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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This year's 2023 FRWA Conference agenda is in the mail with all the information on this year's event. If you have not received yours, you can click here for a sneak peek.
This year's event will be held in Tampa at the Saddlebrook Resort. The room rates start at $129.00 which includes a discounted resort fee of $10. You just have a few days left so be sure to make your reservations by July 10, 2023. Click here to reserve your room today. You will want to bring the entire family to take advantage of all the amenities that Tampa has to offer.
The Exhibit Hall is sold out and overflowing so we feel that this year’s Conference promises to be the most exciting yet with sessions being presented on the most important topics in the industry such as PFAS, Lead and Copper, etc.
I know that you will be happy to know that the Paul Brayton Golf Tournament will be on site on the Palmer Golf Course. We hope to miss the hottest time of the day by beginning at 10:00 on Monday morning.
Don’t forget to bring your water sample to the registration booth before 2:00 pm on Tuesday to participate in this year’s Best Tasting Water Contest. The winner will be announced at the Exhibitor Social in the Exhibit Hall on Tuesday evening and have a chance to participate in the “Great American Taste Test” in Washington DC in February.
You'll want to be in the Exhibit Hall when your name is called for one of the great door prizes that are given away! These and other activities will keep you informed, inspired, and motivated so that we can help you to make sure the future of the water and wastewater industry in Florida is bright.
For complete information and to register for this year's Conference, click here! Hope to see you there!
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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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DEP Launches Water Quality Protection Grant Portal |
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DEP Launches Water Quality Protection Grant Portal for Fiscal Year 2023-24
~ Water quality protection grant applications being accepted now for review ~
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has launched an online grant portal to provide eligible entities the opportunity to submit proposals for water-related grant programs. Eligible entities include local governments, academic institutions and nonprofit organizations.
On June 15, 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Framework for Freedom budget, making this the largest environmental budget in the state’s history. More than $390 million is available this fiscal year to implement important projects that protect Florida’s water resources.
To implement this unprecedented investment, DEP is seeking project proposals for FY 2023-24 that will bolster existing efforts to protect and restore Florida’s water resources, as well as for new programs enacted this legislative session including the Water Quality Improvement Grant Program and Indian River Lagoon Protection Program.
The online grant application portal opens today, July 5, 2023. Grant programs have different closing dates, so please review the closing date posted for each grant program on ProtectingFloridaTogether.gov. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals to all grant programs for which they may be eligible.
Grant opportunities include: more
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Water Conservation is truly in the hands of our the system's customers. They are the only ones that can regulate how much water is used and not exceed their needs. Most of the time, we either have too much (as in flooding situations) or too little (as in drought situations), but we always have to be aware of the amount of water we use since only 1% of the water on the planet is available for drinking.
Like many natural resources, fresh, clean water is not in endless supply, even though it might seem that way. It’s always a good idea to use it with care to make sure we have enough. But smart home water usage isn’t just about ensuring a reliable water supply.
Producing water takes energy — a cost that’s passed along to you, the consumer. And your home can use quite a bit of water during the hot summer months. So finding ways to save water outdoors in the summer can not only conserve a precious resource but also help lower your water bill.
During the summer months, we tend to use more water whether it's watering your lawn or garden, filling a swimming pool, or using your tap water to make ice for your drinks, water use is higher when the temperatures are higher.
You may be able to use the information below to pass along some useful tips to your customers:
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
Nearly half of nation's tap water contains PFAS, a new study finds. Americans living in urban areas are most at risk. The U.S. Geological Survey says the study gives consumers info about the risks of PFAS when they grab a glass of water from their kitchen sink. more
ICYMI: Statement from NRWA CEO Matt Holmes Critical information for community water systems concerned with PFAS contamination. more
Amid Consumer Trust Crisis, U.S. EPA Receives Bigger Budget, Additional Staff Following a sharp reduction in staff under President Trump, the Biden administration’s U.S. EPA has been focused on bolstering pollution prevention efforts. And now it is in line for a major boost toward that end, with a top agency official announcing that hundreds of personnel will be added following a sharp reduction in staff over recent years. more
Calendar Year 2022 Disaster Water Grants Funds can be used to develop water infrastructure system capacity and resiliency to reduce or eliminate long-term risks. more
Over $278M in Funding to Improve Water Infrastructure for Tribes and Alaska Native Villages EPA announces its largest investment of annual water infrastructure funding ever for Tribes and Alaska Native Villages through President's Biden's Investing in America agenda. more
EPA Announces New Framework to Prevent Unsafe New PFAS from Entering the Market Framework outlines EPA's planned approach when reviewing new PFAS and new uses of PFAS more
A Day in the Life of a Circuit Rider From our latest edition! In the summer of 1972, Neil Diamond's "Song Sung Blue" was making its way to number one, The Godfather was captivating movie audiences, and in Swainsboro, Georgia, a young Cleve Edenfield began his lifelong journey in the rural water industry. more
EPA expects to finalize PFAS disclosure rule soon A proposed federal rule calls for forcing companies to disclose whether their products contain toxic "forever" chemicals, the government's first attempt at cataloging the pervasiveness of PFAS across the United States. more
To Keep Pace With Emerging PFAS Regulations, Labs Must Modernize Their Analytical Science Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals, were first described almost two decades ago, and today, there are more than 12,000 similar compounds worthy of investigation. more
"Regrettable substitutions": Why it's hard to ban "forever" chemicals, according to experts Teflon is probably the most famous of the products made with "forever chemicals," but it is far from alone among them. more
EPA Release EJScreen 2.2, Announces Multiple Public Training Opportunities On June 27, EPA announced an update to EJScreen, the Agency’s publicly available environmental justice screening and mapping tool. more
EPA Releases Two Guidance Documents for Small System Compliance with Lead Service Line Inventories EPA released two documents to support water systems, particularly small water systems, in complying with the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) lead service line initial inventory requirements. more
PFAS Added to Plastic Containers - Living on Earth PFAS “forever chemicals,” linked to cancer, liver problems and more, are leaching into cosmetics, household cleaners, and even food stored in plastic containers treated with fluorination. more
STATE NEWS
Stuart nonprofit encouraging everyone to advocate for clean water | WPTV It's easy to get swept away with the scenes at the Florida Oceanographic Society in Stuart, where Mother Nature is on display for everyone to enjoy. more
Waccasassa Water and Wastewater Cooperative schedules meeting to discuss water treatment | WCJB The next step towards bringing drinking water to parts of levy county will take place this month. more
Florida moves forward on radioactive road material as Gov. DeSantis signs the law | WAMU Florida is another step closer to paving its roads with phosphogypsum — a radioactive waste material from the fertilizer industry — after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a controversial bill into law Thursday. more
Lawmakers tout boost in funding for clean water projects - Florida Politics Several members of the Lee County legislative delegation met to celebrate funding for water quality improvements stemming from this year’s Legislative Session. more
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This Week in Water History |
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Revolutionary Pipe Join Patent |
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July 4, 1961: On this date, Patent Number 2,991,092 was issued to Mr. J. W. MacKay of the American Cast Iron Pipe Company in Birmingham, Alabama, for the Fastite push-on-rubber gasket joint for iron pipe. The Fastite gasket uses a dual-durometer gasket having a stiff rubber ring to hold the gasket in place against insertion loads and a softer, fatter section to provide the leak-free seal. The push-on gasket soon supplanted the bolted mechanical joint for virtually all underground pipe-to-pipe connections and is part of ANSI/AWWA C111/A21.11, Rubber-Gasket Joints for Ductile-Iron Pressure Pipe and Fittings. In 2014, Mr. MacKay is alive and well at age 104. He was inducted into the state of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame in 2011. |
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2970 Wellington Circle | Tallahassee FL 32309 | 850.668.2746 | Contact Us
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