Research and Risk Assessment

Research

National Water Quality Research Strategy and Semi-Annual Newsletter

The National Water Quality Research Strategy was developed to comprehensively define the research needed by the National Water Program to address EPA’s Strategic Goals and Sub-objectives for clean and safe water, and communicate them to potential research partners. The Newsletter, called Water Research Updates, is an online publication that reports on relevant water research activities on a semi-annual basis.

Integrated Transdisciplinary Research (ITR)

EPA is working with external stakeholders and partners to develop research action plans in six priority areas that address the greatest needs of the nation for advancements in environmental research - Air, Climate, and Energy, Chemical Sefaty for Sustainability, Homeland Security, Human Health Risk Assessment, Safe and Sustainable Water Resources, and Sustainable and Healthy Communities.

Climate Change Research

The Climate Change Research Program seeks to identify, understand, and mitigate potential water quality and availability issues that could result from strategies such as geologic sequestration of carbon, use of biofuels, and aquifer storage and recovery.

OW Climate Change Strategy

The EPA National Water Program created a Strategy in response to Climate Change to provide an overview of likely effects of climate change on water resources and the nation’s clean water and safe drinking water programs. It identifies Key Actions implemented in headquarters and regional offices and provides current action updates.

Research Grants

EPA offers several funding opportunities for drinking water research, including drinking water science research. This grants page links to the Center for Advancing Microbial Risk Assessment and the Drink Database, and provides information on recent research project grants, recipients, and grant abstracts.

RISK ASSESSMENT

CREAT

EPA developed this software tool to assist drinking water and wastewater utility owners and operators in understanding potential climate change threats and in assessing the related risks at their individual utilities.

FSTRAC

The Federal-State Toxicology and Risk Analysis Committee (FSTRAC), with representatives from state health and environmental agencies and EPA Headquarters and Regional personnel, fosters cooperation, consistency, and an understanding of EPA's and different States' goals and problems in human health risk assessment.

NCEA

The National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) risk assessment criteria documents address EPA’s mandate under CWA to develop criteria for water quality that accurately reflects the latest scientific knowledge through characterizing the adverse health consequences of exposure to toxic or pathogenic agents in drinking water. NCEA developed analytical methodologies and models for the qualitative and quantitative estimates of individual or aggregate risks posed by these contaminants, thereby allowing different risk reduction options to be evaluated.