Emergency Response Planning Support for Water Sector Utilities
 EPA Technical Assistance
Strengthen you utility’s resilience with free support from EPA’s Strengthening Water Infrastructure for Tomorrow (SWIFT) Initiative. SWIFT offers natural hazard risk assessment technical assistance and webinars to support drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities.
SWIFT technical assistance can support the development of or updates to Emergency Response Plans (ERPs) required under section 1433 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) for community water systems (CWSs) serving over 3,300 people. Based on the findings of risk and resilience assessments, SWIFT can help to incorporate the following into an ERP[1]:
- Strategies and resources to improve the resilience of the system, including the physical security and cybersecurity of the system;
- Procedures that can be implemented in the event of a malevolent act or natural hazard;
- Actions, procedures and equipment which can lessen the impact of a malevolent act or natural hazard on the supply of drinking water; and
- Strategies that can be used to aid in the detection of malevolent acts or natural hazards.
If your utility is interested in learning more about free, direct, technical assistance to complete an ERP, click the button below to connect with SWIFT.
Upcoming Webinar
- Webinar Topic: Natural Hazard Technical Assistance for Updating your Emergency Response Plan
- When: October 14, 2026, 1:00–2:30 PM ET
- What you’ll learn: SDWA 1433 ERP requirements and recertification, and how SWIFT can help develop or update ERPs
[1] The purpose of this document is to provide information and technical assistance on implementation of certain requirements under the Safe Drinking Water Act. It provides information and guidance only. The statutory provisions mentioned in this document contain legally binding requirements. This document does not substitute for those provisions, nor is it a regulation itself. This document does not impose legally binding requirements on EPA or CWSs, nor can it be relied upon to create any rights enforceable by any party in litigation with the United States. EPA cannot conduct or complete a CWS’s RRA or certify its completion on behalf of the CWS. Furthermore, receipt of the technical assistance described in this document does not guarantee compliance with section 1433 of the SDWA.
Information received through technical assistance is developed in accordance with best industry practices and is not a substitute for the professional advice of an attorney or environmental professional.
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