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NYRWA News
NYRWA wants to remind our member systems that your revised/updated Lead Service Line Inventory is due to the NYSDOH by December 31, 2025, and by December 31st of each year thereafter, until your water system no longer has any lead, galvanized service lines requiring replacement (GSLRR), or service lines of unknown material type. How should we submit the inventory? Instructions for Submitting Lead Service Line Inventory to the New York State Department of Health Customer Notification Letter Templates notification_templates_lsl_gslrr_unknown_sl.docx Certification Template for Customer Notification Certification - Delivering Consumer Notification of Service Line Materials
1) Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Free Tools CISA is a federal agency that provides a wide range of free cybersecurity resources including their “Top Cyber Actions for Water Systems” and more importantly they offer a free vulnerability scanning tool. This allows utilities to sign up to have these professionals regularly monitor your internet-connected devices for vulnerabilities, weak configurations, and security practices. Basically, they will mock-attack your system and report to you with any vulnerabilities identified and the actions you should take to correct the vulnerability. A utility can sign up by emailing CISA with a request, complete a form, and wait 10 days for scanning to begin. A link for CISA tools is: https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/risk-and-vulnerability-assessments 2) Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center (WaterISAC) Free Tools WaterISAC is an industry leader for how water & wastewater utilities approach cybersecurity. They identify that utilities in the water sector are under-prepared for cyber threats, and the potential impacts these threats pose to our IT and OT systems. They track attacks threatening our industry and provide case study-based recommendations for low to no cost physical security improvements. WaterISAC has also developed an agreement with the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) to provide free services to all small utilities serving a population of 3,300 or less who are members of their state rural water association. So, if you are a member of NYRWA and serve a population of 3,300 or less, you qualify for free membership services provided by WaterISAC. More information is available here: https://www.waterisac.org/tools 3) American Water Works Association (AWWA) Risk Management Tool AWWA has created a cybersecurity self-assessment tool that is free of charge to utilities. Regardless of whether you are a member, you may register and utilize the free assessment tool. This self-assessment is a series of 11 questions that can be answered by most small system operations specialists in conjunction with the systems clerk or billing clerk. Once the assessment is completed, you will have the ability to print a professionally designed report that provides the questions along with your answers and also provides potential next steps to be taken to minimize your systems’ vulnerabilities. The tool offers much more information, but again, this is a sound starting point for any water or wastewater utility. The self-assessment tool may be found at: https://cybersecurity.awwa.org/
Mark your calendars! Online booth sales will open in February. Further details will be posted on the website in December. Thank you to those who submitted a Call For Presentations form, we will contact you once we go through them all. Sponsorship Opportunities are available! We have some Premier Sponsorship Opportunities still available, they include: We also have Gold Sponsorships and Chinese Auction prizes (for Water Pac) available. If interested please complete the Sponsorship Form with your selection and email to Kimberly Bennett. Thank you all again for your support!
It is never too early to apply for our scholarship program. As many of you know, each year the NYRWA distributes one-time grants to five students across New York State valued at $500.00 to help defray the cost of tuition, books or room and board at an accredited institution of higher learning approved by the NYRWA. This is a member benefit, and we appreciate your assistance in ensuring students from your area have this opportunity to apply. In order to be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must complete the application form in its entirety and return it to the NYRWA by the entry postmark deadline, February 3, 2026. All pertinent information on applying is within the Official Rules, including the requirement to include an essay and student transcripts to be eligible. The application can be found here: https://nyruralwater.org/downloads/downloads-index, the link is on the right-hand side. Please be sure to share this application with anyone that will be attending college in the Fall of 2026.
The Presidential Administration has initiated action in the 2026 Federal Budget to eliminate USDA water and wastewater funding, including both their loan & grant programs and also their training and technical assistance programs. What does this mean? If approved by Congress, funds dedicated to rural water/wastewater systems for improvement projects, waterline extensions, new town water districts, etc…would be completely eliminated. USDA is the only agency to provide funding exclusively for rural water & wastewater communities (communities that have 20,000 or less population for funding purposes). The proposed funding cuts would also eliminate funding for technical assistance and training. Our Circuit Rider, Wastewater Technician, Energy Efficiency Technician, and Apprenticeship Training programs would also be eliminated. What Do We Need to Do? We need everyone’s help in telling Congress not to accept these crucial funding cuts that have been proposed. Congress needs to hear from you, and in particular, Republican Members of the House of Representatives. These cuts would not only negatively impact water and wastewater systems, but also negatively impact equipment suppliers, engineering firms, and contractors. How Can I Help? Please take the pledge to support rural development here: Pledge — Rural Water Strong and share this pledge with everyone you know, friends, family, neighbors, etc…this is urgent for the continuation of these funds. Also, visit www.ruralwaterstrong.org and consider making a short video and uploading it to Submit Testimonial Videos — Rural Water Strong. Please do not think this is a scare tactic. This is real, and we need your help to ensure future funding for rural America! Thank you!
Have you received water and/or wastewater technical assistance from NYRWA? Have you attended NYRWA in-person or web-based training? Has your system benefited from a Source Water Protection Plan or Energy Efficiency Assessment from NYRWA? If so, WE NEED YOUR HELP! NYRWA is respectfully asking our system members to draft and submit letters of support for the services you have received. These letters are crucial, so we can deliver your message to our elected representatives that more needs to be done to fund water and wastewater infrastructure. Please, we need as many members as possible to draft the support letters on your letterhead and mail to our office at: NYRWA, Inc. Let's make this letter-writing campaign a huge success! Please participate. We thank you in advance for your consideration.
Upcoming Training
Don't have time to spend traveling to sit in a class all day? The best place to receive renewal web-based training is at home or work, whichever your schedule allows. You can work at your own pace. SunCoast Learning Systems offers some great topics that will fit your certification requirement needs. Online courses are New York State-approved and offer the flexibility and convenience you are looking for. For more information, call 1-800-269-1181 or visit https://www.suncoastlearning.com/courses/ny.
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