Agencies are Responding to COVID-19 with Critical Information Regarding the Water Industry
While our collaborative-delivery education sessions may be on hold for the foreseeable future, the WDBC is still committed to educating our industry on issues that affect all of us. We will continue to use this space to pass along any pertinent information from other organizations that can help everyone better manage this ever-changing crisis. We are all in this together - let's work together.
WDBC Endorses U.S. Water Alliance's COVID-19 Relief and Recovery: Guiding Principles to Secure Our Water Future
Water is the lifeblood of our communities and our economy. We know water is playing an essential role in our health and well-being during the public health crisis brought about by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Clean, affordable, and accessible water service is fundamental to public health and thriving communities. Modern treatment processes are intended to ensure all viruses, including COVID-19, stay out of the water supply. Water and wastewater systems are one of the greatest public health achievements in this country and cannot be taken for granted. The challenges facing water systems in a time of crisis will affect communities differently—those already in the midst of ongoing economic, environmental, and public health challenges may be hardest hit.
During this moment of crisis, U.S. Water Alliance offers four principles that knit together enduring water issues critical at this time:
1. Ensure water is reliable and affordable for all.
2. Strengthen water utilities of all sizes.
3. Close the water access gap.
4. Fuel economic recovery by investing in water systems.
Read more about these principles and join WDBC and 227 other diverse organizations that endorse them here:
Water Environment Federation Convening a Blue-Ribbon Panel to Evaluate Biological Hazards and Precautions for Wastewater Workers
To ensure the protection of wastewater workers during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is convening a blue-ribbon panel of experts to evaluate information on biological hazards and safety precautions.
The panel is comprised of a diverse array of experts involved in water operations, science, health, and safety and will provide appropriate input to U.S. government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as the World Health Organization (WHO).
“The top priority of the Water Environment Federation is always to ensure the safety and health of the frontline people in the water workforce, who protect our communities not just during the coronavirus pandemic but every single day,” said WEF President Jackie Jarrell. “In keeping with the WEF tradition of educational and technical excellence, the blue-ribbon panel will make certain that our information on hazards and safety and the guidance of organizations such as the WHO, CDC, OSHA, and EPA are based on the latest evidence and absolute best science.”
The coronavirus pandemic has shown the need for timely, reliable information on biological hazards from wastewater and appropriate protective practices for wastewater workers. The WEF Manual of Practice, Safety, Health and Security in Wastewater Systems, includes a chapter that discusses types of hazards, how to prevent and treat infections, and which workers are at risk. The panel of experts will review the advice provided in the Manual of Practice and other WEF publications and guidance from federal agencies to determine if supplemental advice or recommendations are warranted to protect worker health and safety. The panel is expected to work quickly and present its initial findings within a few weeks.
The panel is chaired by Dr. Art Umble, who leads the Global Wastewater Sector for Stantec Consulting and previously managed a publicly owned water and wastewater utility. Dr. Umble also serves on the advisory council of the Water Research Foundation (WRF), the editorial board for the Water Environment Research (WER) journal, and university advisory boards for environmental engineering, and provides peer review for academic journals and collaborative research projects. Panel members represent a variety of academics, practitioners, and policy-makers in disciplines from across the water sector, including public health, safety and security, utility management, collection systems, facility operations, municipal design, industrial, laboratory services, and microbiology.
The panel members are:
• Dr. Art Umble (Chair), Stantec
• Dr. Allegra da Silva (Vice Chair), Brown and Caldwell
• Tim Page-Bottorff (Vice Chair), SafeStart
• Dr. Charles Gerba, University of Arizona
• Dr. Kyle Bibby, University of Notre Dame
• Dr. Charles Haas, Drexel University
• Dr. Leonard Casson, University of Pittsburgh
• Dr. Kartik Chandran, Columbia University
• Dr. Mark Sobsey, University of North Carolina and World Health Organization
• Dr. Mark LeChevalier, Dr. Water Consulting
• John Bannen, Inframark
• Dr. Earnest Blatchley III, Purdue University
• David Gill, DC Water
• Dr. Naoko Munakata, Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts
WEF’s overall response to the coronavirus pandemic has included providing the latest technical and scientific information to the water community, offering educational opportunities through digital programming, and communicating regularly about resources and assistance available to the sector. WEF maintains comprehensive information and resources related to coronavirus at www.wef.org/coronavirus.