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As of October 25, 2020, there are 4812 open recommendations, of which 473 are priority recommendations. Recommendations remain open until they are designated as Closed-implemented or Closed-not implemented.
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Recommendation: The Assistant Administrator for Water should direct EPA's Office of Water to amend its Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act inspection guidance documents to add questions on strategic workforce planning topics--such as the number of positions needed in the future, skills needed in the future, and any potential gaps in water operator positions. (Recommendation 1)
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency Status: Open
Comments: In June 2020, EPA Office of Water said that it had revised guidance for conducting Sanitary Surveys for drinking water plants, adding questions related to workforce needs to the "utility management" section of the guidance manual (see Sanitary Survey Learner's Guide (https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-08/documents/sanitary_survey_learners_guide_508_8.27.19.pdf), which includes questions on strategic workforce planning topics in section 14.7. As the recommendation applies to wastewater utilities, EPA did not provide an update. In August 2020, EPA officials stated that they plan to incorporate strategic planning questions into its existing guidance documents. According to EPA, it has taken other actions to support the water workforce by announcing a "Water Workforce Initiative," the goal of which is to provide federal leadership and increase public awareness of water sector careers. We will continue to follow-up with EPA Office of Water to determine what actions have been taken in the wastewater area to add questions on workforce issues in inspection guidance.
