February 18, 2022
Beautiful shot of the moon resting on the top of the Navarre Beach Water Tank. The water industry creates breathless photo ops and clean water every day!


If you have any utility related photos that you would like to share, please forward them to Becky@frwa.net.
Happy Friday Rural Water! As we bounce into 2022, we look forward to achieving goals that we all have set for the New Year. Some people set goals related to weight loss, travel and finance. Either way you look at it, the New Year is a chance to make improvements and be better than before. What can your system improve on in the coming year?

How about energy efficiency? Seems a bit ridiculous to talk about energy when we all work in the water industry, right? Wrong. Electricity is an integral part to the way our plants, pumps, and wells run. Electricity is experiencing a huge boost in public awareness as more green energy options available. Electricity is the largest portion of a water system's annual budget. The USDA has found that many systems spend most of their budget on buying electricity and other fuel sources. Therefore, the USDA has provided guidelines and funding for select states to operate an Energy Efficiency Program. Florida is one of these states, having started the program in August of 2018 and is still going strong into 2022.

This program, that is managed by FRWA, offers systems an opportunity to better understand their energy needs, to learn about ways to reduce energy costs, and to find funding for energy efficiency improvements. The program is also FREE to FRWA members. Similar programs can cost quite a bit of money and may involve lengthy contracts. FRWA offers more benefits to these other programs. In addition to our numerous years of expertise working with water and wastewater systems, you also get the help you need in applying for funding to implement energy efficiency improvements.

If you have further questions or wish to be a part of the program, please contact Ahmad Abdul-Samad our Energy Efficiency Circuit Rider at Ahmad.Abdul-Samad@frwa.net or 850.668.2746 ext 121.
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For more information or to register, click on the location nearest you.
The Latest on Topics of Interest
Below are links to articles on topics that we feel are of interest to the water and wastewater utilities in Florida.
NATIONAL NEWS
CDC Adopts Wastewater-Based COVID Tracking In one of the most significant signs of wastewater analysis’ rising prominence among the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation’s primary federal health agency has elevated this data to its public tracking site. more

EPA Proposes Guidance to Support Water Affordability and Clean Water Act Implementation EPA announces the Proposed 2022 Clean Water Act (CWA) Financial Capability Assessment (FCA) Guidance. The proposed guidance outlines strategies for communities to support affordable utility rates while planning investments in water infrastructure that are essential for CWA implementation. more

Scientists think they've found the source of Earth's water Scientists may have finally discovered the answer to a long-standing question about the origin of life on Earth. more

ASDWA Releases Lead Line Inventory Framework and Model Excel Template On February 9th, ASDWA announced the “State Implementation Framework for Lead Service Inventories.” more

Six tips to deal with legacy nitrogen While critical for growing crops, nitrogen can also pollute groundwater for decades. A new study from the University of Waterloo provides six steps to deal with legacy nitrogen. more

Sewage Sampling Already Tracks Covid. What Else Can It Find? Everyone poops—and that reveals traces of pathogens. Comprehensively analyzing wastewater could help find flu and detect the next pandemic. more

Solar-powered system offers a route to inexpensive desalination Passive solar evaporation system could be used to clean wastewater, provide potable water, or sterilize medical tools in off-grid areas. more

Bipartisan group of lawmakers introduce coastal resilience legislation A group of bipartisan lawmakers on Thursday introduced a bill that aims to protect against coastal and river flooding as climate change makes sea levels rise. more

Withdrawal of rivers and lakes is faster near cities The depletion of water resources (e.g., rivers and lakes) is more rapid and evident in proximity of urban areas and, away from cities, it gradually decreases. more

CISA Releases Personal Security Considerations Fact Sheet In recent months, the U.S. has experienced civil unrest across various jurisdictions. Due to continued sociopolitical issues, there remains a potential for further unrest. more

Every Republican U.S. Senator Wrote EPA Urging the Agency to Suspend the Pending EPA WOTUS Rulemaking Until the Supreme Court Rules on an Idaho Landowner’s Case U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, joined the entire Senate Republican Conference in urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to suspend the pending rulemaking to redefine the scope of waters protected under the Clean Water Act (CWA), specifically “waters of the United States” (WOTUS), until the U.S. Supreme Court completes its consideration of Sackett v. EPA, a case that is expected to have major implications on CWA scope and enforcement. more

Sioux City eyes biogas revenue to help offset future sewer rate hikes, resolve legal issues related to plant | Sioux City Journal Sioux City's wastewater treatment plant is generating biogas to be sold in the cellulosic biofuels market and, in the process, capturing pollutants that used to be released into the atmosphere. more

State-Of-The-Art Wastewater Analysis Systems Will Be Key To Guarding Public Health In The Future Wastewater is suddenly an important source for data and insight for solving problems beyond the scope of traditional water management. more

GOP senators want EPA, USACE to pause work on WOTUS The entire Senate Republican Conference is urging the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S Army Corps of Engineers to suspend rulemaking to redefine “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act until the U.S. Supreme Court completes its consideration of Sackett v. EPA. more

Ga. utility may be accepting unpermitted wastewater The water treatment plant discharges into the Coosawattee River, which feeds into Carters Lake. more

Online Tracker Captures ARPA Spending The Local Government ARPA Investment Tracker launches to provide a detailed local investment picture of American Rescue Plan Act funding more

Funding for Water Systems Due to an Emergency Event Grants from USDA Rural Utilities Service, acting through USDA Rural Development, can be used to repair existing system damage and to prevent future issues that are imminent — without a federal disaster declaration. more

STATE NEWS
Ben Albritton to amend water bill amid Gov. DeSantis opposition | Florida Politics Reacting to opposition from fishing guides, environmentalists, tourism officials, Gov. Ron DeSantis and some fellow Senators, Sen. Ben Albritton, a Wauchula Republican, filed an amendment Wednesday night to his bill that would divert funding from an Everglades reservoir. more

Water panel investigating last spring's cyanotoxin contamination set to issue final report | Palm Beach Daily News Town officials continue to express concern about disinfection byproducts in water supplied by West Palm Beach, and want residents notified when free chlorine treatment will be performed. more

‘Don’t poop on Putnam:’ Plan to dump biosolids on property in Putnam County faces opposition | Action News Jax There’s a 47-acre parcel in Putnam County that has become a battleground between the man who owns it and the people who live nearby. more

West Palm Beach, Fla., backs proposed Senate water bill The city of West Palm Beach is endorsing a Senate proposal aiming to protect the current water supply for “existing legal users.” more

Lake Okeechobee draining triggers rift between farming towns, coastal communities | Sun Sentinel How to fix the toxic ooze of algae fouling Florida waterways is pitting coastal tourist destinations against South Florida farming towns. more

Milton treatment plant project continues as commissioners approve site analysis | Santa Rosa Press Gazette The item, which passed through the consent agenda without objection, would allow Santa Rosa to cede the land to the City of Milton along with the necessary investigation for RIBS viability. more

Florida governor announces over $91 million to help aid Hurricane Michael recovery efforts More than $91 million will be coming to Florida’s panhandle to continue to support recovery for areas impacted by Hurricane Michael through the Florida Department of Economic Opportunities Rebuild Florida Mitigation General Infrastructure Program. more

Broward County, Fla., announces water reuse pipeline expansion Broward County leaders teamed up with the South Florida Waste Water Management District at Quiet Waters Park Friday to announce a water reuse pipeline expansion that will process 16 millions of gallons of water a day. more

Southwest Florida is overdue for devastating storm surge Often, it's not the immediate massive storm causing the most damage, but during a hurricane we worry about storm surge. Storm surge is when water pushed ashore causing flooding and measured in height from right where you toes would touch the water on a normal, non-storm day. more

Officials raise questions about pipe and pump replacements in The Villages | Villages News More than $1 million in repairs for pipes, pumps and sinkholes prompted questions Monday morning from members of the Project Wide Advisory Committee. more

Environmental conditions improve in lake and estuaries | Okeechobee News As predicted, the dry season has brought less than average rainfall, according to the report given by South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Chief District Engineer John Mitnik at the Feb. 10 SFWMD Governing Board Meeting. more

Senate bill could set stage for fight over water quality | WINK A fight over the future of our water quality is brewing. A bill in the Florida Senate would make requirements to release state money for water projects. Some believe this could threaten the fight for clean water. more

Delray Beach, Fla., receives nearly $11 million to help fund new water treatment plant After touring the city's existing 70-year-old facility with U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, Mayor Shelly Petrolia announced that Delray Beach has received nearly $11 million in federal funds toward the construction of a new one. more

More than $1 million needed for sinkhole and pipe repairs in The Villages | Villages News There have been several “unexpected repair costs for depression repairs” and stormwater pipe repairs, according to a memo from Budget Director Brandy Cook to the Project Wide Advisory Committee. more

Water main break floods street in neighborhood near Pompano Beach | Local 10  A neighborhood near Pompano Beach was flooded Friday afternoon after a water main ruptured. That pipe has since been repaired. more

Florida's new chief resilience officer visits Hernando Beach as part of this statewide tour | WUSF Florida’s new chief resilience officer toured Hernando County last week. He's visiting local communities throughout the state to discuss resiliency goals. more

DeSantis claims Biden administration short-changed Florida for EAA project | NBC-2 Governor Ron DeSantis said he and other Republican legislators were disappointed that the Biden administration failed to dedicate any of the $1.2 billion infrastructure funding for the EAA reservoir. more

Residue after Fort Lauderale pipe repair affects water for weeks | Local 10 A water pipe burst near Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale about three weeks ago. It was fixed within hours, but the residue was still polluting the water on Friday. more

Nassau County tried to force American Beach residents to pay $1.8M to get clean water | WJCT The historically Black coastal community of American Beach is demanding answers, after county commissioners tried to force them to pay more than $9,000 apiece for a new water and sewer system. more
This Week in Water History
Fertilizer from Activated Sludge