News Releases from Headquarters

EPA Acts to Increase Supply of Clean Drinking Water in U.S. Virgin Islands

WASHINGTON (September 23, 2017) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today issued an order to the Federal Emergency Management Authority (FEMA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) that provides direction on supplying of clean drinking water in the U.S. Virgin Islands in response to impacts to the island’s drinking water system from Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma.

The order authorizes FEMA and DOD to install and operate temporary water treatment units that will provide a supply of clean drinking water. U.S. Virgin Islands public water systems are currently not in operational condition. The lack of clean alternative water supplies has created the potential for significant public health impacts. USVI public water systems have been significantly impacted by Hurricanes Maria and Irma and subsequent flooding, including by a loss of electrical power, and are not yet fully able to provide adequately treated water to meet the needs of those affected areas.

EPA is monitoring environmental and public health conditions across the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and is working closely with federal, territorial and local officials to ensure impacts from the hurricanes are addressed in order to protect public health.

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