EPA has posted a general update on its website on the status of carbon dioxide (CO2) availability for drinking water treatment. This update provides an overview of CO2 production in the U.S., issues that can impact regional availability, and use of alternate grades of CO2 for drinking water treatment.
Utilities can help mitigate the risk of supply chain shocks by understanding their supplier dependencies and planning for disruptions. According to EPA, “the source of CO2 varies regionally, depending on the predominant industry producing CO2 as a byproduct. This can lead to regional vulnerabilities in supply. Where CO2 production is heavily reliant on the production of ethanol or ammonia, there is planned downtime at the ethanol and ammonia plants in the fall season, which can temporarily impact the availability of CO2. Where CO2 production is a byproduct of natural gas production, availability of CO2 is tied to fluctuations in natural gas production.” Over the past few years, the southeastern U.S. has experienced recurring CO2 supply issues. Read more about the status of CO2 availability at EPA.
EPA also maintains a situational awareness web portal where it posts about events that could impact water and wastewater utility supply chains. Supply chain disruptions can emanate from a variety of contingencies. Therefore, maintaining awareness of disruptions is critical since supply chain challenges can impact a water or wastewater utility’s ability to receive the chemicals or equipment needed to treat or protect water and wastewater.
To help utilities enhance the resilience of their chemical supply chain, EPA created multiple free resources which WaterISAC encourages members to access:
- Chemical Suppliers and Manufacturers Locator Tool
- Water and Wastewater Supply Chain Case Studies
- Water Treatment Chemical Supply Chain Profiles
- Understanding Water Treatment Chemical Supply Chains and the Risk of Disruptions
To help prepare for potential future supply chain disruptions in general, WaterISAC recommends utilities review EPA’s “Supply Chain Resilience Guide for Water and Wastewater Utilities.” EPA can also assist utilities with a supply chain resilience assessment. To request additional information about the assessment process, or to indicate interest in participating with an assessment, please email EPA at: SupplyChainSupport@epa.gov.
Additionally, WaterISAC encourages utilities to share any supply chain impacts they experience. In addition to the state primacy agency (and any other entity required by regulations), utilities can report a supply chain disruption to EPA at SupplyChainSupport@epa.gov. WaterISAC also encourages its members to report supply chain disruptions by emailing analyst@waterisac.org or calling (866)H2O-ISAC.
