River Network s Drinking Water Guide: A Resource for Community Engagement

Transcription

1 River Network s Drinking Water Guide: A Resource for Community Engagement Presenter: Chi Ho Sham, Ph.D. Eastern Research Group, Lexington, MA AWWA Technical & Educational Council, Denver, CO Kansas City, Missouri September 12, 2018

2 Who is River Network? Since 1988, River Network has been at the forefront of expanding national interest in protecting the waters of our country, encouraging diversity in the environmental movement, and helping engaged community members and local organizations take a stand for their waters. Mission & Vision of River Network: To empower and unit people and communities to protect and restore rivers and other waters that sustain all life. Envision a future with clean and ample water for people and nature, where local caretakers are well-equipped, effective and courageous champions for our rivers. Believe that everyone should have access to affordable, clean water and healthy rivers.

3 Why is River Network developing a drinking water guide? Over the past decades, drinking water contamination incidents have left many individuals with questions such as: I don t understand drinking water systems how did this happen? I m worried about my own tap water who can I trust to answer my questions? What can I do so this doesn t happen to my community?

4 Why is River Network developing a drinking water guide? In 2017, River Network received a grant from C.S. Mott Foundation to create a more informed and engaged national network of community advocates for safe, affordable, and sustainable drinking water systems.

5 Steps in developing the Guide 1. Developed a national advisory group (members from environmental organizations, water utilities, academia, municipalities, community advocacy groups) 2. Conducted a resource gap analysis (assess existing materials) 3. Developed and updated outline in consultation with the national advisory group 4. Completed draft guide and training materials (presented at River Rally 2018 and a series of webinars for the national advisory group and interested parties - ongoing) 5. Finalize guide and training materials (soon) 6. Production of guide and training materials (next step)

6 What will this guide offer? This Guide is intended to provide accurate and easy to understand information organized into each of the following sections (with leading questions): 1. Where does my drinking water come from? 2. What does my drinking water utility do? 3. Who is responsible for making sure my water is safe to drink? 4. What is my water bill paying for? 5. How will climate change affect my water? How can I support community actions and advocacy on drinking water issues?

7 Content of the Drinking Water Guide Overview on information and resources on drinking water issues Organized under key questions related to drinking water services Provide information to raise consumers and stakeholder group awareness about drinking water Not intended to be an exhaustive reference on everything about drinking water Does not cover private wells for drinking water

8 Where does my drinking water come from? Drinking Water Guide: Leadin Questions What does my drinking water utility do? Who is responsible for making sure my water is safe to drink? What is my water bill paying for? How will climate change affect my water?

9 Drinking Water Guide: Where does my drinking water come from? Surface water bodies lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and streams Groundwater waterbearing rock or sediment layers in the ground know as aquifers

10 Source Water Protection Not required under the Safe Drinking Water Act and left up to the states and water utilities Many water utilities have developed Source Water Protection Programs Cannot do this alone and require collaboration across many organizations: Watershed organizations Planning departments Land conservancies State dept. of public health Community groups Water utilities

11 Where does my drinking water come from? Drinking Water Guide: Leadin Questions What does my drinking water utility do? Who is responsible for making sure my water is safe to drink? What is my water bill paying for? How will climate change affect my water?

12 Drinking Water Guide: What does my drinking water utility do? A. Drinking Water Well B. Surface Water Intake Water Source Treatment Distribution Customers

13 Drinking Water Guide: Where does my drinking water utility do? Note: Ideally, no water systems should have to provide more treatment than that is required to deal with naturally occurring contaminants. Water Source Treatment Distribution Customers

14 Additional Water Treatment Membrane technologies Ozone Ultraviolet light Ion exchange Granular activated carbon (GAC) In-home devices Note: Generally more costly and require sufficient time to plan, design, and install.

15 Drinking Water Guide: Where does my drinking water utility do? Components Water mains Service lines Premise plumbing Corrosion control Maintain and replace aging infrastructure Assess water age concerns Water Source Treatment Distribution Customers

16 Drinking Water Guide: Where does my drinking water utility do? Water Source Treatment Distribution Customers

17 Drinking Water Guide: What does my drinking water utility do? Drinking water utilities seek to: Manage an adequate supply of water Maintain an infrastructure to deliver drinking water Provide high-quality water at just and reasonable rates Communicate about drinking water to customers Challenges facing water utilities: Lack authorities to protect source water from contamination (need to partner with planners & others) Not in the position to specify building plumbing and inhome treatment (need to collaborate with building owners) Need to generating adequate revenue to finance all required and voluntary activities (involve asset planning & management to deal with failing infrastructure)

18 Where does my drinking water come from? Drinking Water Guide: Leadin Questions What does my drinking water utility do? Who is responsible for making sure my water is safe to drink? What is my water bill paying for? How will climate change affect my water?

19 Safe Drinking Water Act Background Signed into law in 1974 (Pres. Ford) Protect public health through regulation of drinking water supplies Authorizes EPA to set national health-based standards Framework for delegating authority to states Prompted by studies revealing widespread problems and health risks at community water systems nationwide Amended 1986, 1996, and 2016

20 National Primary Drinking Water Regulation Development Process Source: U.S. EPA, 2011

21 Regulated Contaminants Over 90 contaminants currently regulated Microorganisms Disinfectants Disinfection byproducts Inorganic chemicals Organic chemicals Radionuclides Applicability varies across water systems

22 Role of EPA Develops regulations Oversight of SDWA implementation Guidance, training, technical support Regulates Underground Injection Control (UIC) wells and directly implements some state UIC programs Authority to intervene in state/tribe primacy programs Emergency authority to protect public health Ten regional offices

23 Role of States Public Water System Supervision programs Source Water Protection UIC Program Implementation Drinking Water State Revolving Funds Operator Certification and Capacity Development

24 Role of Water Utilities Protect source water, build partnership and secure funding Treat the raw water (remove contaminants and improve aesthetics) prior to delivery Maintain the water mains and service lines to minimize leaks and maintain water quality Monitor water quality to meet all applicable standards Provide customer notifications if problems arise Work with customers to solve water quality problems

25 Where does my drinking water come from? Drinking Water Guide: Leadin Questions What does my drinking water utility do? Who is responsible for making sure my water is safe to drink? What is my water bill paying for? How will climate change affect my water?

26 Cost of Delivering Potable Water Capital Costs: Source water protection (land purchase) Infrastructure to obtain water (intakes and wells) Treatment (treatment plants) Distribution (pipes, pumps, valves, tanks, meter, and control equipment) Operations and Maintenance Costs: Acquisition of water Monitoring source water and finished water Treatment chemicals and supplies Technical staff and management payrolls Energy to operate treatment and pumping water

27 Paying for Water Rate payers (= customers) Other municipal sources (e.g., general fund, taxes) Other financial sources such as bonds and loans (must be repaid) Grants from governments and non-profit organizations (do not need to be repaid but highly limited) For privately-owned water suppliers, generating a return on investment (ROI) for shareholders and owners

28 Why is My Water Getting More Expensive? Need to replace deteriorating infrastructure at an accelerated rate Higher frequency of main breaks and other problems Significant leakage from old pipes Declining water use Commercial/industrial customers Residential customers More complex issues associated with man-made contaminants

29 What does affordability mean to me? Ongoing discussion on the appropriateness, accuracy, and applicability of median household income as the metric for affordability Utilities are rethinking and developing tailored approach to get a better understanding of their customers Pricing decisions by water utilities involve considerations of equity as well as efficiency. Low-income households, especially those served by high-cost systems, may face affordability problems if prices are raised To alleviate these hardships, communities can offer pricing structures and assistance programs to address affordability issues (e.g., to mitigate impacts on low-income households)

30 Where does my drinking water come from? Drinking Water Guide: Leadin Questions What does my drinking water utility do? Who is responsible for making sure my water is safe to drink? What is my water bill paying for? How will climate change affect my water?

31 Impacts of Climate Change Climate change can affect Water quality and quantity Treatment decisions Infrastructure sustainability Cost of service Consumer behavior Impacts will be highly variable and hard to predict Disproportionate impacts on vulnerable and traditionally underserved communities

32 Resilience and Adaptation Planning Communities must balance likelihood and severity of climate impacts against competing needs Investing today to avoid a problem in the future can be a tough sell Investments must acknowledge the disproportionate impact that climate change can have on socio-economically disadvantaged populations Education is critical

33 Resilience and Adaptation Planning Water conservation initiatives Reduce water usage through policies, programs, initiatives (water conservation planning) Water efficiency initiatives Demand side management through use of water saving devices/technology and outdoor use management/planning Capital projects Planning, moving, replacing, or protecting infrastructure Accessing/creating new sources of supply New treatment technologies Other investments Purchasing water rights Emergency preparedness and planning

34 Community Action & Advocacy Some sample questions and concerns 1. There has been a spill, leak, or other type of hazardous discharge near our community s water supply. Who should I contact immediately? 2. My state agency is proposing revisions to drinking water rules what can I do? 3. My utility is developing a new, or reviewing an existing, source water protection plan or an emergency management plan how can I participate? 4. How can my organization help advocate for infrastructure funding to ensure water is safe and affordable for everyone? 5. How can my organization advocate for state support for making water service affordable?

35 Community Action & Advocacy 1. Identification of leverage points In systems thinking a leverage point is a place in a system's structure where a solution element can be applied. It's a low leverage point if a small amount of change force causes a small change in system behavior. It's a high leverage point if a small amount of change force causes a large change in system behavior. 2. Us of causal chain A causal chain is the path of influence running from a root cause to problem symptoms. Each link in the chain represents something in the real world. At one end of the chain is the root cause. At the other end is the symptoms it causes. The many links between the two ends are the intermediate causes.

36 Questions? Contact Information: Chi Ho Sham, Eastern Research Group, Inc. 110 Hartwell Ave., Lexington, MA Acknowledgement Katherine Baer, River Network Paco Ollervides, River Network Jumana Vasi, River Network Board Carolyn Gillette, Eastern Research Group