FRWA is headed to D.C. next week to encourage our legislators to continue support for our program funding needed to aid our water and wastewater systems in the State of Florida.

              If you have any contacts with your congressman

                        please put in a good word for us! 😊

Since 2001, FRWA has been providing Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to the water and wastewater operators of Florida through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Operator Certification Program (FDEP OCP). We take your CEUs and our providership very seriously. If you stay until the end of your class and complete the form that is handed out, you can depend on us to report your CEUs to FDEP before the CEU deadline.

The deadline for CEUs for your water, wastewater, or distribution 2025 license cycle is fast approaching. You may have already received a postcard from the FDEP OCP reminding you to renew your license(s). Your applicable CEUs must be completed by midnight on April 30, 2025 (including online courses) and payment received by OCP to keep your license active. Licenses not renewed by the renewal deadline are considered inactive and the operator may not perform any duties of an operator.

Those operators working with an inactive license may be subject to disciplinary and enforcement actions. An inactive license which is not reactivated before the end of the current biennial licensure period will be expired and considered null & void. To reinstate your license will require meeting all the current requirements for the last highest level of licensure obtained. Example: Your license is active until the expiration date 4/30/2025. If you fail to renew your license by this date it becomes inactive until 4/30/2027. If proper fees and CEU’s are not received by 4/30/2027, your license will become Null & Void.

For more information on your CEUs and what is required for your license renewal, click on the buttons below.

On January 27th, FRWA staff traveled to the City of Chiefland to present a plaque in recognition of their outstanding assistance to their fellow water and wastewater utilities during the recent hurricanes. The plaque reads, "The Florida Rural Water Association thanks you for your hard work and dedication to Florida’s Water and Wastewater Utilities in our time of need. We are grateful for your personal sacrifices and commitment in helping us provide emergency response relief for those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton."

We would like to thank the City of Chiefland for their dedication to helping those systems in need after the storms and their continuing support of the Florida Rural Water Association.

CEUs will be submitted to DEP by FRWA by the 2025 CEU deadline as required by DEP. CEUs earned at this class cannot be applied to the 2027 cycle.

To register online, click on the location below. To complete a registration form and register by mail, click here. For complete information, click here.

See you there!

FRWA Has Workshops to Get You from NONCOMPLIANCE to COMPLIANCE on Your Lead Service Line Inventory. 

The deadline for submittal of Lead Service Line Inventories was October 16. If your water system has not submitted your Lead Service Line Inventory, you are in noncompliance with DEP and EPA. FRWA is offering Workshops around the state to give you one-on-one help for completing the inventory and get into compliance. You can even receive CEUs for attending the Workshop.

Upcoming Workshops will be held on February 11 at West Palm Beach and February 18 at Bartow. To register, go to https://www.frwa.net/events.

FRWA remains available for any help on your Lead Service Line Inventories. Watch a video on how to complete it, find a sample customer notification letter for the UNKNOWN lines, check out the DEP

Guidance information, and more – it’s all on the website at https://www.frwa.net/lsli-2. Already submitted your Inventory but have some follow up comments from DEP? We’re glad to help you, contact us through LSLI@frwa.net or call (850)668-2746. 

For the systems that have submitted their Inventories, there have been less than 0.1% lead service lines. Florida has been doing a great job of getting the lead out!

NATIONAL NEWS

Senate confirms Zeldin to lead Environmental Protection Agency as Trump vows to cut climate rules-The Republican-controlled Senate on Wednesday confirmed Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, a key role to help President Donald Trump fulfill his pledge to roll back major environmental regulations, including those aimed at slowing climate change and encouraging use of electric vehicles. more

Trump administration halts proposed EPA limits on PFAS pollution-The Trump administration has withdrawn an EPA proposal to restrict PFAS discharges from industrial sites, prompting concern from environmental advocates about health risks and regulatory gaps. more

Is fluoride in tap water safe? Florida officials raise concerns. Here's what the science says-

Fluoride – it's added to the water systems of more than two thirds of Americans. It's in dental products from toothpaste to mouthwash. It's been the subject of long-running conspiracy theories. more

EPA Publishes Draft Risk Assessment for PFAS in Biosolids-On January 14, 2025, released its Draft Sewage Sludge (biosolids) Risk Assessment for PFOA and PFOS. EPA uses the term “biosolids” to mean sewage sludge that has been treated to meet the Clean Water Act (CWA) requirements and is intended to be applied to land as a soil amendment or fertilizer. more

EPA gives states explicit steps to stop PFAS pollution at the source-The Environmental Protection Agency published a new, critical “How-To” guide to assist states in preventing PFAS pollution from harming families and communities across America. more

WaterISAC Quarterly Incident Survey-WaterISAC is asking utilities to respond to its survey asking about physical and cyber incidents and suspicious activities they've experienced in the past quarter, from October 1 to December 31, 2024. more

CISA Releases Cybersecurity Performance Goals Adoption Report-Today, CISA released the Cybersecurity Performance Goals Adoption Report to highlight how adoption of Cybersecurity Performance Goals (CPGs) benefits our nation’s critical infrastructure sectors. more

STATE NEWS

Titusville Launches Public Engagement for Citywide Flood Vulnerability Assessment-

The City of Titusville, in partnership with Geosyntec Consultants, is inviting residents to participate in the first public meeting for its ongoing citywide vulnerability assessment, a critical step in addressing flood risks exacerbated by climate change. more

Watershed Evaluation and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) Section-The Florida Department of Environmental Protection will host a public meeting on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, beginning at 10 a.m. EST, to review the draft nutrient total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for the lakes identified below in the Middle St. Johns River and Kissimmee River Basins. more

Now You Know: Utility serving Bonita, Estero honored-The Florida Section of the American Water Works Association recently honored the Bonita Springs Utilities Inc. with two awards. more

SFWMD announces workshop meetings-Join the South Florida Water Management District for four workshops on the 2025 Update for the Sea Level Rise and Flood Resiliency Plan. more

County targets lowball bids that wind up costing-Miami-Dade commissioners are taking aim at firms that habitually lowball county bids but, once they win contracts, secure changes that boost their prices far higher. more

Town aims to upgrade resiliency of lift stations on island-The lift stations, which control water and wastewater flow on the island, needed to be replaced after the latest hurricanes, costing the town about $800,000. more

Piezoelectric promise: Study explores hydraulic energy harvesting during water treatment-Converting hydraulic energy to electricity is suggested as a solution to common challenges in water treatment, in a recent article in the journal Engineering. more

Evans Road at West Hibiscus Boulevard Closure for Drainage Improvements Begins February in Melbourne-A $1.18 million drainage improvement project on Evans Road in Melbourne will prompt a temporary closure of the roadway at West Hibiscus Boulevard from February through mid-summer. more

Water & Wastewater Facility Tours Scheduled for 2025-The Charlotte County Utilities Department is offering tours of four facilities to give residents a behind-the-scenes look at the process of providing water and wastewater treatment and reclamation services to the community. more

St. Lucie County leaves it up to municipalities to remove or add fluoride to water-Commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to repeal a 1989 ordinance requiring local municipalities to add fluoride to their water. more

January 27, 1916: Municipal Journal article. Water Origin of Typhoid Epidemic. "Lake Charles, La.-Dr. Oscar Dowling, president of the State Board of Health, has been investigating the typhoid epidemic situation here, and has sent Louis Alberta, inspector of the board, to examine the markets, slaughter pens, and all places handling fresh meats, and J. H. O'Neil, sanitary engineer, to make a further survey of the water supply. Up to date there have been reported 153 cases of typhoid fever in Lake Charles and 15 in West Lake, which is practically a suburb, making a total of 168. There are sick at present in both places 90. There have been 12 deaths, 3 of these in West Lake. Investigation has been made and the case history taken of 138 patients. 'Evidence as to the cause of the infection points to the water,' says Dr. Dowling. 'During September and October a number of specimens from the city supply were examined in our laboratories. After repeated analyses, permits to the railroads to use the city water were issued. The city supply is obtained from artesian wells, but in case of fire water from the river is added. This can be made safe by proper treatment and the equipment necessary was installed by the company after condemnation of the water by our board. From lack of supervision the treatment process evidently was not properly carried out.'"

Commentary: That is an understatement. Clearly, the treatment of surface water put into the system to fight a fire was not properly done and people died.

Reference: "Water Origin of Typhoid Epidemic." 1916. Municipal Journal. 40:4(January 27, 1916): 111.

FLORIDA RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION http://www.frwa.net

2970 Wellington Circle | Tallahassee FL 32309

850.668.2746 | Contact Us