The concept for the manual came from the January 27, 2004, joint EPA Office of Water and Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response Division Directors meeting held in Tampa, Florida. Discussion at the meeting indicated that although geographic opportunities exist for water and waste program coordination, a framework was needed to improve collaboration and make it more routine. Division Directors agreed that the first step in developing a framework would be to create a compendium of success stories and to use these successes to create conceptual collaboration models. The models would be applied to other projects and afford guidance in similar, future situations. To implement the Division Directors agreement, EPA Region 8 was asked to develop a manual for watershed cleanup that would help regional water and waste program managers collaborate in implementing watershed cleanup projects. The resulting manual, Integrating Water and Waste Programs to Restore Watersheds, was based on several regional success stories. User feedback on the manual indicated that a version for state and local staff was necessary. The purpose of this document is to enhance, strengthen, and increase the effectiveness of working relationships among EPA, state and local managers working in water and waste programs.

Cover title. "EPA 540-K-07-001." "August 2007"--P. 2. Title from title screen (viewed Nov. 1, 2007).

The purpose of this manual is to enhance coordination across U.S. EPA, State, and local waste and water programs to streamline requirements, satisfy multiple objectives, tap into a variety of funding sources, and implement restoration activities more efficiently, with a goal of showing measurable results. The manual provides a road map to conducting cross-programmatic watershed assessments and cleanups in watersheds with both water and waste program issues and presents innovative tools to enhance program integration. Finally, the manual provides guidance on integrating assessment and cleanup activities to optimize available tools and resources and thus help restore contaminated waters and sediments efficiently and effectively.