Our Operations Manager, Ben Lewis sent the photos to FRWA last week. Besides being really cool, I thought that it was interesting that wooden pipes existed at all. When I started to look into the history, it was surprising some of the facts I discovered!
Wooden pipes were seen as early as the 13th century in London. The earliest wooden pipes in the United States were in Philadelphia in the 1700s. These pipes were made of bored elm and hemlock. The natural taper of the trees allowed for fittings that mirror the flange of modern pipes, and holes were bored out manually and some times fire was used to burn out heartwood.
In Florida, wooden pipes have been unearthed in Jacksonville, Fernandina, and Panama City. As they say, "We've come a long way baby!" but we still have a long way to go to replace and upgrade our aging infrastructure.
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On May 13 at 1 PM, the FWEA Utility Council and the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research (EDR) will convene a joint webinar on complying with HB 53’s needs analyses for domestic wastewater. This webinar will provide an opportunity for domestic wastewater utilities to learn all they need to know on how to complete EDR’s Wastewater Template for Needs Analysis, which is due to the county in which the utility operates by June 30, 2022. Webinar leaders will also explain to county representatives how to appropriately compile and submit local reports to EDR by July 31, 2022. As part of this webinar, a utility representative will provide specific examples on how to interpret and respond to each reporting template question.
More information, including log in information to the webinar, will be provided in the coming weeks. If you have any questions, please contact Shelley Long at ucadmin@fweauc.org.
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FRWA Training at a Glance |
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Click on the photo below to see FRWA training at work. |
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FRWA recommends as last resort to other D/DBP compliance treatments.
North Port Utilities staff members recently attended training by Florida Rural Water Association presenters, Sterling Carroll, P.E. and Stan Epperly, State Water Circuit Rider. Plant operators and field operators learned new methods/concepts of disinfection, chloramine production, advances in the industry surrounding chloramines, and other alternatives to chloramines.
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Don't Forget to Register for the FL/AL |
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May 18-19, 2022
Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort
11212 Front Beach Rd
Panama City FL 32407
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This year we return to the Edgewater in Panama City on May 18-19, 2022 to meet with friends from Alabama Rural Water to host the Florida/Alabama Joint Conference. This year’s Conference will be held at the beautiful Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort.
For only $100.00, you can register for the conference as an attendee to attend class and earn 1.0 CEUs as well participate in all the activities and meals during the Conference. If you would like to sign in early, you may come by on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 17th while the Exhibitors are setting up in the Exhibit Hall. If you can't make it on Monday afternoon, don't worry! We will be opened bright and early at 8:00 am on Wednesday, May 18th to give you plenty of time to sign in and enjoy a continental breakfast in the Exhibit Hall before class begins at 9:30 am.
Don’t miss this opportunity to network with your peers while enjoying the latest in training topics and earn 1.0 CEU. Our Exhibit Hall will offer a chance to see the latest technology that the industry has to offer. At the end of the day, you can relax with your friends and enjoy the Annual Seafood Boil. If you have family coming with you, you can purchase additional meal tickets for $30.00.
To register and for more information, click here.
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FRWA Always Looking for Great People |
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NATIONAL NEWS
Advice For Utility Managers Trying To Build Cutting-Edge Organizations The utility industry is at the center of a global shift. This means utility managers must develop new methods and operations that support customers, communities, stakeholders, and the environment. more
SCOTUS 'Shadow Docket' Revives Water Law In a 5-4 split, the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday temporarily revived a Trump-era rule intended to fast-track big energy projects by limiting the states' power to curtail them under the Clean Water Act. more
AWWA Testifies On New Approach To Cybersecurity Threats In a hearing today on cybersecurity before the House Committee on Homeland Security, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) testified that a new approach is needed which “sets minimum cybersecurity standards for all types of water systems.” more
Supreme Court Action May Affect Biden's Plans For WOTUS The Supreme Court’s move yesterday to revive a Trump-era EPA permitting rule could serve as a warning for the Biden administration on how it should proceed with other regulations that have been struck down by lower courts. more
EPA RELEASES WATER POLICY MEMO FOR REDUCING NUTRIENT POLLUTION EPA has released a new policy memorandum from Radhika Fox, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water, addressed to State Environmental and Agriculture Secretaries, Commissioners, and Directors; and Tribal Environmental and Natural Resource Directors, on “Accelerating Nutrient Pollution Reductions in the Nation’s Waters.” more
Since 2017, A Ludicrous 101 Named Storms Have Formed. Expect More This Season Mean reversion is the concept that over an extended time horizon, extreme events or rare streaks are balanced by more common outcomes. more
Join EPA Virtually For The Two-Hour Workshops The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is sponsoring three free virtual webinar workshops for water and wastewater utility operators and leaders serving tribes and small communities to provide insight into effective strategies for asset management, utility rate setting, staff retention and to provide information on maintaining wastewater lagoons and onsite septic systems. more
STATE NEWS
City of Kissimmee Proclaims April as Water Conservation Month! Be a water ... - Positively Osceola The City of Kissimmee recently reminded the community the importance of water conservation during a commission meeting by proclaiming April as Water Conservation Month, and presented the proclamation to Mary Cox from Toho Water Authority. more
'Hurricanes don't care about your timeline': Experts urge preparation for storm season - Florida Today Facing forecasts of yet another busy Atlantic hurricane season, National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham fears the alarming trend of fiercer, more-dangerous storms will continue — catching families who postpone preparations flat-footed. more
DEP Announces Funding Opportunity for Nonpoint Source Projects The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Water Restoration Assistance (DWRA) is calling for proposals for two water quality grant opportunities. more
Drummond Ave. sewage line will be relocated | My Panhandle City commissioners have received $3.25 million from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to move a sewer line. more
Heavy March rains doused the drought | WJCT Exceptionally heavy rainfall in March has relieved signs of a drought in much of Northeast Florida. more
Sarasota County launches major expansion of Bee Ridge wastewater facility | Herald Tribune At a facility in eastern Sarasota County, wastewater swirls around in 180-foot-long tanks perched on top of a plain, white building. more
Freeport doubling wastewater treatment capabilities | My Panhandle Crews are expanding the wastewater treatment capacity in the city of Freeport. Freeport’s existing wastewater treatment plant can handle 600,000 gallons of water per day. more
Town Council to get update on water feasibility study at Tuesday's meeting | Palm Beach Daily News Two years after awarding a contract to Kimley-Horn for a water feasibility study, the Palm Beach Town Council on Tuesday will get a progress report from the consultant. more
Governor Ron DeSantis Awards More Than $24 Million To Communities Across The Panhandle | WJHG Governor Ron DeSantis made two stops in the panhandle on Friday, starting in Port St. Joe and then making his way to Apalachicola. It seems DeSantis never comes empty-handed. He had millions of dollars written out on massive checks for communities all across the Panhandle. more
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This Week in Water History |
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Conditions of Small Water Purification Plants in Illinois |
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April 10, 1913 Engineering News article. Conditions of Small Water Purification Plants in Illinois. By Ralph Hilscher. “In Illinois there are about a dozen water purification plants with rated capacities of about 2,000,000 gal. per day, or less, which involve the use of coagulants, settling basins and filters. Of these, with possibly two or three exceptions, it can be said that none produce an effluent that attains at all times the standard of purity that any municipality should demand for Its public water-supply. Some of these plants yield an effluent during the major part of the time, which is of quite satisfactory quality, but fall far short of successful operation during periods of excessive turbidity and color in the raw water. Others produce an effluent at no time that is of good appearance and satisfactory from a hygienic standpoint.
The poor results realized are due largely to certain faults in design and operation, which are more or less common to these small installations. Many of the plants are of obsolete design and in practically all the plants, too great economy was attempted in building and certain essential features were omitted. The operation has usually been deficient due to lack of experience and expert advice In such matters. Certain faults largely responsible for the short-comings of these plants will be discussed [in the larger article].
Reference: Hilscher, Ralph. 1913. “Conditions of Small Water Purification Plants in Illinois.” Engineering News article 69:15(April 10, 1913): 707.
Commentary: Like today, there were problems with small water systems throughout the U.S. The image of the double-plunger angle blowoff valve has nothing to do with the article about small water treatment plants. It was just a cool drawing in the same issue of Engineering News.
To enjoy more opportunities to take a look at the past in water history, go to this link.
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2970 Wellington Circle | Tallahassee FL 32309 | 850.668.8023 | Contact Us
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