Florida Rural Water Association
2970 Wellington Circle
Tallahassee FL 32309
850.668.2746
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 The Florida Rural Water Association in partnership with the National Rural Water Association and the Department of Labor has developed a Water and Wastewater Operator Workforce Development/ Apprenticeship Program. The week of November 8-14 has been designated as National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) as a nationwide celebration to bring together business leaders, career seekers, labor, educational institutions, and other critical partners in an effort to demonstrate support for apprenticeship.
The week-long celebration will highlight the benefits of apprenticeship in preparing a highly-skilled workforce to meet the talent needs of employers across diverse industries.
Florida Rural Water has been meeting with perspective utilities to discuss the program and answer any questions they might have. We would like to start a program in southwest Florida within the next few months. November 2020 is the kick off meeting for the participating Utilities with the program starting in January 2021 at a location that is yet to be determined. The system that signs up the most apprentices is eligible be the site/location if they choose to be.
Apprentices can look forward to learning and gaining
experience at the job site, plant tours and in classroom
settings. FRWA's instructors use equipment and
cut away models of pumps, motors and other training
devices to teach hands on maintenance.
The FRWA Workforce Development Program offers
many benefits to water and wastewater utilities. The
utility gains access to a vetted pool of applicants that
will receive technical training in addition to their on the-
job training (OJT). The apprentice becomes a
valuable employee as they learn first-hand essential
skills on-the-job and learn about the system's assets
from a mentor. This mentor is a licensed operator
who already works for the system; an ideal mentor
has supervisory /management experience.
Apprenticeship Program as well.
For more information on the Workforce Development Program, click here or contact Joni Synatschk at 850.668.2746 or Joni@frwa.net.
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Help Us Train the Next Generation of Water and Wastewater Operators
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 The Florida Rural Water Association needs your help in training the water and wastewater operators of the future. If you have any older water utility equipment that you could donate, could you please let us know by contacting Joni Synatschk at 850.668.2746 or you may email Joni at Joni@frwa.net.
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GREEN Cybersecurity Advisory for Water Sector
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 On October 29, a large water and wastewater utility in the United States was victimized by a cyber ransomware attack. The risk of additional water and wastewater sector facilities being attacked by this threat is high. The WaterISAC has published an Advisory (attached) in response to this incident. The Advisory describes what happened, recommended actions to reduce risk, and additional resources. The WaterISAC has graciously permitted the distribution of this Advisory across the water and wastewater systems sector.
EPA has requested that we distribute this Advisory without delay to their membership for their immediate attention. Questions regarding this Advisory may be directed to WaterISAC at analyst.waterisac.org. Cybersecurity incidents should be reported to the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency at https://us-cert.cisa.gov/forms/report and WaterISAC.
For more information, contact Jim McClaugherty at Jim.McClaugherty@frwa.net or 800.872.8702.
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City of Destin FL Named Tank of the Year Winner
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KANSAS CITY, MO -- A municipal water tank in Destin, Fla., is this year's winner of the Tank of the Year competition sponsored by Tnemec Company Inc., a leading provider of high-performance coatings. The water tank was selected by a panel of water tank enthusiasts based on criteria such as artistic value, significance of the tank to the community, and challenges encountered during the project.
The winning tank was painted with Tnemec's UV-resistant, long-lasting fluoropolymer finish, Series 700 HydroFlon, which will help the design look great for a long time, even in the hot and humid Florida climate. more
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Hurricane Zeta Leaves 2.5 Million Customers Without Power and Widespread Damage in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama Rural Water Associations were called on again to provide emergency response assistance for small water utilities. more
Senate Democrats Call for Halt to Utility Shutoffs Congressional Democrats say legislation is needed to mandate a disconnection ban and other aid to help families in dire financial straits. more
Biosolids Research Finds a Doubling in Cost to Switch from Beneficial Reuse to Landfill Disposal Caused by PFAS Regulation (CDMSmith) Cost Analysis of the Impacts on Municipal Utilities and Biosolids Management to Address PFAS Contamination. more
Sewage Testing Suggests COVID Cases to Increase in Coming Days (CNN) When Rosa Inchausti and her colleagues started testing wastewater in Tempe, Arizona, it was 2018 and they were not looking for coronavirus. They were tracking the opioid epidemic. more
Trump Administration Invests $891 Million in Rural Water and Wastewater Infrastructure (USDA) "Upgrading water infrastructure provides a path to economic growth and protects the health and safety of people who live and work in rural areas," USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand said. "Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Perdue, USDA continues to be a strong partner to rural communities, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives." more
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TRACK, MODELS, SATELLITE: Eta could trek to Florida Once a powerful Category 4 hurricane, Eta was downgraded to a tropical depression Wednesday as it moved over Nicaragua, and computer models show the weather system eventually heading toward or into South Florida. more
Miami-Dade To Add Free Chlorine To Tap Water For 2 Weeks Residents in Miami-Dade can expect their water to taste a little funny for a couple of weeks in November but it is perfectly normal, the county says. more
Marianna City Commission applies for over $40 million in grant money | My Panhandle The City of Marianna is applying for over $40 million in grant money through the Department of Economic Opportunity. Five potential projects will be geared toward improving infrastructure and public safety. more
County Bond Referendum Passes by Wide Margin | Bradenton Times The county's bond referendum passed by 43 points, or about 83,000 votes. The referendum will establish a new tax dedicated to the preservation of Manatee County's natural resources. more
With months of pipe breaks in Fort Lauderdale, new $65 million project should provide relief | Local 10 Usually the installation of new sewer lines isn't a big story, but for Fort Lauderdale residents it certainly is since many have lost track of the number of sewer main breaks in their neighborhoods since December. more
Palm Coast residents, your water might taste, smell different in November | News4Jax The Utility Department in Palm Coast is changing the process for disinfecting the city's drinking water supply, which means residents might notice a change in the taste and smell of their water. more
Water challenges vary from coast to coast | Okeechobee News Droughts in one part of the state and flooding in others were among the challenges discussed by the County Coalition for Responsible Management of Lake Okeechobee, St. Lucie and the Caloosahatchee Estuaries, and the Lake Worth Lagoon at their meeting in the Vista Center on Oct. 30. more
Sumter County administrator offers update on possible Florida Turnpike expansion | Villages News A westward extension of the Florida Turnpike could follow State Road 44. more
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This Week in Water History
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107th Anniversary of Regulation Banning
the Common Cup
October 30, 1912. At the turn of the 20th century, public health professionals were still struggling to incorporate the precepts of the germ theory into all of their protocols. The general population was even further behind and, in many cases, resisted the momentum for change. One popular custom during this period was the use of a single cup or dipper for a pail of water or water cooler aboard trains-the common cup. Disease transmission as a result of using a common cup in public places was a serious problem far longer than imaginable. In 1902, the MIT professor and noted author William T. Sedgwick recognized the danger of the common drinking cup, cautioned against its use and noted that the public was not concerned, possibly due to the familiarity of its use. more
For more articles on what went on this week in water history, click here.
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