FRWA eNews
August 13, 2020
Florida Rural Water Association
2970 Wellington Circle
Tallahassee FL 32309
850.668.2746
www.frwa.net
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Upcoming Training
08.18-26.20
1/2/3 Water Distribution Certification/Lake City
09.09-10.2020
B/C Wastewater Certification Review/Punta Gorda
09.15-17.20
B/C/D Drinking Water Certification Review/Tavares
09.29.20
Water and Wastewater System Training/Cairo GA
10.06-14.20
1/2/3 Water Distribution Certification/Pensacola
11.03-04.20
1/2/3 Water Distribution Certification/Bradenton
11.03-.04.2020
B/C Wastewater Certification Review/Tavares
12.08-.11.20
1/2/3 Water Distribution Certification/West Palm Beach
Online Training
STAY VIGILANT DURING HURRICANE SEASON!!
Tracking Josephine


The National Hurricane Center reports that Tropical Depression 11 strengthened into Tropical Storm Josephine today, becoming the 10th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.

At this time, it is unclear whether Josephine could bring weather that impacts to Florida. Currently, there are no coastal watches or warning in effect as the storm is still far from landfall. 

With the storm strengthening, Josephine is the earliest J-named storm on record. The current record is Jose, which developed on Aug. 22, 2005. It's the latest development in what NOAA refers to as an "extremely active" hurricane season. 

NOAA has updated its hurricane season forecast, predicting twenty five named storms.  The highest number ever.

Just because Josephine may pass us by does not mean that we can let down our guard.  With the growing threat of an extremely active season, now is the time to be sure that your system is ready in case of an emergency.  Click here to access information on how to prepare your system.

The Florida Rural Water Association's (FRWA) staff is an integral part of emergency response team. Each employee has a variety of duties that are assigned to them when it comes to providing assistance to our members during an emergency. If system(s} are impacted by such events, we are prepared to provide such services as:
  • Tracking events
  • Coordinate equipment/assistance
  • Deployment of equipment
  • Assets and personnel
  • Response and restore services
  • Tracking assets (e.g., emergency back-up generators, pumps, motors, etc.)
Don't hesitate to contact us if you need assistance of any kind and keep us on your speed dial at 800.872.8207.  Remember to be prepared!
National News
Congress Debates National Moratorium on Water-Utility Disconnections Governors' orders are starting to expire, some utilities resuming shut-offs, congressional Democrats calling for the federal government to step in and issue a nationwide ban on shut-offs, consider using coronavirus relief package as their best chance to pass a moratorium. more

NRDC Wants to Remove Cost Benefit Analysis from EPA Drinking Water Standards There's Something in the Water: Reforming Our Nation's Drinking Water Standards. more

NRWA Backs Emergency Assistance for Rural Water Systems Act to Allow USDA to Help Rural Utilities impacted by COVID-19 Congressmen David Rouzer of North Carolina (NC-07) and Filemón Vela Jr. of Texas (TX-34) introduced the Emergency Assistance for Rural Water.   Systems Act today.  more

Treasury Department Report Shows State Governments Sitting on CARES Funds States and local governments always complain about needing more funds from the federal government.  more

USDA Announces $360 Million in Regional Source Water Protection Grants  Missouri Rural Water (among others) have utilized this funding for local source water protection projects.  more

Rural Communities in North Carolina Teetering on Bankruptcy from Cost of Running Aging Water Systems - The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Pushed Some to the Brink  About 20% of customers haven't settled their bills since the start of the pandemic.  more
State News
Three Florida lawmakers make short list for powerful utility panel  The list includes Key Largo state Rep. Holly Raschein, St. Cloud state Rep. Mike La Rosa, Thonotosassa state Sen. Tom Lee.  more

Florida bill prevents Lake O toxins from heading east, but what about the west coast? | NBC-2   Newly proposed legislation is taking aim at toxic water releases from Lake Okeechobee but the west coast of the state may be left high and dry.  more

Water management district nears decision on Nestlé springs water permit | WMNF  Tuesday morning the board of the Suwanee River Water Management District voted to put off a decision on whether to grant Nestle and its partner a permit to take a million gallons of water a day from a North Florida spring system. more 

City of St. Petersburg looking to upgrade aging wastewater system | ABC Action News  The City of St. Petersburg is looking at upgrading a decades-old facility that treats wastewater.  more

Campuses, businesses run risk of Legionnaires if they don't flush their lines before opening | WTSP With campuses and businesses closed for months, the water system wasn't used. Experts say to flush the lines to get rid of any potential bacteria.  more
This Week in Water History
August 8, 1908: Engineering Record article.  A Bacteriological Method of Determining the Efficiency of Street Cleaning. "The Department of Street Cleaning of the City of New York is at present experimenting with a combined street flushing and cleaning machine in the Borough of Manhattan, and in order to determine its efficiency, series of bacteriological experiments have been made to learn the condition of the pavement, both before and after cleaning. The machine, which was described in The Engineering Record of June 27, 1908, is called the "Squeegee" and consists of a water tank with sprinkling pipes, back of which is a revolving drum, wound with stiff strips of rubber. The work of the machine has been under careful observation by an officer of the department since the beginning of June, but besides his report as to its efficiency, it was desired to know by some other means just what the machine was doing. The department, therefore, decided to expose bacterial cultures in the street both before and after the machine had done its work."

Commentary: Public health experts were finding lots of new ways to exploit the growing field of bacteriology so that they could measure the efficiencies of their methods.
For more articles on what went on this week in water history, click here.
Florida Rural Water Association |  frwa@frwa.net | http://www.frwa.net
2970 Wellington Circle
Tallahassee FL 32309
850.668.2746   
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