Florida Rural Water Association
2970 Wellington Circle
Tallahassee FL 32309
850.668.2746
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The Situation in Flint, MI
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The contaminated water situation in Flint, MI is very unfortunate and has created a
firestorm in the media. There is no question that vulnerable populations were significantly impacted such as children, elderly and poverty-stricken residents of this city already in the midst of a financial crisis. This
complicated and unique event does have the potential to impact the public's confidence in drinking water. It shouldn't, and here's why:
- There are more than sufficient regulatory oversight procedures in place to prevent a situation such as Flint from occurring.
- The unique set of circumstances in Flint will be analyzed for days and weeks to come, and the lessons learned will be incorporated immediately into industry and regulatory practices.
- The United States enjoys one of the safest tap water supplies in the world, due to the hard work and dedication of certified system operations specialists committed to providing clean drinking water.
Something did go wrong in Flint, and it simply should not have happened. When the investigations are complete, corrective actions in the regulatory process will make sure the causes for the contamination do not happen again. The Flint water crisis was the result of systemic technical, managerial and financial capacity issues, and shouldn't reflect negatively on the rest of the water industry.
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National Rural Water Association released the following statement in support of the dedicated men and women in our industry.
The situation on Flint, MI is less about water regulation and more about government failures and mismanagement. However, media sensationalism does have the ability to grab people's attention and will certainly impact EPA significantly as the handling of this particular case is put under scrutiny.
There are approximately 52,000 community water supplies in the nation, and 92% serve populations of 10,000 or less. Rural and small systems do an excellent job in complying with all of the regulatory requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act, including compliance with the lead and copper rule. The lead and copper rule is one of EPA's most complex water regulations, and all water systems must comply with these standards.
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Suggested Media Responses for Utility Managers on Lead
Please see below some suggested language that can be used if you address the media.
- Our system has always been in compliance with the lead and copper rule.
- We test for lead and copper levels in older homes, with older plumbing and fixtures, on a regular basis to ensure there is no leaching of lead from lines in the distribution system or the homes. We are in total compliance with all water quality regulations. more
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A recent intelligence report on the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has revealed its plan to attack Turkey by poisoning the country's water sources and thereby causing the spread of disease throughout the country.
According to the intelligence report, signed by İstanbul Vice Governor Nurullah Naci Kalkancı on Jan. 15, ISIL used mustard gas, anthrax and chlorine, which it took by force from the Syrian regime, in several attacks in Iraq and Syria. The intelligence report, labeled "confidential," was sent to all security units in İstanbul. more
Finding EPA WSD Information and Tools
As many of you know, the Environmental Protection Agency has been redesigning all of its web pages. This means that many of the links that we have come to rely on no longer work or have been modified. Our colleagues at the Water Security Division have provided a new set of links that should help you "rediscover" their web pages, tools, and helpful information.
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E-Enterprise Lean and Information Technology Toolkit Now Available January 20th, 2016 Lean and information technology (IT) are two important ways that environmental agencies are transforming how they protect human health and the environment.
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This is the twenty-sixth year that FRWA and the
D
ep
artment of Environmental Protection have teamed up to present the Focus on Change Seminars.
The sessions are designed to provide the most current regulatory information available to
utilities.
The topics/agenda
for this year's events have been finalized. To register and to view details, click
here.
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FRWA Drinking Water Service
Water Treatment Processes
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n an effort to keep our membership informed of the services that FRWA has to offer, we will be featuring a different service each week. This week's service features our Drinking Water Program.
Water Treatment Processes
FRWA Circuit Riders are ready & able to assist your system with water treatment issues.
- Capacity & Adequacy of drinking water source and treatment facilities per FDEP Rule 62-555.320 (6) FAC
- Wells under the direct influence of surface water shall comply with Rule 62-550.817, FAC
- Disinfection per 62-555.320 (12) & (13) FAC
- Processes, Sequence & Layout
- Treatment Facilities Condition
- Troubleshooting & Training
- Color Coding of Piping per 62-555.320 (10) FAC more
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Examination Review Information
Drinking Water
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This is the nineteenth installment in a twenty-five week series of useful information when you are preparing to take your C/D Drinking Water Operator Exam. This week's installment is .Mathematics for Operators For a complete list of topics covered previously, click here.
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