One of Patrick Green’s first orders of business each day is to open a tap and fill a bottle with sludge. A utilities plant operator in Modesto, a city of nearly a quarter-million people in California’s San Joaquin Valley, Green helps keep the city’s sewers flowing and its wastewater treated to acceptable levels of safety....

The State Water Resources Control Board has funding available to provide relief to wastewater agencies and wastewater billing entities for unpaid customer debt accrued during the Pandemic. The California Water and Wastewater Arrearage Payment Program covers residential and commercial customer debt accrued March 4, 2020 through June 15, 2021. Applications open February 1, 2022 and...

View all coronavirus stories > Testing wastewater for RNA strands of the coronavirus might tell local officials how widespread COVID-19 is in their community and whether infections are rising or falling. Known as “sewer surveillance” or “wastewater epidemiology” – wastewater professionals are once again working to protect public health. In November, the State Water Board...

SCCWRP and its partners have found that variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus – including mutations found in the virus’s Eta variant lineage – can be detected in wastewater influent streams across Southern California using next-generation DNA sequencing methods. The proof-of-concept study, published in September by the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, was able to strongly correlate viral levels in...

For member Tony Pollak, the pandemic and sudden chlorine shortage that hit this spring have pushed his operations team to redouble their efforts. Tony is the Assistant Deputy Director of Operations for Western Municipal Water District in Riverside County. In late May, the District’s chlorine supplier informed them a west coast shortage would delay deliveries....

Since reopening campus at the University of California-San Diego last summer, university officials have relied on the tried-and-true public health strategies of testing and contact tracing. But they have also added a new tool to their arsenal: excrement. That tool alerted researchers to about 85% of cases in dorms before they were diagnosed, according to...

As of June 17, 2021 Gavin Newsom signed the Executive Order N-09-21, which allows the Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) to take effect. This was immediately following the Cal/OSHA Standards Board meeting, which had voted to pass the revised language from June 11, 2021 that same day. Download a full copy of the standard. To see what these...

SCCWRP and its partners have developed an improved understanding of what contributes to sources of variability in methods for measuring COVID-19 virus levels in wastewater streams – key insights that can help water-quality managers use wastewater influent to track the prevalence of COVID-19 infections in communities. The SARS-CoV-2 measurement methods comparison study, completed in April,...

The study published in the journal Nature npj Clean Water reports water bodies influence by treated or untreated wastewater are likely not associated with the spread of COVID-19. The paper’s authors include distinguished Internal Water Association Fellow Dr. Charles Haas. From the paper’s summary…. The challenges posed by COVID-19 require many diverse fields of research...

 This UC Berkeley webinar features CWEA-WEF member Dr. Kara Nelson Professor from their  Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Did you know that you have been helping to manage the COVID pandemic, just by going to the bathroom? Since April 2020, a large team of researchers at U.C. Berkeley has been working with local...

In the review of the NEW proposed 3205 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) changes for the adoption posted on Friday, June 11, 2021 the CWEA Safety Committee wanted to summarize the Key Modifications. The modifications will be considered at the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board Meeting on June 17, 2021. For a copy of the...

From the academic research magazine Frontiers in the Built Environment… Research article by Dr. Thomas Dight and Dr. Michael Gormley, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK There is emerging evidence of the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via the sanitary plumbing wastewater system, a known transmission pathway of SARS-CoV-1. These events can no longer be dismissed as isolated cases, yet a lack...

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has selected the Water Environment Federation to develop, manage, and provide training for a nationwide network of water utilities, public health agencies, and laboratories participating in wastewater-based disease surveillance. Wastewater-based disease surveillance involves the testing of wastewater to evaluate the presence of pathogens among a population....

Healthy Davis Together wastewater monitoring operations, led by UC Davis researchers with support from the city’s Department of Public Works, has deployed newly arrived wastewater sampling equipment to 15 additional sample collection locations (nodes), expanding monitoring to more neighborhoods served by the city wastewater collection system. The virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) can be shed in...

In earlier days of the COVID-19 pandemic, before diagnostic testing was widely available, it was difficult for public health officials to keep track of the infection’s spread, or predict where outbreaks were likely to occur. Attempts to get ahead of the virus are still complicated by the fact that people can be infected and spread...

View all coronavirus stories > Updated 3/23/21 – Water/wastewater workers should use the business/industry “EMERGENCY SERVICES.” The “Water and Wastewater” sector on MyTurn is once again NOT WORKING to book appointments, so CDPH told us to select “Emergency Services” instead. On March 11th the California Department of Public Health announced water and wastewater workers are...

This is a letter to the editor from CWEA member Beverli Marshall published in The Desert Sun on Feb 5, 2021. View CWEA’s coverage of the California vaccine roll-out for water and wastewater workers. Aside from wearing a mask and social distancing, what’s the single most important action we can take to stay healthy? Washing...

State Water Board press release Public water systems throughout California are facing heightened financial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, as about 1.6 million residential water customers, or 12% of all households, have been unable to pay their bills, according to the State Water Resources Control Board’s comprehensive survey. The results of the survey were presented...

View all coronavirus articles here > Testing mixed liquor sludge can better detect COVID viral infection in communities Accurately identifying changes in community COVID-19 infections through wastewater surveillance is moving closer to reality. A new study, published in Environmental Science & Technology, identifies a method that not only detects the virus in wastewater samples but also...

The Water Sector Coordinating Council (WSCC) is urging U.S. water and wastewater utilities to coordinate with state and local health departments to ensure they are included in distribution plans for the COVID-19 vaccine. Today, WSCC, issued an open letter describing utility actions to increase the speed of receiving vaccine doses for water sector workers. Timely local...

British researchers look at the dangers of working around raw sewage. They find SARS-CoV-2 is unlikely to be spread by sewage. “Overall, we conclude that while virus particles contained in respiratory droplets are known to be highly infectious, evidence suggests that feces and urine probably contain low levels to no infectious particles. In comparison to...

Stanford researchers examined the best place to search for SARS-CoV-2 by examining raw wastewater effluent and settled primary sludge. Sludge appears to be the most efficient place to test for SARS-CoV-2 RNA strands for wastewater surveillance. “The primary settled solids samples resulted in higher SARS-CoV-2 detection frequencies than the corresponding influent samples. Likewise, SARS-CoV-2 RNA...

AquaVitas, an HHS contractor, will be conducting SARS-CoV-2 testing in wastewater treatment plants, and requests assistance in identifying utilities interested in participating.  This opportunity is open to all wastewater treatment plants, whether they are currently submitting wastewater samples or not. Priority will be given to treatment plants that serve large populations. AquaVitas plans to begin...

 The CWEA-CASA free COVID-19 webinar series continues with an in-depth discussion from four prominent experts and moderated by CASA’s Greg Kester. Sponsored by GT Molecular Speakers and their topics include: Dr. Rose Kantor, with the University of California, Berkeley speaking on their project to conduct wastewater Based Epidemiology (WBE) for the San Francisco Bay...

Show off your PPE Whatever happens in this pandemic, the wastewater keeps flowing. CWEA members are #essentialworkers out there keeping #essentialservices going. We are the ones on the front lines, making sure wastewater gets cleaned up to protect our communities and the environment. Job #1 is keeping you and your teammates safe. If you’re a...

Published September 17, 2020 *State of California Department of Industrial Relations COVID-19 Infection Prevention Requirements (AB 685) Enhanced Enforcement and Employer Reporting Requirements Assembly Bill 685 (Reyes) enhances Cal/OSHA’s enforcement of COVID-19 infection prevention requirements by allowing for Orders Prohibiting Use and citations for serious violations related to COVID-19 to be issued more quickly. The...

In Los Angeles County, few resources are as precious to and connected with residents as water. In addition to being necessary to civil success in a desert, the contents of the county’s water tell the story of every life that touches it. The Los Angeles County Sanitation District (LACSD) works to protect and monitor Los...

Our COVID-19 webinars continued on August 27, 2020 with another deep dive into the emerging role of wastewater surveillance. Collecting samples from the sewershed and at the treatment plant can help communities track coronavirus and gain early-warning signs about potential community spread. We heard from leading state, national, and international experts about the latest research...

A panel of wastewater and public health experts has determined that occupational risk of COVID-19 infection for wastewater workers is low. The panel also found that standard wastewater treatment processes inactivate the virus and additional research should be conducted to further increase understanding of hazards and protections for personnel. WEF convened this blue-ribbon panel of...

View complete coverage of Coronavirus worker safety > From the CDC on Monday, August 17, 2020 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in collaboration with agencies throughout the federal government, are initiating the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) in response to the COVID-19...

Wastewater monitoring for COVID-19 and other pathogens is an efficient and highly scalable way to monitor populations for the prevalence of infections. It provides a rapid and direct measure of the level of infection throughout a population at risk, without the logistical barriers of conventional testing. Most current protocols use laborious viral-precipitation methods that make...

From the Water Environment Federation… Studying concentrations of pathogens in wastewater — a practice known as wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) — is a time-honored approach to gathering crucial public health data that traditional approaches might miss. During the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are partnering with the U.S. Environmental Protection...

View all Coronavirus stories > Join the fourth CWEA-CASA webinar featuring six top utility executives from the San Francisco PUC, Regional San in Sacramento and the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD). They will share their plans for dealing with unique O&M challenges while also preparing for new emergencies as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. This is...

Message below from the State Water Board’s Office of Operator Certification. Note, emergency requests might be prioritized based on impacts to the treatment plant or distribution system more so than the impact on the individual seeking certification. Detailed requests from Chief Plant Operators describing the plant emergency and need for certified operators might help the...

Our June COVID-19 webinar covered wastewater surveillance and how wastewater agencies can help monitor the spread of the virus in communities. The webinar was sponsored by WEST YOST. COMING-UP: The next CASA-CWEA COVID-19 webinar is on July 22nd. The title is Overcoming O&M Challenges to Maintain Essential Services. The webinar is free for water and...

“It was inspiring to see our community work together to help each other out. We’ve learned some important lessons. We did not have enough cleaning supplies and PPE to get us through the pandemic, and adjusting to social distancing is tough.”  – Kody Tompkins, CWEA WEF Delegate Director, City of Barstow “I learned when something as big as the pandemic hits, the community rallies together to help each other beyond all...

As more municipalities turn to wastewater monitoring for early detection of COVID-19, these three companies are uniquely positioned to provide an end-to-end solution to improve the process. In-Situ is a leading manufacturer of environmental water monitoring equipment and serves the wastewater monitoring market through its ChemScan line of analyzers and related products. GT Molecular, has developed a...

Collaboration between WEF and Xylem aims to ensure consistent guidance for water operators. To ensure protection of the health and safety of wastewater workers during the coronavirus pandemic and into the future, Dr. Andrew Sanderson, MD, MPH of Howard University, has been named Chief Medical Officer for the Water Environment Federation. As Chief Medical Officer,...

City if LA’s main environmental laboratory has ramped-up production of hand sanitizer to help their fellow team members on the front lines during the pandemic. LASANitizer HAND SANITIZER To make 10 L of hand sanitizer, mix the following according to instructions below: 500 mL         100% Glycerin 8420 mL       95% Ethanol (EtOH) 1040 mL       Deionized...

The Water Research Foundation convened the International Water Research Summit on Environmental Surveillance of COVID-19 Indicators in Sewersheds in response to the overwhelming need for information regarding the distribution and prevalence of COVID-19. The global water sector has mobilized to investigate the use of wastewater surveillance of the genetic signal of SARS CoV-2 as an...

Press release from NYU… SARS-CoV-2, the virus the causes COVID-19, is an enveloped virus in the coronavirus family that has been found to replicate in the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. While primary transmission of coronaviruses is through respiratory droplets, questions have been raised in the water and wastewater sector about persistence and disinfection of viruses...

Our series of deep dives into the coronavirus pandemic continues with a close-up look at wastewater surveillance as a public health tool. These webinars are FREE for water and wastewater professionals. This webinar will cover the following topics: CDC wastewater based epidemiology efforts, coordination, and research (aka wastewater surveillance) Overview of the EPA’s Office of...

View all wipes stories > California’s sewers were built to handle pee, poo and toilet paper, but increasingly they’re being called upon to carry an ever-growing array of plastics and trash people flush down the toilet. Wastewater systems across California, and around the world, are becoming solid waste debris conveyance systems. Condoms, feminine hygiene products,...

By Paula Hansen and Artem Dyachenko East Bay Municipal Utility District Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) is a disinfection method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet (UVC – approximately 254 nm) light to kill or inactivate microorganisms (e.g. bacteria, viruses, molds, and other pathogens). It destroys nucleic acids of the microorganisms and disrupts their DNA, leaving them unable...

View our complete coverage of coronavirus worker safety > Facing an extreme shortage of hand sanitizer in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) produced its own. This was especially important for water and wastewater workers who often do not have access to soap and running water in...

With hundreds of scientific papers about the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) released every month, several Italian researchers decided to take a step back and examine 3,600 studies on the fate of the coronavirus in water and wastewater. The review of studies was published in the International Water Association’s Water Research journal. While there are a few studies...

Download “Will SARS-CoV-2 reset public health requirements in the water industry? Integrating lessons of the past and emerging research” (pdf) A little good news in the world of SARS-CoV-2 (the scientific name for the virus that causes COVID-19). Dr. Stuart Khan, a Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales writes about...

Story from Blue-White pumps… When officials in Huntington Beach, became concerned whether enough ventilators would be available to treat the anticipated surge in COVID-19 patients, the city turned to Blue-White Industries, a local manufacturer of chemical metering pumps, flowmeters and water treatment accessories. City officials asked Blue-White to quickly develop and build temporary ventilators that met multiple specifications...

View all coronavirus stories > WEF releases an updated and expanded version of “The Water Professional’s Guide to COVID-19” Authors: Rasha Maal-Bared, Naoko Munakata, Kyle Bibby, Kari Brisolara, Charles Gerba, Mark Sobsey, Scott Schaefer, Jay Swift, Lee Gary, Samendra Sherchan, Akin Babatola, Lola Olabode, Robert Reimers, Robert Bastian, and Albert Rubin  Primary Messages The research...

According to a new study posted by the CDC… Isolation of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in feces indicates the possibility of fecal–oral transmission or fecal–respiratory transmission through aerosolized feces. During the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome pandemic, 329 residents of a private housing estate in Hong Kong were infected; 42 died (10). Investigation of the building’s structure...

View all Coronavirus stories > CASA and CWEA once again brought together leading national and California experts on the coronavirus for a free webinar. Learn the latest scientific information from this webinar recording. The webinar provided an update on the following topics: Reopening guidance and essential workers Testing wastewater for community surveillance Wastewater worker exposure...

This Manual of Practice serves as an injury-reduction tool to all those working in the wastewater field. Safety, Health and Security in Wastewater Systems, MOP 1, 6th Edition, Chapter 8 There are guidelines for creating written programs and procedures as well as guidelines that describe how to perform a confined space entry, lockout/tagout, and chemical...

The CWEA safety committee’s number one concern is our members safety. By now, you have received valuable information on all possible precautions you should take to protect yourself and your family members.  Resources: CDC and CAL-OSHA The CWEA Safety Committee is also charged with providing our member agencies resources to assist them in staying in compliance. ehsInc.org...

Please note: Orders must be placed by a water or wastewater system. If you are not the correct contact, please share with the correct individual. Identification will be required at pick-up. Here is an announcement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the California Water-Wastewater Agency Response Network (CalWARN). Our friends at the California-Nevada American...

Updated 4/30/20 FEMA and CalWARN offering water/wastewater utilities free cloth masks   Information from CASA… As facemasks and other essential PPE are in high demand as a result of this crisis, it may become more difficult for agencies to procure the necessary PPE to maintain operations and ensure worker safety. California Special Districts Association According...

Wastewater epidemiology has been used for decades to track the presence of infectious diseases such as polio in communities. It has also been used to aid in the response to the opioid epidemic. Currently, it has gained a role in guiding state and local public health responses to COVID-19 outbreaks. This webcast introduces wastewater epidemiology...

From the Australian Water-Wastewater Association… What is Coronavirus (CoV)? Coronaviruses are a large and diverse family of envelopedi RNAii viruses. These lipid-enveloped CoV viruses are generally considered more fragile than other viruses (both environmentally, and to disinfection), however are known to cause illness of variable severity in humans, including the common cold, severe acute respiratory...

Press release from the State Water Board. View CWEA’s round-up of coronavirus stories here. Existing stringent state standards protect public from COVID-19           Link to Fact Sheet (pdf) Wastewater treatment plants treat municipal wastewater to standards that protect the beneficial uses of the waters into which the treated wastewater is discharged. Some plants treat wastewater to...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > Throughout CWEA’s three COVID-19 webinars we’ve been surveying wastewater professionals about their experiences during the pandemic. Here is a summary of their responses. For the April 15th collection systems webinar, we asked attendees if their agency is experiencing INCREASED maintenance because of wipes? 64%...

CWEA’s fourth free COVID-19 in CA webinar From April 30, 2020 The experts tell us the coronavirus is here to stay. How do water reuse and wastewater professionals fine tune their treatment processes to better deactivate/remove virus to protect themselves and their community? Is there even infectious virus in wastewater? Three experts in wastewater disinfection...

  COVID-19 in CA free Webinar – Collection Systems and Coronavirus Pandemic was held on Wednesday, April 15th. The webinar is supported by HDR. Phil Scott and Sergio Ramirez are utility leaders with the West Bay Sanitary District in the Bay Area. They discuss the procedures and PPE protections their agency is using. They discuss...

What we know today (4/16/20) WEF is continuing to work on the matter of wastewater worker protection from disease causing microorganisms and pathogens, in general — especially via aerosols — by forming a Blue Ribbon Panel to address the issue of required personal protective equipment and protective work and hygiene practices. To date, the scientific...

Temporary Advisory for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Reporting in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic On March 26, 2020, EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, issued a Temporary Policy titled “COVID-19 Implications for EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program” . This EPA Temporary Policy applies retroactively beginning on March 13, 2020 and until...

Dr. Fiona Young is an Adjunct Associate Professor, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia. She taught and researched in the disciplines of Medical and Environmental Biotechnology, with a focus on toxicology and mammalian cell culture. In a post on the COVID-19 scientific blog, she reviewed the latest scientific research into coronavirus...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > Message from the US EPA… Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler sent a letter to Governors in all 50 states, territories and Washington, D.C. urging them to ensure that drinking water and wastewater employees are considered essential workers by state authorities...

Updates These orders may apply to workers in the field and construction sites be sure to check with your employer and local health department. 4/6/20 – Riverside County requires face masks 4/7/20 – San Bernardino County requires face masks, $1,000 fine or 90 days in jail for not wearing one 4/7/20 – City of Carson...

Coverage of water workforce topics is supported by waterTALENT COVID-19 in CA Webinar – Continuity of Operations and Emergency Staffing was held on Thursday, April 9th. The webinar is supported by DUDEK. This is CWEA’s second webinar in our COVID-19 series. Recording:  A recording of the webinar is available on YouTube.  Feel free to forward...

March 2020 may go down as one the biggest moments in the wastewater professions’ battle against “flushable” wipes. A combination of the coronavirus pandemic, TP shortage, press release from the State Water Board and media coverage of sewer back-ups in Redding and Las Galinas caused the wipes clog pipes topic to go viral. The result...

Written and photography by: Senior Airman Colville McFee, 9th Reconnaissance Wing Beale Air Force Base, Calif. – The 9th Civil Engineering Squadron (9CES) provides many skills and mission essential aspects such as, airfield maintenance, fire emergency services, explosive ordnance disposal and utility system construction to name few around the 9th Reconnaissance Wing. With the COVID-19 pandemic...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > The new website is: covid19waterblog.wordpress.com One of their first posts focuses on the transmission of COVID-19 via wastewater. There has been quite some talk about SARS-CoV-2 shedding in faeces and what that might mean for the water industry.  As I see it, there are...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > From the paper’s April 1, 2020 abstract. Note the researchers looked at nine patients in total. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory tract infection that emerged in late 20191,2. Initial outbreaks in China involved 13.8% cases with severe, and 6.1% with critical...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > By Krista R. Wigginton and Alexandria B. Boehm Environmental engineers and scientists have played pivotal roles in protecting the public from viral illnesses, and continue to do so today. We develop drinking water and municipal wastewater treatment technologies, make discoveries that inform related regulations...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > From the CDC Interim Guidance for Implementing Safety Practices for Critical Infrastructure Workers Who May Have Had Exposure to a Person with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 To ensure continuity of operations of essential functions, CDC advises that critical infrastructure workers may be permitted to...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > The US EPA is taking further action to help ease the production and availability of EPA-registered disinfectants. EPA will temporarily allow manufacturers of certain already-registered EPA disinfectants to obtain certain active ingredients from any source of suppliers without checking with the agency first. This...

We are gathering photos of safety items for wastewater workers. To share one, please email a photo to [email protected] Several CWEA members have asked about coronavirus and working around wastewater. According to WEF, the scientific community has found no evidence yet of viable COVID-19 virus in wastewater systems. While there is still a lot we...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > Thank you for attending yesterday’s Overview of the Coronavirus, Transmission and Operations Planning Webinar and for helping to shape the content of the webinar – we received over 300 questions before and during the webinar. We hope that you found the content informative and helpful. Recording:  A...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > COVID-19 Enforcement Policy As all of us at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency adjust to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, we are first and foremost mindful of the health and safety of the public, as well as our staff, and those of Federal Agencies, State...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > From George Hawkins, President of Moonshot Missions and the former General Manager of DC Water… Water and wastewater services are essential to deliver clean drinking water and ensure safe waterways during the response to the Coronavirus. Water utilities are committed to providing these services,...

News from California manufacturer SmartCover. SmartCover Offering a COVID-19 Relief Package Remote Sewer Monitoring at NO COST In response to the strain on collection systems, staff and resources,  SmartCover is providing a COVID-19 Relief Package to make remote sewer asset monitoring available at no charge. During this time of uncertainty, our role as public health...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > Dr. Rasha Maal-Bared is a Senior Microbiologist at EPCOR and Chair of WEF’s Waterborne Infectious Disease Outbreak Control Subcommittee (WIDOC). She writes about Our water workforce –operators, maintenance personnel, utility crews, laboratory technicians, collection system workers, and custodial staff – all work in the...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > This article is from the covid19waterblog.wordpress.com, a blog run by several international water researchers. By Stuart Khan Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales The possibility of monitoring the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in sewers has been flagged as an...

  Updates 4/16/20 New! Guidance on how to respond to a positive coronavirus case in the laboratory Updated! Schedules for EPA’s DMR-QA Study Updated! List of laboratories with emergency capacity Updated! Information about supply and equipment vendors State Water Board launches new website… waterboards.ca.gov/elap-covid19  The information on this webpage is based on the latest statewide and national...

This is a message from the State Water Resources Control Board As a result of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) emergency, and state and federal guidance related to social distancing, the April 18th Wastewater Operator Certification Examination has been cancelled. The State Water Resources Control Board understands this decision will have negative effects on a lot...

Example of an Emergency Plan from the City of Modesto a medium-size Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) showing their specific example written in response to COVID-19 and useful for what they are doing with safety and operations. BACKGROUND: Since the outbreak of the worldwide novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Stanislaus County Public Health Agency and the...

waterTALENT has over 600 licensed, qualified, experienced water and wastewater operators (mostly Grades 3, 4, and 5) who deploy to districts and utilities around California that are enduring a staff transition and in need of experienced operators for water/wastewater treatment, distribution, collections, control systems technicians, electrical-mechanical technicians, and a number of other specialties. With COVID-19 causing...

Dear CWEA Member: This is a fast-moving situation and we want to provide updates as they become available. All CWEA groups are suspending events and meetings for the next eight weeks. AC20 is postponed to Oct 27-30 in Reno. We know CWEA members are essential employees who must report to work to maintain the wastewater...

From the San Jose Mercury News… The employee is a janitor working as part of a contract company. The massive plant, located in Alviso, has 17 employees in self-quarantine as a result and is running at about 70% staffing. “The staff is continuing with business as usual, although at a lower head count,” said Kerrie...

From the State Water Board UPDATED AS OF MARCH 20, 2020 Compliance with Water Board Requirements During the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Emergency The State Water Resources Control Board and the nine California Regional Water Quality Control Boards (the Water Boards) are continuing their efforts to protect public health, safety, and the environment consistent with all...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > A message from WEF, our national federation… The Water Environment Federation is always focused on the health and safety of our members, whether at our events, in the water workplace, or here in the WEF office. We are closely monitoring the situation with COVID-19,...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here >      Download the CISA Guidance Water-Wastewater Specific Plan Functioning critical infrastructure is imperative during the response to the COVID-19 emergency for both public health and safety as well as community well-being. Certain critical infrastructure industries have a special responsibility in these times to...

Announcement from the State Water Resources Control Board While the State Water Board and other public agencies encourage Californians to follow the Centers for Disease Control recommendations to clean surfaces with disinfecting wipes to reduce the spread of COVID-19, it is important to discard those items in the trash, not the toilet. Flushing wipes, paper towels and...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here >   This webinar occurred on March 19th. During the COVID-19 pandemic, water and wastewater utilities are currently triggering their response plans for continuity of operations. A significant component during pandemic is consideration of critical functions that include essential personnel whose role does not allow...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > The CDC released this Q&A on water and wastewater system on March 11, 2020. From the CDC… Can the COVID-19 virus spread through drinking water? The COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking water. Conventional water treatment methods that use filtration and disinfection,...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > On 3/17/20 OSHA released new guidance for COVID-19 and workplace safety. Download the OSHA guidance > There is not specific water/wastewater worker safety in this guidebook, but there is detailed info on workplace safety. They’ve broken guidance into workplace categories based on exposure risk:...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > From the CDC on 3/15/20… Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities. Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals,...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here >

Article from Pete DeMarco, Executive Vice President of Advocacy and Research at IAPMO. Pete looks at the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) from one person to another on different floors of a Hong Kong high-rise. Sadly, with the current coronavirus outbreak in Hong Kong, history seems to have repeated itself. According to the Associated Press, a 2016...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > From the World Health Organization This Technical Brief supplements existing IPC documents by referring to and summarizing WHO guidance on water, sanitation and health care waste which is relevant for viruses (including coronaviruses). This Technical Brief is written in particular for water and sanitation...

This webinar was hosted by WRF. To watch the recorded webinar, complete the registration form and you will be taken to the recorded webinar. Register and watch > The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a member of the Coronavirus family that was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in...

WEF Field Guide to COVID-19 > Wastewater Treatment and COVID-19 Coronaviruses are susceptible to the same disinfection conditions in the healthcare setting as other viruses, so current disinfection conditions in wastewater treatment facilities is expected to be sufficient. This includes conditions for practices such as oxidation with hypochlorite (i.e., chlorine bleach) and peracetic acid, as...

WEF Field Guide to COVID-19 >     How to avoid Coronavirus? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are maintaining a webpage on prevention and treatment of coronavirus. In short, the prevention guideance is the same for avoiding the flu. CDC Prevention guidance > Do Wastewater Workers Need to Take Special Precautions? Based...

WEF Field Guide to COVID-19 > View recorded webinar > This webcast aired on Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at 2:30 PM Eastern. Please be sure to verify the most current information. The 2019 Novel Coronavirus was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness, referred to as COVID-19. It was first detected in...

Open the Words on Water webpage to play the podcast > March 2, 2020 Dr. Rasha Maal-Bared is Senior Microbiologist at EPCOR and Scott Schaefer is Wastewater Practice Leader at AE2S and Chair of WEF’s Disinfection & Public Health Committee. In this episode Rasha and Scott discuss the coronavirus, its origin, and the agencies involved...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > Message from WEF President, Jacqueline A. Jarrell, P.E. and  Executive Director Walter Marlowe, P.E., CAE A core part of our mission for the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is sharing the latest science and technical information with you to enable protection of public health and...