A series of webinars to instruct government agencies and the public on how to use the streamlined and revised Environmental Assessment Forms (EAF) will be held this spring, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today.

Announcing the retirement of the Town of Liberty’s Working Supervisor of Water and Sewer Department, Albert Picard. After 36 years of service with the town Albert has decided to spend more time with his wife Virginia, his two children and his four grandchildren. Albert has always supported NYRWA.  I, Rich Winters and Steve Grimm have often worked with Albert in his system and am sure we will both miss his professionalism. Here’s wishing you the best in whatever the next chapter of your life brings your way. Gods speed my friend.

Just a reminder to all our Voting Members, please plan to join us for the 35th Annual Business Meeting  scheduled for Wednesday, April 16, 2014, at 1:00 p.m. at the Turning Stone Resort and Conference Center in Verona, NY.  For those voting members present, you have an opportunity to enter our drawing to win “The Meredith H. Thompson Training Award” that entitles the winner to join us and attend the National Rural Water Association Annual Technical Expo this October in Seattle, Washington.  Looking forward to seeing you there.

NYRWA 35th Annual Technical Conference April 14-17, 2014 Turning Stone Resort/Conference Center, Verona, NY

Wednesday, April 2, 2014, 1-2 PM ET

 EPA will be hosting its second of four Water and Energy Nexus in Disasters webinars on April 2, 2014. The webinar will feature two speakers from electric utilities and one speaker from a water utility who will share their experiences and recommendations for increasing coordination and communication between the two types of utilities. They will also share their lessons learned from significant storm events that impacted their utilities, including Superstorm Sandy.

The staff here at the NYRWA would like to extend our congratulations to Susan Thew from the Clinton County Health Department who will be retiring on Friday March 14, 2014.  Susan has worked for the health department for 26 years.  We appreciate her dedicated service to the water systems, as well as her continued support of the NYRWA.

            All of us here wish Susan a very happy and healthy retirement.  Best Wishes Susan !

On March 5, 2014, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) released updated Design Standards for Intermediate Sized Wastewater Treatment Systems. These are available at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/95768.html. The design standards are applicable for municipal, private, commercial and institutional SPDES wastewater permits.

Community Needs Survey Reminder: Input Still Needed from Local Governments

The Syracuse EFC (Environmental Finance Center) is seeking input from local governments through its online Community Needs Survey until the end of March. Your response helps us help New York State municipalities!

 The United States Geological Survey (USGS) recently published the findings of a survey to better understand the occurrence of methane in groundwater across south-central New York. This region is across the border from northeastern Pennsylvania where extensive shale-gas resource development has occurred. This study, which can be accessed on the web, found that methane in groundwater is common across the region.