Category: System Security

Proposed Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) EPA announcement today – FYI EPA Webpage: https://www.epa.gov/dwucmr/fifth-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule The proposed fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) was signed on January 14, 2021. UCMR 5, as proposed, would require sample collection for 30 chemical contaminants between 2023 and 2025 using analytical methods developed by EPA and consensus organizations. This proposed action would provide EPA, states, and communities with scientifically…

DEP: AVAILABILITY OF TECHNICAL GUIDANCE The Department of Environmental Protection has issued updated technical guidance documents (TGDs) with clarified management of fill policy and other wording changes. The new guidance is available on the department’s website. MANAGEMENT OF FILL.PDF 258-2182-773 (NEW) Questions regarding this TGD can be directed to Ali Tarquino Morris at [email protected] or (717) 787-7381. Additional information may be…

Pennsylvania American Water Launches Online Emergency Reporting Report outages and water emergencies 24/7 with new web-based functionality   Mechanicsburg, Pa. (Jan. 14, 2021) – Pennsylvania American Water announced today that customers can now report a water outage, leak, or other water emergency online. Eliminating the need to report an emergency by phone, customers can now notify…

Very Important regarding PA Department of Health (DOH) regarding their updated Interim Vaccine Plan…Water and Wastewater Sectors PA Dept of Health Interim Vaccine Plan I heard back from the PA Department of Health (DOH) regarding their updated Interim Vaccine Plan (We had requested that water/wastewater treatment plant operators specifically be included and given priority for…

PA Department Of Health Confirms First Case With The COVID-19 Variant 01/07/2021 Harrisburg, PA – Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today announced the first confirmed case of the COVID-19 variant, SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7, in Pennsylvania. The confirmed case is in Dauphin County. This variant is the same one that was first discovered in England in December.…

Check Out New and Updated Water Security Division Resources from 2020 New EPA Cybersecurity Best Practices for the Water Sector Webpage WSD recently published the EPA Cybersecurity Best Practices for the Water Sector webpage. The new page contains cyber resilience resources available from EPA including the Water Sector Cybersecurity Brief for States, Cybersecurity Incident Action Checklist, Water Sector Cybersecurity…

SRBC Adopts General Permit GP-01 – Groundwater Remediation Projects At its December 11th Commission Meeting, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission adopted its first General Permit that would approve the withdrawal of groundwater for groundwater remediation projects and the consumptive use of that same water. A General Permit is a permit issued by the Commission in…

Building Water Flushing Guidance Recently AWWA published a document: https://www.awwa.org/Portals/0/AWWA/Government/20201001FrameworkforBuildingManagersFINALDistCopy.pdf For building facilities personnel and contractors I believe my document is the most useful. https://legionellae.org/wp-content/uploads/Chapter-3-Developing-a-Building-Potable-Water-System-Flushing-Program-5-18.pdf Tim Keane Consultant Legionella Risk Management, Inc. Effective Engineering Solutions to Engineering System Pathogens www.legionellae.org E-Mail: [email protected]   CDC Building Water Flushing Guidance Given that you as a water supplier…

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is publishing a paper estimating the annual impact of waterborne diseases in the United States. Water utilities should be prepared for the possibility of media inquiries resulting from the study, particularly related to Legionella and other biofilm-associated pathogens. The paper, “Estimate of Burden and Direct Healthcare Cost of…

  Subject Line: NSF-WHIRL survey – PA-AWWA leading the way!   Email to PA-AWWA members: A research program, Water, Health Infrastructure Resilience and Learning (WHIRL) funded by the National Science Foundation is exploring interdependencies between water and health systems.  The project is led by Wayne State University in collaboration with other academic institutions, the Water Research…