How AWWA Membership benefits Small Systems services...How AWWA Membership benefits Small Systems ... Member pricing is also provided for all staff members ... • Using Decision Trees

How AWWA Membership benefits Small

Systems

Kevin Bergschneider, AWWA Vice President

Denver, CO

March 10, 2017

A Better World Through Better Water

How does AWWA classify a small water system?Population under 10,000

What is the small systems division? One of 8 Divisions of Technical & Educational CouncilChaired by Mr. Gerald Bever,Water Operations Manager –Dekalb, IL

Small Systems Division

• Mission:

To serve as a focal point for all AWWA activities related to small systems and to establish goals and recommended policies to encourage active participation by other

Small Systems Division

The Division includes the following committees:

• Outreach Services Committee

• Continuing Education Committee

• Technical Review Committee

EPA Funded Small System Training

• Partnerships with RCAP and others have led to the development of a series of workshops in every state, a variety of webinars and two eLearnings. All of these are offered free of charge.

• Financial Sustainability for Small Systems – eLearning course focuses on 3 major areas needed by small systems to achieve financial sustainability; including understanding enterprise funds and their revenues, as well as an overview of what is needed to protect public health through safe water.

• Maintaining and Achieving the Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) Compliance for Small Systems – eLearning course focuses on 4 major areas needed by small systems to maintain and achieve compliance with the RTCR; including when and how to conduct the RTCR assessment, evaluation of sampling procedures, and source water treatment assessments.

EPA Funded Small System Training

2017 Plan for training under the EPA Small Systems Grant

• 86 workshops in all 50 states plus Puerto Rico

• Support 17 finance and management webinars

EPA Funded Small System Training

Association and Sections working together over the long term to deliver training

• 190 in-person workshops delivered/supported by Sections totaling 3,029 small system attendees

• 370 small system attendees completed two eLearning courses; RTCR and Financial Sustainability

• 2,434 small system attendees viewed 34 finance and management webinars

Select Publications for Small Systems

• Select AWWA Standards for Small Systems –AWWA offers the specific recommendations of five specially chosen ANSI/AWWA standards. • M54 Developing Rates for Small Systems – Best practices for setting rates, fees, and charges, especially for water utilities serving up to 10,000 population. • AWWA Small Systems Field Guide, Water and Wastewater – Handy field guide provides all the day-to-day information needed to operate small water and wastewater systems.

AWWA Water Utility Council

• The AWWA Water Utility Council makes a concerted effort to include small utility representatives in its membership to adequately address the unique concerns of that community.

• The WUC Chair is - Kurt Vause

from Anchorage Alaska

• Tim Wilson - WUC memberDirector of Water ProductionMarshalltown Water Works in Iowa

Making AWWA Membership

affordable for Small Systems• Small systems can become a member of AWWA for an annual dues rate of $300. (one complimentary individual membership is provided valued at $182). Member pricing is also provided for all staff members on all AWWA purchases.

• A large variety of technical resource benefits are included in the membership package including Journal AWWA and Opflow magazines. (Let’s Talk Safety: 52 Talks on Common Utility Safety Practices for Water Professionals)

Affordable Partnership Opportunities

Making the Partnership for Safe Water and the Partnership for Clean Water affordable (Barb Martin – AWWA Staff)

• The Partnership for Safe Water’s goal is to develop a new measure of safe water for millions by optimizing water systems. Utilities serving a population less than 18,000 pay an annual fee of $50 to belong.

• The Partnership for Clean Water is a global optimization and recognition program for wastewater utilities focusing on wastewater treatment plant optimization. Utilities serving a population less than 18,000 pay an annual fee of $50 to belong.

One AWWA Operator Scholarship

• An additional 7,000 water and wastewater operators will be needed by 2026

• It is funded through a matching fund from AWWA’s The Water Equation Campaign

• It shows AWWA’s commitment to operators and, while important to all utilities, they are critical to small systems

• Many Sections have committed to offering the One AWWA Operator Scholarship

Articles for Small Systems from AWWA

Published articles on small systems management and operations in AWWA’s flagship publications

• In the Journal AWWA, 76 articles on small systems issues have been published since 2006.

• In Opflow, 95 articles on small systems issues have been published since 2006.

Recent Articles from Opflow

• Question of the Month -- What Keys Are the Most Important to Success for Small Systems? March, 2016

• RO Helps a Small Utility Improve Water Supply; July, 2015

• Biological Pretreatment Extends Membrane Service Life; June, 2015

Articles from AWWA Journal

• Brine Disposal Options for Small Systems in California's Central Valley; May, 2016

• Cost Recovery and Affordability in Small Drinking Water Treatment Plants in Alberta; May, 2016

• Understanding Small Water System Violations and Deficiencies. March, 2016

• Using Decision Trees to Predict Drinking Water Advisories in Small Water Systems; February, 2016

Training Opportunities

• FREE eLearning Courses designed for Small Systems

• Work for a small public water system serving a population of 10,000 or less?Register for a FREE 3-hour Revised Total Coliform Rule eLearning course - brought to you by AWWA, the Rural Community Assistance Partnership and USEPA.

Register for a FREE 2-hour Financial Sustainability for Small Systems eLearning course - brought to you by AWWA, the Environmental Finance Center Network and USEPA.

Small System Mentors - Nebraska• Green, Jim

Village of McCool Junction402.724.2525fax: [email protected]

• Kelley, SteveBeatrice Board of Public Works402-228-5217 fax: [email protected]

• Melcher, Rick City of Aurora402.631.9607fax: [email protected]

• Rust, MiloCity of Chadron308.432.0506fax: [email protected]

• Watts, DennisCity of Norfolk Water Dept.402.844.2210fax: [email protected]

Community Engineering Corps

• CECorps harnesses the expertise of volunteer engineers to help underserved communities in the United States meet their infrastructure needs and improve each community member’s quality of life. Many of the current project applicants are small utilities unable to afford engineering services from a qualified consultant.

http://www.communityengineeringcorps.org/

The Alliance

Is the CECorps program competing with

local engineering firms that could be

getting paid to do the work?

Each community application is reviewed to

ensure the community qualifies and would

be unable to pay for the requested services.

Doesn’t the CECorps program conflict

with the work Water For People does?

CECorps is a domestic program intended to

solicit volunteers for hands-on engineering

work.

Are CECorps volunteers covered by

liability insurance?

Yes.

All volunteer project team members must be

a member of ASCE, AWWA or EWB-USA.

Minnesota

Section Success!

• Formed a CECorps Committee

• Working to identify a potential partner

community

Engage Volunteers

California/Nevada

Section Success!

Salinas Valley, CA

• Section responded to community’s request

for technical assistance

• Reviewed community application

• Compiled appropriate team of experts to

address water and sanitation issues

Respond to Needs

Arizona

Section Success!

Chloride, Arizona

• Staff suggested this project to the Section

• Section reviewed the community

application

• Compiled a team of YPs, professionals,

and students to develop a Master Plan

Respond to Needs

Pacific Northwest

Section Success!

Greater Vancouver, WA

• Volunteer leads contacted state DEQ

• State identified an elementary school that

had issues with lead

• Volunteers worked with the community to

apply for technical assistance

Build Relationships

Section Resources

• Template PowerPoint

presentation

• Promotional flyers

• Notifications when water

sector project

applications are

approved and open for

adoption

• Current project lists

• Program logos

• Advisory Committee

• Do you know water systems in need?

• Do you want to volunteer?

Contact Lindsay Geiger

: [email protected]

Questions?

Kevin Bergschneider, AWWA Vice President

Denver, CO