May 27, 2020
Media Contact:
Scott Peterson, Director of Communications, Office of Public Information, 202-277-9412
ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Today, Governor Hogan announced additional reopening for Maryland under Phase One of his Roadmap to Recovery plan. Howard County has adopted some of the Governor’s initial Phase One reopening recommendations.
“Just yesterday, we announced reopening updates based on Howard County's progress on increased contact tracing, lower ICU and ventilator utilization, and a lower average of daily new cases," said County Executive Calvin Ball. "We have been working with industry leaders and our Health Department on how to safely, effectively, and efficiently reopen more. We will carefully review the details of the Governor's announcement."
Bureau of Utilities Recommendations
The Howard County Bureau of Utilities is advising commercial building operators to flush their plumbing systems with fresh water before resuming normal operations.
The Howard County Bureau of Utilities has provided guidance to commercial building operators as businesses begin to reopen. Many businesses and buildings have been closed or operating at reduced occupancy to limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in accordance with directives requiring the closure of non-essential businesses in the county.
It is not unusual under such low usage conditions for domestic potable water plumbing systems to experience water quality issues (taste, odor, or cloudiness) after periods of little-to-no water use. This message is to provide important guidance for building managers and operators from the CDC.
Any water left stagnant in building plumbing systems can degrade in quality and safety, potentially causing water discoloration and elevated levels of lead and other contaminants. Bacteria like Legionella and other microbes can also grow in building pipes and fixtures during periods of little-to-no water use.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued updated guidance to ensure the safety of building water systems and end-use devices after a prolonged shutdown. Additional guidance for those who are responsible for maintaining building water systems has been developed by experts at the Environmental Science, Policy & Research Institute (ESPRI) and AH Environmental Consultants, Inc.
When building managers prepare to reopen businesses, schools, childcare facilities, offices, hotels, campuses, and other public buildings, they should consider following this guidance to replace stagnant water in their building plumbing systems with fresh drinking water from the county’s water distribution system.
Water provided by the Bureau of Utilities remains safe and unaffected by coronavirus (COVID-19). There is no evidence COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus can survive in treated drinking water. The same disinfectants, like chlorine, that make the water safe to drink, are effective against COVID-19. The county’s drinking water is routinely sampled and tested to confirm residual disinfection levels throughout our pipe distribution system remain at effective levels to keep the water safe to drink.
Virtual CPR Class
Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue is hosting a free virtual Hands-Only CPR class on June 3, 2020, at 1:30 pm. Registration is required for this event. Attendees will be able to join in 10 minutes prior to the event. In addition, attendees will receive a PDF version of the PowerPoint presentation via email shortly before the training. Questions? Email: handsonlycpr@hcdfrs.org
Community Foundation of Howard County’s Grants
A 15-member student panel from the Community Foundation of Howard County’s Youth in Philanthropy (YIP) program has selected four nonprofits for its first-ever community grant awards. The grants total $10,000 and will be awarded to the Community Action Council of Howard County ($4,000), Bridges to Housing Stability Inc. ($3,000), Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center ($2,000) and Chase Brexton Health Services ($1,000).
In addition to the grant awards, YIP launched a fundraising campaign for a second round of grants. The participating students will reach out to their social networks and school communities to solicit donations, which are tax deductible and can be submitted online through the Youth in Philanthropy Fund at the Community Foundation. To maximize the impact made by a second round of YIP grants, the Community Foundation will match gifts to the YIP Fund in the next month.