When Superstorm Sandy unleashed its fury on Connecticut eight years ago, public water systems entered emergency mode for about six weeks, as they prepared for the coming storm, activated emergency plans for hurricanes and then worked on recovery.
As water utilities confronted the coronavirus pandemic over the past few months, they faced another emergency, but one unlike any other they had seen, said Lori Mathieu, chief of the Connecticut Department of Health’s environmental health and drinking water branch.
While the water systems had emergency plans in place, they had to quickly develop protocols to address the unique challenges of social distancing for their employees during the pandemic.
“It’s to their credit that they were able to stand this up very quickly given the new threat that we were facing,” Mathieu said. “It is very unique and represents a continuing challenge.”
She said the public water systems, an essential business during the pandemic, have met that challenge by implementing safety protocols for their employees that will continue even when the industry returns to a “new normal.” At the same time, they have continued their work to ensure water flows to taps.
Water is safe to drink, and mandated testing and regulatory oversight continue, Mathieu said. The state Department of Public Health’s website states that: “Currently, there is no evidence that the COVID-19 virus survives the disinfection process for drinking water which most public water systems have. Americans can continue to use and drink water from their tap as usual.”
Public water utilities across the state implemented new safety protocols for water treatment operators, “mission critical people that need to be protected,” and employees who continue to go out into the field, whether they’re collecting samples or responding to water main breaks, she said.
In March, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sent a letter to governors across the country that water employees are essential workers, said Rick Stevens, manager of the water and wastewater division of Groton Utilities.
While continuing its work and water testing, Groton Utilities, like other water systems, took steps to scale back contact with customers and enforce social distancing among employees, including dispatching crews to separate areas, said Stevens. The utility limited the number of people in any one vehicle and gave employees materials to disinfect their vehicles and work areas.
The utility also updated its contact list and resource plan and communicated with Connecticut’s Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network, or CtWARN, a group of utilities statewide that would be available to help each other in an emergency, including by sharing resources and staff if mutually agreeable, he said. GU was also contacted by the Southeastern Connecticut Water Authority and agreed to provide mutual support for their system, if they needed.
Mathieu said utilities in southeastern Connecticut, many of which are interconnected, are well positioned to help each other in the event of an emergency.
Steve Dietrich, lab manager for the water utility, said employees at Groton Utilities are taking safety steps, such as maintaining six feet of distance from each other and washing their hands frequently, but mandated testing and operation of the water treatment plant is continuing as usual.
GU also implemented a daily attendance roll call and moved to implement a rotating schedule to keep a “minimum crew” of employees at home on standby so the utility could ensure those employees were safe and available, should the employees in the field become sick, Stevens said. GU will bring back those employees after Memorial Day, but continue to have staggered shifts, said Director of Utilities Ron Gaudet.
Groton Utilities reached out to its major vendors to ensure they would be able to supply all the chemicals the utility needs to maintain water treatment and water system upgrades and repairs, Stevens said.
Mathieu said while there have been no chemical shortages so far, the potential for a shortage was a concern from day one. The state worked with the industry to make sure that it would be aware of any shortages coming down the pike and also is in contact with the EPA.
The Department of Public Health also started holding weekly webinars with updates for water systems.
Norwich Public Utilities Spokesman Chris Riley said that while it’s business as usual for customers during the pandemic, work is going on behind the scenes to ensure the safety of employees.
“We’re doing our best to isolate all of our employees and keep all of our employees as safe as we can,” said General Manager Christopher LaRose.
Norwich Public Utilities also moved to take steps to limit potential exposure to the virus for its employees, including separating employees into two teams to work at each of its water treatment plants and taking temperatures of operators before they report for duty. The utility is maintaining its “24/7 emergency response,” with crews coming out as needed to respond to an emergency.
The utility is also continuing testing at all of its sites, while also splitting apart its lab team so there is no cross-contamination and someone is always available to handle any emergencies in the lab.
Masks are required if employees have any chance of being closer than 6 feet to any person at work, he said. If employees have to go to a person’s home, they wear full PPE and ask customers to leave the home while the employees do the work.
With the first phase of reopening on Wednesday, the state Department of Public Health had sent a letter about the need to flush systems that were closed and now will be serving businesses again.
Safety measures are continuing, Mathieu said. She said the state agency is working to ensure it offers any technical assistance water systems need, and to ensure that when the water industry steps into the “new normal” the good work continues in protecting the water employees, who have specialized skills.
However long the pandemic lasts and however many waves of illness there may be, she said it’s important to ensure water employees are recognized as people who need to be protected so they can continue to do their work, which is critical to keeping water systems running.
Stevens said the utility reminds workers that they play an essential role in ensuring water continues to flow to residences and facilities during the pandemic.
“We try to communicate and remind them that they’re essential workers, that they’re really important, that we value their safety,” Stevens said.
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May 26, 2020 at 02:00AM
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Water utilities working behind the scenes during the pandemic - theday.com
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