Arkansas Drinking Water Update (Spring 2020): Arkansas Department of Health - Engineering Section

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.