The Water Sector Coordinating Council (WSCC) released a December 14 memo encouraging water and wastewater utilities to contact their state and local public health agencies about prioritization of their staff for COVID-19 vaccinations.
The WSCC is is a policy, strategy and coordination mechanism for the U.S. Water and Wastewater Systems Sector in interactions with the government and other sectors on critical infrastructure security and resilience issues. Although the federal government has published recommendations for vaccine prioritization, the final decisions about vaccine distribution will be made at the state and local levels. Local engagement by utilities is therefore critical to ensure that water workers receive priority for the vaccine.
The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and other water sector associations have drafted a template letter for utilities to use when contacting their state or local health authorities. With the vaccine now becoming available and health departments finalizing their distribution plans, utilities are encouraged to contact the appropriate state and local agencies to enquire about the plans and request that essential utility workers be given vaccine prioritization.
For more information visit NACWA’s Advocacy Alert or contact Cynthia Finley, NACWA’s Director of Regulatory Affairs, for more information.
Source: NACWA
