NYS Conference of Environmental Health Directors NYS Conference of Environmental Health Directors 2013 Fall Meeting2013 Fall Meeting

Bureau of Water Supply Protection

Bureau and Regulatory Updates

October 8, 2013

Roger C. Sokol, Ph.D.Director

BWSP Update Topics

• DWSRF

• Storm Mitigation Loan Program

• Technical Assistance/Circuit Rider Contract

• Program Reminders

• Program Initiatives

• Training Opportunities

FFY 2014 DWSRF Final IUPFFY 2014 DWSRF Final IUP

• FFY 2014 DWSRF Final IUP is posted at www.nysefc.org

• Funding Capacity for FFY 2014 is estimated at $426 million

• Subsidized Funding Line is at 130 points

• Changes in program for FFY 2014:

• All new listing forms require submittal of a Smart Growth check

list

• Attachment IV of the IUP for copy of check list

• Integration of the Storm Mitigation Loan Program

• Attachment X of the IUP for information and listing form

Total amount of financial assistance available is: • $67.9 million (includes required 20% state match and before set asides)

• Financings will consist of:• 25% Grant • 75% Zero-interest Loans • Loan term can be up to 30 years

• Limited to mitigation, resiliency projects in the 14 counties that were FEMA disaster designated as a result of Hurricane Sandy

•Funds made available through SMLP can be used for planning, design, and construction;

• All capital project funds must be expended by 2019

•Pre-applications along with engineer’s reports due to DOH by April 1, 2014

•Pre-application along with guidance is available in Attachment X if the FFY 2014 IUP

DWSRF Storm Mitigation Loan Program (SMLP)

Small System Technical Assistance Small System Technical Assistance ContractContract

• New Five-Year Technical Assistance Contract with NYRWA

• Circuit riders to provide on-site technical assistance to small PWS’s

• Activities to include: training, treatment trouble shooting, leak detection, VA/ERP assistance, mapping services,

Program Reminder:VA/ERP Updates – 2013

•THANK YOU! for Continued Processing of VA/ERPs

• About One-half of the ~ 330 VA/ERPs Required by Law are Due in 2013

•Of these, about one-half have been received at BWSP• Most of These Approved or Conditionally Approved• Remainder under Review

•Please continue to Review and Process

•Schedule of actual “Due” dates has been sent out to field coordinators

•Reminder when mailing please stamp “confidential”

Program Reminder:SDWIS

DOH Prevention Agenda

Keep SDWIS Up-to-Date

Expect Inquiries, Notices from Time to time

Program Initiative:Re-Energizing the Capacity Development Program

The BWSP is looking to re-energize the Capacity Development Program.

Why?

Because ….•EPA has asked the states to integrate Capacity Development throughout their programs.

Also ….

•Water System Capacity is required under the Safe Drinking Water Act,

•Water systems with Capacity are more likely to be sustainable,

Water System Capacity is…

PlanPlan for, for,

ComplianceCompliance

WithWith

ApplicableApplicable

DrinkingDrinking

WaterWater

StandardsStandards

and

Maintain

Achieve,TheThe

AbilityAbility

toto

Three Elements of Capacity

Technical Capacity

ManagerialCapacity

FinancialCapacity

We Need Your Feedback!

How can the Capacity Development Program be implemented more efficiently and effectively throughout New York State?

Please provide us with feedback and ideas on improving, integrating and streamlining the Capacity Development Program

Revisions to the Capacity Development Program are expected to be implemented sometime in late 2014.

Tool to Support Water System Capacity

Value of Water Brochure Created by the Water and Wastewater Education and Outreach Committee.

Message: Provides information on the Value of Water and what it takes to deliver the service.

Uses:• Public Education• Elected Official Education• Bill Stuffers• Posting on Website – Interactive Version

Available for download at: efc.syracusecoe.org/WWEO

Program Initiative:Program Initiative:EPA Program ReviewsEPA Program Reviews

• EPA Region 2 becoming more “engaged” in drinking water program

• Asked to perform a limited program review at a LHD

• Chemung County “accepted” the invitation• (thank you)• Review focused on the Lead and Copper Rule

• This initiative is expected to continue

Program InitiativeEmergency Equipment Stockpile Upgrades

• NYS OEM Emergency Stockpile Water System Equipment upgrades

• Retrofitting two DE units onto Trailers

• Pending purchase of Three Trailer-Mounted Filtrations Units (Cartridges & UVs)

• Trailer Mounted Cartridge & RO Unit

Program InitiativeEmergency Equipment Stockpile Upgrades

• Meetings with OEM, NYWARN,and NYRWA regarding staging, deployments, O&M

• Locations, Readiness

Program Initiative:Design Handbook

• Design Handbook distribution by e-mail / paper copy.

Training continues First session – March, Ontario County Second session – June, Syracuse for CRO Third session was last week in Ballston Spa MARO – TBA WRO may schedule another session 4.5 PE credits

Hope to prepare/distribute errata sheets in 2014

Please provide any corrections/edits to BWSP

Program InitiativeResidential Septic and Well Pamphlets

New “Septic System O & M” Pamphlet available Each LHD gets a bundle of pamphlets http://www.health.ny.gov/publications/3208.pdf

New “Residential Water Well Maintenance and Testing” pamphlet under development;

• funded by an EHS-NET CDC grant

Program InitiativePrivate Drinking Water Well Study

• National Interest in Understanding Private Well Quality and Public Health

• Department applied for and was just awarded a CDC EHS-Net Water Well grant (“risk assessment”)

– Thanks for completing last spring’s Survey Monkey and letters of support

• Objective is to assess private wells relative to their vulnerabilities and public health protection

• The two-year effort will assemble available data into a database which will then be evaluated.

OWTS – Vendor Alert

• OWTS Vendor-equipment alert:– some vendors marketing their products as alright to use when only one foot of vertical separation distance available;

– the Department does not support only one foot of vertical separation distance; at least two feet is needed!

Related DEC Initiatives

• DEC 1988 Standards Revisions: DEC Staff finalizing revisions DEC hopes to finalize/release by 12/31/2013

• Realty Subdivisions & SEQR • DEC still working on revisions to Part 617 “State Environmental Quality Review” regulations• The Department is still trying to have DEC consider requiring that all realty subdivisions be subject to “coordinated review”

Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act

REMINDER!

SDWA Amendment on “Lead-Free” Becomes Effective January 4, 2014

“Lead-free” will mean:• Solder and flux no more than 0.2

percent lead • Pipes, pipe fittings,

appurtenances, fixtures no more than 0.25 percent lead in “wetted surfaces”

Covers Repairs and Replacement

Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act of 2011

• EPA Information will be available… SOON?

Draft Reduction Of Lead In Draft Reduction Of Lead In Drinking Water Act Frequently Drinking Water Act Frequently Asked Questions Please send Asked Questions Please send comments to comments to LeadFreeAct@epa.govLeadFreeAct@epa.gov

The “Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act The “Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act was enacted on January 4, 2011 to was enacted on January 4, 2011 to amend Section 1417 of the Safe Drinking amend Section 1417 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA or Act) respecting the Water Act (SDWA or Act) respecting the use and introduction into commerce of use and introduction into commerce of lead pipes, plumbing fittings or fixtures, lead pipes, plumbing fittings or fixtures, solder and flux. The Act established a solder and flux. The Act established a prospective effective date of January 4, prospective effective date of January 4, 2014, which provided a three year 2014, which provided a three year timeframe for affected parties to transition timeframe for affected parties to transition to the new requirements. In anticipation of to the new requirements. In anticipation of these changes taking effec ….these changes taking effec ….

Training Opportunities

• EPA sponsored Post-Sandy Water-Energy Workshop on Long Island November 7, 2013 Bethpage, Nassau County* Anticipate water and wastewater CEUs

• EPA sponsored free SDWA compliance training for small systems (<10,000)Topics include: LCR, TCR, GWR, Disinfection,

Distribution & Groundwater production

Four held in MARO in 2013 Targeting CRO and WRO for Three Sessions

in Winter/Spring 2014

QUESTIONS ?

1. 1.

1.

NYC Delaware Aqueduct NYC Delaware Aqueduct Shutdown/Catastrophic Failure PlanningShutdown/Catastrophic Failure Planning

•FEMA sponsored, Administered by NYS DHSES OEM

•Working with County OEMs, DOHs

• Worst-Case Failure: up to 39 month ? Outage for 9,000,000 New Yorkers

•Many “Back-Up” Plans of “Up-State” Aqueduct Communities Rely on other Aqueduct communities

•Seeking Truly Back-Up Sources

•DRAFT Documents w/ Agencies

•Parts of Adirondacks “Abnormally Dry”

USGS Hydrologic Conditions MapUSGS Hydrologic Conditions Map

No Drought Task Force Activation in 2013No Drought Task Force Activation in 2013

•Most Areas with Greater Precipitation Than Normal

•NYC Reservoirs Higher than Average

(~ +10%)

•Parts of Adirondacks “Abnormally Dry”

Upstate Flooding – June/July 2013Impact to PWSs

• 5 systems issued Drinking Water Advisories (BWOs)

- One had well field and UV unit flooded (Six feet)

- Three kept Advisories local per quick valving & isolation decisions

• One system with Water Conservation Only per extensive “Tanker Brigade”

Lessons Learned

• PWS operators should have a working knowledge of key isolation valves and their locations

• Recommended Standards stream-crossing reqt (5 feet below stream-bed), valve reqts, flood-proofing, and redundancy all make eminent sense

• Approved Bulk Haulers are Wonderful