Sen. James M. Inhofe (Oklahoma) has introduced the Water Security Act of 2007 (S.1968). This bill would make several grant programs available through the Environmental Protection Agency.
First, grants would be available to state, local and privately owned wastewater treatment works and community water systems to work on vulnerability assessments, security enhancements, emergency response plans, site security plans and mutual aid agreements. These grants could fund up to half of the project costs.
The bill also provides for technical assistance to small water and wastewater systems (serving populations less than 10,000) for vulnerability assessments, emergency response plans, site security plans and security enhancements. This might be done through a grant to one or more nonprofit organizations. Another grant may go to one or more nonprofits to refine the vulnerability assessment methodology.
Finally, the bill provides for training grants. The training is for water and wastewater systems to help them conduct vulnerability assessments, develop emergency response plans and identify security enhancements.
