from the
Board and Staff
of the
Florida Rural Water Association
FRWA will be closed for business on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
Leave a message on our answering machine and we will return your call as soon as possible.
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2022 USDA Disaster Water Grants Program |
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On June 22, 2023, USDA-Rural Development published a grant opportunity titled “Calendar Year 2022 Disaster Water Grants.” The CY 2022 Disaster Water Grants Program is designed to assist communities by awarding grant funds to qualified entities for expenses related to water infrastructure systems in designated areas that were impacted by events that occurred during CY 2022 and were recognized through Presidentially Declared Disasters. In addition to damage repairs, these grants are also intended to develop system capacity and resiliency to reduce or eliminate long-term risks from future events. Water infrastructure systems include drinking water, wastewater, solid waste, and stormwater projects serving eligible communities.
What does this program do?
Calendar Year 2022 Disaster Water Grants help eligible communities handle expenses related to incidents (Presidentially declared disasters) that damaged water systems. For the purposes of this program, the term “water” refers to all water resource infrastructure, including drinking water, wastewater, storm drainage, and solid waste facilities.
Who can apply?
- Municipalities, counties, districts, authorities, or other political subdivisions of a state, commonwealth, or territory
- Nonprofit organizations
- Federally recognized Tribes
- Community-based prefabricated home organizations
What is an eligible area?
- Rural areas and towns with populations of not more than 35,000
- Federally recognized Tribal lands
- Colonias
These grants can fund up to 100% of the project cost and unlike other Water and Environmental Program (WEP) funding, communities with populations up to 35,000 can apply. 32 states, Puerto Rico and American Samoa had Presidentially Declared Disasters in 2022.
Applications and supporting documentation must be submitted electronically through USDA’s application intake system, RD APPLY, at https://rdapply.usda.gov or contact your local Rural Development office. For additional information, please contact the Florida & US Virgin Island Rural Development State Office at 352.338.3400 ext 4.
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FRWA 2023 Annual Conference |
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July 31 - August 2, 2023
Saddlebrook Resort
570 Saddlebrook Way
Wesley Chapel FL 33543
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The Florida Rural Water Association (FRWA) Board of Directors and Staff are pleased to announce that ten Water and Wastewater Awards will be presented at the FRWA 2023 Annual Conference to be held at the Saddlebrook Resort on July 31-August 2, 2023. The awards will be presented during the Opening Session on Tuesday, August 1st. Only members are eligible to nominate for system awards. A system, a representative, or the nominee must be present during the Opening Session to win. If you need further information, please contact us at 800.872.8207.
The award categories are Manager/Administrator of the year, System Office Employee of the Year, Wastewater Operator of the Year, Drinking Water Operator of the Year, Distribution/Collection Operator of the Year, Small Public Water System of the Year, Medium Public Water System of the Year, Small Wastewater System of the Year, Medium Wastewater System of the Year, and the prestigious FRWA Special Recognition Award. Click here for more information.
If you would like to nominate your system and/or employee for any of these awards, simply complete the enclosed form and return it by Friday, July 7, 2023 Awards for each of the ten categories will be presented based upon a satisfactory number of nominees. The FRWA Awards Review Committee will then review all nominees and may conduct an on-site evaluation of the system/personnel.
For more information or to nominate a system employee, click here.
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CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT |
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As soon as your customers receive their Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), there will be questions. Please review the information below for some assistance in helping with their questions.
Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs), also known as water quality reports or drinking water quality reports, provide you with important information about the quality of your drinking water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires every community water supplier to provide a CCR to its customers.
Community water suppliers must provide CCRs to their customers by mail or online. If you don’t pay your water bill directly—for example, if you live in an apartment, condominium, or rental house where a management company pays the water bill—you may need to contact a building manager or landlord for more information. You could also check online to see if your CCR is posted.
You may be able to use the information below to explain questions that may arise regarding Consumer Confidence Reports:
The above information is an effort to assist our members with proactive messaging to your customers. The links are information that you can use in your communications with your customers.
Please contact FRWA at frwa@frwa.net with your suggestions/comments on information that you would like to see covered.
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NATIONAL NEWS
Special Message from NRWA CEO Regarding PFAS I am writing to you today to provide critical information for community water systems concerned with PFAS contamination. Last week, chemical giant 3M announced a historic $12.5 billion settlement with water utilities in the ongoing litigation originated by NRWA and our legal firm Napoli Shkolnik PLLC. more
EPA, USACE planning to update WOTUS by Sept. 1 The Biden administration intends to update its “waters of the United States” regulation, which determines the upstream reach of anti-pollution laws, by Sept. 1. more
Solvay to pay nearly $393M in N.J. PFAS settlement The U.S. branch of Belgian chemicals company Solvay (SOLB.BR) has struck a nearly $393-million deal with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to settle some claims linked to drinking water pollution caused by one of its plants, Solvay announced on Wednesday. more
Why Cyber Funding Flows for Rural Water Systems The $7.5 million in new funds from the Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act of 2023 is not just a drop in the bucket for crucially important rural water systems. more
EPA Announces Over $50M to Assist Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Communities The funding will support projects and activities in underserved, small and disadvantaged communities to access and invest in water infrastructure and comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
EPA Issues Statement on Sackett v. EPA more
EPA Issues Statement on Sackett v. EPA The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of the Army (agencies) are in receipt of the U.S. Supreme Court's May 25, 2023, decision in the case of Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency. In light of this decision, the agencies are interpreting "waters of the United States" consistent with the Supreme Court's decision in Sackett. more
What are PFAS, and why are these 'forever chemicals' showing up in drinking water? - KINY You’ve probably been hearing the term PFAS in the news lately as states and the U.S. government consider rules and guidelines for managing these “forever chemicals.” more
ASDWA Recommends EPA Refrain from Including Additional PFAS under CERCLA In comments to EPA on June 13, ASDWA recommends that EPA “refrain from pursuing any rulemaking to add additional PFAS as hazardous substances under [the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund)] until the Agency determines the impacts of that designation for PFOA and PFOS.” more
NIAC Releases Draft Report on Water Infrastructure The President’s National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) is composed of senior executives from industry and state and local government who own and operate critical infrastructure. more
NRDC Releases Water Utility Affordability Tool This month, the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) released a new and free tool that addresses bill affordability for low-income water and wastewater utility customers. The Water Affordability Business Case Tool allows utilities to model financial impacts of discount programs for low-income customers. more
Jackson, Miss., water declared safe to drink The water flowing from faucets in Mississippi’s capital is safe to drink, city officials said in federal court Wednesday. more
$537M in upgrades urged for Florence, S.C., water, sewer The city of Florence’s water system would not be able to handle the finished construction of all industrial and residential projects approved by the city of Florence, city officials say. more
STATE NEWS
Unique water main replacement spanning entire Florida Keys underway When Greg Veliz looked for comparable projects to guide plans to replace the sole water transmission line from the United States mainland down through the islands of the Florida Keys, he came up short. more
Lynn Haven residents may see a change in utility rates | My Panhandle For several years, Lynn Haven residents have been paying the same utility rate but, city officials are looking at a possible increase. more
Utility rates going up for Callaway residents | My Panhandle Callaway commissioners voted to raise water, sewer, and garbage rates. About 7,000 Callaway utility customers will be paying more beginning October 1st. more
New Florida law implements changes to valuation and acquisition of utility systems Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 125 (HB 125) into law on Monday night, which introduces reforms to the valuation and acquisition process of utility systems regulated by the Public Service Commission (PSC). more
Jacksonville infrastructure gets a fresh set of eyes as new committee holds first meeting | News4Jax Preparing for a new mayor and administration in Jacksonville -- transition teams are starting to meet to discuss how to better the city. Mayor-elect Donna Deegan takes the oath of office on Saturday, taking over for outgoing Mayor Lenny Curry. Wednesday – we sat in on the first infrastructure committee meeting – it’s a group that covers everything from potholes to police. more
Grants are available for areas damaged by disasters in 2022, including Sarasota County | WUSF Grants to help rural and Tribal communities repair water infrastructure damaged by presidentially declared disasters in 2022 have been made available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Florida. more
Water worries halt development in Fla. city The Pasco County city of Zephyrhills - which is known for its bottled spring water - voted Monday night to put a halt on new developments for a year because it may run out of water. more
R elying less on septic systems: How DeLand's plans to upgrade utilities help environment DeLand leaders broke ground Friday on a new city building as part of a $95 million expansion and enhancement of public services. more
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This Week in Water History |
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June 25, 1914: Engineering News article. A Novel Water-Filtration Plant for Toronto. “It is not often that a city takes up a novelty in water filtration or in any other class of engineering work on so large a scale as the proposed 72,000-U. S.-gal. “drifting sand” filtration plant for which the city council of Toronto awarded the contract on June 8. It is true, as stated elsewhere in this issue, that two plants of a few hundred thousand gallons capacity are already in operation elsewhere and that contracts for two other and much larger plants are well under way. It is also true that a working unit was tested for 33 days at Toronto under the direction of the local medical officer of health and city analyst, and that this same test plant has been under observation for over a year. Nevertheless, the fact remains that the drifting-sand filter is as yet in the working-scale experimental stage, with few data yet available regarding its efficiency and less to be had regarding operating costs.
The drifting-sand filter may be described as a deep mechanical filter with reversion to the early type in the way of absence of coagulation basins and rate-controllers and with the addition of continuous washing and replacing of filter sand. It is claimed that this added feature makes up for the lack of a coagulating basin. To what extent this claim will be made good by experience at Toronto and on different waters at other places, it will be interesting to learn a few years hence.”
Commentary: The filter plant was built in 1917 and used until 1981 by the City of Toronto. No other large-scale filtration plants adopted this unique design.
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2970 Wellington Circle | Tallahassee FL 32309 | 850.668.2746 | Contact Us
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