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2023/2024 Membership Directory

The 2023/2024 issue of the Membership Directory is fresh off the press!

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2024 FRWA Annual Conference

By popular demand, we are back in Daytona next year at the Daytona Hilton! The Conference will be held on July 29-31, 2024. More to come!!!

October is

Cybersecurity Awareness Month

It's hard to believe that cybersecurity has been a problem for twenty years. In 2004 the President of the United States and Congress declared the month of October to be Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a dedicated month for the public and private sectors to work together to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity.

Attacks on water systems have become increasingly common over recent years. Examples include ransomware attacks, hacks that tamper with disinfectant levels, and attacks through remote access programs. Recently, attackers hacked into a system that was using old software and another attack came from a former employee sharing a username and password. Please caution your employees to use caution with your system information and encourage your customers to be careful with theirs.

Please see below some information that you may utilize or pass along to your customers.

Articles of Interest

NATIONAL NEWS

WaterISAC to Host Second Virtual Conference Focused on Security H2OSecCon, taking place Oct. 19–20, is a virtual conference focused on IT and OT cybersecurity, physical security, and operational resilience for the water and wastewater sector. Utilities serving under 10,000 individuals are eligible for FREE registration! more

EPA Finalizes Rule to Require Reporting of PFAS Data Rule builds on over two years of progress on action plan to combat forever chemicals. more

EPA Awards Nearly $8M for Research Grants to Advance Groundwater Availability and Quality Four institutions receive funding to research the use and risks of enhanced aquifer recharge (EAR). more

EPA Releases Long-Awaited Final PFAS Reporting Rules – Publications - Morgan Lewis Any entity that has manufactured or imported PFAS—including “articles” containing PFAS—will have either 18 or 24 months to submit a report of PFAS usage to EPA from the date the final rule is published in the Federal Register. more

Advanced Monitoring Solutions for Water and Wastewater October 19, 2023 | 2:00 pm CDT Advanced Monitoring Solutions implements technology to help utilities pinpoint the issues with Sanitary Sewer Overflow’s (SSO), Infiltration and Inflow (I&I) and Environmental Water Quality. more

Developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) November 16, 2023 | 2:00 pm CDT This training session we will look into assisting in the development of Standard Operating Procedures of many different type of operations. more

EPA moves to gather data on at least 1,462 PFAS The US Environmental Protection Agency wants to know who is using per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), how the chemicals are being used, and in what quantities. more

EPA Finalizes Rule Requiring Reporting of PFAS Manufactured in the U.S. On September 28, EPA released the pre-publication of a final rule outlining reporting and recordkeeping requirements for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). more

Microscopic parasite found in Baltimore water supply Low levels of a microscopic parasite were found during routine testing of Druid Lake Reservoir, the Baltimore Department of Public Works said, meaning the drinking water could sicken some vulnerable populations in parts of Baltimore, Baltimore County and Howard County. more

Study: Microplastic pollution found in clouds Clouds now contain microscopic pieces of plastic that in turn are causing “plastic rainfall”, according to a new study. Scientists fear that these particles of less than 5mm - known as microplastics - could be contaminating “nearly everything we eat and drink”. more

STATE NEWS

Tropical Storm Philippe, Eastern Tropical Atlantic Wave, & Florida Weather Outlook This general motion with an increase in forward speed is expected to continue through late Saturday. A turn toward the north-northwest is possible Saturday night or early Sunday. On the forecast track, the center of Philippe will pass just west of Bermuda on Friday, reaching the coast of Nova Scotia, new Brunswick, or Eastern Maine Saturday night. more

More funding needed for septic-to-sewer conversion projects | Okeechobee News The report builds upon FTW’s previous research to assess the risks of conventional septic tanks and provide recommendations for improving Florida’s wastewater management. more

Fort Lauderdale mayor looks to pour $500M into fighting rising seas, tides | Local 10 Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis is expected to launch a new initiative in the State of the City Address Wednesday night called “Fortify Lauderdale,” which he says will help fight rising sea levels and high tides in the area. more

New Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority Board members sworn into office | WUFT Gainesville Mayor Harvey L. Ward administered the oath of office to the new Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority Board members during their first official meeting Wednesday. more

Lead emitted at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport is higher than previously calculated, new study finds | Sun Sentinel Lead emissions at Fort Lauderdale Executive airport are estimated to be significantly greater than previous calculations, according to a new study contracted by the airport last month. more

ECUA Rates Increase 9.5% For Sanitation With ‘Free’ Second Can, 5% For Water And Sewer | North Escambia The 9.5% increase raises the rate for one 90-gallon container from $27.67 to $29.88 and includes an optional additional trash or recycling can at no cost. more

Here’s why so many storms have turned away from Florida. Will our luck continue? The Atlantic hurricane season has been very active this year, but most of the tropical storms and hurricanes have veered north as they crossed the Atlantic, carrying them away from Florida’s east coast. more

This Week in Water History

First Use of Chlorine in the US

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.

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