The coronavirus sparked a lot of water-related questions and
issues when the pandemic moved into California in 2020.
Below are the latest articles on the topic as they appeared in
our Aquafornia news aggregate.
A statewide water shutoff moratorium has kept the tap on for
Californians who haven’t been able to pay their water bill in
the midst of the pandemic-driven economic crisis. But ratepayer
debt has been accruing for months now, leading to revenue
losses for water providers across the state.
This moment in time provides an opportunity for introspection,
a time to think about our families and friends, what is
essential in our lives, and how we can contribute to population
health and wellness. In the Sacramento Valley … our team is
working hard to envision the role that water suppliers and
local governments can serve to help people live healthier and
more fulfilling lives.
Water utilities increasingly face a dilemma in these
recessionary times: the challenge is to take in enough money to
operate and maintain complex water systems while also providing
safe and affordable water to all their customers—even those who
have trouble paying. We talked to Kathryn Sorensen of Phoenix
Water Services about Phoenix’s equity innovations.
To protect public health, Reps. Harley Rouda of California and
Rashida Tlaib of Michigan want the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention to use its authority under the Public Health
Service Act to prohibit water utilities from shutting off
service to customers who are behind on their
bills… Water industry groups point to several reasons
why a national moratorium would be problematic.
At a time when many buildings are not fully occupied due to
COVID-19, the American Water Works Association and
International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials
have developed a guide to help building managers address water
system stagnation. Stagnation within building water systems is
a concern in periods of low or no occupancy. When water does
not move through the system, water quality issues may arise…
The goal is to monitor progress of the pandemic on campus and
catch outbreaks before it’s too late to control them. Some
schools, such as UC San Diego and others have been testing
wastewater since August and September.
If the state has any hope of heading off a looming “tidal wave”
of residential water shut offs and bankrupt water systems, it
has to get a picture of current impacts… Which is why the
State Water Resources Control Board directed staff on Tuesday
to begin a survey of California’s nearly 3,000 community water
systems.
