On Monday May 11, 2020, Project Rebound delivered masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant to local small businesses in Marion County, Kentucky. The state will begin a process to reopen businesses throughout the state in May and June. The Governor of Kentucky outlined specific businesses to reopen safely and effectively during the initial stages. These businesses, […]
Written by: Johnny Walker & Kevin Gilliam of TAUD At approximately 1:52 a.m. on March 3, 2020, a deadly EF-4 tornado touched down and ravaged several neighborhoods in Putnam County, Tennessee, particularly in the Double Springs Utility District service area. The tornado took several lives in this community and completely devastated a number of neighborhoods […]
Thirteen recorded tornadoes caused destruction across western Ohio on May 27, including the city of Dayton and surrounding areas. Dayton is a major water supplier to towns and cities in the area, like the rural water system in Brookville. Due to the damage from the EF4 tornado, the system in Dayton stopped supplying water to […]
Iowa endured historic flooding along with other Midwestern states last month and conditions worsened for Hamburg, Iowa when the levees broke on March 17. Iowa Rural Water Association Circuit Rider Zeb McFarland headed out to assist in recovery and assessed the damaged areas with Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). After sitting down with city […]
Nearly eight million people were under flood warnings in the Midwest on Tuesday March 12, after a “bomb cyclone” had blown its way through. Flood waters were especially widespread in Nebraska, with Gov. Pete Ricketts saying it was the “most widespread disaster we have had in our state’s history.” (cnn.com) Snowfall amounted to 12-17 inches […]
TRYON, N. C. – A pair of leaks strained the capacity of the Tryon, N. C. water treatment plant, but assistance from the North Carolina Rural Water Association helped locate the leaks and save thousands of gallons of lost water. “We had significant leaks,” said Greg McCool, Water Treatment Superintendent for the Town of Tryon. […]
DUCHESNE, Utah – Jeff Schnar stood at the base of the mountain where a pair of leaks and 310 psi water pressure had knocked out service for 168 customers of the South Duchesne Culinary Water System in Duchesne, Utah. Assistance from the Rural Water Association of Utah helped protect the public health, repair the leaks […]
MEXICO BEACH, Fla. – When Phillip Hall drove into the Mexico Beach water plant and saw the water tower laying on the ground storage tank, he knew the city’s water system was significantly damaged. “When I pulled into the yard and saw that tower down, I just knew,” said Hall, the Mexico Beach public works […]
PORT ST JOE, Fla. – Rows of broken, blue watermain pipe lay alongside the highway on Cape San Blas while crews dig trenches for new water and wastewater line. The storm surge from Hurricane Michael tore the water main for Lighthouse Utilities and the Port St. Joe wastewater collection system out of the ground, but […]
WEWAHITCHKA, Fla. – Hurricane Michael left the city of Wewahitchka, Fla. completely without water and wastewater service when it made landfall on October 10th. Assistance from the Florida Rural Water Association helped restore service to the damaged community. “We were down and down hard,” said Michael Gortman, city administrator for Wewahitchka. “We had no power. […]
PORT ST JOE, Fla. – When Hurricane Michael made landfall, Port St. Joe water plant staff watched the wind hurl fifty-gallon steel drums from the yard into the tree line. “This is probably the safest building in the county,” said Larry McClamma, the Port St. Joe water plant manager. “I sat there and watched the […]
PARKER, Fla. – Amber Parkle and her daughter had been without water for ten days, and they cheered when responders from the Louisiana Rural Water Association opened their meter and water poured from the outside faucet. “I’m ecstatic beyond anything I can describe,” the Parker resident said. “To get running water and to be able […]
BAINBRIDGE, Ga. – Hurricane Michael brought unexpected damage to Bainbridge, Ga., carrying Category 3 strength winds over 100 miles from the shore, uprooting trees, knocking out power and disrupting water and wastewater service. “Bainbridge Georgia looks like a war zone. It may be several days before you see someone to help just please bear with […]
CALLAWAY, Fla. – The streets of Callaway, Fla. are lined with piles of debris with power poles and transformers crumpled in the ditches. There is no electricity, but aid from the Mississippi Rural Water Association has helped restore water service and prevented sewer backups in the storm-ravaged community. “Well, we had this hurricane,” said an […]
CAMILLA, Ga. – When Hurricane Michael roared through southwest Georgia, it left the city of Camilla, Ga. damaged, without power, and eventually without water. Assistance from the Georgia Rural Water Association helped restore water service. “I watched the radar images as the storm tracked northeastward to Camilla,” said Steve Sykes, Camilla’s Interim City Manager. “I […]
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – When Hurricane Michael made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane and the most powerful storm to hit the continental United States in 14 years, emergency responders from the Florida Rural Water Association and Georgia Rural Water Association had already staged personnel and equipment to restore water service after landfall. Both the Florida […]
In preparation of Hurricane Florence’s landfall, National Rural Water Association (NRWA) and its State Associations stand ready to assist with water and wastewater systems’ emergency needs. Hurricane Florence is predicted to be the most powerful storm to hit the Carolinas in three decades that will bring high winds, heavy rainfall and massive flooding. “If the […]
WHEELWRIGHT, Ken. – When the City of Wheelwright’s water source ran dry, experts from the Kentucky Rural Water Association and crews from neighboring communities rallied to connect to a new source and restore service. “I was in a classroom, teaching when a student said: ‘Have you seen what’s happening in Wheelwright?’” Said Danny Stinson, a […]
Rural Water Loan Fund Want to learn more about the Rural Water Loan Fund? Read more in the upcoming August issue of Rural Water magazine or Click Here LEAF, Miss. – When a lightning strike damaged Well Number 3 for the Leaf Water Association in Leaf, Miss. it created a financial emergency for the small […]
JAY VILLAGE, Maine – When a massive water leak drained the tanks of the Jay Village Water District and threatened to consume the supplies of the Livermore Falls Water District, experts from the Maine Rural Water Association worked through a blizzard to help locate the leak and restore water to the communities. “I got the […]
DUNCAN, Okla. – When extremely cold temperatures moved through the Southern U.S in January, several water utilities struggled with hard freezes, broken pipes and low pressure. Rural Water professionals from Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi worked to find leaks, make repairs and restore service to the impacted communities. News reports indicated that weather-related boil orders doubled […]
NARANJITO, Puerto Rico – The Las Cruces water system in Naranjito, Puerto Rico lost power when Hurricane Maria made landfall on Sept. 20, 2017. The system was without power for over 100 days before officials from the National Rural Water Association arrived to assess the system. “They were the first to visit us, they were […]
