We are excited to announce that registration for the 2024 Focus on Change is open. For over thirty years, the Florida Rural Water Association has coordinated with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to present our annual Focus on Change Seminars. These one day classes are held in different locations throughout the state in an effort to inform the water and wastewater operators of changes in regulations that affect the day to day operations of their systems. Click on the buttons on the right for more information and the buttons below to register.

There has been a long standing feud regarding bottled water vs tap water. Of course, bottled water gets a lot more press and is much more popular than tap water. At least that's what we are told.

Recently, microplastics in bottled water has been in the news. Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic debris that degrades from larger plastic debris. These compounds can be linked to serious health issues such as endocrine disruption, weight gain, insulin resistance, decreased reproductive health, and cancer.

Microplastics can be found in both tap and bottled water. However, a study showed that an average of 325 plastic particles were found in a liter of bottled water as compared to 5.5 plastic particles per liter of tap water.

So when your customers ask you about bottled water, you may want to warn them about microplastics it contains. You can use the items below to help you with your explanation:

• Microplastics in Water
• Microplastics in Bottled Water by Brand
• Testing for Microplastics in Bottled Water

NATIONAL NEWS

Urgent Cyber Threat from Water ISAC On Friday, the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center (WaterISAC) sent an urgent Threat Advisory to all members sharing the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) emergency directive (ED) on Ivanti vulnerabilities.  more

Federal Agencies Release Cyber Incident Response Guide for Water/Wastewater Systems With water/wastewater sector contributions, the guide provides recommended actions and available resources throughout a cyber incident response lifecycle. more

CISA, Partners Release Incident Response Guide for Water, Wastewater Sector With WWS Sector contributions, guide provides recommended actions and available resources throughout cyber incident response lifecycle. more

New York: Congressman Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Workforce Training in Rural Communities NRWA CEO Matt Holmes commends bill sponsors for leadership. more

Scientists Develop New Approach To Detect ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Water Researchers have created a new way to detect ‘forever chemical’ pollution in water, via a luminescent sensor. more

Removing Pharmaceuticals From Water Supplies The current EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive is more than 30 years old, and it has made dramatic improvements to the water quality in European rivers, lakes and seas. more

NWS Launches New Website To House The Next Generation Of Water Forecast Services And Flood Inundation Maps Access to water data and water prediction services from NOAA’s National Weather Service just got easier. more

Achieving System Sustainability through the Rate Analysis Process/February 8, 2024 | 2:00 pm CDT We will discuss the many different items of information necessary to conduct a system rate analysis. more

Latest EPA assessment shows almost no improvement in river and stream nitrogen pollution  The nation’s rivers and streams remain stubbornly polluted with nutrients that contaminate drinking water and fuel a gigantic dead zone for aquatic life in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a recently released Environmental Protection Agency assessment. more

Destroying PFAS In Wastewater To Help Safeguard Waterways There is growing concern about pollution from perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), especially with a recent report that nearly half of all U.S. drinking water is contaminated. more

EPA Strengthens Safeguards to Protect Families and Children from Lead in Contaminated ... Utilizing updated, best available science, EPA lowers nationwide screening levels for the first time in 30 years, impacting sites in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. more

Water Molecule Discovery Contradicts Textbook Models Many important reactions related to climate and environmental processes take place where water molecules interface with air. For example, the evaporation of ocean water plays an important role in atmospheric chemistry and climate science. more

Study: Aquifer Depletion Threatens Crop Yields Three decades of data have informed a new Nebraska-led study that shows how the depletion of groundwater — the same that many farmers rely on for irrigation — can threaten food production amid drought and drier climes. more

NOAA Sea Grant Advances Resilient Coastal Communities With $4M In Support Sea Grant programs across the U.S. are scaling up capacity to support additional hands-on, collaborative engagement to advance the sustainability of coastal and Great Lakes communities. more

STATE NEWS

Precautionary boil water notice planned for two Silver Springs communities Due to planned water plant maintenance, Marion County Utilities will issue a precautionary boil water notice beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, January 23 for homes and businesses within the Silver Springs Woods and Silver Springs Village communities. more

Millions of gallons of sewage spill into Lake Monroe | Orlando Sentinel Public is warned not to swim, wade or fish along the southern shoreline near Sanford. more

Is the tap water in South Florida safe to drink? Here's how to check the quality of your water In an effort to reduce the use of plastics, you may be filling your reusable water bottles with tap water. more

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Awards $20 Million for Water Quality Improvement Projects | Space Coast Daily  Since 2019, the state of Florida has invested more than $70 million for targeted water quality projects in Biscayne Bay.  more

Wastewater tests can find mpox, study finds. Expect more bugs to be tracked that way - Click Orlando  Wastewater testing does a good job at detecting mpox infections, U.S. health officials said in a report Thursday that bolsters a push to use sewage to track more diseases. more

Century Asks Rep. Matt Gaetz The Town of Century has turned to the federal government seeking funds to make needed water well and wastewater improvements to town infrastructure serving the state’s Century Correctional Institution. more

To Support Federal Funding For Water, Wastewater Improvements At State Prison | North Escambia  After millions of gallons of wastewater spilled into a sinkhole at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay last year, the theme park is dealing with another wastewater issue.  more

Thousands of gallons of wastewater spill at Busch Gardens - WTSP.com After millions of gallons of wastewater spilled into a sinkhole at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay last year, the theme park is dealing with another wastewater issue.  more

Lee County commissioners approve Alva sewer extension | WINK With no public explanation or any debate from the dais of the Old Lee County Courthouse, all five Lee County commissioners voted to amend the comprehensive land-use plan to allow a sewer extension to Alva under the Caloosahatchee River.   more

New funding for environmental protection projects now available in the Tampa Bay area | ABC Action News Local non-profits, governments, and homeowner's associations are eligible to apply. more

Lawmakers advance bills to block, remove harmful chemicals from drinking water - Florida Politics Lawmakers are again working to reduce the prevalence in Florida’s drinking water of long-lasting chemicals with bad bearings on human health through two bills that may unite before the end of Session. more

Palm Coast to discuss water utility hike at upcoming meeting | Palm Coast Observer If no action is taken, city reserves are 'projected to be less than the required minimum by 2025 and exhausted by 2027,' a press release said. more

West Palm Beach hopes to tap Floridan Aquifer for water source as population grows  As more and more condos, homes and offices are built, and the need for more water grows, the city doesn't want to rely solely on its surface water supply. more

 Typhoid Outbreak in Louisiana

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

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