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July 2, 2021
Best Wishes for a Safe and Happy Fourth of July
from the
Board and Staff
of the
Florida Rural Water Association
We will be closed for the holiday on Monday, July 5th. If you need immediate assistance, leave a message and we will contact you.
FRWA Legislative Report
The 2021 Legislative Session adjourned “Sine Die” at 2:40 p.m. on April 30th, followed by a Special Session two weeks later which considered and approved a new 30-year Gaming Compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Lawmakers passed a $101.5 billion state budget and with the gaming deal completed, could add $2.5 billion to the state coffers over the next five years.

Working under extremely difficult parameters due to the COVID-19 restrictions, legislators spent most of their days in a nearly empty Capitol. Without special interest groups in Tallahassee, the Republican-controlled House and Senate steamrolled the Democrats on many fronts. These included changes to Florida’s elections laws, cracking down on violent protests and targeting social media companies, known as “Big Tech”.
If there was a silver lining to the abnormal atmosphere, it was the $101 billion budget that was heavily aided by federal stimulus dollars. The federal funding provided a real bump to the fight to protect Florida’s environment and waterways. The legislature funded; $415 million for Everglades restoration. $302 million for targeted water quality improvements, $500 million for the Resilient Florida Program and up to $500 million for the Wastewater Grant Program. With the increased investment in water infrastructure funding, the FRWA and its membership came out of 2021Session as winners.

To read the entire report and to see what your Association is advocating for you, click here.
2021 FRWA 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.
 
Things will kick off with the Paul Brayton Golf Tournament at the LPGA Golf Course! You will not want to 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.
 
Don't miss your chance to visit our sold out Exhibit Hall when your name is picked for the door prizes that are given away! 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

CISA’s CSET Tool Sets Sights on Ransomware Threat The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) continues to make strengthening our nation’s resilience from cyberattacks – against both the private and public sectors – a top priority. more

NRWA Announces an Opportunity to Register Your Utility from Financial Burden re PFAs if your system has had PFAS detections at any level or there is a potential contaminant source in your area, register your utility now to be eligible to recover any current or future expenses associated with PFAS testing, treatment and/or remediation. more

House to Vote on SDWA Reform Bills This Week This week, the full House of Representatives is planning to consider a package of reform bills to fundamentally remake the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). more

Journey of PFAS in wastewater facilities highlights regulation challenges - Science Daily Researchers have conducted two of the first studies in New England to collectively show that toxic human-made chemicals called PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances), found in everything from rugs to product packaging, end up in the environment differently after being processed through wastewater treatment facilities -- making it more challenging to set acceptable screening levels. more

EPA Responds to Chlorine Supply Shortage EPA has a variety of tools and guidance to support drinking water and wastewater utility preparedness and response. Our resources can help you become a more resilient utility. more

House Subcommittee Passes SDWA Bills Bills Pallone Remarks at Markup of Drinking water and PFAs bill. more 

STATE NEWS

Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program LIHWAP will provide much-needed relief to low-income families that spend a high proportion of their household income on water utility services. Assistance to households will be accomplished by providing funds to owners or operators of public water systems or treatment works to reduce arrearages of and rates charged to such households for such services. more

Tropic's Update July 2, 2021 At 7:45am EDT Friday, Elsa was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds 75 mph. Little change is strength is forecast, though some slight weakening is possible on Sunday due to land interaction. more

Hillsborough water woes: South county trickle brings torrent of complaints | Tampa Bay Times Hillsborough County plans hundreds of millions of dollars worth of utility improvements for its fast-growing southern region, an area that remains on irrigation restrictions through 2022 to preserve water supplies. more

Water main break repairs have part of Dale Mabry shut down | WTSP Tampa city leaders say all southbound lanes of the highway between West Bay Avenue and West Elmwood Terrace will be closed while the Tampa Water Department repairs a water main break.  more

Resilient Florida Grant Program Webinar - July 14, 2021 The Department 
of Environmental Protection’s Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection would like to invite you to a webinar to learn more about the Resilient Florida Grant Program and new funding opportunities available to assist Florida’s communities in planning and adapting for sea level rise, flooding and extreme weather events more

Tropical Storm Elsa forms in Atlantic with Florida peninsula in potential path Tropical Storm Elsa has formed over the tropical Atlantic on Thursday morning and is expected to cause heavy rains that may lead to isolated flash flooding and mudslides in the Caribbean. more

Ormond Beach pursues new wellfield in Flagler County portion of Hunter's Ridge | Ormond Beach Observer On June 21, the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a request from the city of Ormond Beach to establish raw water wells within the Hunter’s Ridge Development of Regional Impact. more

Utility Department to perform smoke testing in ‘The Woodlands’ B-Section | Palm Coast Observer To improve sewer service to citizens, the city of Palm Coast will be smoke testing the sanitary sewer lines for homes in ‘The Woodlands’ B-section. more

Lake O starts to rise as June brings rainy season | Okeechobee News The rainy season has started, and Lake Okeechobee has begun to rise. On Friday, June 25, the lake level was 12.63 feet above sea level. more

West Palm Beach announces new panel on blue-green algae | WPTV The city of West Palm Beach shared details on a new panel formed following a water advisory last month caused by toxic algae. more

ECUA gives initial OK for 2.5% sewer rate increase and 9.5% increase in sanitation fee | Pensacola News Journal Emerald Coast Utilities Authority customers could see a rate increase for their sewer and garbage collection service in October. more

With heavy rain falling, Lake Jackson begins to return — but will it stick? | Tallahassee Democrat Thanks to days of summer rain and Tropical Storm Claudette, Lake Jackson is looking like a lake again. more
This Week in Water History
Omaha Buys the Waterworks
July 1, 1912: Omaha buys the waterworks. The history of water development in Omaha before the Florence Waterworks was open was colorful and rocky. “For thirteen years after Omaha was founded there were no street cars, water mains, gas, or electric lights in the new but growing town….For several years after being founded Omaha was a town without a bath tub. [In later years,] Saturday night ablutions in the old wooden tub in the center of the kitchen floor were no uncommon thing. Or the hardy seekers after cleanliness took a dip in the river. The Saturday bath was an institution not lightly given over to modern changes.

Women carried water from well or cistern, except when they could induce their husbands to carry it for them, and the old wood cook stove…were to be found in every home. The first agitation for a city water works system was started as early as 1857. Several times in the following 20 years the question of a water system was brought up without any action being taken. An artesian well system was the favorite with the early settlers. They looked askance at the Missouri river water. 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