FRWA eNews/FDEP Plant Excellence Award Survey

June 9, 2022

PLANT EXCELLENCE AWARDS SURVEY

You work hard to keep your system regulated. Don't you think that it's time that your system was recognized for your efforts!

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection recognizes deserving systems at the Focus on Change Classes presented in February and March of each year with their Plant Operations Excellence Awards. Please help FDEP to make systems more aware of this prestigious award by completing the short (4 question) survey below to make more systems aware of this prestigious award.

Be sure to complete the survey below and nominate your system for the Plant Operations Excellence Award so you will stand up at next year's Focus on Change when a DEP dignitary says...

And the winner is…

Each year, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection presents awards to drinking water and domestic waste facilities around the state which demonstrate excellence in operation, maintenance, innovative treatment, waste reduction and pollution prevention, recycling or other special achievements.

NOW, we need your feedback to improve the application process for the DEP’s Plant Operations Excellence Award!

Please take this short survey at the link below and help improve the application process for everyone! Thank you!

DEP Plant Excellence Awards (alchemer.com)

Articles of Interest

NATIONAL NEWS

U.S. House passes bill that furthers Everglades restoration efforts | WPTV Water Resources Development Act also would improve management of the nation’s waterways, and fund flood control and coastal resiliency projects. more

White House Reveals Plan For Water Security The Biden-Harris Administration recognizes the critical role of sustainable water systems and the transformational power that water access has in the life of each person on earth. more

What It Means To Support Equitable State Investments In Water Infrastructure The current federal and state system of water infrastructure funding is designed to improve the way we move, treat, or store water, wastewater, or storm water. more

Inflation Turns Water Into Whine: Customer Satisfaction With Water Utilities Plunges As Rates Surge, J.D. Power Finds The six-year streak of improving or flat customer satisfaction with residential water utilities has come to an end. more

Synthetic 'Forever Chemicals' Known As PFAS Linked To Liver Damage Exposure to a class of widely used synthetic chemicals is connected to liver damage according to a new study conducted by researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC and published in Environmental Health Perspectives. more

New Money Flowing Into U.S. Water And Wastewater Infrastructure USDA grants and loans are funding new treatment plants, sewer and water lines in rural communities. more

Compliance Tips for Small, Mechanical Wastewater Treatment Plants This advisory is directed to owners and operators of small publicly owned wastewater treatment works (POTWs) and small private wastewater treatment plants, both commonly referred to as wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). more

Model bill proposed for cybersecurity in water sector Implementing cybersecurity best practices is critical for water and wastewater utilities. Cyber-attacks are a growing threat to critical infrastructure sectors, including water and wastewater systems. more

EPA reaffirms perchlorate decision The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on March 31 that it completed review of a July 2020 determination to not regulate perchlorate in drinking water. more

AWWA guide helps utilities 'think outside the bill' Nationally about 15% of residential water customers are low-income households … are constantly at risk of payment problems, ... the best customer assistance programs are ones that offer a complete approach to the problem. more

OMB issues Build America, Buy America guidance The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued guidance for Build America, Buy America (BABA) mandates enacted in the IIJA. The guidance covers all infrastructure funding contained in the act. more

EPA releases new screening levels for five PFAS Today, EPA is taking an important step forward to protect people from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by adding five PFAS chemicals for a total of six PFAS chemicals to a list of risk-based values that help EPA determine if response or remediation activities are needed. more

AWWA cites concerns over IIJA implementation AWWA thanked the U.S. Congress and the Biden Administration for water infrastructure funds provided in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), but also cited some concerns about its implementation in a letter submitted for a hearing record this spring. more

EPA has funding to confirm participation for ALL very small/small PWSs serving fewer than 3,300 people SDWA was amended in 2018 and now specifies that, subject to the availability of appropriations, all medium PWSs serving between 3,300-10,000 people and a nationally representative sample of small/very small PWSs serving fewer than 3,300 people are required to participate in UCMR 5. more

STATE NEWS

Florida's governor highlights environmental budget in West Palm Beach | WPTV Freedom First Budget includes $1.2 billion for Everglades restoration, protection of water resources. more

Water projects dominate city's new Capital Improvement Plan | Ormond Beach Observer The city of Ormond Beach is planning $10.08 million worth of water and wastewater projects in its Five-Year Capital Improvement Program for fiscal years 2022-2023 through 2026-2027, a figure which includes significant rehabilitations to its water reclamation facility and increase in reclaim water storage. more

A Perilous Choice: COVID Patients Or Safe Drinking Water? In August 2021, as Florida's hospitals were filling up with COVID-19 patients, the mayor of Orlando pleaded with local residents to reduce water use to free up liquid oxygen (LOX) — used both in water purification and medical ventilators — to provide life support for victims of the pandemic. more

Septic Tanks Badly Impacted by Climate Change, Affecting Residents in Florida Meta: The septic tanks of Florida are becoming greatly affected by climate change. They are the perfect example of how infrastructure needs to change soon. more

'Forever chemicals' lurk everywhere Florida looks for them in the Indian River Lagoon Everywhere scientists look in the Indian River Lagoon, they find so-called “forever chemicals,” in some places at almost four times the levels of what’s safe in drinking water, according to a recently published scientific study by the University of Florida. more

State Budget Includes $1.3 Million For New Water Meters In Century | North Escambia

The new budget recently signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis includes just over $1.3 million for new water meters for the Town of Century. more

Bay County Commissioners push to swap out septic tanks for sewer lines | WJHG Old and leaky septic tanks have been known to pollute waterways across the state, including at least one lake in Bay County. more

Front that became TS Alex sets new June 4 rain record for Naples, drenches Lee | News-Press A tropical disturbance flooded some areas of Southwest Florida over the weekend, bringing record rains to Naples and double-digit totals to other communities. more

Tropical Weather Floods Miami Streets, Stranding Some Motorists | New York Times The storm system in South Florida also caused a sewage overflow in Miami-Dade County. more

Video: Cities and counties study long-term water demand as new residents flood into Florida | WFTV more

DEO Secretary Dane Eagle Highlights Governor DeSantis’ Freedom First Budget Investments in Rural Communities Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Freedom First budget for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 which prioritizes the freedoms of Floridians to live, work, and have successful businesses in the state. more

This Week in Water History

Lead Copper Rule Published

June 7, 1991: “In 1991, EPA published the Lead and Copper Rule to minimize lead and copper in drinking water. The rule replaced the previous standard of 50 ppb, measured at the entry point to the distribution system. The rule established a maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) of zero for lead in drinking water and a treatment technique to reduce corrosion within the distribution system….

Lead and copper enter drinking water primarily through plumbing materials. Exposure to lead and copper may cause health problems ranging from stomach distress to brain damage. On June 7, 1991, EPA published a regulation to control lead and copper in drinking water. This regulation is known as the Lead and Copper Rule (also referred to as the LCR or 1991 Rule).

The treatment technique for the rule requires systems to monitor drinking water at customer taps. If lead concentrations exceed an action level of 15 ppb or copper concentrations exceed an action level of 1.3 ppm in more than 10% of customer taps sampled, the system must undertake a number of additional actions to control corrosion. If the action level for lead is exceeded, the system must also inform the public about steps they should take to protect their health and may have to replace lead service lines under their control.”

Commentary: This short entry hardly seems worthy of a regulation and a water quality problem that has captured the imagination of politicians, citizens and the media. The Flint Crisis crystalizes a few important issues in this complicated regulation, which was not applied properly in Flint, MI, after a change in water source on April 25, 2014. For an in depth exploration of the issues and problems of the Flint Crisis, consult the July 2016 issue of the Journal American Water Works Association.

To enjoy more opportunities to take a look at the past in water history, go to this link.