index for Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Methods (NEMI-CBR). EPA will link the registration and sign-on process for WCIT with that of NEMI-CBR to enable public health professionals to access both tools through a single sign-on procedure. EPA also continues to expand the data available in these tools. WCIT contains detailed information on nearly 100 serious contaminants that may pose a threat to drinking water and wastewater systems. WCIT data includes physical and chemical properties, early warning indicators, field detection and analysis information, medical and toxicity information, and other information. A resource to identify and compare drinking water analytical methods, NEMI-CBR was developed jointly by EPA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). With NEMI-CBR, users can access method details—such as method rapidity—and analyte-specific summaries describing the level of validation performed. A companion tool, CBR Advisor, extends the power of NEMI-CBR by providing access to threat classification guidelines, response and site characterization procedures, and methods and advice for initial and confirmatory analyses. This presentation will describe WCIT and NEMI-CBR and demonstrate how public health professionals can access and use these tools.