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Emergency Response for Drinking Water and Wastewater Utilities

  • Technical Assistance

    EPA’s new Strengthening Water Infrastructure for Tomorrow (SWIFT) initiative works directly with drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities, technical assistance providers, and other water sector stakeholders across the Nation to increase system resilience to natural hazards. Water sector utilities can request free natural hazard risk assessment technical assistance from SWIFT. Send your request today!

  • Emergency Response Plans

    Learn about developing or updating an Emergency Response Plan for your utility.

  • Incident Action Checklists

    Explore Incident Action Checklists for 14 different emergency scenarios.

  • Water and Wastewater Agency Response Networks (WARN)

    Learn about and join your local WARN.

EPA has a variety of tools and guidance to support drinking water and wastewater utility preparedness and response. Our resources can help you become a more resilient utility.

Planning

Planning
  • Develop emergency response plans
  • Plan for emergency drinking water
  • Access Incident Action Checklists
  • Supply Chain - Chemical Shortages
  • Develop Telecommunications Plans
  • Prepare for Position Navigation and Timing Risks

Hazard Resilience

Hazard Resilience
  • Build earthquake resilience
  • Build flood resilience
  • Build pandemic resilience 
  • Build power resilience
  • Build wildfire resilience
  • Respond to drought
  • Hazard Mitigation Guide

Technical Assistance

Two people using a checklist
  • Learn about Natural Hazard Technical Assistance
  • Request Free Assistance for your Utility
  • Learn from other Utilities
  • Explore Hazard Maps
  • Discover Resilient Strategies
  • Find Funding for Resilience Projects

Mutual Aid

Mutual Aid
  • Learn about Water/Wastewater Agency Response Networks (WARNs)
  • Join a WARN
  • Access WARN exercise tools

Decontamination

Decontamination
  • Learn about decontamination
  • Documents to guide remediation
  • Sampling methods and decontamination technologies
  • Explore the Response Protocol Toolbox

Risk Communication

Risk Communication
  • Develop messages for water emergencies

Related Information

  • Water Resilience
  • Water Utility Response On-The-Go Overview Video
  • Community Water Resilience
Join Our Email List

Featured Tools

  • Resilient Strategies Guide
  • Vulnerability Self-Assessment Tool
  • Drought Response and Recovery Guide
  • Response On-the-Go
  • Tabletop Exercise (TTX) Tool

Educational Resources

  • Don't Get Soaked Video
  • National Incident Management System/Incident Command System for the Water Sector
Contact Us About Emergency Response for Drinking Water and Wastewater Utilities to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on September 25, 2025
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