Dear Colleague:

All Community Water Systems (CWSs) with a service population of 3,301 to 49,999 are required to conduct a Vulnerability Assessment (VA) of their facility and submit a copy of the VA and certification of submittal to EPA by June 30, 2004.  In addition, these systems are required to submit a certification to EPA within six months of submitting the VA that they have developed or updated their ERP.  Please visit www.epa.gov/safewater/security for more details regarding these staturtory requirements.  Please remember you are only submitting the ERP certification, not the actual ERP.

EPA has been working with states and partner organizations to provide you with a variety of tools and assistance to help meet these requirements.  Complete instructions on the VA submittal and ERP certification process are available at www.epa.gov/safewater/security/community.html .  For information on the EPA's information protection protocol go to www.epa.gov/safewater/security/agency.html .

We recommend that you submit the VA and certification using an express or courier service, such as Federal Express, United Parcel Service, Airbore, etc., which provides tracking and certification of delivery.  Using these services will ensure that the submission is delivered directly to the persons authorized to receive and process these items.  Use the following address for express or courier service deliveries to EPA.  This location is open for deliveries between 8:30 a.m.. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.  Call the number under the address below before attempting delivery outside of those hours.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Water Resource Center (WSD-RAR)
Room 1119 EPA Wester Building
1301 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20004

Couriers are to use phone number 202-566-1729.

EPA is working with many partners to provide resources for all water utilities in the process of conducting a VA and creating or upgrading ERPs.  Please visit www.epa.gov/safewater/security for more details regarding these resources.

The Agency appreciates your continued efforts towards improving security at your water system.  Please feel free to contact the EPA Water Security Division at 202-564-3779 with any questions regarding this matter.