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‘An Immediate and Dramatic Business Concern’: How COVID-19 is Disrupting the Energy Sector

/in , /by /Utility Dive (Washington)by Kavya Balaraman

The economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic could cause widespread disruptions in the energy sector, tightening demand, jeopardizing supply chains, diverting regulatory attention and negating previous growth forecasts for solar and storage deployment, according to financial analysts and industry experts.

The novel coronavirus outbreak will be a “significant global crisis, triggering an economic slowdown” — which will likely affect the broader clean energy transition, including renewables, energy storage, and electric vehicles, analysts at BloombergNEF said in a report published last week.

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Arizona Utilities: Coronavirus Outbreak Won’t Disrupt Power, Water and Internet

/in , /by /Arizona Republicby Ryan Randazzo

Major electric, water, gas and internet utilities said Monday they are well prepared to maintain service in Arizona even as people shift to home-based work and school in the weeks ahead, including many of the utilities’ own employees.

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Coronavirus: Water District Employee Tests Positive, Some Leaders Self-Quarantine

/in , , /by /San Jose Mercury Newsby Paul Rogers

An employee at Silicon Valley’s largest water district has tested positive for coronavirus, and at least eight other employees, including CEO Norma Camacho, entered self-quarantine because of it.

The employee at the Santa Clara Valley Water District — a public agency that provides drinking water and flood protection to 2 million residents from Stanford University to San Jose to Gilroy — works in the communications department.

The employee, who began showing symptoms on March 1 and left work March 2, remains hospitalized. The employee is not involved with the treatment or delivery of drinking water, and that service continues uninterrupted, officials at the district, also known as Valley Water, said Monday.

“As Valley Water continues to monitor the outbreak of COVID-19, we want to reassure our community that this virus is not impacting the safety of your drinking water, or our ability to supply water in Santa Clara County, ” CEO Norma Camacho said in a statement.

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States, Utilities Pledge to Keep Water Flowing Amid Coronavirus

/in , , /by /Bloomberg Environment (Arlington, Va.)by Amena H. Saiyid

More than 100 public utilities in at least 34 states have agreed to halt the practice of cutting off water to homes that fail to pay their water bills during the coronavirus crisis.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been urging people to wash their hands regularly with soap, saying it’s one of the most effective methods of keeping the Covid-19 virus at bay. But that’s only possible if a household has running water.

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CVWD Says Tap Water is Safe to Drink

/in , , /by /Coastal View News

Carpinteria Valley Water District (CVWD) released a statement on March 16 that drinking water in the district is safe and will not be interrupted. CVWD cited the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) statement that “Americans can continue to use and drink water from their tap as usual.”

California Drinking Water Regulators and the EPA have established regulations with treatment requirements for public water systems that prevent waterborne pathogens such as viruses from contaminating drinking water and wastewater, according to the CVWD statement. “COVID-19 is a type of virus that is particularly susceptible to disinfection and standard treatment and disinfectant processes are expected to be effective,” stated CVWD.

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90 US Cities and States Suspend Water Shutoffs to Tackle Coronavirus Pandemic

/in , , /by /The Guardianby Nina Lakhani

Almost 90 cities and states across the US have suspended water shutoffs for residents unable to afford their bills, as local leaders scramble to tackle the complex public health threats posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

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LA City Officials: Tap Water Still Safe To Drink, Even as Coronavirus Spreads

/in , , /by /CBSN Los Angeles

Those who live in the city of Los Angeles don’t need to stockpile bottled water in the midst of growing fears about the spread of COVID-19, city officials urged Thursday.

The L.A. Department of Water and Power reminded residents that their tap water is safe to drink, even as the coronavirus spreads.

“There is no threat to your public drinking water supply and no need to use bottled water,” the department said in a statement. “LADWP’s treatment processes are specifically designed to protect the public from all viruses and harmful bacteria.”

L.A. water goes through several treatments before reaching customers’ taps, including filtration, ultraviolet light, and chlorine disinfection, according to the statement.

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Water Treatment Practices Effective Against COVID-19, WHO says

/in , , /by /Water Finance & Management by WFM Staff

The World Health Organization has released a technical brief stating that current water treatment methods are expected to be effective against the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The brief noted “[the] presence of the COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking-water supplies and based on current evidence the risk to water supplies is low.” It also asserted “conventional, centralized water treatment methods which utilize filtration and disinfection should inactivate COVID-19 virus” and stated chlorination and UV treatment have been effective against other coronaviruses.

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