2020
AWIA Risk and Resilience Assessment Checklist
The National Rural Water Association is pleased to announce that the partnership between the Environmental Protection Agency and the NRWA has produced a simplified checklist for small systems to utilize to comply with new risk and resilience assessment requirements under America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA).
This guidance is intended for small community water systems (CWS’s) serving greater than 3,300 but less than 50,000 people. Community water systems serving less than 3,300 people are not required to conduct risk and resilience assessments under AWIA, however, it is recommended that these systems use this, or other guidance, to learn how to conduct risk and resilience assessments and address threats from malevolent acts and natural hazards that threaten safe drinking water.
National Rural Water Association (NRWA) is the leading technical assistance provider for public drinking water and for providing immediate on-site emergency response in the United States. NRWA is proud to have provided the input and assistance through partnership with EPA to develop the small system checklist for risk and resilience requirements to keep our nation’s public drinking water safe and ready to respond.
For further assistance, contact your State Rural Water Association to provide the on-site assistance needed to understand, perform, and comply with these risk and resilience requirements and to provide on-site recommendations to keep your water system compliant and operating smoothly. Your State Rural Water Association is prepared to assist you at any time with the nation’s only genuine Circuit Rider program.
To view the full announcement click here.
To download the Risk and Resilience Assessment Checklist click here.
The National Rural Water Association is pleased to announce that the partnership between the Environmental Protection Agency and the NRWA has produced a simplified checklist for small systems to utilize to comply with new risk and resilience assessment requirements under America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA).
This guidance is intended for small community water systems (CWS’s) serving greater than 3,300 but less than 50,000 people. Community water systems serving less than 3,300 people are not required to conduct risk and resilience assessments under AWIA, however, it is recommended that these systems use this, or other guidance, to learn how to conduct risk and resilience assessments and address threats from malevolent acts and natural hazards that threaten safe drinking water.
National Rural Water Association (NRWA) is the leading technical assistance provider for public drinking water and for providing immediate on-site emergency response in the United States. NRWA is proud to have provided the input and assistance through partnership with EPA to develop the small system checklist for risk and resilience requirements to keep our nation’s public drinking water safe and ready to respond.
For further assistance, contact your State Rural Water Association to provide the on-site assistance needed to understand, perform, and comply with these risk and resilience requirements and to provide on-site recommendations to keep your water system compliant and operating smoothly. Your State Rural Water Association is prepared to assist you at any time with the nation’s only genuine Circuit Rider program.
To view the full announcement click here.
To download the Risk and Resilience Assessment Checklist click here.
NRWA Conducts Rapid Needs Assessment of Critical Impacts of COVID-19Posted April 23, 2020 by Kalli Forshee
National Rural Water Association recently conducted a national survey of small and rural utility systems. NRWA estimates small water and wastewater systems will lose $998 million in revenue by mid-July. This loss in revenue will not be recovered by utilities and does not include emergency operational costs such as staging additional shifts, isolating staff, modifying procedures for regulatory compliance, purchasing PPE, and additional equipment for remote work.
The survey was completed by 4,636 water and wastewater utilities across 50 states & U.S. Territories. Collectively, these systems serve 29,016,515 people and 1,386,787 businesses. Small systems (serving less than 10,000 people) made up 93% of survey respondents. 32% of these systems were able to forecast revenue loss over the next three months. The average revenue loss of these small systems was $56,474.
Small drinking water systems comprise 91% of all U.S. systems. here are currently 45,227 small community water systems serving 10,000 persons or less out of a total of 49,602 systems, according to EPA data. The potential financial impact assumes 32% of America’s 45,227 small water utilities are affected.
Publicly-available federal information on wastewater utilities is less certain. NRWA assumed wastewater systems will bear similar costs as drinking water utilities. Approximately 10,000 small wastewater systems exist in the U.S.
The National Rural Water Association urges Congress to take action now to include water and wastewater systems in the next stimulus bill and/or take independent action to ensure their sustainability and financial solvency. Public water and wastewater utilities are essential to protect public health and the environment. Small and rural communities have done their part to meet the public’s needs during the COVID-19 pandemic by maintaining and restoring customer access to services regardless of payment. They need assistance from Congress now to protect the public they serve.
To view the results of the survey please click here.
National Rural Water Association recently conducted a national survey of small and rural utility systems. NRWA estimates small water and wastewater systems will lose $998 million in revenue by mid-July. This loss in revenue will not be recovered by utilities and does not include emergency operational costs such as staging additional shifts, isolating staff, modifying procedures for regulatory compliance, purchasing PPE, and additional equipment for remote work.
The survey was completed by 4,636 water and wastewater utilities across 50 states & U.S. Territories. Collectively, these systems serve 29,016,515 people and 1,386,787 businesses. Small systems (serving less than 10,000 people) made up 93% of survey respondents. 32% of these systems were able to forecast revenue loss over the next three months. The average revenue loss of these small systems was $56,474.
Small drinking water systems comprise 91% of all U.S. systems. here are currently 45,227 small community water systems serving 10,000 persons or less out of a total of 49,602 systems, according to EPA data. The potential financial impact assumes 32% of America’s 45,227 small water utilities are affected.
Publicly-available federal information on wastewater utilities is less certain. NRWA assumed wastewater systems will bear similar costs as drinking water utilities. Approximately 10,000 small wastewater systems exist in the U.S.
The National Rural Water Association urges Congress to take action now to include water and wastewater systems in the next stimulus bill and/or take independent action to ensure their sustainability and financial solvency. Public water and wastewater utilities are essential to protect public health and the environment. Small and rural communities have done their part to meet the public’s needs during the COVID-19 pandemic by maintaining and restoring customer access to services regardless of payment. They need assistance from Congress now to protect the public they serve.
To view the results of the survey please click here.
"Emergency Preparedness & Asset Management: Your 5 Step Game Plan"
Date: Apr 9, 2020 02:00 PM in Central Time (US and Canada)
Today’s environment has created substantial challenges for municipal and utility organizations. Therefore, emergency preparedness and asset management are no longer optional programs but are required for the safety of their citizens/customers and to ensure sustainability for the present and future. It is now imperative for all organizations – most especially municipal and utility systems of all sizes – to utilize today’s technology to expedite emergency preparedness and asset management.
Are there simple & affordable options? YES!
Register here:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7VSu5NzTQreB1IYLhNa8SQ
Date: Apr 9, 2020 02:00 PM in Central Time (US and Canada)
Today’s environment has created substantial challenges for municipal and utility organizations. Therefore, emergency preparedness and asset management are no longer optional programs but are required for the safety of their citizens/customers and to ensure sustainability for the present and future. It is now imperative for all organizations – most especially municipal and utility systems of all sizes – to utilize today’s technology to expedite emergency preparedness and asset management.
Are there simple & affordable options? YES!
Register here:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7VSu5NzTQreB1IYLhNa8SQ
"Cybersecurity and AWIA Made Easy"
Date: March 19, 2020 at 2:00 pm CST
In this webinar, Tom Kirkham from Iron Tech Security will discuss cybersecurity of rural water systems and America's Water Infrastructure Act.
Register here:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YbbE9vxaS4WgJA5K4WkPYQ
Date: March 19, 2020 at 2:00 pm CST
In this webinar, Tom Kirkham from Iron Tech Security will discuss cybersecurity of rural water systems and America's Water Infrastructure Act.
Register here:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YbbE9vxaS4WgJA5K4WkPYQ
NRWA Member Update:
In Re: Liquid Aluminum Sulfate Antitrust Litigation
NRWA would like to make our members aware of the information below. NRWA will not receive any financial benefit from your participation in this settlement and is not affiliated with FRS, nor receives any financial benefit from their company.
FRS is a premier class action claims management firm that can help you recover funds from the settlements reached in the In Re: Liquid Aluminum Sulfate Antitrust Litigation. To be eligible to recover from the $111 million recovered for direct purchasers of Alum, you must have purchased Alum in the U.S. directly from one of the defendants from January 1, 1997 to February 28, 2011. To be eligible to recover from the $33.625 million recovered for indirect purchasers of Alum, you must have indirectly purchased it (that is, purchased it from an entity other than the defendants or their co-conspirators), not for resale, from January 1,1997 through February 28, 2011, and it must have been shipped or billed to a location in one of the 30 eligible states, Washington D.C. or Puerto Rico. Because many municipalities or treatment facilities purchased Alum to treat potable water and wastewater, you may be eligible to obtain a recovery from either of the settlements.
THE DEADLINE TO FILE A CLAIM FOR THE DIRECT PURCHASER SETTLEMENT IS DECEMBER 26, 2019. With the holiday season just about upon us, we urge you to act soon. The deadline to file a claim to recover from the Indirect Purchaser settlements is February 15, 2020.
About Financial Recovery Strategies: FRS was founded over eleven years ago with the mission of recovering for its clients as much as possible while providing best-in-class services with no financial risk. We have obtained for our clients, which exceed 18,000 in number, over $200 million from various class action other settlements.
FRS has created a dedicated portal for NRWA’s members. Click here to view FRS’s Class Action Summary and retention forms (which can include both settlements and be signed electronically).
A database that contains records of eligible purchases from one of the Defendants was made available to the Claims Administrator for the direct purchaser settlements. Therefore, you may not need to search old records to recover from the $111 million settlement fund. If you purchased Alum indirectly, you may be required to provide records to support your claim (the eligibility requirements may be viewed by clicking the link below).
https://www.frsco.com/alum/
If you have any questions, please contact Jeremy Wajs from FRS at 201-853-1251 or [email protected]. Please review the Class Action Summary and the retention forms for more information about FRS’s services.