Florida Rural Water Association
2970 Wellington Circle
Tallahassee FL 32309
850.668.2746
|
|
|
FDEP 62-640, FAC, Rulemaking Update
|
New Announcement
On Dec. 3, 2020, the department published a Notice of Proposed Rule for Chapter 62-640, F.A.C., in the Florida Administrative Register. The notice contains the text of the proposed Chapter 62-640, F.A.C.
A Statement of Estimated Regulatory Costs (SERC) for the proposed rule is also available.
Any questions related to the notice or SERC may be directed by email to Maurice Barker, senior program analyst, Division of Water Resource Management or by mail at:
MS 3545, 2600 Blair Stone Rd.
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Information on the Proposed Rule
|
|
EPA: Draft guidance on water ruling will help industry
|
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday released a draft guidance that interprets a Supreme Court decision in a way that may exempt some facilities from needing permits to pollute groundwater.
In April, the court decided that a permit is required for both direct discharges of pollutants into federally-regulated rivers and oceans as well as their "functional equivalent" in groundwater that flows into regulated waters.
The EPA's new draft guidance, which was first reported by E&E News, says that whether a pollution discharge into groundwater should be considered a "functional equivalent" depends on "what happens to the discharged pollutant over that time and distance traveled" to the regulated body of water.
Specifically, it states that if the composition or concentration of pollutant that ultimately reaches the water is "different" from that which was originally discharged, it "might not" be considered a functional equivalent.
It also states that some facilities may be "less likely" to require a permit if it uses a waste storage or treatment system rather than if it discharges pollutants "consistently and predictably" into groundwater.
The agency argued that its guidance will help industry understand when they need permits. more
|
NOFA - Alternative Water Supply Projects FY 2021-22 The District announced on December 8, 2020, the anticipated availability of FY 2021-2022 grant and cost-share funds for springs restoration and for alternative water supply development projects. Applications are due Tuesday, February 23, 2020. more
Maguire Iron Podcast Features Pat Credeur with Louisiana Rural Water Association on Emergency On this episode of The Maguire Iron Podcast, we discuss COVID-19, hurricane response, and rural water in Louisiana with Pat Credeur, the Executive Director of the Louisiana Rural Water Association. more
WRDA 2020: Water Bill set for final vote in U.S Congress Tuesday | WPTV A big decision in the U.S Congress Tuesday could make a difference in the health of our local waterways. more
ASDWA Releases Transition Brief for the New Administration The Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA) has released the Transition Brief for the New Administration (below) that was shared earlier with the EPA transition team. The Brief provides recommended actions centered around four goals...more
Commentary on the EPA Proposal to Expand the Stage 1 & 2 DBPs Rules EPA's Revelatory "National Drinking Water Advisory Council" December 2nd Meeting: The council met last Wednesday and covered numerous important topics to rural water. more
EPA's PFAS Guidance on Federally Permitted Wastewater Utilities On November 30, EPA released a guidance memorandum addressing PFAS in EPA-issued wastewater permits which include "permitting techniques to address PFAS in wastewater." more
U.S. House passes bill to improve forecasting of harmful algal blooms | TCPalm The U.S. House approved legislation Thursday that would help scientists collaborate to forecast harmful algal blooms and require reports identifying at-risk habitats. more
AWWA Letter to Pelosi and McConnell The water community understands how critical it is to continue to provide water service to our communities during the pandemic. more
|
Impaired Waters Rule (IWR) Notifications Update The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Watershed Assessment Section announces the availability of the 2021 Strategic Monitoring Plans. more
Tampa Rescinds Boil Water Notice After Tests Show No Signs Of Contamination Tampa Water Department officials announced Thursday morning that the notice, which was issued following a water main break on Monday, is no longer in effect. more
La Niña portends dry winter, fiery spring for Florida
Florida is on pace for the warmest year on record, climatologists say, and La Niña's cooler Pacific Ocean waters near the equator foretell a warmer, drier winter and fierce fiery spring. moreWaterline Break Floods Downtown Miami Streets | CBS Miami A significant water line break in downtown Miami early Wednesday morning turned some streets into ponds.
Water testing underway; Tampa hopes to lift boil notice on Thursday | WTSP The City of Tampa said Wednesday crews are one step closer to lifting the precautionary boil-water notice. more
ASRs to provide water storage north of Lake Okeechobee | Okeechobee News Although Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) technology has been used successfully in Florida since the 1980s, some concerns have been raised about using ASR in large scale projects in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. more
City of Panama City votes to raise water and sewer rates starting January | My Panhandle Panama City Commissioners have passed their third new fee or rate hike this year. more
Wilton Simpson says water quality funding will remain a priority despite slimmer budget | Florida Politics Senate President Wilton Simpson told attendees at the Florida Chamber's Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit on Tuesday that funding water quality initiatives would be a priority during his term despite budget challenges. more
Tampa's Citywide Boil Water Notice Expands into Hillsborough County The city is urging all residents to boil tap water "to kill any bacteria or viruses that may have entered the water." The county's health department posted ...
3 Pasco Communities To Receive Reclaimed Water Residents of the Wesbridge and Chapel Chase ... Disconnection and reconnection will not affect drinking water services ... more
North Port City Commission moves toward expansion of sewer | Herald Tribune North Port city commissioners agreed on a framework for water and sewer expansion within the city at a Monday workshop. more
Water Utility Essential Workers As the Nation continues to come together to respond to COVID-19, the March 16th updated Coronavirus Guidance for America that highlighted the significance of the critical infrastructure workforce remains important. more
Opinion: Some parts of Florida are flooding even when it hasn't rained. That's a big problem | St. Augustine Record The 2021 legislative session is just around the corner, and a top priority of all lawmakers will be the health and safety of Floridians, as well as Florida's economic recovery from COVID-19. more |
This Week in Water History
|
December 5, 1782: Martin Van Buren, 8th President of the U.S., is born. In the collective mind of "Mental Floss," Van Buren is famous for his toilet. "When he lost his 1840 reelection bid in a landslide to war hero William Henry Harrison-Van Buren picked up only six states in the electoral college, and not even his home state, New York-the lame duck could then turn his attention to the Lindenwald estate, which was eventually expanded into 36 rooms including a wine cellar, six family bedrooms, one formal guest room, servants' quarters and one toilet.
As you might have guessed, this wasn't just any old toilet. Restored to what is believed to be its original appearance, Van Buren's throne is tucked away on the first floor in a closet-size room, part of a larger bathroom that accommodates the president's original six-foot long bathtub. The toilet bowl itself is made from fine china, set inside a giant frame made of wood. A 100-gallon water tank, connected to a pump in the basement kitchen, is installed above that frame. (It's worth noting that the servants quarters had their own indoor outhouse, and two gate houses on the property probably had outhouses.) more
For more articles on what went on this week in water history, click here.
|
|
|
