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JACKSONVILLE -- The Florida Water/Wastewater Response
Network (FlaWARN), Florida’s collaborative network of
‘utilities helping utilities,’ dispatched more than 150
employees from 20 utilities throughout the state to
South Florida to help protect public health and
waterways by quickly bringing water and wastewater
facilities damaged by Hurricane Wilma back on line.
“Thorough and thoughtful planning, along with the
sharing of resources, can minimize problems and ensure
an expedited recovery,” said Florida Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) Division of Water
Resource Management Director Mimi Drew. “Through this
mutual aid network, utilities have joined together to
assist in restoring electricity and repairing water and
wastewater treatment facilities in order to provide safe
drinking water and wastewater treatment to communities
affected by Hurricane Wilma.”
FlaWARN worked with the Florida Rural Water
Association and Florida Section American Water Works
Association to mobilize crews from Gainesville Regional
Utilities, City of Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Water
Department, Jacksonville Electric Authority, Toho Water
Authority, Orange County Utilities, Destin Water Users,
Hernando County Utility and South Walton Utility.
With a $180,000 federal grant, DEP established the
Florida Water/Wastewater Response Network (FlaWARN) at
www.flawarn.org. The virtual clearinghouse for water
utilities facilitates the sharing of emergency
preparedness and response equipment including backup
generators along with information on mutual aid. Since
most water utilities do not have the resources to
purchase, store and maintain back-up power generators
for every pump station, a mutual aid approach, like an
insurance policy, helps to distribute the cost and
allows utilities to protect public health and waterways
by minimizing service interruption and more quickly
bringing facilities back on line.
The Florida WARN website is managed by the TREEO
Center of the University of Florida under contract from
the DEP. For more information, visit
www.flawarn.org.
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