Y'all already know not to flush wipes, remember not to flush masks or any other PPE as well. Researchers at Rice University, and public works employees at the City of Houston are sampling and analyzing wastewater to track the spread of COVID-19 in the city's population . "By testing samples of sewage collected at the city’s wastewater treatment plants, officials hope to uncover the scale of the outbreak in Houston and, perhaps, locate hotspots undetected by in-person tests." As hurricane season starts, Harris County anticipates the end of storm damage repairs from Hurricane Harvey. The EPA addressed concerns regarding COVID-19 and biosolids in an official statement, noting that Class A biosolids are "processed, handled, and land-applied in a manner that minimizes the risk of exposure to pathogens, including viruses. " Class B biosolids should be handled in line with CDC guidance . Water sector organizations including WEF and NACWA offered policy suggestions to Congressional leaders in response to COVID-19's impact on ratepayers and utilities. The letter urged lawmakers to approve funding for ratepayer assistance, and to separately fund assistance for water utilities in the face of lost revenue. WEF’s Board of Trustees issued a statement in support of peaceful protest against systemic racism, promising to "continue doing all that we can within our membership and activities to challenge and change systems of inequity that perpetuate racism and bias as we advance our mission. We also reaffirm our commitment to leading the transformation to a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive water sector ." The Texas Water Development Board has issued a call for nominations to its regional flood planning groups , charged with developing region-based flood plans by 2024. Nominations will be accepted through July 2nd. Julie Nahrgang
June 12, 2020