July 8, 2021
2021 FRWA Annual Conference
Click on the graphic below for a tour
of our upcoming Annual Conference.
August 9-11, 2021
Hilton Daytona Beach
100 N Atlantic Ave
Daytona Beach FL 32118
Registration (386) 254-8200
Group Code: FRWA21

This year's Florida Rural Water Association’s Annual Technical and Training Conference is the anticipated event of the year! The Conference will be held at the beautiful Hilton Daytona Beach/Ocean Walk Village in exciting Daytona Beach, Florida with the room rates starting at $115.00 (this rate does not include $9.00 self parking rate) plus tax. For reservations, please call 386.254.8200 or click here to reserve your room online. You will want to bring the entire family to take advantage of all the amenities that Daytona Beach has to offer. For those wishing to drive in for the day, there will be a reduced self parking fee of $6.00. Don't forget to pick up your pass in the Registration Area.
 
Don't miss the opportunity to network with your peers at the Paul Brayton Golf Tournament being played at the LPGA Golf Course! For more information on the Golf Tournament, click here.

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.
 
Our Exhibit Hall is sold out so you will have plenty of opportunities to catch up on the latest the industry has to offer. You'll want to be in the Exhibit Hall when your name is picked for the one of the many door prizes that are given away throughout the day! 

 
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. Make your plans now! We had troubles a plenty in 2020, let's have some fun in 2021!
NATIONAL NEWS

Residents Push Back at High Sewage and Water Bills From Private Companies When Margo Woodacre opened her sewage bill in April, she did a double take.  more

Water Bill Assistance Programs Enroll Less Than 25% of Eligible Customers Analysis of the nation’s largest water utility company programs finds that they have narrow eligibility guidelines, including very low income requirements, that exclude customers. more

Every Lead Water Pipe in America Would be Replaced Under New House Bill' All lead water pipes in America would be replaced under Legislation setting federal surface transportation policy for the next five years. more

The Next Generation of Water Workers The value of clean, safe water (and the essential water workers who provide it) has been in the spotlight during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, according to a report from the Brookings Institution, approximately 3 million workers will need to be replaced within the next decade.  more

Maintaining Customer Satisfaction Maintaining customer satisfaction can go overlooked when operators are busy tending to the daily needs of their facility, however good customer relationships are an important component to any well run utility. more

Cybersecurity, The New Variable In The Water Equation Water is a resource that is easily taken for granted. We see rain, we see lakes, we see rivers, we see creeks; we turn on our faucets and there it is. more

Water Efficiency is also Energy Efficiency With droughts expected to continue and worsen in coming years, water managers are exploring conservation approaches.  more

Deadly Water Tank Explosion Caught on Astonishing Video A water tank exploded in a Central Valley community, lifting 70 feet into the air, killing a man and prompting a state of emergency in the city of Lemoore this week. more

Biden’s $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Package Includes Major Water Provisions The framework for an eight-year, $1.2 trillion infrastructure package agreed upon by President Joe Biden and bipartisan members of the U.S. Senate would pave the way for major investment into the country’s water systems. more

How To Win The Battle Against Wipes  Every utility fights a battle against sewer clogs and the potential sanitary sewer overflows that may result. The increasing use of personal wipe products and their improper disposal has worsened the problem.  more

Special Single Issue Edition: House Action on Affordability of SDWA Rules The U.S. House of Representatives Eliminates the Small Community Requirement to Make Safe Drinking Water Act Standards Affordable for Small and Rural Communities on a Largely Party-line Vote of 221-201. more

STATE NEWS

Tropical Storm Elsa mostly skirts Southwest Florida, moves into Gulf of Mexico | Naples Daily News Tropical Storm Elsa passed through Southwest Florida on Tuesday afternoon, bringing steady rains and gusty winds along the coast and tornado watches in 20 counties.  more

Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) is a federally funded program that helps income-qualified families with water and wastewater costs. more

Water agency, utilities eye deal to end legal fight over Keystone Heights lakes, pipeline | Florida Times Union Water utilities who have been fighting state plans for protecting Keystone Heights lake levels around a major aquifer recharge area have negotiated a tentative settlement to their dispute with the St. Johns River Water Management District. more
This Week in Water History
Omaha Buys the Waterworks
July 2, 1914: Municipal Journal article. Threatens to Seize Water Plant. “Denver, Colo.-The Denver City Water Company is trying to prevent the city from building its own plant, but has so far lost almost every legal fight. It is now trying to sell the plant to the city. The city is willing to buy, but the officials insist that the figures are too high. To complicate matters the plant broke down in the last few days. For several days portions of the city were without water and at the mercy of fire. Two conduits gave way, and investigation showed that they were worn out. Temporary repairs have restored an almost normal supply, but the opponents of the company say that the weakness of the plant has been exposed. The voters are opposed to the water company’s scheme to sell out to the city, and the city commissioners are supporting the public. Public opinion was disclosed last February at a referendum election, when the taxpayers, by a vote of more than 2 to 1, decided to buy or build a municipal water plant, and voted a bond issue of $8,000,000 for the purpose. It is estimated that if the city should buy the old plant for $8,000,000, or a lower price, $3,000,000 additional would have to be spent to put the plant in fair shape. more

To enjoy more opportunities to take a look at the past in water history, go to this link.
FLORIDA RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION | http://www.frwa.net
2970 Wellington Circle | Tallahassee FL 32309 | 850.668.8023 | Contact Us