The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Strengthening Water Infrastructure for Tomorrow (SWIFT) Initiative is providing free natural hazard risk assessment technical assistance and webinars to support drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities. The offerings focus on helping utilities build resilience to natural hazards and disasters through risk-informed planning, compliance support, and investment readiness. SWIFT assistance and trainings are available at no cost to eligible utilities, with registration and contact links included in the announcement.
Technical assistance through SWIFT includes development or updates to Risk and Resilience Assessments (RRAs) and Emergency Response Plans (ERPs), which certain community water systems are required to complete under section 1433 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The program helps utilities identify vulnerable infrastructure, estimate damage likelihoods, and use natural hazards data to underpin RRAs. It also provides options for infrastructure and operational changes to increase resilience, assesses risks including impacts to public and environmental health, and outlines preliminary business cases that pair estimated costs with projected risk reduction. In addition, SWIFT shares information on potential funding sources to support resilience investments.
To connect with SWIFT technical assistance, utilities can use the “Connect with SWIFT Technical Assistance” link provided in the announcement. Engagements are tailored to each request, ranging from building RRAs and updating ERPs to quantifying the benefits of specific resilience projects. The intent is to enable utilities to prioritize actions, document compliance, and position projects for funding.
A free webinar titled “Natural Hazard Technical Assistance for Updating your Emergency Response Plan” is scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. EST. The session will provide an overview of SDWA section 1433 requirements and demonstrate how to use available data resources, tools, templates, and free technical assistance to address natural hazard threats in ERPs. EPA is applying for continuing education units (CEUs) for certified drinking water operators for this session. Registration is available via the link included in the announcement.
A second webinar, “Water Sector Utility Case Studies for Building Resilience to Natural Hazards,” is set for Wednesday, December 9, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. EST. This session will feature examples of how utilities have used SWIFT technical assistance to build system resilience to a range of natural hazards and will include utility perspectives on the process and outcomes. A registration link is provided in the announcement.
A third webinar, “Building Winter Weather Resilience for Water Sector Utilities,” will be held on Wednesday, January 13, 2027, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. EST. Topics include the seasonal outlook, an overview of the SWIFT technical assistance experience, and tools for understanding winter weather impacts and identifying resilient solutions. Registration information is provided in the announcement, and utilities are encouraged to participate and engage SWIFT for tailored support.
