These recorded webinars provide an introduction and overview of drinking water processes, policies, and protection. Maria Lopez-Carbo, Deputy Division Director for Standards & Risk Management in EPA’s Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water leads both of these sessions designed for those just starting to work on this issue or looking for a refresher on some key components of drinking water treatment.

About the Webinars:

Drinking water crises in Flint, Detroit, Toledo, California’s Central Valley, and West Virginia have highlighted the need to invest in our natural and built infrastructure while also providing affordable water to all customers to ensure access to safe and healthy drinking water. To engage constructively as a community member and advocate, it’s important to understand drinking water systems and policies, rules, and technologies. These two webinars will provide introductory information as well as time for Q&A.

About the Speaker:

Maria is currently the acting division director for the Standards and Risk Management Division in the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water. This Division is responsible for promulgating National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. Maria has extensive experience working collaboratively with states, tribes and many water sector stakeholders to implement and provide oversight of federal drinking water regulations. Prior to joining the Office of Water, Maria worked with Office of Air & Radiation certifying off road diesel engines. Prior to joining EPA, Maria worked at a 65 MGD wastewater treatment plant that serves Fairfax County, a suburb of Washington, D.C. and designed stormwater detention ponds. Maria has B.S. in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech and a M.S. in Environmental Engineering from JHU.

Drinking Water 101-A

Sources of drinking water, components of a drinking water system and types of water utilities – the first webinar covers where our drinking water comes from, the components of a drinking water system including treatment, storage and distribution as well as the different types of utilities that treat water such as community, non-community, public, private, and the range of sizes of utilities and why that matters.

Drinking Water 101-B

Drinking water quality and infrastructure – the second webinar in this series covers the history and purpose of the Safe Drinking Water Act and how drinking water regulations and standards are established and implemented by EPA, the states and water utilities, including the issues of compliance, public health and available federal funds to address infrastructure challenges and technical assistance.