FRWA eNews
September 19 , 2019
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Florida Rural Water Association
2970 Wellington Circle
Tallahassee FL 32309
850.668.2746
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Losses Outweighing Gains
Ben Lewis, FRWA Program Manager
The Water and Wastewater Utility Workforce is Aging out/Retiring Faster than the inf lux of younger workers. So we need a Proactive Mentorship and Apprenticeship Program.
In the last few years there have been many reports that we are losing more and more licensed water and wastewater operators due to retirement. Reports also state that the average age of our operators is 55 to 60 years of age. Almost one-third of water and wastewater industry professionals will be at or nearing retirement age in the next few years. This means that we as an industry have to start finding ways to develop the water and wastewater workforce of the future.

The industry will have to step up their outreach and training opportunities and find new and creative ways to attract younger people. These challenges are facing both small and large systems, but will hit the smaller systems harder as they can't compete with the pay and benefits of the larger systems.

The water and wastewater industry has advanced in the recent years with pay and benefits, but we still don't see a lot of people coming out of schools who are interested, thus leading to the industry being a second career and this leads an older work force.  more

2019 NRWA Awards
2019 NRWA Awards
Due Soon!  Risk and Resilience Vulnerability Assessments
Jim McLaugherty,  Security/Vulnerability Assessment Technician

The re is still time to do the vulnerability assessment in order to meet th e EPA's deadline. We are promoting that the Assessment reports be done earlier than later though to avoid the rush caused by pent up demand. Delaying Reports until the due date is common and the overload will cause delays and disappointments as we realize we will not be able to do all the plants in Florida as the deadline draws near.

The following is the deadline ruling which is introduced as follows. We will assist plants that service populations of greater than 10,000 up until January 1st 2020. After January 1st 2020 we must concentrate on the smaller systems that service populations of 3,300 but less than 50,000. more
National News
EPA In-Depth Analysis: Stage 2 DBPR The goal of an in-depth analysis is to identify compliance challenges related to a specific regulatory requirement and to share best practices for enhancing
implementation. more

EPA Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (DBPR) and Consecutive System In-Depth Analysis The goal of an In-Depth Analysis is to identify compliance challenges related to a specific regulatory requirement and to share best practices for enhancing implementation. more

Addressing DBPs in Drinking Water with the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Communities may use the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to reduce this public health concern in their drinking water systems. more

EPA Administrator Addresses Agency Goals with Water
U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler delivered the keynote presentation to kick off Opening Session at the 2019 WaterPro Conference in Nashville, Tennessee with more than 2,100 in attendance. more

Gulf states receive billions in disaster funding The federal government is giving more then $7.5 billion to 15 states and localities hit by major disasters in recent years to help protect against the effects of climate change, one of its largest single investments in disaster mitigation. more
State News
NWFWMD Region II Regional Water Supply Plan Two workshops are planned to discuss updates to the Region II RWSP, as noted below. Both workshops will cover the same material. An agenda is attached. more

SRWMD Cost Share Projects - Review Team Meeting Opportunity The Suwannee River Water Management District (District) is gearing up to accept new project proposals for the District's 2020 cycle RIVER and SPRINGS Cost Share Program. more

Bay County to keep millage rate unchanged next year | Panama City News Herald The Bay County Commission plans to maintain the current property tax rate for the next fiscal year. Despite significant losses in property tax revenue because of Hurricane Michael, the county has found ways to cover the gap and avoid a tax increase on people still recovering from the historic storm, officials say. more

DeSantis pledges 'Glades restoration funds; fines for polluters | Lehigh Acres Citizen  Florida lawmakers have touted over and over again that they are serious about environmental reform in Florida, and on Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Rep. Francis Rooney (R-Naples) showed the issue is still at the forefront of their minds. more

Auburndale approves $52.1 million budget, keeps tax rate same | The Ledger Auburndale City Commission unanimously approves $52.1 million budget and votes to keep property tax rate unchanged for 2020 fiscal year. more

Fort Lauderdale left its water system vulnerable - and then paid for its own neglect | Sun Sentinel Eight years after shrinking its staff, Fort Lauderdale still doesn't have the workers it needs to be sure a water line failure doesn't leave the city dry the way it did last month. more

Ormond Beach water tower updates nearly done | Ormond Beach Observer 
After almost one year, Ormond Beach's water tower makeover is almost completed - except for its struts.more

Vero Beach wastewater treatment plant will move off Indian River Lagoon, council says | TCPalm 
VERO BEACH - Council wants to move the city wastewater treatment plant off the Indian River Lagoon - but it could take about five years.  more

FRWA Puts GovPlanet Generator Sets to Use for Disaster Relief
For those without the know-how or resources to solve these water related problems on their own, nonprofits and NGOs like the  Florida Rural Water Association  (FRWA) are there to ensure that our water keeps flowing, and flowing freshly. Since 1979, FRWA has been providing training, technical assistance, consultations and legislative advice to members, local governments and water service providers throughout Florida. Now with over 30 staff members, decades of experience and a vast array of combined professional resources, the FRWA has become a leading organization for all water and wastewater services in the region.more

Bay County approves Hathaway water line project | Walton Sun
The Bay County Commission approved an $8.5 million project on Tuesday to replace a leaky water main in Hathaway Bridge that supplies the bulk of water to eastern Panama City Beach.more

Mary Esther moving forward with $30 million loan for infrastructure improvements | Northwest Florida Daily News
The borrowed money will pay for a citywide water and sewer infrastructure rehabilitation project. more

New flood maps released in southwest Florida
Flooding can strike in a moments notice, especially during hurricane season. On Tuesday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is revealing the first new, preliminary flood maps for our area in more than a decade. more
This Week in Water History
Ocean Pollution Warning

September 13, 1987:   New York Timesheadline- "Pollution of Summer '87 Seen as Oceanic Warning." Along the East Coast, where tides have been running an ugly brown and garbage washes ashore, where some waters have become unsafe for swimming and lethal to a multitude of fish, the summer of 1987 should be viewed as a cautionary tale, environmental experts and Government officials say.

The unpleasant summer, which cast a pall on thousands of vacations, was a demonstration of how delicate the ecosystem balance is in the marine environment. Experts agree that the problems, the result of conditions long established, will be repeated from time to time. And few think that enough is being done about them. Much of the blame for the pollution was leveled at wastewater discharges.

For more articles on what went on this week in water history, click here
Florida Rural Water Association |   frwa@frwa.net | http://www.frwa.net
2970 Wellington Circle
Tallahassee FL 32309
850.668.2746