FRWA eNews
October 1, 2020
Florida Rural Water Association
2970 Wellington Circle
Tallahassee FL 32309
850.668.2746
Flushing Signs
Upcoming Training
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
11.17.20
Pump Maintenance And Electrical Safety/Debary
11.18.20 
Pump Maintenance And Electrical Safety/Debary
11.19.20 
Pump Maintenance And Electrical Safety/Debary
12.08-.11.20
1/2/3 Water Distribution Certification/West Palm Beach
Online Training
Roaring 2020!!!
FRWA Emergency Response Update

It seems like FRWA has been in Emergency Response mode all year. The COVID 19 pandemic put us into response for Florida water utilities and helping our friends in Georgia/GRWA.  FRWA delivered generators to hospitals to help run refrigeration trucks.  We even bought KN 95 masks and sold them to Florida water utilities at cost for protection of critical and valuable water utilities' staff. Then hurricane season started early and we have been on alert/response ever since (More on that in the following paragraphs). FRWA has also been working very closely with, and been prime contractor, to develop an emergency response reporting/tracking/needs requesting/resource providing system with the State of Florida. Working together, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), Florida Water Agency Response Network (FlaWARN) and FRWA have developed WATER Tracker (Water Assistance Tracking & Emergency Response). Access or review of this program is available to interested parties. In fact, sharing with other States has been offered, and remains offered, to other State partners such as State Primacy Agencies and Rural Water Associations and WARNs. 

Florida's storms and the daily requests from water utilities for FRWA equipment/emergency response resources including generators and pumps are common and we do not even count those as emergency response anymore. If there is an issue for water utilities that generates a request to FRWA, it is an emergency to that water utility. Some States call it providing technical assistance, but it is really emergency response in the judgement of the water utilities needing the help for a water utility emergency.
 
FRWA responded and pre-staged FRWA emergency response equipment at West Palm Beach for Hurricane Isaias. We had semi loads of generators and pumps ready for use. In a miracle related to normal Florida luck it turned/veered north and delivered only a glancing blow to the Florida Atlantic coast and Florida Water Utilities. In fact, the resources were not even unloaded off semi-trailers to be used. Local water utilities helped each other/took care of all needs. This is the beauty of Water Utility helping Water Utility Networks-FlaWARN.  more
National News
Organizational Culture: The Key to Successful Innovation  For innovation to take hold in an organization, you need more than a great idea.  more

Youth Outreach: It's No Joke  What a time of opportunity for our water industry workforce!  more

Free Energy Assessments Produce Significant Savings "I've found savings for every system for which I conducted an energy assessment during my five years as an enregy efficiency technician,"  more

Raising the Profile of the Water Industry  I was asked recently what could be done to help the rural communities and small towns.  more

Eight Texas Communities Issue Disaster Declaration or "Do Not Use Water Order" after Detecting Naegleria Fowleri  The communities became aware of the amoeba after six-year-old was hospitalized and later died of the infection.  more

ASDWA Releases White Paper Summarizing Water Distribution System Today, the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA) released a white paper summarizing key findings from a survey of its members on distribution system issues.  more

City of Newark's Mayor Makes Progress on Lead Rule Compliance, But not Enough for Social Justice Advocates  "I think that Newark has made a lot of progress, but obviously, social justice warrior here, they haven't gone far enough for me," says activists Anthony Diaz. more

Trump's SCOTUS Pick Judge Amy Coney Barrett Has Environmentalists Depressed  "Environmentalists are facing a real minefield ahead," said Robert Percival, director of the environmental law program at the University of Maryland.  "I have just been so depressed. more

"The Trump Administration Announces USDA $268 Million Investment in Rural Water Infrastructure,"  The Trump Administration has announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $268 million to modernize rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure across 28 states. more 

NRWA Regulatory Accomplishments Quarterly Report New Updates on vulnerability assessments.  more

E.P.A. to Promote Lead Testing Rule as Trump Tries to Burnish His Record | New York Times  The Environmental Protection Agency is preparing to overhaul the way communities test their water for lead, a policy change that will be pitched ahead of Election Day as a major environmental achievement for a president not noted for his conservation record.  more

Rural Water Strong  The ARWA is working diligently to provide support and relief to the areas impacted by Hurricane Sally. more
State News
Sarasota County Commissioners hope to improve water quality with new projects | Your Observer  County staff hopes to implement a new stormwater rate system by fiscal year 2022.  more

DEP reports 117 local sewage spills due to Hurricane Sally | My Panhandle  Hurricane Sally did more than just flood homes, streets, and rivers, it caused over 117 different sewage spills to occur in five surrounding counties.  more

FDEP issues $242K fine against town of Longboat Key after June's sewage break | Your Observer  The town commission voted to schedule a second private meeting with lawyers to determine what to do next.   more

Joe Gruters coasts ahead on water message for first TV ad | Florida Politics  He passed legislation last year increasing fines for sewage spills.  more

JEA Delivery and Collection maintenance crews safely made repairs to two water mains damaged during Hurricane Sally  JEA Delivery and Collection maintenance crews safely made repairs to two water mains damaged during Hurricane Sally in Gulf Breeze, Fla.  more

Bonita Springs uses bio-reactor to clean up algae from local waterways | NBC-2  More blue-green algae has appeared in Southwest Florida.  more

Hurricane Eloise hit the Panhandle 45 years ago | My Panhandle Hurricane Eloise slammed into the Florida Panhandle 45 years ago this week. more

'Extraordinary' class action lawsuit takes on FPL over Fort Lauderdale water main break | Local 10  Very few people and business owners take on a powerful giant and monopoly such as Florida Power & Light, but a judge recently cleared the way for a class action lawsuit.  more

How your lawn's fertilizers can contribute to the red tide; counties combat their use | WFTV  The red tide has not only affected our beaches, the ecosystem and tourism, but harmful algae blooms have also affected other bodies of water, such as inland lakes and canals closer to our homes.  more

Waterline break causes issues in Panama City Beach | WJHG   Tuesday morning around 6:00 a.m., a waterline broke off of Thomas Drive near the Pickle Patch.  more

Escambia County faces 'long march' to recovery, wait continues for major disaster declaration | Pensacola News Journal  Escambia County is continuing recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Sally as most of the lights are on and officials anxiously await word from President Donald Trump declaring the event a "major disaster."  more
This Week in Water History
Building on the right housed the chloride of lime feed facility

September 26, 1908: 110th anniversary of the first day of operation of the chlorination facility at Boonton Reservoir for Jersey City, NJ. This was the first continuous use of chlorine in the U.S. for drinking water disinfection.

In the field of water supply, there were big moves afoot in the state of New Jersey at the turn of the 20th century. Jersey City had suffered with a contaminated water supply for decades causing tens of thousands of deaths from typhoid fever and diarrheal diseases. In 1899, the City contracted with the Jersey City Water Supply Company to build a dam on the Rockaway River and provide a new water supply. The dam created Boonton Reservoir, which had a storage capacity of over seven billion gallons. One of the company's employees, Dr. John L. Leal, would have an enormous impact on this water supply and the history of water treatment. Leal was a physician, public health professional and water quality expert. Leal's job with the company was to remove sources of contamination in the Rockaway River watershed above the reservoir. Water from the project was served to the City beginning on May 23, 1904.  more

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