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The Engineering Section of the Arkansas Department of Health (“DOH”) periodically publishes a publication titled Arkansas Drinking Water Update (“Update”).
DOH has published the Spring 2020 edition of the publication. See Volume 34 – No. 1.
The articles and information in the Spring 2020 edition include:
- Drinking Water Systems are Critical Infrastructure (authored by Jeff Stone, P.E., Director)
- Notes that the provision of safe drinking water during both normal periods and in times of crisis is essential to the health and safety of the public
- References federal guidance regarding a list of essential infrastructure workers which includes water and wastewater
- Notes the importance of continued wastewater collection and water treatment systems
- Arkansas Training for Risk Assessments and Emergency Response Plans Due in 2020 and 2021 (authored by Jatin H. Mistry, U.S. EPA Region 6 and Fatina Dodson, Arkansas Rural Water Association)
- References America’s Water Infrastructure Act requirement for certain community water systems to conduct risk and resilience assessments
- Discusses training that will be held to assist facilities in meeting the referenced requirements
- Describes the components of risk and resilience assessments
- Describes the components of Emergency Response Plans
- Due Dates Are Reviewed
- Public Water System Rules Finalized (authored by Jeff Stone, P.E., Director)
- Discusses the January 27th revised Rules Pertaining to Public Water Systems promulgated by the Board of Health
- Modification of approved chemicals, materials, equipment, and processes for very small water systems
- Modification of cleaning and disinfection correcting a reference
- Disinfection of pipe modification to address a more recent version of the referenced standard
- Annual fees modified
- Addressing a legislative requirement that referring to “rules and regulations” should be discontinued and replaced with simply “rules”
- ASDWA Submits Comments Concerning the Proposed Revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule (authored by Jeff Stone, P.E., Director)
- Discusses the comments submitted by the Association of Safe Drinking Water Administrators on the proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency State Drinking Water Act Lead and Copper Rule
- Referencing the four themes in the comments which include:
- Get the Lead Out
- Continue to Reduce Exposure from Lead in Drinking Water
- Work to Increase Transparency and Public Education and Clarify Public Notification
- Minimize the Implementation Burden and Increase Funding for States
- EPA Proposes to Regulate PFOA and PFOS in Drinking Water (authored by Jeff Stone, P.E., Director)
- Notes EPA’s preliminary determinations concerning 8 of 109 chemicals that were listed as part of the 4th Contaminant Candidate List
- Proposal to regulate two PFOA and a PFOS chemical
- Discusses Prior EPA Drinking Water Advisories Regarding PFOA and PFOS
- Coronavirus Impacts for Water Operator Training and Licensing (authored by Martin Nutt, Training and Certification Officer)
- Noting the importance of the water operator community focus on maintaining a safe water supply during the pandemic
- Discussing Impact on Renewal Training Courses
- Discusses the availability of license exam sessions
- Listing of Water Operator Licenses Issued
- Lead Testing in Schools and Daycare Facilities to Begin this Summer (authored by Teresa Lee, P.E., Chief Technical Services)
- Noting the Arkansas Department of Education received federal funding to assist schools and daycare facilities in voluntary testing for lead contamination in drinking water
- Referencing the Arkansas Department of Education’s future efforts to send information about the program to each Arkansas School District and daycare facility
- Mandatory Training Course Schedule
- Water Operator License Examinations Schedule
- List of Major Monitoring, MCL, Treatment Technique, & Licensing Violations
- Exam Reference Manuals – A Necessity? (authored by Martin Nutt, Training and Certification Officer)
- AWW&WEA District Meetings Schedule Listed
A copy of the publication can be found here.