Adopt Resolution #21-330 Approve Emergency Response Plan for America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018

America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) was passed in to law in 2018. Section 2013 of the law requires community drinking water systems serving more than 3,300 people to develop or update a risk and resiliency assessment (RRA) and emergency response plan (ERP).  The law included deadlines by which water systems must certify to the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completion of the RRA and ERP.  Deadlines for certification were staggered, systems serving a population of 100,000 or more were required to certify by March 31, 2020.  Systems serving 50,000 or more and less than 100,000 were required to certify by December 31, 2020.  Systems serving a population greater than 3,300 and less than 50,000 were required to certify by June 30, 2021.  The City of Ramsey falls into the last category.

City staff requested permission to go out for Requests for Proposals from consultants to prepare the risk and resiliency assessment. The Public Works Committee was hesitant to go out for proposals and requested staff to prepare the risk and resiliency assessment and emergency reponse plan in-house.

The risk and resiliency assessment was previously approved by the City Council on June 22, 2021, and addressed:

1. the risk to the system from malevolent acts and natural hazards;
2. the resilience of the pipes and constructed conveyances, physical barriers, source water, water collection and intake, pretreatment, treatment, storage and distribution facilities, electronic, computer or other automated systems (including the security of such systems) which are utilized by the system;
3. the monitoring practices of the system;
4. the financial infrastructure of the system;
5. the use, storage, or handling of various chemicals by the system; and 
6. the operation and maintenance of the system.

Emergency Response Plans
No later than six months after certifying completion of its risk and resiliency assessment, each system must prepare or revise, where necessary, an emergency response plan that incorporates the findings of the assessment. The plan shall include - 

1. strategies and resources to improve the resilience of the system, including the physical security and cybersecurity of the system;
2. plans and procedures that can be implemented, and identification of equipment that can be utilized, in the event of a malevolent act or natural hazard that threatens the ability of the community water system to deliver safe drinking water;
3. actions, procedures, and equipment which can obviate or significantly lessen the impact of a malevolent act or natural hazard on the public health and the safety and supply of drinking water provided to communities and individuals, including the development of alternative source water options, relocation of water intakes, and construction of flood protection barriers; and
4. strategies that can be used to aid in the detection of malevolent acts or natural hazards that threaten the security or resilience of the system.

Community water systems must, to the extent possible, coordinate with local emergency planning committees established under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. 11001 et seq.) when preparing or revising a risk and resiliency assessment or emergency response plan under the AWIA. Further, systems must maintain a copy of the assessment and emergency response plan (including any revised assessment or plan) for five years after certifying the plan to the EPA.

Staff has completed the Emergency Response Plan and has attached it to the case. The Emergency Response Plan, along with the Risk and Resiliency Assessment, will both need to be revisited and updated in 5 years, which Staff will again complete as part of our normal duties.  

Staff completed the emergency response plan as part of normal duties.

Staff recommends adoption of Resolution 21-330 accepting the emergency response plan (ERP) for the City of Ramsey's water supply system and authorizing submittal of the ERP to the Environmental Protection Agency on or before December 31, 2021.

Motion to adopt Resolution 21-330 accepting the emergency response plan for the water supply and authorizing submittal of the plan to the Environmental Protection Agency.