EPA Releases Outreach Materials for National Lead Poisoning Prevention WeekIn preparation for National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW), observed Oct. 23–29, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development have released outreach materials that organizations and individuals can use to plan and implement local events and activities to educate communities about preventing lead exposure. Each year, NLPPW is a call to reduce childhood lead exposure. Because approximately 3 million American households with children under 6 years old have lead exposure hazards — including more than 2 million low-income households — it is important to highlight the many ways we can reduce childhood lead exposure. It’s preventable, and localized outreach and education can make a big difference. The outreach materials are customizable, allowing partners to select and tailor information to best meet the needs of their local communities. The materials are centered around three key messages:
The outreach materials include an information kit with talking points, facts about lead and lead exposure, event ideas, and planning suggestions. There is also a sample social media package with content ideas and sample posts centered around six “questions for conversation,” as well as graphics. These resources can be adapted to reach varied audiences, including parents, grandparents, caregivers, contractors, hardware stores, trade associations, and media outlets. They are also designed so NLPPW can be incorporated into activities planned for Children’s Health Month, which is also observed in October. To access these resources and learn more, please visit EPA’s NLPPW 2022 webpage: www.epa.gov/lead/national-lead-poisoning-prevention-week. For resources and information in Spanish, visit: www.espanol.epa.gov/plomo/semana-nacional-de-prevencion-del-envenenamiento-por-plomo. To find more information and resources about Children’s Health Month, visit www.epa.gov/children/childrens-health-month-resources. |
DEP Declares Drought Watch for 36 Counties, Asks for Voluntary Water Conservation
Harrisburg, PA –The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced the Commonwealth Drought Task Force has declared a drought watch for 36 counties and asks for voluntary water conservation in those counties.
“A few counties have experienced very dry conditions over the summer, and a number of others have inched into increasingly dry conditions in recent weeks. We’re asking Pennsylvanians in all of these counties to use water wisely and follow simple water conservation tips to ease the demand for water,” said DEP Acting Secretary Ramez Ziadeh.
The following counties are on drought watch: Berks, Bucks, Bradford, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Dauphin, Delaware, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Wayne, and Wyoming. For a map of drought declarations that’s updated daily, see the DEP drought web page.
Residents on drought watch are asked to reduce their individual water use by 5 to 10%, or a reduction of three to six gallons of water per day.
DEP is notifying all water suppliers in these counties of the need to monitor their supplies and be prepared by updating their drought contingency plans as necessary. Varying localized conditions may lead water suppliers or municipalities to ask residents for more stringent conservation actions.
At this time, two public water suppliers are requiring residents to reduce their water use: Galeton Borough Water Authority in Potter County and Waterville Water Association in Lycoming County.
Six suppliers are asking residents to voluntarily reduce their water use:
• BCI Municipal Authority, Clearfield County
• Driftwood Boro, Cameron County
• Jersey Shore Area Joint Water Authority, Lycoming County
• Lock Haven, Clinton County
• Palmerton Municipal Water Authority, Carbon County
• Pennsylvania American Water Company – Bangor District, Carbon County
Ways to Conserve Water at Home
There are many ways to conserve water at home, including:
• Run water only when necessary. Don’t let the faucet run while brushing your teeth or shaving. Shorten the time you let the water run to warm up before showering.
• Run the dishwasher and washing machine less often, and only with full loads.
• Water your garden in the cooler evening or morning hours, and direct the water to the ground at the base of the plant, so you don’t waste water through evaporation.
• Water your lawn only if necessary. Apply no more than 1 inch of water per week (use an empty can to determine how long it takes to water 1 inch). Avoid watering on windy and hot days. This pattern will encourage healthier, deeper grass roots. Over-watering is wasteful, encourages fungal growth and disease, and results in shallow, compacted root systems that are more susceptible to drought.
• When mowing your lawn, set the blades to 2-3 inches high. Longer grass shades the soil, improving moisture retention. It also grows thicker and develops a deeper root system, so it can better survive drought.
• Check for and repair household leaks. For example, a leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water daily.
• Sweep your sidewalk, deck, or driveway instead of hosing it off.
• Replace older appliances with high-efficiency, front-loading models that use about 30 percent less water and 40-50 percent less energy.
• Install low-flow plumbing fixtures and aerators on faucets.
• Set up a rain barrel to be ready to repurpose rain when it does fall. For information, see this Penn State Extension guide.
Find more tips at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
How DEP Determines Drought Conditions
To determine drought conditions, DEP assesses information on public water supply levels and data on four indicators: precipitation, surface water (stream and river) flow, groundwater level, and soil moisture. Declarations aren’t based on one indicator alone, such as precipitation.
The DEP Drought Coordinator monitors the indicators in close partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), which maintains gauges in streams and wells in many locations across Pennsylvania.
There are normal ranges for all four indicators. DEP makes drought status recommendations after assessing departures from these ranges for all indicators for periods of 3-12 months. For a map that’s updated daily to show the status of all four indicators for each county, see the USGS Pennsylvania drought condition monitoring website.
DEP shares these data and its recommendations with the state and federal agencies and other organizations that make up the Commonwealth Drought Task Force. Drought watch and warning declarations are determined by DEP, with the concurrence of the task force.
Drought emergency declarations follow the same process, with final approval by the governor. No county is in drought warning or emergency status at this time.
For more information on how DEP monitors conditions and makes drought status declarations, see the drought management fact sheet.
The next Commonwealth Drought Task Force meeting will be on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, at 1:00 PM.
ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE TO HELP WITH YOUR WATER/SEWER PAST DUE BILLS ~ PLEASE SEE BELOW
Beginning January 4th, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services will begin accepting applications for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), a temporary assistance program created by the American Rescue Plan. (LIHWAP Application HSWA 1 )
Families that have past due water bills, have had service terminated or received notice that service will be terminated within 60 day are eligible for assistance. Grants are available for both drinking water and wastewater services.
For more information, please visit: dhs.pa.gov/Services/Assistance/Pages/LIHWAP.aspx
Additional information: LIHWAP INFORMATION <— click here
RAWA offers paperless billing, Auto payments and many convenient ways to pay your bills – all at NO COST to the customer. (If you are using a payment processing center that is charging you a fee please call our office for information on how to pay at no cost to you 610-406-6300)
RAWA now accepts PayPal payments along with all the other great options to pay your bill.
Visit our website at Reading Area Water Authority (invoicecloud.com)