florida water resources journal - may 2016

News and Features10 Financial Considerations in Water Reuse—Robert Ryall 14 Water Treatment Careers in the 21st Century: The Challenge of Recruiting, Hiring,

and Training the New Worker—Steve Soltau32 FSAWWA Luncheon at ACE1648 How Operators and Engineers Can Work Better Together: A Utility Director’s

Perspective—Donna Kaluzniak 52 Attracting and Keeping Top Talent in the Water Industry—Jacqueline Torbert

Technical Articles4 Benefits of Implementing a Computer-Centric Infrastructure Information System:

City of Cocoa Utilities Department Case Study—John A. Walsh, Christopher Collier, John Beers, Ekaterina Fitos, and Yvonne Picard

24 Water and Wastewater System Security: A Technical Analysis—Thomas H. Powell38 Keeping Wastewater in the Pipe and Your Utility Out of the News—David Richardson,

Tony Cunningham, and Steve McElroy

Education and Training23 FSAWWA Fall Conference27 FWPCOA Region IV Short School37 FWPCOA Training Calendar41 FWPCOA Online Training Institute45 CEU Challenge51 FSAWWA Fall Conference Call for Papers57 ISA Water/Wastewater and Automatic Controls Symposium60 TREEO Center Training62 Roy Likins Scholarship

Columns12 Certification Boulevard—Roy Pelletier22 FWEA Chapter Corner—Lindsay Marten29 FSAWWA Speaking Out—Kim Kunihiro33 Technology Spotlight36 FWEA Focus—Raynetta Curry Marshall44 Process Page—Kristiana Dragash46 FWRJ Committee Profile—FWEA Air

Quality Committee56 C Factor—Scott Anaheim58 FWRJ Reader Profile—Jamie Hope

Departments61 New Products63 Service Directories66 Classifieds70 Display Advertiser Index

Editor’s Office and Advertiser Information:Florida Water Resources Journal

1402 Emerald Lakes DriveClermont, FL 34711

Phone: 352-241-6006 • Fax: 352-241-6007Email: Editorial, [email protected]

Display and Classified Advertising, [email protected] Office:

P.O. Box 745, Windermere, FL 34786-0745Web: http://www.fwrj.com

General Manager: Michael DelaneyEditor: Rick HarmonGraphic Design Manager: Patrick DelaneyMailing Coordinator: Buena Vista Publishing

Published byBUENA VISTA PUBLISHING for

Florida Water Resources Journal, Inc.

President: Richard Anderson (FSAWWA)Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority

Vice President: Greg Chomic (FWEA)Heyward Incorporated

Treasurer: Rim Bishop (FWPCOA)Seacoast Utility Authority

Secretary: Holly Hanson (At Large)ILEX Services Inc., Orlando

Moving?The Post Office will not forward your magazine. Do not counton getting the Journal unless you notify us directly of addresschanges by the 15th of the month preceding the month ofissue. Please do not telephone address changes. Email changesto [email protected], fax to 352-241-6007, or mail to FloridaWater Resources Journal, 1402 Emerald Lakes Drive, Cler-mont, FL 34711

Membership QuestionsFSAWWA: Casey Cumiskey – 407-957-8447 or

[email protected]: Karen Wallace, Executive Manager – 407-574-3318FWPCOA: Darin Bishop – 561-840-0340

Training QuestionsFSAWWA: Donna Metherall – 407-957-8443 or

[email protected]: Shirley Reaves – 321-383-9690

For Other InformationDEP Operator Certification: Ron McCulley – 850-245-7500FSAWWA: Peggy Guingona – 407-957-8448Florida Water Resources Conference: 888-328-8448FWPCOA Operators Helping Operators:

John Lang – 772-559-0722, e-mail – [email protected]: Karen Wallace, Executive Manager – 407-574-3318

WebsitesFlorida Water Resources Journal: www.fwrj.comFWPCOA: www.fwpcoa.orgFSAWWA: www.fsawwa.orgFWEA: www.fwea.org and www.fweauc.orgFlorida Water Resources Conference: www.fwrc.org

Throughout this issue trademark names are used. Rather than place a trademarksymbol in every occurrence of a trademarked name, we state we are using the namesonly in an editorial fashion, and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no in-tention of infringement of the trademark. None of the material in this publicationnecessarily reflects the opinions of the sponsoring organizations. All correspon-dence received is the property of the Florida Water Resources Journal and is subjectto editing. Names are withheld in published letters only for extraordinary reasons.

Authors agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Florida Water ResourcesJournal Inc. (FWRJ), its officers, affiliates, directors, advisors, members, representa-tives, and agents from any and all losses, expenses, third-party claims, liability, dam-ages and costs (including, but not limited to, attorneys’ fees) arising from authors’infringement of any intellectual property, copyright or trademark, or other right ofany person, as applicable under the laws of the State of Florida.

Florida Water Resources Journal, USPS 069-770, ISSN 0896-1794, is published monthly by Florida Water Resources Journal, Inc., 1402 Emerald Lakes Drive, Clermont, FL 34711, on behalf of the Florida Water & Pollution Control Operator’s Association, Inc.; Florida Section, American Water Works Association; and theFlorida Water Environment Association. Members of all three associations receive the publication as a service of their association; $6 of membership dues supportthe Journal. Subscriptions are otherwise available within the U.S. for $24 per year. Periodicals postage paid at Clermont, FL and additional offices.

POSTMASTER: send address changes to Florida Water Resources Journal, 1402 Emerald Lakes Drive, Clermont, FL 34711

Volume 67 May 2016 Number 5

An employee monitoring operations at a local watertreatment facility.

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2016 3

4 May 2016 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Computer-focused technology and ap-plication systems have forever changedsociety. Just 10 years ago the City of

Cocoa Utilities Department (utility) reliedheavily on traditional paper-based method-ologies to conduct water facility operations.The advent of sophisticated, portable, andpowerful technology has significantlychanged the procedures and processes at theutility and has offered positive results.

Background

The utility provides potable water serv-ice to over 250,000 residents in BrevardCounty. The City of Cocoa itself had meagerbeginnings. Founded in the late 1800s and in-corporated as a city in 1917, within 20 yearsthere were approximately 3,000 potable watercustomers and the utility was already a re-gional water provider serving the City ofRockledge. By the late mid-1950s, the utilityexpanded service to the blossoming SpaceCoast that eventually included CapeCanaveral Air Force Station, Patrick Air ForceBase, and Kennedy Space Center. Currently,the utility serves customers from the NationalAeronautics and Space Administration(NASA) to Melbourne, including the cities ofCocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral, and Rockledge.Figure 1 depicts the boundaries of the city’spotable water distribution system.

Benefits of Implementing a Computer-Centric Infrastructure Information System:

City of Cocoa Utilities Department Case StudyJohn A. Walsh,

Christopher Collier, John Beers, Ekaterina Fitos,

and Yvonne Picard

John A. Walsh, P.E., is utilities director;Christopher Collier is field operationsmanager; and John Beers is supervisor II withCity of Cocoa Utilities Department. EkaterinaFitos, GISP, is a senior GIS professional withCH2M in Tampa, and Yvonne Picard, P.E., isa project manager with CH2M in Orlando.

F W R J

Figure 1. City of Cocoa Potable Water Distribution SystemContinued on page 6

qwertyuioppppppp[p]\asd-

fghjkl;’

z x c v b n m , . ´ Q Q W E R -

TYUIOP{ASDFGHJKL::


In the beginning, the utility maintainedits distribution system through the use ofprocesses common to most utilities. Fieldcrews relied on hard-copy record drawingsand miscellaneous maps that included hand-written notes. Maintenance records were alsohandwritten and often in an unusable format.Crews would locate the proper maps and filesas part of the process of responding to a watermain break or customer concern. Althoughcommon practice for most utilities, thismethod proved to be inefficient as the utility’spotable water service area grew.

Geographic InformationSystem Implementation

From 2006 to 2008, the city recognizedthat a more advanced technology approachwas needed to manage its assets and decidedto invest in a geographic information system(GIS) platform. The selection of the platformwas based on the following criteria:S Ease of data collection and managementS Ability to access data in the fieldS Speed of data rendering

ArcPad and ArcGIS, ESRI-based software,met the city’s criteria and were purchased.

Creation of the electronic rendering ofthe city’s potable water distribution systembegan with the upload of previously digitizedmaps and was followed by hiring Cardno TBEas a contractor in 2008 to inventory the exist-ing system. This asset survey was the crucialstep in establishing a baseline of potable water

assets. The baseline data became the buildingblock against which all future asset manage-ment components would be assessed and ex-ecuted. Although the utility recognized thelong-term sustainability and benefit of in-vesting in a robust enterprise GIS system, theearly GIS architecture provided only basicfunctionality.

The ArcPad software served more as adata viewer, allowing crews the ability to viewGIS data as-built, and record drawings in thefield. This software did not provide the utilitywith the required functionality for tracking,recording, and assessing assets. In addition, itrequired extensive manual effort to managethe data, and Shapefiles had to be generatedfrequently and manually overwritten on eachfield laptop. The process was time-consumingand inefficient, and the utility recognized theneed for a GIS-based software package thatwas specifically developed for, and oriented tomeet the needs of, distribution and collectionfield crews.

After extensive research, the utility pur-chased and implemented infraMAP, an iWa-ter® software with ease of use and a simplisticGIS user interface. The utility began by usingthe software to track and record valve exercis-ing activities, and as part of its implementa-tion the utility simplified workflows byleveraging GIS in the field and realized theseworkflows could easily be adapted for othermaintenance activities. Soon after, the utilityexpanded the use of the software to track andrecord fire hydrant activities, and other de-partments followed by tracking their mainte-nance tasks. Consequently, the software

provided digital and mobile GIS-based solu-tions for field use and served as the lynchpinfor linking field data with engineering activi-ties. This link allowed the utility to modify itsdata management procedures by providing aprocess where asset data could be easily dis-tributed, field-verified, and updated in theGIS system.

The software is utilized by the utility tointegrate GIS into a mobile platform that al-lows the dissemination of GIS information tofield crews and managers, while providing theability to update asset information from thefield. Figure 2 illustrates the enterprise GISversioning structure.

Primary components of this system in-clude ArcSDE software on a SQL Server plat-form. An enterprise-level GIS system isrequired to create the versioned geodatabasesthat track changes and allow multiple editorsof the utility’s primary default database.These GIS efforts have provided a means toupdate, maintain, and distribute accurateasset information to employees, both in thefield and in the office. Figure 3 shows the datainput method utilized by the field crews.

With the implementation of GIS and in-fraMAP, the utility drastically altered its ap-proach in managing vital operationalinformation, moving away from paper to dig-ital maps, and employing GIS-centric tech-nology. The GIS database schema wasrevamped to include multiple business tablesand feature classes that incorporated fielddata and increased functionality in managingutility assets. The most notable databasechanges included:

Figure 2. City Geographic Information System Versioning Structure Figure 3. Data Management by Field Crews

Continued from page 4


S Inspection tables to track assessment ac-tivities (e.g., repairs, testing, valve opera-tions/positions, and maintenance)

S Asset repair tables that maintain history onsystem asset failures (e.g., main, saddle,and valve breaks)

S Creation of multiple-feature classes, in-cluding water meters and backflow pre-vention devices

S Spatial location of parcel information withcustomer data

S Spatial location of customer complaintsS Relationship tables for storing of water

quality data

To date, the utility has purchased overtwo dozen laptops and licenses of the softwarefor use by the water facility operations fieldcrews. This allows them to continuously up-date the GIS database by verifying existingdata, while documenting daily repairs andwater quality activities. An ongoing preventa-tive maintenance program provides addi-tional documentation on the condition andoperability of distribution assets. Figures 4and 5 provide examples of the data availablefrom field activities. The benefits of provid-ing field software and computer equipmentinclude:S An increase in the speed of accessing and

maintaining data by field crews and super-visors.

S An assurance of the continuity of data by

storing and maintaining an electronic his-tory of repairs and assessments.

S An increase in efficiency in performingfield activities.

S The ability to capture institutional knowl-edge in a centralized, digital format.

S Field verification of geometry and assetdata that allows for a more accurate depic-tion of the distribution system.

Additionally, management has utilized thedata from this program to identify and priori-tize capital improvement projects associatedwith the potable water distribution system.

Improved Efficiencies

A critical benefit of the use of infraMAPcan be seen in the expedited response and re-

Figure 4. Field Edit of Pipe Asset

Figure 5. Field Assessment Data in infraMAP

Continued on page 8


covery times for unplanned distribution sys-tem activities. Figure 6 shows the increase inefficiency for a typical main break. The staffrecounts the example of a water main breakon Merritt Island where the use of the soft-ware, with an aerial imagery background, al-lowed the field crew to locate a critical valvebeneath a concrete driveway. The uncoveringand subsequent usage of this valve to isolatethe main break reduced the extent of wateroutages, thus reducing the number of boil-water notices by more than 100 customers.Additionally, the ability to find, uncover, andutilize this valve reduced, by six, the numberof subsequent valves required to isolate themain break.

Lessons Learned

There are a few significant lessonslearned by the utility during the implementa-tion of the GIS-centric process: 1. Technology-based solutions like GIS and

infraMAP allow inventory surveying, as-sessment, testing, and maintenance to beconducted in one single effort, which canresult in a savings of both time and money.

2. The GIS schema was initially developedprior to the development of the ESRI waterutility tools. The underlying field namesand table structure do not take advantageof the tools, and retrofitting the database

to meet these GIS standards would be toocostly. Establishing a detailed, long-termGIS strategic plan prior to the design ofthe default enterprise GIS database wouldprovide more options for software im-provements.

3. Standard operating procedures have notbeen clearly defined for GIS processes, al-lowing for variations in editing means andmethods. Developing this documentationis part of the ongoing effort to standardizeand document methodology at the utility.

4. The inability through standard GIS soft-ware to create an automatic time and userstamp for editors tracking each changemade to the database has generated confu-sion in resolving versioning conflicts.

Conclusions

The utility’s long-term goal is to create arobust and versatile GIS system that offers so-lutions for all levels of staff, from manage-ment to field staff to contractors. To meet thisgoal, the utility’s customer service and otherdepartments have begun planning for contin-ued GIS system improvements. These effortsinclude the allotment of resources to growand expand GIS support within the utility,implementation of additional GIS-based ap-plications and dashboards, and expansion ofthe user group, both within the utility and byits consultants and contractors.

Ultimately, by implementing a carefullyplanned long-term GIS strategy, utility de-partments can gain beneficial results in thearea of inventory management, capturing andtracking institutional knowledge, public pro-tection, and increased operational efficien-cies. As demonstrated by the utility, aGIS-based infrastructure information systemhas a multitude of benefits and applicationswhich, when properly implemented and uti-lized, can improve its operational efficiency: S Provide centralized data storage, allowing

for more efficient organization and accessto data.

S Provide a location to capture, store, anddisseminate institutional knowledge on as-sets.

S Associate ancillary files to features (e.g.,plan sets, pictures, contracts).

S Implement metrics to track asset condi-tions, repairs or breaks, and ongoing main-tenance activities.

S Establish maintenance schedules. S Provide a method for accessing data criti-

cal to prioritizing systemwide improve-ment projects.

S Enhance public protection (quickly notify-ing residents of infrastructure repair andmaintenance activities).

S Ensure that the most current and best-available data can be referenced for deci-sion making, both in the office and in thefield.

S Optimize emergency field operations.S Facilitate map updates for presentations,

public notifications, field staff, or for officeuse.

S Employ online mobile solutions or dash-boards to manage assets efficiently.

S Facilitate customizations to meet individ-ual needs.

S Provide GIS-formatted data for use by an-cillary software programs.

S Improve stewardship of asset data.

In the future, the utility will continue toinvest in GIS and its employees through theexpansion of its GIS workforce, conducting along-term GIS strategic plan and employingonline functionality of its software. SS

Figure 6. Improved Efficiencies



Robert Ryall

Implementation of water reuse systemshas become increasingly popular over the past25 years, especially in areas of the UnitedStates challenged with water supply availabil-ity. Reuse water (also termed reclaimed andrecycled water) found its beginning largely outof a need to dispose of wastewater effluent.With growing limitations on water supplies,however, reuse water has become a valuableresource to communities in Florida andaround the U.S. The use of reuse water pro-vides diversification to water supply resources,allows local communities to retain more con-trol of those resources, and in many instances,provides a lower-cost option to adding costlyalternative water supplies.

Generally, reuse water has focused onlarge nonpotable users; in Florida, golf courseshave been a favorite target for reuse water. Asreuse water systems have evolved, this watersource is sometimes used for residential irri-gation purposes. The latest development inreuse water involves direct potable reuse. Outof necessity, some drought-stricken, arid watersystems are diverting reuse water directly totheir water treatment facilities1; hence theterm direct potable reuse.

Growth, and the need for new watersources, is a significant driver pressing theneed for reuse water. However, water reuse can

introduce financial challenges for a utility sys-tem, such as substituting for higher-pricedpotable water, determining the benefits ofavoided costs, and developing rates that arecost-based, but still competitive.

Financial Planning for Reuse

The financial planning process provides autility with a road map to identify anticipatedoperating expenses, future capital improve-ment projects, associated funding, and antici-pated future fund balances, as well asforecasted debt obligation requirements, suchas debt service coverage.

Utility infrastructure is expensive and theinitial cost of constructing a reuse system canbe a significant obstacle. The additional infra-structure needed to provide reuse water caninclude additional levels of wastewater treat-ment, new transmission and distribution lines,land and easement acquisitions, and designcosts, as well as costs associated with permit-ting and environment compliance. Generally,the costs of including reuse in new develop-ments are less than reuse retrofit programs,but the costs associated with both are likely tobe high.

One option for utilities interested inadding reuse to their systems is to connect themost economically feasible customers first.Generally, these customers are high-volume

users, often for irrigation, and located near thereuse water source point. Examples of thesetypes of customers could be golf courses, ath-letic facilities, large green spaces, and powergeneration facilities requiring cooling water.Connecting these customers first allows thegreatest volume of reuse water consumptionwith the least capital investment. After the ini-tial transmission mains are constructed toconnect the customers, additional reuse cus-tomers can be added to the existing reusetransmission. Additionally, as is discussed fur-ther, many high-volume irrigation users uti-lize groundwater or surface water, and addingthese customers to reuse does not negativelydegrade water and wastewater revenues.

Due to the high initial cost of installingreuse infrastructure, debt is an importantcomponent in the financial planning process.Infrastructure must be constructed and oper-ational before customers can be connectedand revenues generated. Utilities most oftenuse debt as a means to offset the initial con-struction costs and spread these costs over fu-ture years when revenues are forecasted to beavailable.

The addition of reuse can be beneficial toexisting water and wastewater systems, servingas an alternative for effluent disposal and free-ing existing sources of potable water supply.In these cases, subsidies from the water and/orwastewater system can be used to fund reusewater infrastructure. This can be completedin several ways, including direct funding ofreuse projects from water and wastewater rev-enue sources, or using total system revenues tocover debt obligations for reuse infrastructure.The benefits to water and wastewater can alsobe quantified and these amounts treated asrevenue to the reuse system.

An aspect of reuse water that all utilityproviders should be aware of is the potentialfor reuse service to substitute potable waterconsumption. As reuse water is introduced, acustomer’s consumption of potable water isreplaced and potable water consumption willdecline. From a financial perspective, the tran-sition of service may not result in a positive fi-nancial outcome.

Reuse water is not a perfect substitute forpotable water. Due to quality perceptions, theuses of reuse water are limited when comparedto potable water. Reuse water can be used forirrigation, but generally is not suitable for in-door usage (reuse water has been used for toi-let flushing at some sports stadiums2). Due tothe difference of reuse water quality, and to

Financial Considerations in Water Reuse


encourage its use, reuse water is priced at alevel that is less than potable water. As a result,a negative revenue impact can occur whenreuse water is substituted for potable water.

A similar impact occurs with wastewater,which is often billed based on a customer’swater usage, sometimes with limitations suchas a cap (a rate structure where billed waste-water is limited to a maximum level of me-tered water usage) or the percent of waterusage (the billed wastewater is limited to apercentage of metered water use in order torecognize that not all water is returned fortreatment in recognition of outdoor wateruse). The introduction of reuse water can re-sult in a decline in wastewater revenue aspotable water usage is reduced. It’s importantto understand the financial impact of intro-ducing reuse water in order to mitigate thepossible negative impacts on water and waste-water revenue.

While water and wastewater billed usagecan be impacted by the introduction of reusewater, this does not always mean the financialimpact of a reuse system will be negative. Inmany cases, the introduction of reuse water isnecessary to avoided future costs that wouldbe greater than the cost of reuse and the re-sulting impact to water and wastewater rev-enue. This is especially true in areas wherewater supply is limited. Reuse water can act asan alternative source of supply, as potablewater sources are reserved for essential usage.

In many cases, the incremental cost ofadding source water can be very expensive, ifan alternative source is even available. In thesecases, the addition of reuse water allows sys-tems to better use limited source water sup-plies and avoid significant capital costsassociated with developing alternative watersupplies.

It is necessary to provide a word of cau-tion with regard to avoided infrastructure re-sulting from the introduction of reuse. Somesystems have had to maintain sufficientpotable water supply to cover reuse waterneeds during periods of limited reuse watersupply. These periods generally occur duringdry weather periods where wastewater flow isdiminished due to weather-related reductionsin inflow and infiltration. These dry weatherevents also correlate with the highest demandfor reuse water for irrigation. Similarly, dur-ing wet weather periods, reuse water con-sumption can be inadequate to meet disposalneeds and alternative disposal options may berequired.

The American Water Works Associationand Water Environment Federation cost-of-service allocation method, used for water andsewer ratemaking, is based on full-cost pric-ing. Using this method may result in the unitcost of reuse water being higher than potable

water (reuse systems are typically newer com-pared with most potable systems where costsbenefit from significant depreciation on pasttreatment and distribution system invest-ments). As discussed, reuse water must bepriced at a level that will favor the use of reuseover potable (i.e., priced at a rate less thanpotable water). The difference between thefull-cost rate of reuse and the actual rate is thesubsidy to be recovered from other sources.Determining an appropriate and justified sub-sidy can be a challenge when developing cost-of-service rates.

Other Considerations for Reuse

Other considerations for reuse water in-clude social and environmental considerationsthat can often be difficult to incorporate intothe financial planning process. In some cases,actions based solely on the numbers may misscritical considerations that should influence adecision. As such, it is important to give con-sideration to other nonfinancial criteria whenevaluating reuse water options. Table 1 showsother considerations for reuse water.

Social benefits largely affect a commu-nity’s well being. These considerations can in-clude increased water source reliabilitythrough water source diversification, droughtprotection, and increased control of localwater resources through reuse. Social benefitscan also correlate with environmental bene-fits, including wetlands and habitat creation,reduction of pollutant discharges, and

groundwater protection, including reductionof salt water intrusion.

Conclusion

Water reuse has transitioned through asignificant evolution in a short period of time,and financial and rate considerations for reuseare no exception. The benefits of reuse water,both direct and indirect, are significant, butthe financial considerations can pose uniquechallenges not associated with traditionalwater and sewer systems. Financial andratemaking considerations associated withreuse water are often system-specific, and candiffer based on specific system conditions. Inaddition to financial considerations, optionsfor reuse should consider the social and envi-ronment benefits that would impact a com-munity. The considerations can be difficult toquantify, but none the less are significant andshould be considered when evaluating reuseoptions.

Acknowledgments

The author thanks contributors to theAmerican Water Works Association M1 Man-ual, Principles of Water Rates, Fees, andCharges, 7th edition: Todd Cristiano, AndrewBurnham, John Wright, and Craig Aubuchon.This latest edition of the manual, planned forrelease in 2017, will include a new chapter onthe overview of water reuse rates and otherconsiderations. The chapter includes conceptspresented in this article.

References

1. CBS News, “Toilet to Tap: Wastewater Re-cycling Begins in Texas.” http://www.cb-snews.com/news/toilet-to-tap-wastewater-recycling-begins-in-wichita-falls-texas.

2. “Stadium Water Recycling Program EasesStrain of Halftime Flush,” WaterWorld.http://www.waterworld.com/articles/print/volume-26/issue-4/departments/case-study/stadium-water-recycling.html.

Robert Ryall is a principal consultant with Will-dan Financial Services in Orlando. SS

Table 1


1. In a water treatment process, what is theterm used to describe the removal ofvolatile odor-producing compoundsthrough the process of forcing air upagainst a column of water flowing down?a. Destratification b. Reaerationc. Degasification d. Diversion

2. What is the main difference between aconventional activated sludge process andan advanced wastewater treatmentprocess?a. Carbonaceous biochemical oxygen

demand (CBOD5) removalb. Total suspended solids (TSS) removalc. Nitrogen and phosphorus removald. Metals removal

3. What is the main reason a well-operatedwater plant will try to maintain turbidityreadings from 0.05 to 0.3 nephelometricturbidity units (NTUs)?a. To reduce the load on the filters.b. To avoid consumer complaints.c. High turbidity will shield bacteria and

pathogenic organisms from thedisinfection process.

d. To avoid solids buildup in thedistribution system that will requireadditional hydrant flushing.

4. Which may be the better adjustment ifhigh hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels wereleaving a wet scrubber tower?a. Decrease the tower pH.b. Add polymer into the tower.c. Increase the tower pH.d. Take the tower out of service.

5. Which minerals in groundwater are theprimary causes of hard water?a. Calcium and limestoneb. Calcium and magnesiumc. Iron and manganesed. Calcium and iron

6. What may be the cause if CBOD5 removalin a primary clarifier is less than 15percent?a. The plant is underloaded.b. The detention time is too short.c. The detention time is too long.d. The 15 percent CBOD5 removal from

a primary clarifier is normal.

7. What are the three essential elements ofproper flocculation in a water treatmentplant?a. Detention time, mixing intensity,

uniform mixingb. Detention time, excess coagulant for

solids, uniform mixingc. Detention time, mixing intensity, pH

adjustmentd. Detention time, pH adjustment,

temperature control

8. Which time of day will generally producethe highest dissolved oxygen (DO) in anunaerated stabilization pond?a. 12 midnightb. 9 p.m.c. 4 a.m.d. 9 a.m.

9. What type of corrosion occurs when twodissimilar metals are joined together?a. Stray current corrosionb. Galvanic corrosion c. Immersion corrosiond. Dielectric corrosion

10. What is the advanced stage of activatedsludge called when bacteria oxidize theirown cell mass?a. Log growthb. Declining growthc. Cathodic protectiond. Endogenous respiration

Answers on page 69

Special thanks to Scott Ruland, water and wastewater manager

for the City of Deltona, for providing the water-related questions.

Readers are welcome to submitquestions or exercises on water or wastewater treatment plantoperations for publication inCertification Boulevard. Sendyour question (with the answer) or your exercise (with the solution) by email to:[email protected], or by mail to:

Roy PelletierWastewater Project Consultant

City of Orlando Public Works DepartmentEnvironmental Services

Wastewater Division5100 L.B. McLeod Road

Orlando, FL 32811407-716-2971

Certification Boulevard

SEND US YOURQUESTIONS

Test Your Knowledge of Various Waterand Wastewater Operations Topics

Check the Archives

Are you new to the water andwastewater field? Want to boostyour knowledge about topics youʼllface each day as awater/wastewater professional?

All past editions of CertificationBoulevard through 2000 areavailable on the Florida WaterEnvironment Associationʼs websiteat www.fwea.org. Click the “SiteMap” button on the home page,then scroll down to the CertificationBoulevard Archives, located belowthe Operations ResearchCommittee.

LOOKING FOR ANSWERS?

Roy Pelletier

OGNITION:CARDS & REWAAt Compss “100 Be’ortuneFo

eellenccCDBI Award of Ex,or,tractn Conop Gree#3 To Eors,tractop 400 Con#6 To

r 20or Over fombeDBIA Met Compss Be#23 “Florida’s

ars in a” - 11 yeorork Foo Wos tpaniee

R)ord (ENecws Rering NngineeER)ord (ENecws Rring NengineeE

arse0 Ye” 2015 - Florida orork Foo Woanies t

wa ro

nd magazinereTr

100OEMPL

WNO

0%YEEO

NED

AMKROWY TES KI

P…IHSNANIDLIUO BT

THGIT RG IN

T

TEOGT

t Pd alius bh uctaWWaCUD SLIUE BBUR WEHT

moc.LCPSSEC


Steve Soltau

Aging Infrastructure and Aging Workers

Infrastructure assets, such as sewers andpipes that are in use today by most public util-ities, were designed to last between 80 and 120years. By the 1970s, most of the assets hadreached the extent of their life expectancy. Inresponse to concerns about these assets, thesafety of public water supplies, and the qualityof the nation’s rivers and lakes, the federal SafeDrinking Water Act and Clean Water Act wereenacted. These statutes greatly increased regu-latory requirements for drinking water systemsand wastewater facilities.

The availability of large federal grants formunicipal wastewater treatment in the late1970s and early 1980s spurred a huge expan-sion of wastewater treatment facilities, as didthe federal mandate in the early 1990s for the

treatment of drinking water surface supplies.There was a correlated increase in the numberof people newly hired to staff these facilitiesduring this period.

Now, thirty to forty years later, the waterindustry is faced with an aging physical infra-structure, as well as an aging workforce. Thisissue became a growing concern when a 2005report published by the American Water Work-ers Association (AWWA) titled, “SuccessionPlanning for a Vital Workforce in the Informa-tion Age,” projected that 37 percent of waterutility workers and 32 percent of wastewaterutility personnel would be eligible for retire-ment within the next decade. In 2010, follow-up research conducted by AWWA and theWater Research Foundation resulted in theWater Sector Workforce Sustainability Initia-tive, which placed the anticipated loss of cur-rent utility employees at between 30 and 50percent within the next 10years.(http://www.skillworks.org/docu-

ments/DrinkingWaterandWastewaterRe-port_web_May2012.pdf)

The 2015 Member Research Results re-port, also from AWWA and released in Januaryof that year, indicate that a whopping 31 per-cent of respondents are aged 56 or older andanother 32 percent have 26 or more years oftenure in the water industry.

Although the actual number of operatorsand managers retiring throughout the UnitedStates is unknown, all indicators show that theseretirements will create a significant lack oftrained and qualified operators. This exodus canbe seen as an opportunity though, as it’s leavingnumerous job openings for those who are am-bitious enough to enter the field of drinkingwater treatment, or seeking to be promoted.

Filling licensed treatment plant operatorvacancies has become a challenge; once a qual-ified candidate is found, the issue then be-comes retention. Many utilities are locatedwithin similar geographical areas and some-times operators move to other local utilities asthey seek out better pay, financial assistance foradditional licensing and education, and pro-motional opportunities. The table at left de-scribes the gap in the ages of licensed operatorsin Florida.

Reaching Out to the New Worker

Given the industry’s concern about thecoming wave of retirements, there have beenvarious outreach efforts created for the devel-opment of new workers. Although there are es-tablished classes to prepare candidates to sit foroperator certification exams, what is lackingare concerted efforts to expose more people tothe range of jobs in the water industry to in-terest them in making the investment of timeto embark on one of the many careers in water(electronics, mechanical, electrical, operations,administrative, financial, etc.) The followingare several promising models that warrant fur-ther study and sharing of results.

Youth in Environment Program This is an U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) program that focuses on intro-ducing economically disadvantaged inner city

Water Treatment Careers in the 21st Century: The Challenge

of Recruiting, Hiring, and Training the New Worker

(Courtesy of Florida Department of Environmental Protection Operator Certification Program)


and rural youth to career opportunities in theenvironmental field. The program promotesenvironmental education and provides highschool students with increased awareness ofprotecting the environment and water qualitywithin their own communities. The EPA haspartnered with New England Interstate WaterPollution Control Commission, the Lowell Ca-reer Center, and the Lowell Regional Waste-water Utility in placing four to five high schooland college students at the utility at several“stations” (laboratory, pretreatment, mainte-nance, process control, etc.) on a rotationalbasis so that they are exposed to some of themany facets involved in the proper operationof a wastewater treatment plant on an every-day basis. The students also participate in fieldtrips related to science and water quality, alongwith college career counseling.(http://www.epa.gov/owm/mab/smcomm/youth.htm and http://www.neiwpcc.org/yep/)

Water Boot Camp This is also an EPA initiative to get more

people into the water workforce. During thesummer, local high school students are ex-posed to potential careers within the water in-dustry during a two-week course held inBridgeport, Conn. At the end of the two weeks,students received a certificate from EPA. Theboot-camp curriculum was based on a coursecalled, “Water and People” developed by theConnecticut Section of AWWA. There areplans to offer it in the Boston area in the nearfuture.

Pre-Engineering Outreach The Greater Lowell Technical High School,

New England Interstate Water Pollution Con-trol Commission, and others are partnering toencourage student engineering, includingwastewater operations, in a “Pre-EngineeringOutreach” effort currently being developed.(http://www.skill-works.org/documents/Drink-ingWaterandWastewaterReport_web_May2012.pdf)

Several colleges around the U.S. have pro-grams, certificates, and degrees to prepare stu-dents for a career in drinking water, and relatedwebsites include:S NewMexico:http://newmexicojc.augu

soft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=29511&int_cat-egory_id=30&int_sub_category_id=221

S Florida: http://catalog.fgc.edu/preview_pro-gram.php?catoid=1&poid=63&returnto=39

S Illinois: http://www.siue.edu/ertc/ S California: http://www.cuyamaca.edu/acad-

emics/departments/wwtr/default.aspx S Internet Clearinghouse for water and waste-

water operator training: http://wateropera-tor.org/operator-training-programs

What Skills, Experience, andKnowledge are Needed

to Break Into This Business?

EducationA high school diploma or equivalent is re-

quired to become an operator. Employers mayprefer applicants who have completed a cer-tificate or an associate’s degree program inwater quality management or wastewater treat-ment technology because this track of educa-tion minimizes the training a worker will needonce on the job. Community colleges, techni-cal schools, and trade associations offer thesecertificate or associate's degree programs.

TrainingLong-term on-the-job training is neces-

sary to become fully qualified. Trainees usu-ally start as attendants or operators-in-training and learn their skills on the job underthe direction of an experienced operator.Much of the learning is done by observing anddoing routine tasks, such as recording meterreadings, taking samples of water, and doingsimple maintenance and repair work on plantequipment. This hands-on approach to learn-ing may appeal to those not suited for class-intensive programs. For example, noteveryone will want, or can afford, to go to col-

lege, and this type of training suits those wholearn best by “doing.” Operators working atlarger and more complicated treatment plantswill need to learn additional skills, alternatingbetween operational troubleshooting, budget-ing, and a whole range of other management-related skills.

Licenses and CertificationsOperators are licensed by the state in

which they work and standards vary widely.State licenses typically have levels that indicatethe operator's experience and training. Al-though some states will honor licenses fromother states, operators who move from onestate to another may need to take a new set ofexams to become licensed in their new state.

AdvancementMost states have multiple levels of li-

censes for treatment plant and systems opera-tors. Each increase in license level allows theoperator to control a larger plant and morecomplex processes without supervision. Op-erators who have the highest certification lev-els take on additional responsibilities and maywork as shift supervisors in charge of largeteams of operators. In addition, the highercertification levels provide opportunities for

(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statisticshttp://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/water-and-wastewater-treatment-plant-and-system-operators.htm)

Continued on page 16


higher rates of pay. Advancement into util-ity management usually requires a four-yeardegree or better, without treatment plantexperience. Those experienced operatorswho succeed in obtaining advance collegedegrees bring unique skills and abilities toa utility. (http://www.bls.gov/ooh/produc-tion/water-and-wastewater-treatment-plant-and-system-operators.htm#tab-6)

Recruiting the New Worker

Several methods can be used to recruitnew workers to the water industry:

Traditional Recruiting Methods S NewspapersS Professional trade journalsS Word of mouthS Internal promotionsS Posting lists on a bulletin board

21st Century Recruiting TechniquesS School career services officeS Social media, including Twitter, Face-

book, and LinkedInS Job posting websites

OutreachRecently, there have been efforts to pur-

posefully reach out to local middle schools,high schools, and colleges. Examples of out-reach efforts include Career ExplorationDays, Florida Section AWWA (FSAWWA)Model Water Tower contests, shadowing,summer internships, and the Great Ameri-can Teach-In.

Job Outlook

A growing population and increaseddemand for water and wastewater treatmentservices will continue to drive employmentgrowth for operators, which is projected togrow 6 percent from 2014 to 2024, about asfast as the average for all occupations. Pop-ulation growth, particularly in suburbanareas, will require new plants or increasedcapacity at current plants, and new operatorjobs will be created.

New regulations often require plants toinstall new systems or features that opera-tors need to control. However, as plants be-come more advanced, with automatedsystems to manage treatment processes,fewer workers may be needed. Althoughsome work can be automated, plants willstill need skilled workers to operate increas-ingly complex controls in water and waste-water systems.

(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition, Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators; on the Internet athttp://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/water-and-wastewater-treatment-plant-and-system-operators.htm; visited Feb. 16, 2016)

DW: Drinking Water Operator, WW: Wastewater Operator, DS: Distribution System Operator. (Courtesy of FDEP Operator Certification Program)

In California, during September 2015, of those sitting for the state licensing examinations, 57 percent passed the drinking water treatment exam and

60 percent passed the distribution system operator exam.

• (http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/occupations/documents/opcert/2015/wt_exam_results.pdf;

• http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/occupations/documents/opcert/2014/wd_exam_results_sept2014.pdf)




Remove multiple contaminants in a single process with

Applications• Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC)• Color• Hardness• Taste & odor• Nitrate

• Arsenic• Sulfide• Bromide• Ammonia• Chromium (IV)

Bunnell, Florida is home to the very first full scale MICo® system. The MICo® SOF process assists the City of Bunnell in achieving their twin goals of reaching compliance for stage two disinfection by-products and providing their citizens with the soft water that they desire.

MOSSKELLEY.COMSOUTH FLORIDA: 954-755-2092 l CENTRAL FLORIDA :407-805-0063

IXOM.COM/OUR-BUSINESS/WATERMIEXRESIN.COM l [email protected] l ORICA-WATERCARE.COM l 877-414-MIEX

WAT E R C A R E


Training the New Worker

Traditional methods of training newworkers include:

On-the-Job TrainingLocal supervisors and managers of treat-

ment plants know the necessary education, test-ing, certification, and other requirements forthe work. They budget the necessary trainingdollars within their organization and they knowthe needs of their staff and their facilities.

Formal Classroom Training Professional associations like AWWA,

Water Environment Federation (WEF),FSAWWA, Florida Water Environment Associ-ation (FWEA), and Florida Water Pollution andControl Operators Association (FWPCOA)offer specific technical training tailored to thegeographical needs of their local utilities. Localcolleges and technical institutes offer indus-trial, mechanical, electrical, and electronicscertifications and degrees. While these trainingmethods have proven successful, training ismost often offered after the person has secureda job.

Treatment plant license exam trainingcourses are approved by each state, and rulesvary by state. In Florida, for example, an appli-cant can sit for the licensing exam before com-pleting the 2080 hours in-plant work requiredfor full licensure. In this case, workers whohave the determined desire to be an operator,as well as the discipline to work at licensing,can fill treatment plant vacancies, rather thanthe utility taking the chance on a new hire whomay not be able to pass the exam.

All courses meet Florida’s established De-partment of Education standards and are offeredat local community colleges and vocational tech-nical centers; they are also offered online or as acorrespondence course. The different methodsprovide alternative advantages to students whoare unable to attend a residency class because oftheir geographical location or employment sit-uation, or to the student who desires a more rig-orous, hands-on training opportunity. Manyutilities also offer additional training and educa-tion opportunities, such as tuition reimburse-ment, flexible scheduling, certification in certainskills, and apprenticeships.

The Effort to Train the New Worker has Reached

the National Level

The need for innovative and collabora-tive training programs is being actively pur-sued in Washington D.C. In April 2015

President Obama announced a pair of grantprograms to help prepare the American work-force for jobs that are available now, that mayotherwise go unfilled. Totaling $600 million,the president’s new job-training programshave been made more urgent by the rapidpace of change, including reshaped technol-ogy, the economy, and the changing educa-tional system.

The president is outlining ways to carve amore direct path between community collegesand these vacant jobs. Said President Obama,“The challenge for schools and for the industryis to establish broadly accepted vocationaltraining that will prepare the workforce for thenext generation of jobs in a fast-changing econ-omy.” (http://www.washingtonpost.com/poli-tics/obama-to-announce-600-million-in-grant-prog r ams-to-prepare-workforce- for-jobs/2014/04/16/8feebcb8-c4e9-11e3-bcec-b71ee10e9bc3_story.html)

Licensing Exams

The importance of relevant and qualifiedtraining courses is evident when one reviewsthe pass/fail rates for the licensing exams.While these exams are not expected to be easy,the quality of the course work and classroomtraining cannot be overlooked.

Students must make the commitment tostudy, attend classes, ask questions, go on fieldtrips, and meet with their peers for informa-tion exchange. The training providers mustcommit to state-of-the-art facilities and train-ing methods, preparing the new worker notjust to pass an exam, but to create a career andfill an important job opening. In 2015, passrates for the Florida state licensing ranged from65 to 34 percent.

What Florida is Doing

FSAWWA Operators and MaintenanceCouncil

In 2010, FSAWWA created the OperatorsCouncil to meet the needs of the more than6,000 licensed drinking water treatment plantoperators and distribution systems operatorsin the section.

Over the past few years, technology ad-vances and redistribution of responsibilities inthe name of efficiency have increased the treat-ment plant maintenance staff ’s influence overthe drinking water supply after it leaves thetreatment plant.

In 2015 the Council membership was ex-panded to include water plant maintenancestaff and became the Operators and Mainte-nance Council, provided them with the samespecialized training and advancement oppor-tunities as those shared by all members ofFSAWWA. The council will work towards ad-

vancing the needs of water plant maintenancestaff, while simultaneously fulfilling its obliga-tions to licensed drinking water treatment anddistribution systems operators. The mission ofthe Council is as follows:

“Increase member services to watertreatment plant operators, distributionsystem operators, and water treatmentplant maintenance staff through in-creased opportunities for associationleadership, participation, training, localnetworking, and expanded awards andrecognition programs. We also willprovide direction on long-term opera-tor and maintenance needs and priori-ties to the FSAWWA board ofgovernors.”

Some of the things available to water plantoperators and maintenance staff in the sectioninclude but are not limited to:

Benefits1. Representation within each region.2. AWWA specialized mechanical, electronic,

electrical, and drinking water treatmentprocess training that prepare the student forthe licensing or certification exams.

3. Active participation and individual recog-nition at local, regional, and state levelevents and workshops

4. Participation in the Top Ops Competition.5. Scholarships for formal college and licens-

ing classes.

Treatment and System Operators ScholarshipsS Four scholarships of $500

• upgrade of a drinking water or distribu-tion system operator license

S Two scholarships of $1,000• a college degree relating to the drinking

water industry

AwardsS Outstanding and Most Improved Water

Treatment Plant Awards

The awards recognize Florida drinkingwater treatment plants for operation and treat-ment processes that serve as examples to oth-ers. Items evaluated in the application processinclude:S Florida Department of Environmental Pro-

tection complianceS Water quality recordsS Operation and treatment control records S Treatment plant equipment maintenance

programsS Safety programs and historyS Emergency preparednessS Public relations



S Professionalism of staffS Training programsS Past awardsS Improvement to treatment systems and

processes that reduce cost and/or increaseefficiency

S Outstanding Operator of the Year

Recognize a Florida licensed drinkingwater treatment plant operator whose serviceto the profession and to the utility can serve asan example to others. Examples include inno-vative programs initiated by the operator that:S Reduce operations costsS Increase efficiencyS Improve water treatment/water qualityS Better the safety record of the treatment

plant and personnel

Other personal competencies:S Length of time with present employerS Previous awards received by the operatorS Education and achievementsS Ability to mentor and train new employees

through formal classroom training and/orexperience within the water plant.

Innovative High School Programs

Several unique programs are currentlyavailable across the state.

Academy of Environmental Water Technol-ogy (AEWT) Heritage High School, City of Palm Bay

The Academy of Environmental WaterTechnology is a three- or four-year sequentialprogram in environmental studies, with a con-centration in environmental water technology,leading to high school graduates passing theFlorida Department of Environmental Protec-tion (FDEP) Treatment Plant Operator Certi-fication Program, Level C examination forwater and/or wastewater, which is one require-ment for licensure. All that remains for thatgraduate to become licensed is the 2080 hoursworking in a treatment plant.

The AEWT started as a pilot program, afirst for both Brevard County and the state ofFlorida, and has completed its fourth full yearof operation. The 2014-15 school year, with164 students enrolled, included 26 seniors, 28juniors, 50 sophomores, and 60 freshmen. TheFSAWWA purchased 15 copies of SacramentoState Water Treatment, Volumes 1 and 2,AWWA treatment plant process training andsafety DVDs, and laboratory equipment. Theclass of 2016 will attend the Florida Water Re-courses Conference held in Orlando in April2016 to mix and mingle with drinking waterprofessionals from all over the state.

ResultsOver the past three years, AEWT has

tested 47 seniors for the Level C water opera-tor’s test and seven AEWT students obtained apassing score. The AEWT will test 20 more stu-dents at the end of the 2016 school year, andprojects to test 107 additional students be-tween the 2017-19 school years. Efforts are un-derway to work closer with the teachers toincrease the exam pass rate. Three graduateshave been hired by local public utilities.

Utility Internship ProgramFour students completed a paid summer

internship program with the City of Palm Bay’sUtility Department. The city plans to offer in-ternship positions every summer for four to sixstudents, depending on its budget.

In addition, Heritage High School is de-veloping an articulation agreement withFlorida Gateway College to offer students col-lege credit for the AEWT courses.

Websitehttp://www.edline.net/pages/HeritageHS/Ad-vanced_Academics/Environmental_Stud-ies_Academy

St. John’s Technical High School, St. Augus-tine

The Academy of Coastal and Water Re-sources, established in the 2011-12 school year,is dedicated to providing students with high-quality, industry-relevant curriculum to assuresuccess in postsecondary education and coastaland water resources career opportunities.Through collaboration with business partners,the students are engaged in applied learningand develop confidence, long-lasting relation-ships, and a sense of community.

Academy students participate in valuablehands-on curriculum designed in partnershipwith the St. Johns County Utilities, GuanaTolomato Matanzas Research Reserve, FloridaGateway College, the City of St. Augustine, andthe University of Florida Sea Grant. Studentsexplore the environment and ecosystemsthrough environmental and water resourceclasses and experience water quality testing,wetland management, wildlife, and water treat-ment management. Students learn proper sam-pling and safety procedures.

Academy students may earn several firstaid, CPR and Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration (OSHA) certifications, and theFDEP water treatment plant operator license,Level C.

Results Once the students gain an understanding

of the Academy’s mission and comprehend thehands-on learning experiences, they are en-rolled in the Academy of Coastal and Water

Resources’ four-year course progression. En-rollment in the Academy over the past fouryears has reached 115 students.

Websitehttp://academies.stjohns.k12.fl.us/programs/resources/

Career Explorations, St. Petersburg CollegeEach spring, a Career Education Explo-

ration is held on the Seminole Campus of SPC.Sponsored by the FSAWWA Operators andMaintenance Council and in partnership with14 area utilities, the event is well attended byalmost 200 first-time college students, return-ing veterans, displaced workers, and curiousparents. The event continues to grow largerevery year.

Attendees participate in a panel discussionwith a diverse group of water professionals,ranging from senior utility directors, experi-enced laboratory technicians, and experiencedwater plant operators, each with a unique storyof their individual success. The second half ofthe event is an exhibit-hall-style setup whereutilities showcase their organizations. Job de-scriptions and other human resources infor-mation are provided and individuals get theopportunity to meet with utility staff membersone-on-one in an informal atmosphere.

Sandy DeCarlo, career outreach specialistat the SPC Seminole Campus, explains that, “St.Petersburg College partners with local utilitiesto host Career Education Exploration eventsthat build awareness of positions that may oth-erwise be unfamiliar to the general public. Theseevents provide opportunities for students, andthe public, to learn more about local public util-ities and organizations, interview professionalsin the specialized fields, and gain insights andperspective of what is required for employment.These events help students define their careergoals and align their academic paths with thosegoals. We have actually used the public utilitiesevent as a successful model for additional careereducational events with other industries. Welook forward to this continued partnership withFSAWWA and other water professionals.”

Sandy DeCarlo contact information: 727-394-6130

City of Seminole, Public Policy ManagementAssociate Program

Frank Edmunds, former city manager withCity of Seminole, has been involved with thisprogram and states that, “Seminole has a strongpartnership spirit with St. Petersburg College.We are a small city and our departments have ahost of projects they cannot get to for a varietyof reasons. This partnership is to provide forfull-time employment for a graduating student



of the full-year program to be assigned to thevarious departments to complete special proj-ects. The city benefits, with a quality staff personworking on the project, and the graduating stu-dent gains valuable experience and helps build aresume as well, doing real work in a local gov-ernment. The city council agreed to fund theprogram for 10 years, with a new graduate join-ing us every August. The council decided toname the program the Frank P. Edmunds Pub-lic Policy Management Associate Program.When I decided to retire, I thought it would beappropriate to suggest that the city continuethat partnership with the establishment of thepublic policy management associate program. Ihope this information helps, and other com-munities find that this is a valuable opportunityfor encouraging future local government em-ployment.”

What’s Next?

The treatment plant operator professionis one currently filled with employees maturingin their careers, and the issue should be amongthe aging infrastructure discussions occurringfrequently at utilities across the U.S.

Do your part. Get the discussion startedin your organization. Begin by asking some ofthese questions at staff meetings:S How can our utility take advantage of the

federal training opportunities and grantdollars?

S How does our utility plan to handle the ex-pected steady flow of operators and managersretiring during the next five to 10 years?

S Have we looked into our utility’s demo-graphics?

S Have we identified the skills necessary tostay current with the reshaping of technol-ogy and the next generation of jobs?

S Can we stay competitive in this fast-chang-ing economy?

S How will we meet the challenge of recruit-ing, hiring, and training the new worker ofthe 21st century?

S What will our training and education budg-ets need to look like?

S Are we formally mentoring our new em-ployees to capture institutional knowledge?

S How do we get support at all levels of man-agement?

S What can we do locally to be active with in-novative and collaborative training pro-grams?

S Are we ready?

Licensed operators protect the sources andprovide treatment of the nation’s water supply.They contribute to the quality of life in our com-munities that help protect public health andshape our local economies. Make sure that yourorganization is ready for the challenge of recruit-ing, hiring, and training the new worker, towhom we leave the future of the water industry.

Steve Soltau is water supply manager for the SKKeller Water Plant at Pinellas County Utilitiesin Clearwater. SS



Young Professionals Summit in Sunny San Diego Lindsay Marten

Receiving FWEA’s 2015 Young Professional(YP) of the Year Award at that year’s Florida WaterResources Conference (FWRC) was exciting on anumber of levels. It was humbling to be nominatedfor the award, and it also felt good to know that theefforts of FWEA’s volunteers do not gounnoticed—because we’re all volunteers after all!

One of the benefits of winning the award isthat the Students and Young ProfessionalsCommittee provides travel assistance for therecipient to attend the Water EnvironmentalFederation (WEF)/American Water WorksAssociation (AWWA) Young Professionals Summit.When I was notified that the 2016 summit wasgoing to be held in San Diego, one of my favoritecities in the United States, I was ecstatic because Ihave a hunger for traveling and realized that I wasbeing given the opportunity to network with otherindustry professionals across the country that sharethe same passion for water that I do!

The YP Summit kicked off this year onFebruary 23 with a networking icebreaker at theHalf Door Brewing Company on a beautiful winterevening. The city is known for its craft food andbeer culture, so this was the perfect pairing to get ataste for what the area had to offer, while alsomeeting some new, young, and seasonedprofessionals from across the U.S.

The full-day summit program started brightand early the following day at the Hilton Bayfront,

where the AWWA/WEF UtilityManagement Conference wasalso taking place. The first half ofthe workshop involved technicalsessions by presenters from theOrange County SanitationDistrict, Orange County WaterDistrict, and City of San DiegoUtilities Department. Iappreciated this portion of theworkshop because it wasfascinating to learn all of the struggles Californiahas faced with the ongoing drought and theinnovative solutions it’s implemented to providethe public with the precious resource of water. Allof the speakers kept the presentations interactive tokeep us engaged, provide critical thinking amongthe attendees, and keep the energy high. Theafternoon portion of the workshop focused ondeveloping young professionals, from workplacecommunication and creating stellar presentationsto career advancement and leadership skills. Theprogram ended with a panel that presented issuesof interest to YPs, including lessons learned, careeradvancement, and networking, which I happenedto find most beneficial.

Following the program, there was a summitreception held for us on the terrace of the hotel.With the absolutely beautiful San Diego weatherand scenic sunset views of the bay, this was theperfect way to end the day. I was able to meetseveral of the presenters and participants, but my

conversations with WEFpresident, Paul Bowen; CWEAdirector of education andtraining, Julie Taylor; and YP

Summit Planning Committee cochair, RockyCraley, were the most memorable.

The following day I decided to make the mostof my time, since I traveled so far, and attendedseveral technical sessions at the conference. I wasable to see some familiar YP faces from the summitthe previous day, and also some of the presenters.Like most conferences, I was able to float aroundto the various sessions throughout the day, and takein as much information as possible, includingsuccess stories in regional collaboration, mitigatinginfrastructure risks, conservation, and waterquality, just the name a few.

I am so grateful that I was given theopportunity to attend the YP Summit this year, andwould love to attend next year’s event. Luckily forus Florida YPs, the 2017 summit will be held inbeautiful Tampa, so we won’t have to travel very far!

Lindsay Marten, EI, LEED AP, is an engineeringintern at Stantec in Sarasota. SS

Current WEF president, Paul Bowen, welcomes the attendees of the 2016Young Professionals Summit to kick off the program.

Lindsay Marten (second from right), representing FWEA at the WEF/AWWA Young Profes-sionals Summit in San Diego, stops to take a photo with some colleagues from around thecountry.

Lindsay Marten, cochair of theFWEA Manasota Chapter, accept-ing the Young Professional of theYear Award at the FWEA AwardsLuncheon at FWRC in 2015.

FWEA CHAPTER CORNER

Welcome to the FWEA Chapter Corner! The Public Relations Committee of the Florida Water Environment Association hosts this article to celebrate the success of recent

association chapter activities and inform members of upcoming events. To have information included for your chapter, send the details via email to Suzanne Mechler at [email protected].


The public depends on water utilities toprovide clean, reliable, and safe drinkingwater at all times. To consistently deliver

quality water to their customers, utilities mustnot only efficiently operate and maintain effec-tive water systems, they also need to securelyprotect those systems. The primary risk of anunprotected system is not theft, but rather con-tamination of the water supply, which could im-pact public health and possibly result in a loss ofpublic trust.

A recent situation that demonstrates thepotential vulnerability of surface water suppliesresulted from an industrial chemical leak of 4-methylcyclohexanemethanol in Charleston,W.Va., that contaminated the capital city’s watersupply in January 2014. Due to the chemicalleak, the local river, which is the city’s watersource, was contaminated, making the water un-acceptable for treatment and distribution aspotable water. This example certainly highlightsthe need for effective security systems to protectall of the water systems in the United States.

Various chemicals are used in the watertreatment process, and these chemicals are typi-cally stored in bulk at the plant. If improperlyhandled, mixed, released, or discharged, many ofthese chemicals can be dangerous to publichealth. Therefore, it is of critical importance toprevent the possible theft or discharge of thesepotentially harmful chemicals.

Security: A Growing Concern

Public water systems, including treatmentand distribution facilities, are required to be as-

sessed and protect against threats to the systemfor the safety of consumers. Protection of watersystems has been an important issue, even beforethe terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2011. In the U.S.,the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) have established minimum guidelines forsecurity. In 1998, Presidential Decision Directive63, which focused on identifying and rectifyingvulnerabilities in the country’s critical infra-structure, including water and wastewater sys-tems, was issued by then-President Clinton.

The directive noted that these systems hadbecome increasingly automated and intercon-nected, making them vulnerable to any numberof natural disasters and other threats.

When the DHS was formed in 2002, it com-bined the resources and administration of 22agencies and 180,000 employees under a newagency to foster a comprehensive, coordinatedapproach to protecting vital U.S. systems.

In 2003, the Homeland Security Presiden-tial Directive 7 (HSPD –7) established a nationalpolicy for federal departments and agencies toidentify and prioritize critical infrastructure andkey resources to protect them from terrorist at-tacks. Through this effort, 18 critical infrastruc-ture sectors were identified, including water,energy, transportation, dams, ports, and more.

As a result, security guidance was developedfor each critical infrastructure. Guidance forwater infrastructure included documents issuedby the American Water Works Association(AWWA), Water Environment Federation(WEF), American Society of Civil Engineers(ASCE), Institute of Electrical and Electronics

Engineers (IEEE), International Society of Au-tomation (ISA), American National StandardsInstitute (ANSI), and EPA outlining standardsand recommended practices that could be usedas guides for system owners and consultants.

Evaluation and Assessment of Public Water Treatment Facilities

The sophistication and complexity of pro-tection for a water system, its facilities, and equip-ment is dependent upon multiple factors,including the size and financial resources of thecommunity being served by the system. To helpillustrate the factors that should be considered, atypical municipal water system, which includes asurface water supply, a water treatment plant,pumping stations, storage reservoir, elevatedtanks, and distribution piping, will be used.

The first step of the evaluation process is thephysical assessment of the existing facilities,which can be done using the Vulnerability Self-Assessment Tool (VSAT). The documented eval-uation is followed by the subsequentidentification of proposed improvements orother alternatives that would increase the secu-rity of the water system using government andindustry standards and guidelines. Once the pro-posed improvements are identified, engineeringdesign and project implementation considera-

Water and Wastewater System Security: A Technical Analysis

Thomas H. Powell

Thomas H. Powell, P.E., is the instrumentationand controls engineering group head and anassociate at Greeley and Hansen in Chicago.

F W R J


tions are established for protecting the system forthe community.

These physical and security guidelines in-clude references from AWWA(http://www.awwa.org/legislation-regulation/is-sues/utility-security.aspx), ISA (www.isa.org),DHS (https://www.dhs.gov/water-and-waste-water-systems-sector), and EPA(https://www.epa.gov/homeland-security-re-search/water-system-security-and-resilience-homeland-security-research).

As part of the evaluation, the site assets ofeach production or distribution facility shouldbe identified. Some of these assets include equip-ment (pipes, motors, wire, etc.), raw materialsand finished products, chemicals, and natural re-sources. Service disruptions can happen as a re-sult of the theft of raw materials or equipmentfrom the site, whether they are in use or juststored. For example, copper materials have oftenbeen stolen for their recycle value. Therefore, thefollowing questions should be considered inevaluating site assets: S What raw or recyclable scrap materials are

stored on the property? S Is fuel for vehicles or generators stored in out-

of-the-way areas? S Could any of these items provide an oppor-

tunity for a thief to enter the property andcause an immediate or future service disrup-tion?

Water system security requires both site andequipment protection, and should considerphysical, electronic, and procedural elements,and incident prevention, which involves plan-ning and preparing for various types of scenar-ios, including threats. Considerations in thisregard include how someone could enter a facil-ity through abnormal methods. Once someoneis inside, the following should be considered:S What damage could be done? S What could be stolen?S What barriers, procedures, or other options

could stop or deter the theft?

When thinking about facility security, whattype of incident could result in an unwantednews headline? Planning, protection, and pre-vention with security can help keep that head-line out of the media.

As part of the security evaluation of the fa-cility, the physical location must be considered;not only where the facility is located, but how thefacility can be accessed. Also, what is adjacent tothe facility and how can the facility be accessedfrom roads, expressways, urban highways, citystreets, railways, or waterways?

In addition to the location, the frequencyand types of visitors should be considered as

well. Are there visitors other that municipal em-ployees, customers, delivery personal, and stu-dents? Does the utility allow customers to payservice bills at the administration office?

Looking more specifically at the examplewater system described earlier, while the subjectwater treatment facility does not allow consumerbill payment service at the administration office,it does have regular deliveries from multiplepackage carriers for supplies, as well to meetservice offerings. The plant also accepts drop-offs of water sampling and testing materials fromthe local water quality laboratory. Again, thequantity and type of expected visitors for a fa-cility impacts the type of security elements thatshould be implemented.

This water treatment facility is surroundedby residential properties, and the facility man-agement is very sensitive to being a good neigh-bor. The utility does not want to create theappearance of a fortress or isolate its neighbors,so many of the physical security elements se-lected for this facility have been made less ob-trusive, with low impact to the neighborhood.

In the same community, the subject waste-water treatment plant is just outside the city lim-its, near businesses and a hospital. The plant isaccessible by major city streets and bordered byboth a river and an active railroad track. As partof the engineering and security evaluation forthis example facility, it is important to considerwhat paths an intruder can use to gain access tothe property and assets within the property.

Although the primary focus of a water fa-cility is production of water and the effectivemaintenance of system equipment, the safetyand security of both plant personnel and the sys-tem should also be an important focus. However,the primary function of staff is to maintain andoversee treatment operations, not site security.Since many facilities do not have dedicated se-curity staff on site, these utilities must rely on themunicipal police, county sheriff, or state policeto respond when a threat is detected or abnor-mal events occur.

In the subject water treatment plant, themain process facility is fully staffed during theday shift, but with limited staff overnight. Re-mote sites are staffed intermittently according tomaintenance needs. As such, the facility relies onthe municipal police department for response tosecurity incidents.

Security Principles and Strategies

The basic principles of physical security in-clude three strategic components: to deter, de-tect, and delay.

Deterrence focuses on making facilities orequipment less available to a threat, by basically

making it harder to obtain entrance into the fa-cility. This can be done by modifying the ap-pearance of the facility or physically changingthe structure. The use of warning signs can deterless motivated intruders, and the use of visiblecameras may deter pranksters or more seriousthreat activities. Access gates, pedestrian turn-stiles, fences, moats, and movable vehicle barri-ers can also help deter access.

Detection focuses on the ability to monitor afacility or activities within the facility in real time.This is normally accomplished through the useof surveillance monitoring of facilities with video,motion detection, or other electronic methods.

Delay involves slowing the access either tothe facility or within the facility. One of the eas-iest methods to delay access is to have doors thatare locked and keys that are controlled. An alter-native to locks and keys is to use a card accesscontrol system, which provides the same benefitof securing doors.

Security Design Elements and Challenges

Although almost any facility can be vulner-able to access by a committed threat, site access



by those threats and pranksters can be mademuch more difficult through the design and in-corporation of various security measures. De-sign elements that are typically used to delay ordiscourage access include fences, barriers,labyrinth access, and signs, as well as physicaldistance and location.

For monitoring of physical space within thefacility, motion monitoring equipment, door po-sition monitoring, and video surveillance can beimplemented to show when unauthorized peo-ple are in the area. The use of a card access sys-tem allows authorized people to be grantedaccess, while providing an alert when unautho-rized access is obtained.

If a card access system is part of the enter-prise system for the community and is sharedacross multiple operating groups, additionalconsiderations are required. An enterprise sys-tem allows for a comprehensive master data-base of authorized employees, but also createsother challenges. For example, a programmedsystem presents a challenge for timed locks andaccess control for holiday schedules, as well asproviding temporary access for multiple con-tractors.

Other challenges to site monitoring may berelated to climate or specific location condi-tions, such as frozen soil in cold climates, or sur-face rock terrains, which can restrict certainmonitoring technologies, including vibration

monitoring. Wildlife (deer, coyotes, and otherlarge animals), normal pedestrian traffic, signif-icant temperature changes, and seasonal vari-ances to the facility can also affect sitemonitoring equipment.

In winter, snow piles from clearing roadsand parking may restrict monitoring, while inthe summer building ventilation needs may re-duce compliance with closed-door require-ments. Thermal cameras detect the heat of anapproaching person or object, which works wellin cooler temperatures, but as the temperatureapproaches 100 degrees, the images of peopleblend into the background. When foliagechanges seasonally, the images viewed by cam-eras can change significantly, including blockageof security critical images. The extent of foliagechange varies by geographic area, and successfulimplementation may require increased groundsmaintenance to minimize foliage obstructions.

The subject water and wastewater facilitieswere geographically located in the north, so theyexperienced both winter freeze and 100-degreesummer heat conditions, with a vigorous grow-ing season for summer foliage. The geographiclocation of facilities impacts the required engi-neering decisions for implementing securitymeasures.

With recent advances in analytics and algo-rithms, video monitoring can detect movementand activate alarms based on predicted behav-iors and motion. For example, large animals can

be interpreted to be intruders and, conversely,intruders can attempt to mimic animal behav-ior. Technology continues to advance in bothhardware and software.

At the subject facility, motion monitoringis provided up to the facility fence line. Chal-lenges for motion detection at this facility in-clude students walking to a neighborhoodschool along the fence line, wildlife, and over-hanging foliage from neighboring yards.

The owner or operator of a public potablewater facility should discourage access to thosewho are not authorized using fencing, signs, andother methods to limit access.

With elevated tank leases, nonmunicipalemployees have access to the site and to the topof the tanks and, therefore, potentially to the fin-ished water. While the municipality can confirmthe background of their employees, they do nothave access to the records of the employees of thecompanies that service the equipment.

Valve and metering vaults may allowground-level access to finished water. To reducepotential for contamination, the physical im-provements for the subject facility include man-hole drip trays, warning signs, and videomonitoring,

A well-illuminated facility provides fewershadows for hiding, is more inviting to visit, ispotentially safer for workers, and provides amore attractive workplace than a facility withlimited lighting. A suitable level of illuminationalso assists in video monitoring, with improvedcolor rendering and object recognition.

A Security-Focused Culture

Employees are the most valuable asset inany security system. They need to be trusted andtrained to do their normal job and functions, aswell as support security efforts and procedures.

Therefore, it is important to develop a se-curity-focused culture that is fully embraced bymanagement and staff within each facility. Ulti-mately, the best security features in a facilitymay be the eyes of your employees. Regular staffmembers are the ones who can often noticeminor or major changes, as well as abnormalevents. As part of this culture, respect is key andshould be extended both inside and outside thefacility fence. Respect includes avoiding profil-ing visitors, employees, and guests and estab-lishing a system that does not monitor activitiesthat should be considered private.

Video Surveillance Considerations

Video systems are the eyes that never sleepor take a vacation. Part of the design includes

Figure 1. Size Differences in Video Graphics Array Immages Continued on page 28



determining if the system is to be visible—usingan obvious camera—or unobtrusive. Both typesof systems can be effective. Cameras can beplaced to blend into the walls or ceilings, or inlocations where they can be easily noticed. Thesystem can be limited to a few strategicallyplaced cameras, or have many of them. Keep inmind, however, that the number of cameras canimpact the communication bandwidth and se-curity network performance.

In addition, when using cameras, the typeof signage that is required by the local commu-nity to properly notify the public when they maybe on camera at a public or private facility mustbe considered.

Electronic adjustable cameras (pan, tilt, orzoom) allow real-time adjustment to the imagewhen needed. Adjustable images can be fixedonce electronically set without requiring physi-cal adjustment on a ladder or scissor lift, andcan also be easily adjusted to avoid interferencewith seasonal direct sunlight.

The size of the desired image is an-other design consideration. Figure 1 shows therelative size differences between video graphicsarray (VGA) images: a 1.3 megapixel (MP)image to a 5 MP image. The larger the imagesize in MPs, the more clarity the image will havewhen stored and reviewed, whether for recog-nition, personal recognizable characteristics, orreading license plate characters.

The many elements related to the selectionof video monitoring hardware includes the phys-ical camera, the lens, the image size or resolution,the focal length, the ability to change the view,how to store and retrieve the images, the abilityto use the same camera for day viewing andnight viewing, and more.

Privacy Considerations

Video surveillance and security includesmonitoring of both the facility and of people(the people who are supposed to be there, aswell as the people who aren’t). The key conceptis that people are being monitored by people.

While monitoring can help improve the se-curity within a community, the images can alsopotentially be misused. Establishing a publishedvideo management policy may be beneficial toincreasing trust not only with employees, butalso the public.

Electronic Security Considerations

Electronic security and cyber hardening isrecommended by several organizations, includ-ing ISA to protect electronic networks. Theseorganizations have standards on cybersecurity

and protection of electronic assets. Recom-mended protection includes restricting access,monitoring and controlling access and usage,implementation of firewalls, layers of protec-tion, and establishing network rules. The rulesshould be applied systemwide, be uniform, andapply to all users, including contractors and vis-itors. Establishing an independent visitor net-work can successfully limit the access to theprimary control system and increase its security.Electronic networks need to be protected fromeavesdropping (stealing of data), theft of serv-ice, denial of service, and hijacking the controlof equipment.

There are fundamental differences in se-curing a control system from an informationtechnology (IT) system. The IT systems typicallyhave a service life of three to five years, whilecontrol systems typically have a 20-year life. Thesystems deploy antivirus software and are regu-larly updated, while control systems, with theirexecutable code, typically do not deploy. Con-trol systems have a constant uptime require-ment (greater than five-nines reliability at99.999 percent) while IT systems can acceptoutages. The IT systems that are three-nines re-liable (99.9 percent) allow for up to 8.75 hoursof outages in an 8760-hour year. The IT serverrooms are typically secure, with control systemhardware located in control rooms with generalaccess only permitted once after gaining accessin the building.

In the Aug. 2, 2013, issue of Technology Re-view, a decoy water plant (virtual) was estab-lished as a test of control system security. Theoutcome of the test was that the decoy water au-thority control system was hacked by a foreignarmy. This means that there are people “outthere” who could hack your system if they canfind it, so system security is required.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has pub-

lished 21 steps to improve cybersecurity of su-pervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)networks. These steps provide guidance forhardening against cyber attacks, which may in-clude prevention for uploading of viruses,worms, or malware. The guidance also protectsagainst actions that include data theft, denial ofservice, and pranks.

Planning and Preparation

Part of security is planning in advance forhow to best respond to various types of attacks.Tabletop training exercises designed specifi-cally for a facility and team are available. Theseexercises are planned by experts to obtain re-sponse from the facility team during a simu-lated event and allow for procedural andoperational changes. After the simulation, im-provements to operating plans and facility aretypically implemented based on the results ofthe simulation.

A plan for emergency response is critical.The security design or master plan should in-clude a facility command center, with internaland external communication systems, and real-time process information and security informa-tion. A facility without a command center willnot be able to respond as quickly to an emer-gency.

Training on how to effectively use the sys-tem and respond to both normal and potentialsecurity events is essential. The first time analarm occurs in the middle of the day or night,the employees need to acknowledge it and beready to properly respond.

Water and wastewater system security in-cludes multiple elements, and surveillance is justpart of the protection. Security includes physi-cal security, access control, network security, cy-bersecurity, operational culture, operations andmaintenance, and, most importantly, planning,which includes considering all potential threatsto the system.

Keeping water and wastewater systems saferequires vigilant observation to identify unusualor suspicious activities through a security-fo-cused culture that engages facility staff and em-braces security processes and technologysystems. Developing a comprehensive securityplan is key to providing safe, clean, and reliabledrinking water to the public at all times. Thesubject facilities in this discussion became moreresistant to anticipated security threats as a re-sult of the implemented design. Given evolvingthreats to critical infrastructure and changingworldwide conditions, regular and reoccurringevaluations of physical and cybersecurity isstrongly recommended for each facility. SS



The 2016 legislative session began on January12 and ended on March 11. As you can seefrom the information in this column, it was

an active session for FSAWWA and its advocates inTallahassee.

Christopher Pettit, regulatory chair; KrystalAzzarella, legislative chair; and Lisa Wilson-Davis,vice-chair of the FSAWWA Utility Council, haveprepared this summary of bills that are of interestto the water sector.

During the 2016 legislative session 1506 gen-eral bills and 35 local bills were filed; of those, 229general bills and 23 local bills passed both cham-bers. To compare, last year’s session saw 1,498 gen-eral and 76 local bills filed; of those, 188 general billsand 39 local bills were passed by both chambers.

There were 120 bills that had potential impacton water utilities in some way. The Utility Councilwas very active in developing statewide approachesto legislation impacting water utilities. The follow-ing is an analysis of some of the bills that passed,along with highlights of some bills and issues thatfailed. Of the bills that failed, it is likely that someversion of them will be introduced in the next ses-sion. Also, as a result of the Council’s efforts, thereare three opportunities to develop future legisla-tion/policies in which member engagement isparamount.

Bills That Passed

FY 2016-17 General Appropriations Act (HB5001)

Overall, the Legislature agreed on an $82.35billion dollar budget containing more than $557million in tax relief measures. Compared to the fis-cal year 2015-16 budget, this represents a $3.65 bil-lion increase. Gov. Rick Scott ultimately vetoedmore than $256 million in projects, for a final statebudget of just under $80 billion. The budget pro-vides for $30.3 billion in general revenue spending,$25.2 billion in state trust fund spending, and $26.9billion in federal trust fund allocations.

Unfortunately, the $30 million for alternative

water supply projects that was included in the ini-tial House budget was not accepted by the Senate,nor was it included in the final budget. This meansthat the five water management districts (WMDs)will only have their already budgeted amountsavailable for cooperative funding.

SB 552 Omnibus Water PolicyThis is a “mega” bill that includes many pro-

visions impacting water utilities throughout thestate, including:

SpringsThe bill contains extensive provisions related

to Florida’s springs, starting with a requirement todesignate springsheds, called priority focus areas,for each spring defined as an Outstanding FloridaSpring (OFS) no later than July 1, 2018. The bill setsdeadlines for implementation of existing waterquality and water supply regulations within the pri-ority focus areas.

For water quality, each OFS must begin the as-sessment for impairment by July 1, 2016, and theassessment must be complete by July 1, 2018. ForOFSs with existing nutrient total maximum dailyloads (TMDLs), the bill requires initiation of basinmanagement action plans (BMAPs) by July 1, 2016,and adoption of the BMAPs within two years.

Local governments have responsibilities toadopt fertilizer ordinances within a priority focusarea by July 1, 2017, and in some cases, develop aseptic tank remediation plan. It also prohibits cer-tain activities within priority focus areas, includingnew septic tanks on lots smaller than 1 acre. Forwater supply, OFSs needing minimum flows andlevels (MFLs) are required to have them by July 1,2017, or adopt them by emergency rule after thatdate. Any necessary recovery or prevention strat-egy must be adopted at the same time as the MFL.

Central Florida Water Initiative The bill codifies much of the results and prac-

tices to date of the Central Florida Water Initiative(CFWI) and also requires that it develop uniformwater management regulations within its region,including a uniform definition of “harmful to thewater resources.” The definition bears watching asit may result in the development of similar defini-tions statewide.

EvergladesThe bill revises the law related to permitting

in the northern Everglades by generally making

those statutes consistent with current law elsewherein the state regulating water quality.

Water Supply PlansThe bill makes some adjustments designed to

make water supply plans more useful. It requiresupdating a water supply plan for any new recoverystrategies or when a consumptive use permit(CUP) application is denied to protect an MFL.Water supply plans must only include projects thatare technically and financially feasible, describe theprojects designed to achieve MFLs, and provide theamount of water to be made available for con-sumptive uses and natural systems.

Regulatory ChangesThis bill makes a number of adjustments to

the existing regulatory structures for CUPs, in-cluding a requirement that recovery/preventionstrategies for MFLs must be set at the same time asthe MFL. The bill also prohibits WMDs from re-ducing CUP allocations due to successful waterconservation during the term of the permit and al-lows WMDs to offer permit extensions as an in-centive for water conservation. Also, WMDs areprohibited from reducing agricultural CUP alloca-tions during the term of the permit due to weatherevents, diseases, crop changes, and market condi-tions, among other things. The Florida Depart-ment of Environmental Protection (FDEP) isdirected to undertake reclassification of surfacewater bodies that are currently Class III (fish-able/swimmable) that are being utilized for publicwater supply to protect drinking water treatmentplants. Finally, in the event of competing CUP ap-plications, where neither is a renewal, the WMDmust give priority to the user closest to the source.

Other IssuesThere are other changes in this bill, including

a requirement for the monitoring of water usage ofwells greater than 100,000 gal per day (gpd) orusing an 8-in. or larger pipe, and requiring WMDsto consider preferred water supply sources for usersfor whom development of new supplies is not tech-nically or financially feasible. A provision also di-rects the Office of Economic and DemographicResearch to perform an annual assessment onwater supply, water quality, and land managementexpenditures, and projections of expenditures tohelp determine whether adequate water is availablefor all consumptive uses and natural systems.

Kim KunihiroChair, FSAWWA

FSAWWA Utility Council2016 Legislative Session Wrap-Up

FSAWWA SPEAKING OUT



HB 589 Environmental ControlThis was the environmental regulatory bill for

the 2016 session and contained the repeal of Sec-tion 373.245, Florida Statutes, that was sought bythe Utility Council to eliminate the statutory au-thority for adjacent consumptive use permittees toundertake a cause of action seeking damages in in-stances where the WMD had already reviewed thepurported violations and found no basis for them.

HB 1025 Public Records/Security of UtilityAgency Technology

Another priority of the Council, HB 1025creates a public-records exemption for certaintypes of information regarding the cybersecu-rity measures of public utilities. The types of in-formation that are exempted include:S Information related to the cybersecurity

measures and technologies employed by autility owned or operated by a local govern-ment.

S Information related to the security of existingor proposed information technology systems,and industrial technology control systemsemployed or operated by a local government.

HB 525 Small Community Sewer Construction Assistance Act

On behalf of small utility members, theCouncil was active on HB 525. The bill expandsthe current definition of a “financially disadvan-taged small community” to include counties andChapter 189 special districts in the definition aslong as they meet the existing requirement of apopulation of less than 10,000. The FDEP hasstated in State Revolving Fund rulemaking thatthere may be flexibility in grants that are allocatedunder the act for small communities that are partof larger wastewater systems, as long as the sys-tems are segregated from the rest of the system.

SB 124 Public-Private Partnerships This bill implements several of the recom-

mendations of the Public-Private Partnerships(P3) Task Force that was created in 2013 to de-velop a uniform set of guidelines for improvingthe P3 review process.

SB 126 Public Records and Private MeetingsThis public records exemption bill is the

companion to SB 124 and addresses P3 agree-ments as they relate to transparency and publicrecords. The bill provides that unsolicited bids forP3s are exempt from public-records requirementsuntil the agency provides notice of its intendeddecision. If the agency reissues a solicitation, thebid remains exempt until such time as the agencymakes its final decision or withdraws the solicita-tion. In either case, the bid cannot remain exemptfor more than 90 days after the agency has rejectedall bids for the projects detailed in the unsolicitedbid. Recordings of a closed meeting to discuss theunsolicited bid and any records generated from itare also exempt from public records until the un-derlying exemption expires.

HB 273 Public RecordsThis bill makes three substantive

changes to the public-records law in response toprevious legislation that made contractors re-sponsible as public-records custodians for thosecontracts that were being undertaken on behalfof government agencies:S The bill requires that all requests for public

records be made through the public agency,not the contractor.

S The bill requires contracts for services to includea statement in large, bold font informing thecontractor of the name and phone number ofthe public agency’s records custodian in order tofulfill the contractor’s constitutional duty to pro-


vide public records relating to the contract byredirecting queries to the public custodian’s of-fice. All agencies are required to revise their con-tracts to include these provisions by Oct. 1, 2016.

S Courts are required to award attorney’s feesto a plaintiff in a public-records case.

HB 347 Utility Cost Containment BondsThis bill creates an alternative method for

financing the costs of certain utility projectsusing utility cost containment bonds. Thesebonds are issued by an authority (such as theFlorida Governmental Utility Authority) on be-half of a local agency that owns and operates apublicly owned utility that provides public util-ity services, including water, wastewater, electric,or stormwater. The bonds may receive a lowerinterest rate because payment is secured by apledge of the utility project. The primary utilityproject property is the utility project charge,which is imposed on customers and based on es-timates of water, wastewater, electric, orstormwater service usage, to ensure timely pay-ment of all financing costs with respect to utilitycost containment bonds.

SB 416 Location of UtilitiesThis is a compromise bill that resulted from

the utility relocation debate during the 2015 leg-islation session. The bill makes a utility liable forrelocation costs only if its lines are located across,under, upon, or within the right of way, notalongside it, as it does in an easement. Further-more, it limits the ability of local governmentsto license or otherwise regulate utility lines, ex-cept those that are located on, over, under, orwithin the right of way. The bill also requiresthat, if a utility is lawfully located within an ex-isting and valid utility easement granted byrecorded plat, regardless of whether such landwas subsequently acquired by the authority, theauthority must bear the net cost of the utilitywork required to eliminate an unreasonable in-terference.

HB 561 Organizational Structure of the FloridaDepartment of Environmental Protection

This bill makes the following changes toFDEP’s organizational structure:S Removes the Office of Chief of Staff, Office of

General Counsel, Office of Inspector General,Office of External Affairs, Office of LegislativeAffairs, Office of Intergovernmental Pro-grams, Office of Greenways and Trails, andOffice of Emergency Response.

S Establishes the Office of Secretary and allowsthe secretary to establish offices within divi-sions or within the Office of Secretary to pro-mote the efficient and effective operation ofFDEP.

S Allows the secretary to appoint a generalcounsel and entrusts the counsel with respon-sibility for all FDEP legal matters.

S Requires that offices and districts be headedby managers and divisions be headed by di-rectors.

S Exempts office/district managers and divi-sional directors from the career service sys-tem and includes them in the seniormanagement service.

S Adds the Division of Water Restoration Assis-tance as a division within FDEP.

HB 989 Implementation of the Water andLand Amendment

This bill requires that funds from the LandAcquisition Trust Fund (LATF-Amendment 1funding) be utilized for specific purposes. Of thefunds remaining after the payment of certaindebt service obligations, the Legislature must ap-propriate a minimum of 25 percent of the fundor $200 million, whichever is less, for Evergladesprojects that implement the ComprehensiveEverglades Restoration Plan (CERP), includingthe Central Everglades Planning Project, thelong-term plan, and the Northern Everglades andEstuaries Protection Program. Funding is alsodedicated for springs ($75 million) and LakeApopka ($5 million).

Bills/Concepts that Failed

HB 1075 State LandsAlthough this bill eventually passed and

was signed by the governor, the original lan-guage of the bill would have deleted a prohibi-tion on using Florida Forever (Amendment 1)funds for water resource development. Had theoriginal language remained in the bill, it wouldhave created an additional source of funding foralternative water supply and regional projectsthat would benefit the environmental and waterresources of a given area.

HB 1069/SB 1204 Water ResourcesThese bills contained the three Council pri-

orities for the 2016 session. Although the billsfailed to move through the Legislature, two of thethree priorities were realized and Section 373.245,Florida Statutes, was repealed as part of the envi-ronmental control bill (HB 589). Also, to addressCouncil member issues regarding utility line re-locations on state roadways and in coordinationwith the Council, the Florida Department ofTransportation (FDOT) will be initiating a workgroup to undertake a feasibility study regardingutility relocation on state roadways. The thirdpriority that failed would have eliminated FloridaLand and Water Adjudicatory Commission




(FLAWAC), governor, and Cabinet review ofWMDs and FDEP final orders.

HB 181/SB 598 State ContractingThese bills would have prohibited state

agencies and political subdivisions that contractfor public works projects from imposing certainconditions on contractors and subcontrators.Contractors and their representatives have ad-vocated for a version of this bill the last twoyears, so it is likely to resurface during the 2017session.

SB 1220 Public RecordsThe bill, among other things, would have

provided that a court must assess and award thereasonable costs of enforcement, including rea-sonable attorney fees, against the responsibleagency if it determines that the:S Agency unlawfully refused to permit the pub-

lic record to be inspected or copied.S Complainant provided written notice iden-

tifying the public record request to theagency’s custodian of public records at leastfive days before filing the civil action, exceptas provided in the bill.

Opportunities for FSAWWA Member Engagement

Florida Department of TransportationUtility Relocation Work Group

As discussed, this a direct result of UtilityCouncil efforts. The FDOT has agreed to insti-tute a study group of utility and transportationrepresentatives to undertake a feasibility studyregarding the coordination and funding of util-ity relocations that are required as a result ofFDOT projects. This has the potential to resultin better communication between local govern-ments and the FDOT regarding the coordinationof road and utility projects, as well as the likeli-hood of FDOT shouldering some of the load forrelocation of utilities as a result of its projects.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection Reuse Work Group

Sen. Wilton Simpson has indicated a desire tofile legislation dealing with reclaimed water in thecoming session. It must be recognized that thereare marked differences in the proper time, place,and manner for the utilization of reclaimed waterin different geographic areas of the state. In order tounderstand these differences, the Office of Water

Policy has constituted a reclaimed water workgroup consisting of representatives from theFSAWWA Utility Council, Florida Water Environ-mental Association Utility Council, agriculture, De-partment of Health (DOH), FDEP, FDOT, WMDs,mining interests, and consultants. The goal is to de-velop recommendations to deliver to Sen. Simpsonregarding possible legislative concepts.

Office of Economic and Demographic Research Water Project Study

An additional requirement of the OmnibusWater Policy Bill is for the Office of Economic andDemographic Research to undertake a study of theresources expended and projects undertaken forwater, alternative water supply, stormwater, andrestoration projects. This is part of an effort to tiewater project and alternative water supply fund-ing to something resembling the five-year plan-ning process undertaken by FDOT. The Councilhas been asked to assist with the study, and localgovernment (utility) participation will be key toensure the quality of the research undertaken. It’santicipated that the results of the study will lead tochanges in the regional water supply planningprocess and the way in which projects are priori-tized on a regional and state level. SS



T E C H N O L O G Y S P O T L I G H T

Trinity River Authority and its Central Regional

Wastewater System Benefit From Filter Rehabilitation

The AquaDiamond filter’s advanced drive and trackingsystem is more reliable than the traditional travelingbridge design in preventing misalignment.


The Trinity River Authority (TRA) inGrand Prairie, Texas, established its Central Re-gional Wastewater System (CRWS) in 1957 andbegan operations in December 1959. The orig-inal treatment plant served Irving, GrandPrairie, Farmers Branch, and a portion of west-ern Dallas. The plant has since expanded andnow serves approximately 1.2 million people inthe Dallas/Fort Worth area. Processes for theCRWS include a bar screen, grit removal, pri-mary clarifiers, aeration tanks, secondary clari-fiers, traveling bridge sand filters, chlorinedisinfection, and dechlorination. Thirty travel-ing bridge sand filters were sized to handle theplant design flow rates for tertiary filtration.After many years of operation, however, severalof these filters required full rehabilitation due tomechanical and performance degradation. TheCRWS also faced the additional challenge ofsoon needing another 100 mil gal per day (mgd)of filter capacity. This prompted an explorationof other filter technologies.

The TRA chose to retrofit the existing travel-ing bridge sand filters with AquaDiamond® clothmedia filters in order to remedy its concerns. Ac-cording to Mike Young, operations manager forCRWS, “We had sand filters that were in need ofrehabilitation. After some research we found thatthe AquaDiamond units had a direct fit to our fil-ters, with minimal structural changes, and pro-vided higher flow capacities.”

Each AquaDiamond cloth media filter hasmore than twice the treatment capacity of one of

the existing sand filters. The CRWS initially retro-fitted two of its existing traveling bridge sand fil-ters with two AquaDiamond filters. Each clothmedia filter is designed to handle an average flowof 12 mgd and maximum flow of 24 mgd. Todaythe plant operates six AquaDiamond filters.

In the filter basin, the cloth media is com-pletely submerged during filtration. Solids aredeposited on the outside of the cloth as the in-fluent wastewater flows through the media. Thefiltered effluent is collected inside the diamondlateral and flows by gravity on to discharge. Thefiltration process requires no moving parts. In-creased headloss due to the deposited solids au-tomatically initiates periodic backwashing.During backwash, a pump provides suction tothe backwash shoes, which make direct contactwith the media, allowing solids to be vacuumedfrom the cloth as the platform traverses thelength of the diamond laterals. The platformoperates only during backwashing and solidscollection. Because of the vertical orientation ofthe media, some solids will settle to the basinfloor during normal operation. Small suctionheaders provide a means for collecting and dis-

charging the settled solids. The solids collectionprocess utilizes the backwash pump for suction.

Shortly after installation, process perform-ance tests were conducted on one AquaDia-mond filter for seven consecutive days. The filterwas tested at the average design flow of 12 mgdfor most of the testing. During the first threedays, the peak flow and/or peak influent totalsuspended solids (TSS) concentrations weresimulated for a period of two hours. The averageeffluent TSS and backwash requirements weremet during normal and peak operating condi-tions.

The operations staff was impressed withthe reduction of backwash water created by theAquaDiamond units. “We now have six Aqua-Diamond units handling over 80 mgd on a dailybasis with less return flows back to the front ofthe plant,” said Young. “During peak flows,we’ve put more than 150 mgd through these fil-ters with TSS results still in the 1-2 mg/l range.The biggest advantage of the AquaDiamondunits is the ability to handle 12-25 mgd with lessbackwash, resulting in a capacity gain at thefront of the plant.”

T E C H N O L O G Y S P O T L I G H T

Technology Spotlight is a paid feature sponsored by the advertisement on the facing page. The Journal and its publisher do not endorse any product that appears in this column. If you would like to have your technology featured, contact Mike Delaney at 352-241-6006 or at [email protected].

Guide wheels, drive wheel, and guide angle.The tracking system consists of one stainless steel guide angle,two main drive wheels, and two pairs of guide wheels.

• Double or triple fl ow capacity within the existing fi lter footprint of granular media, microscreen or other fi lter systems

• Improve fi ltration performance with exclusive OptiFiber® pile cloth media

• Signifi cantly reduce backwash volume resulting in less energy usage

• Multiple confi gurations available to suit any retrofi t application

AquaDisk® • AquaDiamond® • Aqua MegaDisk® • AquaDrum® • Aqua MiniDisk®

Ten 12-disk AquaDisk® units replaced fi ve deep bed gravity fi lters providing 4.5 times more fl ow capacity.

www.aqua-aerobic.com | 815-654-2501

Easily retrofi t aging, under-performing or costly fi ltration systems with reliable Aqua-Aerobic® pile cloth media fi ltration.

large or small,we retrofi t them allTHE PROVEN SOLUTION for UPGRADING EXISTING FILTRATION

AquaDiamond® units retrofi tted ten existing traveling bridge sand fi lters,

doubling capacity within the existing basins.

Corporate Office | Karen WolfeEnviroSales of Florida

P 863.314.0616 | F 863.314.0617karen@envirosalesofflorida.comwww.envirosalesofflorida.com

Melbourne Beach Office | Sam GutridgeEnviroSales of Florida

M [email protected]

Sarasota Office | Chuck HlavachEnviroSales of Florida

P 941.343.9244 | M [email protected]

Represented by:


Raynetta CurryMarshall

President, FWEA

Ican’t believe it’s been almost a year since Itook office as FWEA’s 72nd president. Theyear has gone by very fast, and was full of

the quality events and technical programmingfor which FWEA is known. In my first columnhere I wrote about FWEA’s new strategic plan;it therefore seems appropriate, as we come tothe end of our fiscal year, that we take a lookback and see how we did as an organization.

Vision Statement

The new vision statement in our strate-gic plan is “A Clean and Sustainable Water En-vironment for Florida's Future Generations.”To work toward this vision, our activities werein support of four strategic goals:S Supporting and Uniting our Members and

the Public Through Public AwarenessS Providing Professional Development for

our MembersS Promoting Sound Science-Based Public

PolicyS Maintaining a Strong Organization

We established metrics that would allowus to measure our progress in meeting thesegoals. Here are some of the key metrics andresults year to date.

Supporting and Uniting our Members andPublic Through Public AwarenessTarget – Participate in 10 charitable, commu-nity, and educational events activities peryear.Result – FWEA has participated in 13 charita-ble fundraisers with the purpose of raisingmoney for scholarships and other communityevents.

Providing Professional Development of ourMembersTarget – Conduct six training events, with aminimum of three regional seminars.Result – Six regional seminars have been con-ducted to offer professional development op-portunities for our members.

Target – Conduct Student Design Competi-tion (SDC,) with a minimum of four schoolsparticipating.Result – Six schools are participating in theSDC, bringing students closer to our profes-sion.

Promoting Sound Science-Based PublicPolicyTarget – Develop two articles on the annuallegislative session and other hot topics for theFlorida Water Resources Journal (FWRJ).Result – FWEA Utility Council has providedtwo articles for FWRJ to educate the readerson timely utility-related regulatory issues.

Maintaining a Strong OrganizationTarget – Grow membership by 3 percent an-nually.Result – Year-to-date growth has been 1.3 per-cent.

While there is still work left to do interms of growing the membership, I am veryenthusiastic about what we as an organizationhave accomplished this year. The quality ofour events has never been better, as evidencedby the increased participation in attendanceat our seminars and meetings.

Other Activities

In addition to the key metrics identified,FWEA has been very active in many otherways that I believe are noteworthy.

New CommitteeTo increase the opportunities and value

proposition for our members and volunteers,two of our committees with a natural nexus—the Integrated Water Resources Committeeand the Reuse Committee—joined together tobecome the Water Resources, Reuse, and Re-siliency Committee, or WR3. The mission ofWR3 is to provide technical education andprofessional development programs in theareas of water reuse, integrated water re-sources, water supply, water conservation, andresiliency. The new committee did just thatwith its inaugural seminar, “One Drop ofWater—Many Uses” held on January 22. Thishighly attended seminar covered a wide rangeof topics, including direct and indirectpotable reuse, stormwater harvesting, andcase studies.

WEFMAXThe FWEA hosted the WEFMAX meet-

ing in Orlando on March 9 –11. The event isa WEF-budgeted annual program that offersassociation leaders the opportunity to holddiscussions and exchange ideas and informa-tion on matters of importance to the Federa-tion, the water environment profession, andour communities. This year’s WEFMAX brokerecords for the number of member states thatattended, with 25 represented.

Operations ChallengeLast year’s Operations Challenge was a

great success, with seven teams from acrossthe state participating. This was the greatestnumber of teams that have participated sincethe inception of the competition. It was im-pressive to witness the teamwork displayed byall the participants and it was evident that agreat deal of preparation had taken place. Iam pleased to report that, as we get ready forthis year’s FWRC, there will be eight teamsparticipating!

Finally, as we transition to new leader-ship, I would like to thank the board ofFWEA. Its members have been phenomenalin their dedication, ensuring that FWEA con-tinues to head in the right direction by pro-viding the necessary support and guidance forour eight local chapters and 20 statewidecommittees. I am proud to have served withthem and thank them as we collectively lookforward to A Clean and Sustainable Water En-vironment for Florida's Future Generations! SS

It Was a Very Good Year!FWEA FOCUS

FWPCOA TRAINING CALENDARSCHEDULE YOUR CLASS TODAY!

* Backflow recertification is also available the last day of Backflow Testeror Backflow Repair Classes with the exception of Deltona

** Evening classes

*** any retest given also

May2-5..........Backflow Tester ..........................................Osteen ................$375/405

16-19..........Backflow Tester*..........................................St. Petersburg ......$375/40516-20..........Utility Maintenance Level III ......................Osteen ................$225/255

27..........Backflow Tester recert*** ..........................Osteen ................$85/115

June6-10..........Wastewater Collection C, B ......................Osteen ................$225/255

13-27..........Stormwater C, B** ......................................Pembroke Pines ..$260/29013-27..........Stormwater A** ..........................................Pembroke Pines ..$225/25513-27..........Wastewater Collection C, B, A** ..............Pembroke Pines ..$225/25513-27..........Water Distribution Level 3, 2, 1** ............Pembroke Pines ..$225/25520-22..........Backflow Repair..........................................Osteen ................$275/30527-30..........Backflow Tester*..........................................St. Petersburg ......$375/405

24..........Backflow Tester recert*** ..........................Osteen ..............$85/11527- July 1 ......Water Distribution Level 1 ........................Osteen ................$225/25527- July 1 ......Wastewater Collection A ..........................Osteen ................$225/25527- July 1 ......Stormwater A ..............................................Osteen ................$225/255

July11-15..........Reclaimed Water Field Site Inspector ......Deltona ..............$350/38018-20..........Backflow Repair* ........................................St. Petersburg ......$275/30525-28..........Backflow Tester ..........................................Osteen ................$375/405

29..........Backflow Tester recert*** ..........................Osteen ................$85/115

August8-12..........Fall State Short School ..............................Ft. Pierce

You are required to have your own calculator at state short schools and

most other courses.

Course registration forms are available at http://www.fwpcoa.org/forms.asp. For additional information on these courses or other training programs offered by the FWPCOA, please

contact the FW&PCOA Training Office at (321) 383-9690 or [email protected].



Utility customers and the communitiesthey live in have high expectations forwastewater service and utility perform-

ance. Customers want service without interrup-tion, and nobody likes environmental impacts,wastewater spills, or construction and mainte-nance activities that disrupt normal activities orincrease rates. Sound decision making that bal-ances high service expectations with undesirableimpacts is imperative. Furthermore, being able toquantify and communicate these balances andtrade-offs is key to projecting and maintaining apositive image among customers and the com-munity.

This article discusses the evolution ofGainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) in assessingits wastewater collection system subjectively (in amanner that was hard to communicate) andchanging it to an objective system that quantifiesrisk, identifies risk mitigation techniques, andsupports the communication of the needs andbenefits of the investments that were made.

A municipal utility, GRU provides electric,

water, wastewater, reclaimed water, natural gas,and telecommunications to a population of ap-proximately 200,000 in and around Gainesville.Its wastewater system is comprised of two waterreclamation facilities, 168 pump stations, 650 miof gravity sewers, and 139 mi of force main.

In the early 2000s, GRU had a series of high-profile sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) that re-sulted in a loss of community confidence andpublic scrutiny of the operation and maintenanceof its wastewater system. Action was needed toprevent SSOs and restore the confidence thatGRU was appropriately operating and maintain-ing its wastewater system. Figure 1 shows a localeditorial cartoon critical of GRU’s periodic SSOs.

Wastewater Infrastructure Challenges in Florida

Maintaining reliable wastewater service andpreventing spills is a challenge to utilities through-out Florida and the United States, as infrastruc-ture deteriorates and more aggressive

rehabilitation and replacement is required. In2008, the American Society of Civil Engineers(ASCE) report card scored the condition ofFlorida’s water and wastewater infrastructure asgood, but it dropped to mediocre in 2013. Fur-thermore, ASCE estimated that $19.6 billion is re-quired in Florida in the next 20 years toadequately maintain wastewater infrastructure (1),

which amounts to about $3,500 per year for everyhousehold in the state. Given that the average res-idential wastewater bill in 2014 was about $35 permonth(2), infrastructure investments of $15 permonth per household equate to a 40 percent in-crease in monthly bills.

The amount of required investment is stag-gering, given that customers are frequently op-posed to any increase in rates. Florida’s utilitiesmust be able to communicate the need for fund-ing and the need for the significant constructionactivities required to maintain reliable service andminimize spills and backups. The foundation forcommunication is being able to properly assessinfrastructure and communicate the condition tocustomers and the community.

Probability of Failure

Like many Florida utilities, GRU has been inoperation for a long time (125 years), but much ofthe wastewater collection system was installedduring a rapid growth period in the 1970s and80s. Much of GRU’s wastewater collection systemis 30 to 40 years old, and 50 years is often consid-ered the maximum service life for gravity sewers.The utility’s experience has been that some sewersfail quickly in 10 years or less, while many sewersfunction properly well beyond 50 years.

While it is commonly assumed that the old-est pipes need to be replaced first, the decision toupgrade collection system components is muchmore complicated. Gravity sewer systems are con-structed over a range of years as systems grow,

Keeping Wastewater in the Pipe and Your Utility Out of the News

David Richardson, Tony Cunningham, and Steve McElroy

David Richardson, P.E., is advisor to thegeneral manager; Tony Cunningham, P.E., isinterim water/wastewater officer; and SteveMcElroy is a senior technical systems analystat Gainesville Regional Utilities.

F W R J

Figure 1. Editorial cartoon by Jake Fuller, Gainesville Sun, 2006. (Used with permission)


using a range of pipe material, construction, andbedding techniques, and are constructed in a widerange of soil types. While generalizations can bemade to rehabilitate based on age, material, andsoils, it is preferable to inspect gravity sewers priorto making very expensive rehabilitation decisions.

The utility has discovered that the majorityof ductile iron piping currently in service is sub-ject to tuberculation and constrained flow, result-ing in smaller effective diameters than when new.Gravity sewers made of ductile iron and in serv-ice for 10 or more years often must be cleaned toremove tuberculation. In some cases, the tuber-culation is so extensive that, when removed, thepipe is no longer structurally intact. For this rea-son, ductile iron sewers are assumed to have ahigher probability of failure than other pipe ma-terials.

Vitrified clay pipe (VCP) also poses a partic-ular probability of failure since the pipe lengthsare short (4-ft pipe lengths instead of 20-ft pipelengths for other common materials used today).The short pipe lengths make the pipe more sub-ject to bedding deficiencies, and thus more likelyto fail than pipes installed in longer lengths. Itshould be noted, however, that even very old VCPpipe can provide good service if the bedding re-mains intact.

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) is the mostcommon means of assessing gravity sewer systemcondition. It can be used in most situations, andGRU has been using it to evaluate the condition ofgravity sewers for more than 30 years. Over theyears, data standardization and management haveevolved from general subjective assessments tomore objective assessments. Subjectively, piperuns can be described using terms such as “good,adequate, and bad.” While these types of assess-ments might be adequate for small systems withfew people involved in assessing gravity sewerconditions, they are not quantitative. Since nu-merous people can be assigning the subjectiveterms, subjective assessments do not lend them-selves to comparison. Adopting a standardizednumerical condition assessment system allowsvarious parts of the system to be assessed by mul-tiple teams using the same standards and defini-tions, and rehabilitation work can be prioritized.Standardized assessment supports transparent re-habilitation decision making.

Standard assessment scores define the prob-ability of failure. The utility uses CCTV to inspectgravity sewers and CUES GraniteXP software toscore each segment of the gravity sewer, then im-ports that condition score into the geographic in-formation system (GIS) for data managementand decision making. As has widely been dis-cussed, CCTV is used to discover pipe failures,joint failures, cracking, leaks around lateral con-nections, leaks and failures within laterals, changes

in grade, settling problems, obstructions, etc. Thesoftware score ranges from 0 to 100, with 0 beingin perfect condition and 100 being the worst con-dition, with numerous structural deficiencies.

While it is desirable to design and constructgravity sewers below the bottom of creeks, eleva-tion constraints sometimes require aerial creekcrossings. Sometimes gravity sewers, when firstconstructed, are below creek bottoms; however,creeks shift and meander with time and can ex-pose gravity sewers. While internal sewer inspec-tion is the best way to assess the condition ofburied pipe, aerial crossings should be inspectedexternally. Since conditions change (exposed pipeages, pipe supports can be undermined by ero-sion, etc.), aerial crossings should also be in-spected periodically.

Part of the inspection of aerial sewer cross-ings is to assess the current integrity of the cross-ing. Another part of the inspection is to determinethe presence or likelihood that floating or water-borne debris, ranging from tree limbs, branches,trunks, and smaller floating debris, might accu-mulate upstream of the aerial sewer crossing andbreak the crossing during a storm event.

There are two general ways of dealing withdebris that might impact an aerial crossing. Thefirst is to remove the current accumulation of de-bris and perform future removal periodically.While this may remove the immediate threat,more debris may accumulate in the future, againexposing the crossing to potential failure. The sec-

ond technique is to harden the crossing with ad-ditional supports or construct features upstreamof the crossing that will prevent debris from im-pacting the crossing. The utility uses one or bothtechniques, depending on field conditions.

Consequence of Failure

Wastewater collection system failure includespipe failure, stoppage, or partial stoppage, and re-sults in impacts to adjacent features, backups intoprivate homes and businesses, and SSOs that dis-charge to the environment. The consequence ofthese failures is private property damage and re-lated claims, public property damage to roads andother utilities and claims to resolve the impacts,and regulatory sanctions and fines. All of the con-sequences are not only costly, they are also bad fora utility’s image, and could result in negative cov-erage from the media. Numerous spills and col-lection system failures erode customer andcommunity confidence.

Of course, not all collection system failureshave the same consequences. Minor failures, likea stoppage in an individual service lateral, mayonly result in a temporary inconvenience for a sin-gle customer. Major failures can impact service tothousands of customers, or involve a high-impactand highly visible discharge to a community’s fa-vorite waterbody. When prioritizing wastewatercollection system improvement projects, it is im-

Figure 2. Highly visible wastewater collection system failure requiring a major emergency response.



portant to acknowledge and account for the rangeof impacts caused by a collection system failure.

For purposes of quantifying the consequenceof failure, GRU considers the following factors:

Roads – Since most gravity sewers are underroadways, gravity sewer failures can and fre-quently do impact the overlying road base, road-way, and adjacent utilities. Even when the failureitself does not impact a roadway, construction ac-tivities to repair the failure may impact overlyingroadways. At the ends of the continuum of con-sequence of failure, consider a lightly traveledlocal road that is part of a grid system and an in-terstate highway. The local road will disrupt rela-tively few drivers, and a detour can be easilyestablished and might result in only a few extraminutes of drive time. However, the interstatehighway system, if disrupted, can easily impactthousands of drivers, and detours can take hours.Additionally, interstate highway disruption re-quires extensive maintenance of traffic efforts, isan extreme safety hazard, and can result in bad

publicity. The consequences of impact to a heav-ily traveled road are much more significant thanto a lightly traveled road, and thus, gravity sewerrehabilitation on the heavily traveled road de-mands a higher priority.

Pipe Diameter – Larger-diameter gravitysewers are generally capable of accommodatingmore flow than smaller-diameter sewers. Since theconsequences of a potential discharge are a func-tion of the amount of wastewater discharged,higher-flow systems have the potential for a moresignificant consequence of failure. Furthermore,higher-flow systems also have more of a potentialto damage multiple connected facilities, resultingin significant property damage. Thus, larger-di-ameter collection systems generally demand re-habilitation before smaller diameter collectionsystems.

Environmental Impacts – Some SSOs can becontained in a ditch, swale, or dry retention basin,allowing recovery and cleanup. In these cases,there is limited environmental impact. By con-trast, some SSOs discharge directly into a surface

waterbody, and even small SSOs can’t be con-tained or recovered and can have an immediate,significant, and long-lasting impact on the receiv-ing waterbody. It’s easy to understand the envi-ronmental impacts at points in the collectionsystem where SSOs have previously occurred. Inthose cases, the impact has happened before, iswell understood, and unless corrective measureshave been taken to prevent a reoccurrence, futureSSOs are more likely to occur at these points thanother points in the collection system. The processof evaluating the potential impact of an SSO thathas not yet occurred in the collection system re-quires a more detailed evaluation. There are anumber of circumstances that have potentiallysignificant impacts:

1. Aerial creek crossings. If aerial creek crossingsfail, there is an immediate discharge to sur-face water that frequently cannot be recov-ered.

2. Manholes adjacent to creeks and surface waterbodies. If the distance between manholesand surface water bodies is short and sur-face elevations slope towards the waterbody,as is usually the case, manholes and gravitycollection systems adjacent to waterbodiespose an immediate threat should failureoccur. It is frequently also true that workingaround the waterbody requires extensiveregulatory permitting or regulatory vari-ances during emergency conditions.

3. Areas served by private wells. Though some-what rare, some parts of wastewater serviceareas may contain gravity sewers, but adja-cent businesses or residents are on privatewells. In these cases, SSOs can not only im-pact the environment, but may also impactthe private wells. Though impacts fromSSOs to private wells are rare, the potentialoften requires extensive testing and demon-stration that no private drinking water wellsare impacted.

Accordingly, gravity sewers adjacent to wa-terbodies and private wells generally pose a greaterconsequence of failure than deep gravity sewersadjacent to closed stormwater basins where anSSO can be recovered and treated.

Risk Quantification

Risk is the product of the consequence offailure and the probability of failure. The formulafor risk quantification that GRU uses is as follows:

Total Risk Score = (GraniteXP Score) X [(pipe material score) +(road score) + (environment score) + (pipe di-ameter score)]

Figure 3. Example of GRU’s GIS system showing the physical characteristics of the collection system and the risk score by pipe segment.




The score ranges from 0 to 100, with 100being the poorest condition of pipe as previouslydescribed. Additionally, pipe material is separatelyconsidered, with ductile iron pipe considered topose a higher probability of failure due to tuber-culation and VCP having a higher probability offailure due to vulnerability to bedding deficien-cies. Ductile iron pipes are assigned a score of 3;VCP is assigned a score of 2.

A 1-to-5 rating, with 1 being the best and 5being the worst, is used to quantify the conse-quence of failure previously described (roads, pipediameter, and environmental score). The GIS con-tains data, such as road type, pipe diameter, pipematerial, and proximity to environmental fea-tures, and is used to accurately score these ele-ments. This tool is critical to streamlining thescoring process and the analysis is combined withthe GraniteXP score to calculate the total riskscore, which is used to then prioritize projects.

This risk assessment and prioritization ap-proach is dynamic, and the factors can be variedas better information is gathered. For instance,utilizing a work management system that capturesthe costs (consequence) of pipe failures or a bet-ter understanding of customer impact from roadclosures may result in varying the weight of a par-ticular parameter.

The total risk score can range from 0 (lowprobability of failure and low consequence) to2000 (high probability of failure and highest con-sequence of failure). Figure 3 shows the total riskscore by pipe segment for a small portion ofGRU’s collection system.

Risk Mitigation

Risk associated with collection system failurecan be reduced by either rehabilitating the gravitycollection system or reducing the consequence offailure. In practice, rehabilitating portions of thecollection system found to be at risk is much morefeasible than reducing the consequence of failure.While some circumstances exist where potential

spills (should they occur) can be directed to closedbasins allowing subsequent recovery of a dis-charge, those instances are rare. The majority ofmethods to reduce risk associated with the grav-ity collection system involve upgrading or replac-ing the system prior to failure; however,knowledge of the consequence of failure is ex-tremely important, even if the consequence can’tbe reduced. It allows utility managers to prioritizecollection system upgrades based on the conse-quence of failure when all other factors are equal.

In addition, it is important to review the se-lected prioritized projects with the field person-nel and managers to ensure they pass the“common sense” test. Field personnel are giventhe opportunity to review the scoring of bothprobability of failure and consequence of failure,and those scores are adjusted if errors are found.The process is dynamic and uses fresh input fromfield personnel, including crew leaders, supervi-sors, and managers who are daily inspecting, re-pairing, replacing, or constructing wastewaterfacilities.

The utility uses the risk score to prioritize re-habilitation projects. The highest-scored projectshave the highest risk and are planned and bud-geted to be completed first. Table 1 shows how thehighest-priority projects are scored and ranked.

Summary

Wastewater collection system failure fre-quently causes SSOs, which can have significantimpacts to public health, safety, and the environ-ment. Further, SSOs are highly visible, and fre-quent SSOs attract media attention and erodeconfidence in the public wastewater utility. It is in-cumbent on all public wastewater utilities to in-vest the necessary resources to keep their systemsoperational and prevent SSOs.

The proper operation and maintenance ofgravity sewers includes condition assessment andrehabilitation or replacement as needed. Muchhistorical information about the condition ofgravity sewers is subjective in nature and fre-

quently not documented in ways that can be re-tained as senior staff members retire. Quantita-tive methods are needed to assess the conditionof gravity sewers, as well as the consequence offailure associated with existing facilities.

The methods for prioritizing and schedulinggravity sewer rehabilitation that GRU uses haveevolved from a subjective system that relied heav-ily on individual judgement that was documentedin paper systems and were difficult to analyze, toan objective system that facilitates analysis and in-corporates not only the condition of sewers to berehabilitated, but also the consequence of failureto arrive at an overall risk score.

As public utilities are continuously asked todo more with limited resources, it’s important tooptimize the use of resources in a way that bal-ances the risk of infrastructure failure with com-munity impacts, including rates and rateincreases. The risk quantification method de-scribed is used to prioritize projects to be includedin the capital budget and communicate the needsto decision makers and customers.

The 10-year focus of GRU on infrastructurerehabilitation has decreased SSOs, but has alsocontributed to the need for rate increases to fundimprovements. Since SSOs occur less frequently,the Gainesville community is less critical whenthey do happen, and appears to be satisfied withthe continuing investment to operate and main-tain GRU’s wastewater system. The utility hascommunicated system conditions in the past; inthe future, it needs to more aggressively ensure thatthe community is well-informed about challengesin the wastewater system and that it has opportu-nities to participate in the annual budget processwhere priorities are presented and adopted.

References

1. American Society of Civil Engineers, 2013 Re-port Card for America’s Infrastructure.

2. Roca, Mike; and Hairston, Tony. 2014 FloridaWater and Wastewater Rate Survey, Raftelis Fi-nancial Consultants Inc. SS

Table 1. Risk score and costing information used to establish capital budget needs.



Kristiana Dragash

Over 80 process professionals at-tended the February 18 ProcessSeminar at the Sheraton East

Hotel in Tampa. Attendees earned sixPDHs/0.6 CEUs while listening to fasci-nating presentations with the theme,

“Wastewater Process Ephemeralization: Treating More withLess.” The line-up of speakers included several distinguishedleaders from within Florida, as well as Dr. Charles Bott, direc-tor of water technology and research, at Hampton Roads San-itation District and Dr. Mari Winkler, a professor at theUniversity of Washington.

The Process Committee would like to thank all of theevent sponsors, including Carollo Engineers, GE, Hazen andSawyer, HDR, Heyward Incorporated, and McKim and Creed,the committee members who volunteered their time to planthe seminar, and the presenters who shared their expertise:S Mark Lehigh, Hillsborough County Public WorksS Albert Bock, Bay County UtilitiesS Craig Fuller, P.E., AECOMS Rosalyn D. Matthews, Ph.D., P.E., Hazen and SawyerS Marie-Laure Pellegrin, Ph.D., P.E., HDRS Charles B. Bott, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, Hampton Roads Sanita-

tion DistrictS Jeff Peeters, P.E., GE Water & Process TechnologiesS Mari Winkler, Ph.D., University of Washington

Kristiana Dragash is a senior engineer at Carollo Engineers in Sarasota and is a director-at-large on the FWEA board of directors. SS

Process Seminar Addresses Wastewater Process Ephemeralization

PROCESS PAGE

Dr. Mari Winkler from the University of Washington presents some of her research onaerobic granular sludge.

Greetings from the FWEA Wastewater Process Committee! This column highlights process-related activities in the industry.

Mark Lehigh, with Hillsborough County Public Works and past FSAWWA chair, presenting “How Hillsborough County $aved with $mart Energy Management.”

Craig Fuller, P.E., with AECOM, presenting “Operational Ephemeralization: Energy and Chemical Savings at an Advanced Secondary Treatment Facility.”

Sponsors for the seminar.


Earn CEUs by answering questions from previous Journal issues!

Contact FWPCOA at [email protected] or at 561-840-0340. Articles from past issues can be viewed on the Journal website, www.fwrj.com.

Members of the Florida Water &Pollution Control Association(FWPCOA) may earn continuingeducation units through the CEUChallenge! Answer the questionspublished on this page, based on thetechnical articles in this month’sissue. Circle the letter of eachcorrect answer. There is only onecorrect answer to each question!Answer 80 percent of the questionson any article correctly to earn 0.1CEU for your license. Retests areavailable.

This month’s editorial theme isOperations and UtilityManagement. Look above each setof questions to see if it is for wateroperators (DW), distribution systemoperators (DS), or wastewateroperators (WW). Mail the completedpage (or a photocopy) to: FloridaEnvironmental ProfessionalsTraining, P.O. Box 33119, PalmBeach Gardens, FL 33420-3119.Enclose $15 for each set ofquestions you choose to answer(make checks payable to FWPCOA).You MUST be an FWPCOAmember before you can submityour answers!

___________________________________________SUBSCRIBER NAME (please print)

Article 1 ________________________________________LICENSE NUMBER for Which CEUs Should Be Awarded

If paying by credit card, fax to (561) 625-4858

providing the following informa-tion:

___________________________________________(Credit Card Number)

___________________________________________

1. Short lengths of ____________ gravity sewer pipe render it more subject tobedding deficiencies.

a. polyvinyl chloride (PVC)b. vitrified clayc. ductile irond. concrete cylinder

2. Gravity sewers adjacent to ___________ generally pose a greater consequence offailure than deep gravity sewers adjacent to closed storm water basins.

a. environmentally sensitive upland areasb. roadwaysc. densely populated areasd. private wells

3. Most gravity sewer overflow risk reduction methods involve

a. redirection of spills to a recovery basin.b. upgrading or replacing at-risk infrastructure.c. rerouting pipelines.d. in-line electronic monitoring.

4. In some cases, when __________ is removed from ductile iron pipe, the pipe isno longer structurally intact.

a. cover materialb. deposited materialc. tuberculationd. exterior coating

5. Which of the following is not listed as a factor in Gainesville Regional Utilities’assessment of failure consequence?

a. Diminished system capacityb. Pipe diameterc. Environmental impactd. Roads

Keeping Wastewater in the Pipe and Your Utility Out of the News

David Richardson, Tony Cunningham, and Steve McElroy(Article 1: CEU = 0.1 WW)

Operators: Take the CEU Challenge!


FWEA Air Quality CommitteeAffiliation: FWEA

Current chair: Darryl Parker, Lee County Utilities

Scope of work: The mission of the Air Quality Committee is todevelop and conduct educational programs

related to air quality control within Florida'swastewater field. The committee works toachieve this by conducting annual workshopson air quality and odor control.

Recent accomplishments:In February, we completed our annual AirQuality Workshop in Boynton Beach, with over70 professionals in attendance.

Current projects: In March we received and conducted independentreviews on applications for the annual FWEA AirQuality Committee Environmental StewardshipAward for Odor Control, which was presented atthe Florida Water Resources Conference.

Future work: In April we started planning for the February2017 Air Quality Workshop.

Committee members: • Darryl Parker (chair), Lee County Utilities• Colin Groff (cochair), City of Boynton Beach• Philip Clark (secretary), City of Tavares• Vaughan Harshman (educational coordinator),

Evoqua • Larry Hickey (past chair), Equipment Plus

Solutions Inc.• Mike Nostro (co-secretary), USP Technologies• Darrell Milligan (webmaster), DOer Products

and Services Inc.• Skip Beach, R.C. Beach & Associates Inc.• Bill Heller, Hydra Services Inc./ABS Pumps• David Pickard, Premier Magnesia LLC• Michael Cole, USP Technologies• Johnny Arteaga, Collier County Public Utilities• Tim Harley, P.E., St. Johns County Utility

Department• Charles Maltby, Evoqua• Zuhal Ozturk, Ph.D., AECOM SS

FWRJ COMMITTEE PROFILE

This column highlights a committee, division, council, or other volunteer group of FSAWWA, FWEA, and FWPCOA.

2016 Air Quality Workshop session

Workshop lunch


Donna Kaluzniak

Anyone who has worked in the water andwastewater business for any length of time knowsthere is often friction between engineers and op-erators.

This conflict stems from fundamental differ-ences in each group’s job tasks, as well as their ap-proaches to solving problems. And, it is oftenworsened by poor communication and precon-ceived opinions.

Whatever the reasons, tension or even hos-tility between the two groups leads to inefficiencyand can mean poor-performing projects, safetyissues, and wasted dollars, not to mention work-

place stress and headaches. So, how can operatorsand engineers work together in harmony?

As a former utility director who worked inthe water and wastewater fields for over 35 years,I’ve developed some insight into the factors thatcause this friction, the results of tension betweenthe two groups, and ideas for how engineers andoperators can work together, creating a better out-come for all.

I recently conducted an informal survey ofoperators and engineers through LinkedIn togather additional information and opinions onthis topic. While the response to the survey wasnot large (32 respondents), the answers were in-teresting and useful. Respondents included engi-neers, operators, managers, and one scientist, andseven respondents were both engineers and oper-ators. Survey responses have been incorporatedinto this article.

Does Friction Really Exist?

An overwhelming majority (94 percent) ofthose surveyed said they had personally observedfriction between engineers and operators. From myown experience—starting as a wastewater treat-ment plant operator trainee in 1979 and workingup to the position of utility director—I’ve had first-hand experience of listening to complaints fromboth operators and engineers about one another.

The problem doesn’t really get much atten-tion, but perhaps it should. As a manager, Ilearned to have the utmost respect and apprecia-tion for both the engineers and operators I

worked with. I depended greatly on both groupsto do their jobs well so we could all protect pub-lic health and the environment.

Sources of Friction

The reasons for disharmony between opera-tors and engineers vary, but recurrent themes ap-peared in the survey, as well as through mypersonal experience.

Theoretical Versus Practical ExperiencePart of this issue stems from each group’s

way of working and thinking. Engineers typicallywork and think conceptually, whereas operatorsare hands-on. While operators must take course-work and pass examinations to become licensed,much of their training is on the job, where prac-tical field experience comprises the majority of theoperator’s knowledge. Engineers rely on theirtraining and experience as well, though much oftheir education is based on theory, calculations,formulas, and models.

There seems to be a lack of mutual respectand appreciation for these different points of view,though both are critically important to a success-ful project. Several survey respondents noted thatengineers often discount operators’ hands-onknowledge, while operators see engineers as “text-book people” with no real-world experience.

Another dichotomy is that some engineersmay be more forward-thinking and apt to usenewer technology, while some operators may have

How Operators and EngineersCan Work Better Together:

A Utility Director’s Perspective



difficulty accepting change and be skeptical ofnew innovations.

A related issue is the transient nature ofmany engineers’ jobs versus the permanent natureof the jobs of operators. Most often, an engineer-ing project is finished after design or construction;an operator, however, must continue to operateand maintain the facility, and meet regulatory re-quirements and other changes in the future.

Communication ChallengesMuch disharmony between engineers and

operators results from poor communication byboth groups. The differences in training, back-ground, and experience that I’ve noted exacerbatecommunications problems.

The most common complaint voiced in thesurvey was failure to solicit input from operatorsduring project designs or failure to incorporatesuggestions. On the other hand, some operatorsdo not voice concerns or issues at the appropriatetime or in a professional manner, or they fail toparticipate at all.

Egos can also interfere with communication.If either or both groups see themselves as supe-rior or more knowledgeable, it’s difficult to inter-act in a positive way. This can lead to the inabilityto address a project’s unique challenges.

Management IssuesIf top management at a utility fails to set clear

goals and objectives at the onset, relations betweenoperators and engineers will suffer. In addition, ifa manager supports one group over the other, fric-tion between engineers and operators will fester.

Failure of a manager to be part of the over-all process hurts as well. Ignorance of problemsamong the project team members does not makethose problems go away. In fact, problems can be-come worse.

The Effect of FrictionBetween Operators and Engineers

While frictions between engineers and oper-ators may seem like simple personality conflicts,the effects can range from irritating to disastrous.

This is not to say that no conflict or dis-agreements should ever exist. On the contrary, acertain amount of passionate engagement canlead to a better project, as some disagreementwill make both parties look at an issue in moredetail. Increased creativity and better solutionscan result when people challenge one another.

However, when disharmony leads to com-munication failure, stubbornness, ego wars, orworse, the project and overall attainment ofgoals will suffer. Some results of this friction, asnoted in the survey results and in my own ex-perience include:S Missed opportunities for cost savings or per-

formanceS Project delay or collapseS Future maintenance problems S Increased design, capital, or operational costsS Operational problems during or after com-

missioningS Regulatory violations S Poor application of equipmentS Reduced asset lifeS Safety and access issues

A few survey respondents mentioned lowacceptance levels if operators felt disengaged, orthat a design (good or bad) will not work un-less the operators want it to work. Three re-spondents noted they had experienced sabotageof a project by operators, or they purposely didnot follow design protocol.

At a minimum, this disharmony creates ad-ditional stress, negativity, and bad feelings foreveryone involved with the project.

Working Better Together

Engineers and operators are always “better to-gether.” The differences noted make working to-gether a challenge at times, but the end result—abetter, safer, and more sustainable project—meanstaking the challenge of working together seriously.

Here are some ideas for helping engineersand operators work cooperatively, even happily,together.

Start Working Together Early and ContinueThrough Commissioning

Engineers should engage operations staffearly in the project, meaning in the planningstage. This was one of the most noted sugges-tions in the survey. It’s important that both en-gineers and operators fully understand the goalsof the project and the design intent.

Meeting on site is important, so that visualreferences are available during discussion of theproject. Operators can make suggestions to im-prove safety and maintenance capability, as wellas address operational issues.

On-site meetings should be held regularly,at least during specified project phases (30-60-90 percent completion), and everyone shouldpractice “objective listening” during the reviews.

Operators must do their part and fully par-ticipate—including reading plans and specifica-tions, attending meetings, and taking field tripsfor equipment review. Questions should be ad-dressed and comments should be made in aprofessional and timely manner and in as muchdetail as possible.

Whenever possible, the engineers should beengaged through the construction and initialoperations process. This allows both engineersand operators to more easily address and cor-rect problems.



Mutual RespectOne of the survey respondents suggested

that everyone “check their egos at the door”when working together on a project. Develop-ing a common mindset—a “team” attitudewhere the utility’s goals are always in the spot-light—is key to help form a working bond.

Operators should view the engineer as theirtrusted advisor. Similarly, engineers should respectthe practical, on-site knowledge of the operator.

Understand Each Other’s ChallengesOperators and engineers both have chal-

lenges, some shared and others not. Availablebudgetary funds affect both groups, they havethe same schedule to meet, and they want thesame outcome—a successful project of whichthey can be proud.

Operators may feel the pressure of main-taining regulatory compliance more so than en-gineers. Engineers have responsibility forensuring that there are no errors or omissionsin their work; they must have successful projectsthat are completed on time and within budgetin order to obtain future work or remain em-ployed by their utility.

Understanding each other’s problems andchallenges can ultimately lead to a more coop-erative environment.

Project Process Training

Engineers, operators, and utility directorsall have the same ultimate goal of a great projectthat serves the public.

Training operators and engineers in thebasic process for completing a major projectwould be helpful. Training should include allproject phases, including preliminary planning,budget process, final design, bidding, award, andconstruction (including the change orderprocess) to final inspection, warranty, and fulloperation of a new system. If everyone on theteam understands the complexity and difficultyof making a project happen, some of the fric-tion may disappear.

Project process training would highlighthow important it is for operators to do thor-ough plan reviews during design versus com-ing up with changes during construction. Itwould also provide insight for the engineersabout the importance of having good budgetand construction estimates to avoid embar-rassment of over-budget projects. Both groups

would also benefit from discussing schedulesand timeliness and how each group can affectthese items.

Management’s RoleDirectors and managers must bring the team to-gether to accomplish the utility’s goals for theproject—maintaining compliance, operating ef-ficiently, staying within the budget, keeping cus-tomers satisfied, and ensuring elected officialsunderstand the issues affecting the business.Over the years, I learned how much the utilitydepends on knowledgeable and talented engi-neers and operators. I greatly appreciate theskills of both groups. And while one group maytake the lead based on the situation, neither op-erators nor engineers are more important thanthe other.

Keeping the Goals in Mind

The talents of both operators and engineersare critical to creating successful projects andwell-operating systems. Working together iscrucial. Ultimately, if all the team membersmake protecting the public health and the envi-ronment their top priority, they can pool theirskills to reach these goals. SS



Jacqueline Torbert

While nearly every water utility antici-pates increasing difficulties in hiring techni-cally qualified employees, Orange CountyUtilities (OCU) has designed a utility-wideapproach to retaining and developing in-de-mand expertise and leadership.

The retirement wave is real and gainingmomentum. In 2012 OCU anticipated thatover the next five to eight years approximately23 percent of its workforce will have morethan 30 years of service or would be over theage of 62 and, therefore, eligible to retire. Rec-ognizing the demographics of the organiza-tion, OCU began a major update of itsstrategic plan. Based on many workshops;strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, andthreats (SWOT) analyses; employee surveys;and the effective utility management prioriti-zation process, five initiatives were developed,along with goals and strategies, to accomplishthose initiatives. One of the initiatives, “Unifyand Strengthen Our Team” (Figure 1), is es-sential to fulfilling OCU’s public purpose, ac-complishing regulatory goals, and becomingthe employer of choice in the area.

“One Utility United Through Excellence”is OCU’s vision, defined in its strategic plan,which serves as the foundation to prepare theworkforce for the future. The Skilled Work-force Achievement Program (SWAP) isuniquely designed to meet the short-term,long-term, and distinct personnel needs of

seven divisions and OCU as a whole. TheSWAP also addresses its larger purpose ofmotivating, unifying, and strengthening em-ployees. Produced through a series of em-ployee-led teams, workshops, and othermeans of personnel involvement, SWAP con-nects skilled leadership and staff to future ca-reer paths within OCU.

The SWAP Concept

The SWAP is based on a framework fa-miliar to engineers, chemists, licensed opera-tors, and other professionals with establisheddegrees, certification, or licensure. An across-the-board application of these types of prin-ciples and a credentialing system for eachposition are the backbone of creating a for-ward look and career path for each utilityworker. The SWAP is an innovation that max-

imizes OCU’s workforce adaptation to a fu-ture of impending automation, increasedtechnology, learning, and growth.

The approach is straightforward. First,SWAP defines and broadly communicates themeans for employees to acquire technicalskills relevant to the duties of their establishedpositions. This variety of technical skills isthen grouped in associated skill sets. The skillsets are then layered in order of progressivedifficulty, ascending as tiers of qualificationand accomplishment, with the levels titled as:baseline, intermediate (qualifying), and mas-ter. Each tier, or group of skill sets, can be lay-ered and visualized like a pyramid. Eachpyramid is associated with a more broadly de-fined “progression path.” Each path describesaccumulated skills, which may reach acrossthe full span of a career and are characterizedby common testing, training, and resultingauthentication of skills. Finally, in recognitionof verified achievements, as long as they arealigned as assets to OCU’s strategic plan, pre-established monetary incentives are providedfor each skill gained along a progression path.

The OCU approach is transparent, re-peatable at other similar utilities, and can beaccommodated to enhance (not replace) es-tablished organizational structures. Design-ing SWAP required what OCU calls the TripleA Bottom Line:S Anticipate workforce changes.S Act immediately to align workforce devel-

opment to the strategy plan.S Acknowledge the good and bad lessons

learned from similar efforts in the past.

Establishing a Framework for SWAP

Four overarching recommendations weremade to begin the SWAP effort:1. Promote hiring within OCU. Hiring appro-

priately skilled and motivated employeesfrom within is OCU’s first option. As in-creasing retirements take a toll on staffing,SWAP can direct training resources to fillthe gaps, which reduces costs in recruit-ment.

2. Increase motivation and results in efficien-cies.

Attracting and Keeping Top Talent in the Water Industry

Orange County Utilities’ Skilled WorkforceAchievement Program Series


3. Present a clear future to employees at OCUby giving them a choice of eight career cat-egories, or what are called Career Colleges(Figure 2). This is a new perspective on theworkforce as a highly talented, experiencedgroup of people dedicated to providing ex-cellence in the following areas: environ-mental stewardship, planning and logistics,stakeholder care, business systems, strate-gic management, facilities infrastructureoperations, community infrastructure op-erations, and infrastructure maintenanceservices.

4. Create clear progression paths that offer ac-cumulated, directly linked, and related skillsets, providing lateral technical growth aswell.

The OCU is using its ability to learn (asindividuals and as an organization) as a com-petitive advantage in the skills market. Build-ing on a foundation of experience, it’smaking its business culture achievement-fo-cused, where technical and professionalgrowth are encouraged and recognized. Theutility is anticipating, acting, and acknowl-edging its way to a stronger and more unifiedworkforce.

To begin organizing SWAP, OCU made apurposeful effort to anticipate workforcechanges, and a SWAP steering team consist-ing of executive management was assembled.The team solicited estimates of the future sizeand skill of the workforce through 2018; re-tirement and expected attrition rates werealso considered. An automation master planwas used to make initial staffing projectionsrequired to maximize OCU’s resources andtechnology for its infrastructure. Moreover,estimates of staffing levels, shifts, practices,

and training requirements are all part ofwhat OCU captures from the institutionalknowledge of departing staff, helping ensureSWAP as a means for successful successionplanning.

In addition to the SWAP steering team, across-functional/multilevel assessment teamwas assembled. These teams acted to alignSWAP to the strategic plan, preventing ex-pensive and reactionary hiring in the mediumterm. The teams organized skill sets into pro-gression paths for more efficient and verifi-able certificate testing and training, givingemployees options to develop in each of theprogression paths within a college.

Perhaps most importantly, OCU ac-knowledged the accomplishments and knowl-edge-retention efforts that accumulated valuein the past. About eight years ago, OCU de-veloped a plant operator pyramid for trainees:level 1, level 2, and level 3. Each of these skillsets applied to plant operators in water andreclaimed water. These three levels becamethe basis for the comprehensive, OCU-wideSWAP effort.

As SWAP is skill-based, employees accu-mulate proficiency in specific skills, and insome cases, obtain higher-level licensesthrough a variety of accredited national and



local programs (examples include the FloridaDepartment of Environmental Protection op-erator and certification program and theFlorida Water and Pollution Control Opera-tors Association voluntary field technicianprogram). Moreover, SWAP leverages leader-ship and employee development as a meansfor individuals to become aware of, and thentake responsibility for, their own careergrowth in the water industry.

To fulfill its strategic plan, OCU neededto build a knowledge-retaining and skill-based staff for the entire organization—notjust a few specialty areas. As the SWAP con-cept continues to develop, the requirementsfor advancing from one level to the next be-come more defined. Using three levels as thebasis for the certification structure, advance-ment through the levels is based on specificand verifiable metrics.

Next Steps

Currently, eight assessment teams, com-prised of utility and human resources staff,are working to complete core competencies,job descriptions, and training matrices foreach progression path within a career college.Also in progress are:1. The development of a compensation and

deployment strategy for the SWAP effort.2. The development of a technology strategy

to monitor, track, and measure employees’status as they move through the careerprogression within SWAP.

While it’s a major program for OCU,SWAP is also being evaluated as a potentialpathway for other departments within thecounty. As depicted, the goal for 2018 is alofty one, but achievable because it’s about thesustainability of the industry, and thus the en-tire community.

We can’t survive without water; we alsocannot survive without those who supportthe water infrastructure.

Jacqueline Torbert is a division manager at Or-ange County Utilities in Orlando. SS



LSETTLorg thnitapissin dar thetha, rllew

elttec sole fsne. Dgd3 m.e 2ldnahn oitaciifrald cetsallab-etitengaM

TLE THETLE THE.reiifrale ct thuohgu

nee cth thaeney bletaidemms iereiifral. cmait df-8s 1is thelbane

EEretn

o r t

irt

:y bdetnesrepRe

niotaiclppl aairstudnid nr ateawnanimatnote caluictrae pvomerr om fsteyg SaMoe Che tsooCh

ecore pgduld steaivtce acnahner om fsteyg SaMioe Bhe tsooCh

. ntriptood fetmiid a lns aknat

materd tny aticapant cale pvorpmi

e lbailed rnd apiar reviled dnc aolf

®gaMod Cn® agaMois B’uaqovE

OC DFL

gG

g

n

c tooll faicogliog bn

n

ist

iitsixehtiwe cnam

amars dmetsyh s

boe ttitengae m

WNO

stallab

mrofrent pem

hto. Bngilttes

ess umetsy® s

WNOD

g ognn

y

u

llacita

tsallab

Nqov.ewww

v itnevonont

cotedsetsallaboedih vctaW

NhtaW

o eltets/omcca.uatasonit oplna

derapmog cniltt-etitengaf mo o

nwdoeltet

.

g

m

c to

niknir, drteawstec tooll faicmehg c

sesg oll faicogliog bnista

ocl.fdrawyicmohC

.snsan ws itgnistallab

esseallab

wyhec@imhocghCgreG

Cechnologies LLer TTeatoqua Wv16 E© 20

088.1826.074


Ibelieve everyone has heard the phrase, “Totalk the talk, you need to walk the walk.” Well,that is a perfect saying when it comes to

management. Too many times we get up in frontof our employees and preach safety and the im-portance of following policies and procedures,but when we show up on the job site we don’tfollow the same rules that we preach.

A long time ago, when I was a constructionforeman, we had an assistant supervisor whowould perform job-site checks, and before hewould leave he had to find one item for us to cor-rect. It took me about a week to catch on, sofrom then on when I knew he would be comingby I would go knock down one of our “MenWorking” signs or barricades so he would notice.It worked like a charm, and sure enough, rightbefore he left he would walk up to me and pointout the infraction before leaving.

We always got a kick out this, knowing that

this was the same guy who would shut down hiscrew after lunch to go play basketball, and howhe is holier than the pope when it came to safetyand following policies and procedures.

Why tell this story? The answer is easy: be-cause our actions (or lack of them) follow useven when we try to change, whether you’re amanager, supervisor, lead mechanic, or whoeveris the lead for the job or project. Our actions tella lot about how we manage and lead, and I haveworked for some really good supervisors andhigher management. Then there are the oneswho just drive you crazy. I hate dealing with theone where all you hear is, “I had to write this, Ihad to call so and so, I had to do another de-partment’s job,” and so on. If that’s their idea ofmanaging, then they aren’t doing their job, espe-cially if they have supervisors, managers, or di-rectors working for them. They need to beleading and mentoring their folks so they canhandle the situation, not doing it for them. It’stoo easy to get caught up in the heat of the mo-ment, and there are times when you may needto step in, but let the appropriate level handle itfirst—or at least attempt to resolve it.

There are hundreds of books written abouthow to manage employees effectively, but youcan probably count on one hand how many

books there are when it comes to advising em-ployees about how to manage their bosses. Theboss–employee relationship is a two-way streetand employees are just as responsible for estab-lishing a good relationship with their managersas those managers are for doing the same fortheir team.

What typically happens is a good employeegets promoted because he or she is just that—agood employee. The common thought is ifyou’re a great water/sewer inspector, you’ll be agreat water/sewer-inspection supervisor. Manytimes you have seen these people being placed ina position with no additional supervisory ormanagerial training, so we end up with a lot ofemployees being managed and supervised bypeople with inadequate preparation. Many peo-ple believe that just because someone is yourboss, it’s his or her job to develop a good rela-tionship and communicate with you effectively.The truth is it’s a two-way relationship, and animportant one at that, because that person in-fluences many key things, from salary to thequality of your working environment.

Sometimes it’s best to speak up and givefeedback, whether you have a great, good, or not-so-good supervisor. First, accept that, for betteror worse, the boss is the boss. Those who don’taccept that fact are doomed to an unwinnablepower struggle. The next time your boss is on thejob site, try to educate him or her, and if they’renot wearing the proper safety personal protec-tion equipment or doing something else inap-propriate, call them out, but be respectful anddon’t do it in front of everyone; show that you’rethere to help, not make anyone look like an in-competent fool. The bottom line is that bothworkers should continually challenge themselvesto improve the supervisor-employee relationship.

Speaking of continually challenging your-self, I had the great opportunity to talk with a lotof folks during our recent short school, and onewas a supervisor who commented on our me-chanics course. He was impressed with the courseand learned a lot of valuable information, and hewas going to back to his boss and recommendthat they send all their mechanics to the course.

Also remember that it’s never too early toget those pesky CEUs for the next license renewalcycle, so please check out our courses offered onthe FWPCOA Online Institute. Tim McVeighdoes a wonderful job of maintaining this and al-ways has great courses to choose from. SS

Scott AnaheimPresident, FWPCOA

C FACTOR

The Boss–Employee Relationship is a Two-Way Street


FWRJ READER PROFILE

Jamie Hope Florida Rural Water

Association, Tallahassee

Work title and years of service.I have been a wastewater technician/trainerwith FRWA since August 2012, traveling dailyto provide technical assistance and trainingthroughout Florida. I began working withFWRA after I retired from Gainesville Re-gional Utilities as director of water reclama-tion facilities and lift stations.

What does your job entail? I provide technical assistance to our members,performing flow meter calibrations/verifica-tion, smoke testing, and CCTV inspection toidentify the source and location of inflow/in-filtration within wastewater collection sys-tems. I work with the Florida Department ofEnvironmental Protection (FDEP) northeast,central, and southwest districts on complianceissues. As a trainer, I train students on emer-gency preparedness, wastewater exam prepa-ration, nutrient removal, oxidation reductionpotential meters, sustainable utility manage-ment, microbiology, and electrical and chem-ical safety. These are just a few examples oftraining classes I lead.

Education/training you’ve taken.Over the past 30 plus years, I have attendednumerous FWPCOA short schools, coursesat the TREEO Center in Gainesville, and sev-eral classes with the National Rural Water As-sociation (NRWA), as well as with FRWA. I

recently passed the utility management certi-fication from NRWA. All of the course workI have taken over the years has helped meboth personally and professionally.

What do you like best about your job? I find it very rewarding to provide support torural community utility systems, assisting withtroubleshooting operational problems andhelping to put these facilities back into com-pliance with FDEP. I enjoy the continuinglearning opportunities with each of these fa-cilities, as they each have a unique set of oper-ational issues. Working in larger facilities inGainesville for 28 years has provided me theexperience and knowledge base to work suc-cessfully with the smaller wastewater facilities.I am able to provide facility operators withsupport in solving their operational challengesand provide suggestions to improve opera-tions, and also train the operators so they cansuccessfully troubleshoot problems in the fu-ture, keeping their facilities in compliance.Each problem solved increases my ability tohelp other facilities. When I hear from past stu-dents and trainees that they have successfullypassed their certification exam, it reminds mehow important my efforts are to them. I enjoythe exam preparation course training and tu-toring I provide, and many of my students havewritten me that they believe they could nothave been successful without this training.

What organizations do you belong to? I’m a member of FWPCOA, FWEA, WEF,FRWA, and NRWA.

How have the organizations helped your career? All of the water and wastewater organizationswithin Florida provide the training needed toobtain a license or certification, which has al-lowed me to progress from an operator traineein 1984, to being a water reclamation director,to working with FRWA as a technical trainer.

All of the training that each of these profes-sional societies provide has been taught by ex-perts in the field and they have always beenwilling to pass along their institutional knowl-edge. Many of the people that I have met overthe years within the water and wastewater pro-fession have proven to be some of the mostgenuine people I know and I am privileged tobe able to call many of them friends.

What do you like best about the industry? The wastewater industry continues to evolveby developing new technologies, and facilitiesare being asked to provide treatment to com-ply with lower limits, which many were neverdesigned or intended to achieve. I like work-ing with the operators on any changes thatcan be made to help their facilities stay or getback in compliance, with the FDEP districtson compliance assistance, operator outreach,and attending “Focus on Change,” which istraining offered by FDEP and FWRA.

What do you do when you’re not working? My wife, Debbie, and I have been married foralmost 33 years. We have raised three children,all now adults, and are raising two little boys(10 and 13) and have one very red-headed 18-month-old granddaughter. We recently pur-chased a travel trailer and have spent manyweekends camping with the family at variouscampgrounds around central and northFlorida; we have found several we have enjoyedreturning to often. I love to hunt and fish andspend time on our boat in Anna Maria, snor-keling with the manatees in Crystal River orpulling one of our children on the wakeboardor tube, and water skiing on Lake Santa Fe. Wealso love to snow ski in North Carolina, thoughI must admit I am not very good at it. I haveenjoyed coaching our little guys in flag football,baseball, and soccer through our church andUpward Sports. I coached high school andAmerican Legion baseball years ago, and nowenjoy umpiring baseball and softball. SS

Jamie and wife DebbieGranddaughter Peyton with her “Papa” The Hope Family


Trainin ou Can Understandng YYo dTrainin ou Can Understandng YYo

rials/

lantsWT PAAWProcess Control of

ares, FLavMay 24, 2016 | TTaThe Science of Disinfection

Upc

alm Coast, FLJune 16, 2016 | Paste TransportationWWa

U.S. DOT Hazardous Mater

oming Courses

July 27, 2016 | Destin, FL

July 19-22, 2016 | Gainesville, FL

July 18-22, 2016 | Gainesville, FL

alm Coast, FLJune 15, 2016 | Pfor Generators

June 21-24, 2016 | Gainesville, FL

June 7-9, 2016 | Gainesville, FLlantsWT PAAWProcess Control of


The Water Eater® wastewater evaporatorfrom Equipment Manufacturing Corp. has beenengineered to efficiently evaporate the water con-tent from many noncombustible wastewatersources. A power exhaust system releases themoisture into the air, leaving only a small residuerequiring disposal. This massive reduction in thevolume of liquids requiring disposal not onlyslashes disposal costs, but also economizes by re-ducing storage area requirements, labor, time forhandling, and frequency of disposals. Evapora-tion rates range from 5 to 40 gal per hour. An op-tional auto-fill system automates the process andallows for 24-hour operation. The evaporator,available in gas- or electric-heated models, hasbeen designed to operate simply and efficiently, iseasily installed, and is constructed of quality ma-terials and equipment to assure trouble-free op-eration and long service life.(www.equipmentmanufacturing.com)

kThe BEACON® Advanced Metering Analyt-

ics (AMA) mobile solution from Badger Meteris built on a century of water metering experi-ence. Combined with an intuitive

BEACON AMA software suite, and provenORION® communication technology, the AMAmobile solution is prepared for the future. Theproduct family provides utilities with a compre-hensive meter reading solution using two-waycommunications. The migratable endpoints areeasily upgraded from mobile to fixed networkdata collection without rolling a truck or repro-gramming the endpoint. The ORION Cellularendpoints can be added as needed for hard-to-read locations or to more closely monitor largewater customers. (www.badgermeter.com)

kThe Slot Injector™ system from Kla Sys-

tems Inc. is similar to a modern jet aerator, butuses a slot-shaped configuration to achievehigher efficiencies. The slot-shaped nozzle andmixing chamber provide a greater shear surfacefor mass transfer than a circular jet opening ofidentical area. The system is a superior jet aera-tion system that is specifically applied to indus-trial biological treatment processes where finescreening is a standard pretreatment operationin both conventional and advanced air activatedsludge applications. The system’s propulsion jet

creates a zone of extreme negative pressure,which enhances gas entrainment. Its mixingchamber incorporates a distinguishing pressurerecovery zone that distinguishes it from a con-ventional jet aerator. (www.klasystems.com)

kRomtec Utilities designs complete sewer lift sta-tions for wastewater pumping applications withall structural, mechanical, electrical, and com-munication systems included. Romtec designsand constructs systems for municipalities, sewerdistricts, developers, contractors, engineers, andprivate companies to meet the budget and de-sign standards of each entity. The company hasextensive engineering experience in virtually alltypes of wastewater pumps, grinder pumps,valves, flow meters, and control technologies.The company can also design and manufacturewastewater lift stations with protective coatingsand liners, odor control systems, bar screenvaults, muffin monsters, bypass pumping ports,and many additional custom components.(www.romtecutilities.com)

New Products



kSpectro Scientific announced the launch of

the new MicroLab® Series all-in-one, automatedlubricant analysis systems. The MicroLab plat-form is used in virtually every industry that op-erates equipment powered by engines, includingautomotive and trucking, energy, mining andheavy equipment, water and wastewater, agri-culture, and all levels of government, from themilitary to local municipalities. The ability toperform oil analysis on location eliminates theongoing expense of outside testing services anddramatically reduces the time waiting for the re-sults of the tests. This can save days or weeks,which can be critical if a mechanic is trying todiagnose a problem on a vehicle before it leavesthe service bay or for a maintenance operatorwho is responsible for keeping millions of dol-lars’ worth of the equipment running on a drillship in the North Sea or other challenging loca-tion. The systems provide comprehensive resultsin less than 20 minutes, which enables compa-nies to maintain the readiness of mission-criticalassets and improve reliability at remote loca-

tions, while decreasing downtime and loweringmaintenance costs. (www.spectrosci.com)

kThe ZFP500 storage hopper from Sodimate

is ideal for discharging smaller quantities ofproduct delivered in 50-lb bags, such as lime, ce-ment, or powdered activated carbon. The unitfeatures an arch-breaking spindle fitted with flex-ible blades that rotate within the hopper bottom,preventing bridging and blockage. Standard hop-per capacity ranges from 50 to 1,500 gal, and fab-rication material can vary depending on thecustomer’s needs. Typical fabrication materialsinclude high-density polyethylene, stainless steel,and fiberglass. (www.sodimate-inc.com)

kFortrans Inc. has developed a new way to

produce low-cost de-aerated water by integrat-ing its patented Dif-Jet gas injector into batchproduction of de-aerated water in storagetanks. The Dif-Jet device is used to efficientlyinject and mix nitrogen gas into a pressurizedwater pipe and then discharge into and circu-late in a tank of water. The nitrogen, being

highly soluble in water, will force the oxygenout of the water without requiring a vacuumpump, heat, or other device. The oxygen isvented out of the top of the tank automatically.The company conducted testing using a 500-galclosed-head polyethylene tank with a singleDif-Jet gas injector. A circulation pump is con-nected to the injector piping, which is then con-nected to the intake and discharge fittings onthe tank. The injector is connected to a regula-tor installed on a standard 300-cu-ft cylinder ofnitrogen gas. Paired with a nitrogen generator,this system can provide a continuous stream ofde-aerated water at nearly half the cost of mem-brane filter or vacuum pump systems.

The nitrogen gas injector was fed 5 CFM ofnitrogen at 25 psi to produce 500 gal of de-aer-ated water in 25 minutes. The treated water hada dissolved oxygen content of less than .1 mg/L.Faster de-aeration times can be achieved byusing a manifold of two to four Dif-Jet gas in-jectors to de-aerate larger treatment tanks andmaintain a constant supply of de-aerated water.A dissolved oxygen controller may be used toproduce a constant supply of water at low dis-solved oxygen levels. (www.fortransinc.com) SS


ENGINEERING DIRECTORY

Tank Engineering And ManagementConsultants, Inc.

Engineering • Inspection

Aboveground Storage Tank SpecialistsMulberry, Florida • Since 1983

863-354-9010www.tankteam.com

EQUIPMENT & SERVICES DIRECTORY

ENGINEERING DIRECTORY

EQUIPMENT & SERVICES DIRECTORY

CEC Motor & Utility Services, LLC1751 12th Street EastPalmetto, FL. 34221

Phone - 941-845-1030Fax – 941-845-1049

[email protected]

• Motor & Pump Services Test Loaded up to 4000HP, 4160-Volts

• Premier Distributor for Worldwide Hyundai Motors up to 35,000HP

• Specialists in rebuilding motors, pumps, blowers, & drives

• UL 508A Panel Shop, engineer/design/build/install/commission

• Lift Station Rehabilitation Services, GC License # CGC1520078

• Predictive Maintenance Services, vibration, IR, oil sampling

• Authorized Sales & Service for Aurora Vertical Hollow Shaft Motors

Motor & Utility Services, LLC

Showcase Your Company in the

Engineering or Equipment

& Services Directory

[email protected]

Contact Mike Delaney at 352-241-6006


Posi t ions Avai lable

Utilities Treatment Plant Operations Supervisor$55,452 - $78,026/yr.

Utilities System Operator II$37,152 - 52,279/yr.

Water-Reuse Distribution Supervisor$55,452 – 78,026/yr.

Utilities Engineering Inspector$52,279 - $73,561.90

Apply Online At: http://pompanobeachfl.gov Open until filled.

City of Temple TerraceTechnical work in the operation of a water treatment plant and auxiliaryfacilities on an assigned shift. Performs quality control lab tests and otheranalyses, monthly regulatory reports, and minor adjustments and repairsto plant equipment. Applicant must have State of Florida D.E.P. Class “A”,“B”, or “C” Drinking Water License at time of application. SALARYRANGES: $16.59 - $24.89 per hour • w/”C” Certificate $18.25 - $27.38per hour • w/”B” Certificate (+10% above “C”) $20.08 - $30.12 per hour• w/”A” Certificate (+10% above “B”). Excellent benefits package. To applyand/or obtain more details contact City of Temple Terrace, Chief PlantOperator at (813) 506-6593 or Human Resources at (813) 506-6430 orvisit www.templeterrace.com. EOE/DFWP.

Electronic TechnicianThe City of Melbourne, Florida is accepting applications for an ElectronicTechnician at our water treatment facility. Applicants must meet the fol-lowing requirements: Associate’s degree from an accredited college or uni-versity in water technology, electronics technology, computer science,information technology, or related field. A minimum of four (4) years’experience in the direct operation, maintenance, calibration, installationand repair of electrical, electronic equipment, and SCADA systems asso-ciated with a large water treatment facility. Experience must include fieldservice support and repair of PLC’s, HMI, SCADA, programming VFD’s,switchgear and working in an industrial environment. Desk/design workdoes not count toward experience. Must possess and maintain a State ofFlorida Journeyman Electrician License. Must possess and maintain avalid State of Florida Driver's license. Applicants who possess an out ofstate driver’s license must obtain the Florida license within 10 days of em-ployment.Salary Range: $39,893.62-$67,005.12/yr, plus full benefits package.To apply please visit www.melbourneflorida.org/jobs and fill out an on-line application. The position is open until filled. The City of Melbourneis a Veteran's Preference /EOE/DFWP.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator “C”Salary Range: $45,379. - $65,800.

The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority’s WASTEWATER DIVISION ISGROWING, and we need a WWTP Operator with a Florida “C” license orhigher. You will perform skilled/technical work involving the operationand maintenance of a wastewater treatment plant (the majority of ourplants are brand new, state of the art plants). Must have the technicalknowledge and independent judgment to make treatment process ad-justments and perform maintenance to plant equipment, machinery andrelated control apparatus in accordance with established standards andprocedures. Benefit package is extremely competitive! Must completeon-line application at www.fkaa.com EEO, VPE, ADA

CITY OF WINTER GARDEN – POSITIONS AVAILABLE

The City of Winter Garden is currently accepting applications for the following positions:

- Traffic Sign Technician- Water/Wastewater Plant Operator – Class C- Solid Waste Worker II- Utilities Operator II - Collection Field Tech – I & II- Distribution Field Tech – I & II

Please visit our website at www.cwgdn.com for complete job descriptionsand to apply. Applications may be submitted online, in person or faxed to407-877-2795.

City of Winter Garden - Senior EngineerThe Sr. Engineer is involved in the planning, design, construction and in-spection of streets, stormwater improvements, and water and wastewaterutilities projects. Salary DOQ. The City of Winter Garden is anEOE/DFWP that encourages and promotes a diverse workforce. Pleaseapply at http://www.cwgdn.com.

Minimum Qualifications :• Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering• Florida PE license or ability to obtain license within 6 months of hire• 10 years of progressively responsible professional/administrative public

works experience• Valid Florida driver's license• Thorough knowledge of stormwater and utility system design, con-

struction, and maintenance; engineering design; drafting; computeraided drafting systems; and design software (i.e., Auto CAD, AdICPR,ASAD, Ponds, Hydraflow, Networx)

C L A S S I F I E D S


Orange County, Florida is an employer of choice and is perennially rec-ognized on the Orlando Sentinel’s list of the Top 100 Companies forWorking Families. Orange County shines as a place to both live and work,with an abundance of world class golf courses, lakes, miles of trails andyear-round sunshine - all with the sparkling backdrop of nightly fire-works from world-famous tourist attractions. Make Orange County YourHome for Life.

Orange County Utilities is one of the largest utility providers in Floridaand has been recognized nationally and locally for outstanding opera-tions, efficiencies, innovations, education programs and customer focus.As one of the largest departments in Orange County Government, weprovide water and wastewater services to over 500,000 citizens and 62million annual guests; operate the largest publicly owned landfill in thestate; and manage in excess of a billion dollars of infrastructure assets.Our focus is on excellent quality, customer service, sustainability, and acommitment to employee development. Join us to find more than a job– find a career.

We are currently looking for knowledgeable and motivated individualsto join our team, who take great pride in public service, aspire to create alasting value within their community, and appreciate being immersed inmeaningful work. We are currently recruiting actively for the followingpositions:

Assistant Manager, Field Services$87,214– $112,133/ year

Assistant Manager, Water Reclamation $73,611– $95,077/ year

Environmental Management System Project Manager$69,118– $88,837/ year

Engineer I, II, III$43,285– $81,557/ year

Industrial Electrician I $36,733 – $48,464/ year

Apply online at: http://www.ocfl.net/jobs. Positions are open until filled.

Utility Technician The Dunes Community Development District is seeking qualified appli-cants for the position of Utility Technician. This position performs out-door maintenance of the water distribution, wastewater collection, reusedistribution and stormwater systems. Minimum qualifications: HighSchool diploma, G.E.D. or other certificate of competency and a validFlorida Drivers license. Applicants with two or more years of related ex-perience and/or distribution/collection certification are preferred. Salaryrange $13.45 -$23.96, depending on qualifications, experience and certi-fications held. Applications may be downloaded from the District’s web-site, www.dunescdd.org Open until filled.

City of Winter GardenConstruction Projects Manager

The position acts as the City's project manager for all capital improve-ment construction projects including water, wastewater, roadways, parks,stormwater systems and other facilities; inspection of private develop-ment projects; and supervision of 3 construction inspectors. Salary DOQ.The City of Winter Garden is an EOE/DFWP that encourages and pro-motes a diverse workforce. Please apply at http://www.cwgdn.com.

Minimum Qualifications:• High school diploma or GED equivalent and two years of college

coursework.• 10 years of field experience in utilities and/or structural construction

management• Working knowledge of general construction of above and below ground

utilities. • Valid driver's license

Lake Placid Regional Utilityis currently seeking a licensed minimum dual C operator or will considerwastewater only . Please visit www.lakeplacidfl.net/bulletin/employ-ment.html or call (863) 699-3747 for further information and job de-scription.

Plant Maintenance Technician - IRC33414 $42,368 - $60,680 DOQ

Skilled technical work in the maintenance and repair of treatment and pump-ing equipment, instrumentation, electrical and control equipment, and elec-tronics used in water and wastewater treatment plants and pumping stations.Requirements: high school diploma/GED equivalency; State of FL “B” CDL;must have journeyman level electrical/mechanical experience.Emphasis on electrical/electronic experience. Closes 04/15/2016, 4 PM DST

Plant Maintenance Technician II - IRC32992 $43,638 - $63,690 DOQ

Highly skilled technical work in the maintenance and repair of treatmentand pumping equipment, instrumentation, electrical and control equip-ment, and electronics as well as instrumentation used in water and waste-water treatment plants and pumping stations. Requirements: high schooldiploma/GED equivalency; State of FL “B” CDL; must have electrical/me-chanical experience. Emphasis on electrical/electronic experience. Closeswhen filled.

Plant Maintenance Mechanic - IRC33422 $40,565 - $54,923 DOQ

Journeyman level mechanical and technical work position involving pre-ventative and corrective maintenance to water reclamation mechanical,electrical and plant equipment. Requirements: high school diploma/GEDequivalency; State of FL “B” CDL; must have journeyman level mechan-ical/electrical experience. Closes 04-15-2016, 4 PM DST

See details at www.stpete.org/jobsEEO-AA-Employer-Vet-Disabled-DFWP-Vets' Pref


City of Clearwater – Controller Target entry: $60-$65,000

Clearwater Public Utilities Department is seeking a professional ac-countant for highly responsible financial analysis work. Knowledge of ratestudies, bond issuance, CAFR financial statements, and water/sewer util-ity operations required. CPA certification is desired. Apply by 4/28/2016via www.myclearwater.com. For more information, contact 727-562-4870 x0 or email [email protected]. Clearwater is an EqualOpportunity Employer.

“C” Water Plant OperatorThe City of Lake Mary is hiring a Class "C" Water Plant Operator. $31,158- $48,651 with exc. benefits. Please visit www.lakemaryfl.com for the re-quirements, job description and to apply. EOE, V/P, DFWP

CORAL SPRINGS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT

JOB OPENINGField Technician

The Coral Springs Improvement District is accepting applications for theposition of Field Technician. Individuals assigned to this classification areexpected to have the mechanical skills and abilities necessary to performthe general manual labor required. Generally work with more experi-enced employees, but expected to work independently to perform rela-tively routine well-known tasks or more work following specific directionsin all aspects of wastewater collection.

The qualified applicant should have the ability to do the following:

Knowledge of various equipment including driving a truck, jet truck,back hoe/loader, fire hydrant seating equipment, shoring materials, trashpumps and hand tools. Inspect water distribution mains and lines for needed maintenanceand repair; participate in the repair of water mains and lines; installclamps, pipe or fittings, make proper tie-ins. Trouble shoot to locate the causes of wastewater odor complaints. Respond to public inquiries in a courteous manner; provide infor-mation within the area of assignment. Receives, reviews, prepares and/or summit’s a variety of documentssuch as maps, daily schedules, weekly activity reports. Remain on-call to respond to emergency situations for repair of dis-tribution system. Ability to deal with people beyond receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress when confronted withemergency situations. Have a valid Florida Drivers License Have a High School Diploma or GED equivalent Must obtain Class C FDEP Water Distribution License within 15months of employment.

Please see our website at www.csidfl.org to obtain and submit a com-pleted applications to 954-753-6328 attention:

Jan ZilmerCoral Springs Improvement District

10300 N.W. 11th ManorCoral Springs, Fl. 33071

City of MargatePlant Manager – Water Treatment Plant

Under the general direction of the Department Director; plans, develops,organizes and directs operations and maintenance activities of the City’swater treatment plant. The incumbent reviews and supervises the workof subordinate personnel involved in daily treatment operations and isresponsible for the effective, efficient and safe operation of the plant andthe associated infrastructure. Technical expertise is essential as error intechnical judgment could result in extensive damage to the environment,facilities or both. Position exercises a high degree of independent judg-ment in selection of work methods and procedures, subject to review bythe department director. Work is reviewed through conferences, reportsand observation of the operations success of the systems and achievementof objectives. Performs other related work as required. Minimum train-ing and experience – Bachelor’s degree supplemented by minimum three(3) years of supervisory experience, or a high school diploma supple-mented by minimum six (6) years of supervisory experience, in the op-eration and maintenance of water treatment plants and associatedinfrastructure. Florida “Class A” Water Operator’s License require. Mustpossess and maintain a valid State of Florida Driver License. Knowledgeof local, state and federal requirements pertaining to water treatment op-erations is essential. Competitive starting salary $58,266. Excellent ben-efits. The City of Margate is a participant in the Florida RetirementSystem and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment applica-tions are available in Human Resources or may be down loaded from ourweb site, www.margatefl.com. Completed applications must be submit-ted to Human Resources, Margate City Hall, 5790 Margate Blvd., Mar-gate, FL 33063. This position is open until filled.

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERBESH Engineering seeks experienced environmental engineer for all as-pects of water and wastewater design, including treatment plants, pumpstations, and collection, transmission and distribution systems. Waterand wastewater treatment plant design and permitting experience a plus,and experience with hydraulic modeling, specification writing, Autocaddrafting, project bidding, construction oversight and project funding pre-ferred. Applicant must possess State of Florida E.I. with minimum 4 yearsexperience. Florida P.E. a plus. Salary commensurate with experience.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DESIGN TECHSBESH Engineering is currently seeking to add Civil Engineering DesignTechnicians to their staff. Applicants must have proficient experience inthe Civil Land Development design field, AutoCAD 2014 or higher amust. ICPR, stormwater and hydraulic modeling programs a plus. Appli-cants must be familiar with Land Development Regulations and permit-ting agencies. FDOT experience also a great plus. Come join a great team!Drug Free Workplace and an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please emailresume to: [email protected]

Sarasota County GovernmentEnvironmental Specialist III, Utility Engineer, Utility Project Manager,Treatment Plant Operator - Wastewater (Trainee)Apply at www.scgov.net

FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIESVISIT OUR WEBSITE AT: WWW.CASSELBERRY.ORG

Job Title: SCADA Utility Electronics TechnicianSalary: $37,973.00 - $56,959.00

We offer a competitive compensation package and affordable health ben-efits. The City of Casselberry is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For ad-ditional information regarding responsibilities or qualifications and toapply, please visit our website.

Posi t ions Avai lableBRIAN BARNES – Holds Florida C and B Wastewater and C Water li-censes and is sitting for the B Water license. Has a Class A CDL and isavailable for employment July 6. 2016. Contact at 2042 62nd Ave. S. St Pe-tersburg, Fl. 33712. [email protected]

KEVIN MORRIS – Seeking a Wastewater Trainee position. Presently tak-ing a C Wastewater course to sit for the test in May. Employed part-timein Winter Park wastewater plant to earn credits towards license but willneed additional credits. Prefers the central Florida area. Contact at 171Garden Dr, Winter Springs, Fl. 32708 or [email protected] or407-218-1894.

BRADLEY FOWLER – Seeking a Trainee position and has passed the Cwater and wastewater courses and needs plant hours to obtain a license.Prefers the Manatee County area and is willing to work within a 50 mileradius of the county. Studying Advanced Treatment. Available for workthe beginning of May. Contact at Bradley Fowler S33798 A11246, MarionCorrectional Institute, PO Box 158, Lowell, Fl. 32663.

LOOKING FOR A JOB? The FWPCOA Job Placement

Committee Can Help! Contact Joan E. Stokes at 407-293-9465

or fax 407-293-9943 for more information.

Classified Advertising Rates - Classified adsare $20 per line for a 60 character line (includingspaces and punctuation), $60 minimum. The priceincludes publication in both the magazine and ourWeb site. Short positions wanted ads are run onetime for no charge and are subject to editing.

[email protected]

From page 12

1. C) DegasificationDegasification is the term used to describe the removal of volatile compoundsfrom water, which increases as the rate of air through water is increased. Thebasic principle of degasification is to force a column of air up and through acolumn of water flowing down. The degasifier has three main components: thetower, the blower, and the sump.

2. C) Nitrogen and phosphorus removalConventional activated sludge is typically designed to remove TSS and CBOD5.Advanced wastewater treatment is typically required to achieve high removallevels of nitrogen and phosphorus.

3. C) High turbidity will shield bacteria and pathogenic or-ganisms from the disinfection process.

High turbidity will shield bacteria and pathogenic organisms from thedisinfection process and exerts a high demand on the overall disinfectionprocess. Water that has been filtered should always be below 1.0 NTUs.

4. C) Increase the tower pHThe H2S breakthrough in a wet scrubber system typically means the tower pHis too low (although, it may mean that the system is being overloaded).Increasing the scrubber pH typically improves the H2S removal efficiency.

5. B) Calcium and magnesiumHardness is a characteristic of water caused mainly by the salts of calcium andmagnesium, such as bicarbonate, carbonate, sulfate, chloride, and nitrate.Excessively hard water will result in calcium scale forming in the distributionsystem; water that is too soft will be corrosive.

6. B) The detention time is too short.The anticipated CBOD5 removal efficiency of a primary clarifier is about 25 to30 percent. If the removal rate is less than 15 percent, this may be due to a shortdetention time in the clarifier, with too much flow being applied to the tank.

7. A) Detention time, mixing intensity, uniform mixingThe three essential elements for process performance for flocculation are detentiontime, mixing intensity (too much will shear or break up the floc that has formedand with too little there will not be enough collisions between particles to formlarger flocs), and uniform mixing. Remember that uniform mixing provides thecollisions among all the particles, allowing larger flocs to form.

8. B) 9 p.m.An unaerated stabilization pond is provided DO by activity from algae. Duringthe sunlight hours, algae convert carbon dioxide to oxygen via photosynthesis;this activity increases the DO level in the pond. However, during thenonsunlight hours, oxygen is removed from the water and converted to carbondioxide; this activity reduces the DO in the water. Of the available hours in thisquestion, 9 p.m. is the time when photosynthesis will have been at its highestfor the longest period of time, providing the most amount of oxygen into thewater and the highest DO for the day.

9. B) Galvanic corrosionGalvanic corrosion occurs when one metal gives up electrons to a dissimilarmetal. Metals are listed in the galvanic series as to their resistance to give upelectrons (corrode). One such metal is gold, which doesn’t easily give upelectrons and doesn’t corrode. Metals that do not give up electrons are cathodesand those that do give up electrons are anodes. Other metals, such as zinc,easily give up electrons (anodes) and are considered base metals. One way toavoid galvanic corrosion is to install a dielectric fitting (plastic) in between thetwo dissimilar metals that will stop the flow of electrons and stop corrosionfrom occurring.

10. D) Endogenous respirationEndogenous respiration takes place when the sludge is very old and foodavailability is very low. This condition encourages active bacteria still hungry to“cannibalize” other bacteria to find and assimilate their uneaten food (carbon)value. Endogenous respiration is known as “survival of the fittest.”

Certification Boulevard Answer Key



Editorial CalendarJanuary ......Wastewater Treatment

February ....Water Supply; Alternative Sources

March ........Energy Efficiency; Environmental Stewardship

April............Conservation and Reuse

May ............Operations and Utilities Management;

Florida Water Resources Conference

June ..........Biosolids Management and Bioenergy Production

July ............Stormwater Management; Emerging Technologies;

FWRC Review

August........Disinfection; Water Quality

September..Emerging Issues; Water Resources Management

October ......New Facilities, Expansions, and Upgrades

November ..Water Treatment

December ..Distribution and Collection

Technical articles are usually scheduled several months in advance andare due 60 days before the issue month (for example, January 1 for theMarch issue).

The closing date for display ad and directory card reservations, notices,announcements, upcoming events, and everything else includingclassified ads, is 30 days before the issue month (for example,September 1 for the October issue).

For further information on submittal requirements, guidelines forwriters, advertising rates and conditions, and ad dimensions, as well asthe most recent notices, announcements, and classified advertisements,go to www.fwrj.com or call 352-241-6006.

January 2016January 2016January 2016January 2016

Glossary of Common Termsin This Publication

ASR ....................aquifer storage and recoveryAWT....................advanced water treatmentAWWT ..............advanced wastewater treatmentAWWA ..............American Water Works AssociationBOD ..................5-day biochemical oxygen demandBODx..................BOD test based on other than 5 daysCBOD ................5-day carbonaceous BODCOD ..................chemical oxygen demandcfm ....................cubic feet per minutecfs ......................cubic feet per secondCWA ..................Clean Water ActDEP ....................Fla. Dept. of Environmental ProtectionEIS......................Environmental Impact Statement EPA ....................U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyFAC ....................Florida Administrative Codefps ......................feet per secondFSAWWA............Florida Section of AWWAFWEA ................Florida Water Environment AssociationFWPCOA ..........Florida Water & Pollution Control Operators

AssociationGIS ....................Geographic Information Systemgpcd ..................gallons per capita per daygpd ....................gallons per daygpm ..................gallons per minutehp ......................horsepowerI/I ........................Infiltration/Inflowmgd ..................million gallons per daymg/L ..................milligrams per literMLSS ................mixed liquor suspended solidsMLTSS................mixed liquor total suspended solidsNPDES ..............Nat. Pollutant Discharge Elimination SystemNTU ....................nephelometric turbidity unitsORP....................oxidation reduction potentialPOTW ................public-owned treatment works ppm....................parts per millionppb ....................parts per billionPSC ....................Public Service Commissionpsi ......................pounds per square inchPVC ....................polyvinyl chlorideRO ......................reverse osmosisSCADA................supervisory control and data acquisition SJRWMD............St. Johns River Water Mangement Dist.SFWMD..............South Florida Water Management Dist.SRWMD..............Suwannee River Water Management DistrictSSO....................sanitary sewer overflowSWFWMD ..........Southwest Fla. Water Management Dist.TDS ....................total dissolved solidsTMDL..................total maximum daily loadTOC....................total organic carbonTSS ....................total suspended solidsUSGS ................United States Geological SurveyWEF....................Water Environment FederationWRF ..................water reclamation facilityWTP....................water treatment plantWWTP ................wastewater treatment plant

Aqua Aerobics ......................35Automeg................................56Blue Planet ............................71CEU Challenge ......................45Conshield ..............................61Data Flow..............................49Envirosales ............................47Evoqua ..................................55ISA Symposium ....................57Florida Aquastore ..................59FSAWWA Fall Conference ......23FSAWWA ACE16 Luncheon ....32FSAWWA Call for Papers ........51FSAWWA Likins Scholarship ..62FWPCOA Online Training ........41FWPCOA Training ..................37Garney Construction ................5IXOM ....................................17Region IV Short School ..........27

Moss Kelly ............................30Hudson Pump........................43CROM....................................54Permaform ............................20Polston ....................................9PCL ......................................13Stacon ....................................2Stantec..................................31TREEO ..................................60USA BlueBook........................21Xylem....................................72

FLORIDA WATER RESOURCES CONFERENCE SECTION

B&D ......................................14Engineered Spray Solutions ....4Insitu Inc. ................................9Trihedral ................................17Raven Lining Systems ..........23

Display Advertiser Index

�� !��" �� " ��! �� !��!�� !�� #�� $ �� %��%��&' �� (�� ') �� !��*��

+,)-.��/��0��"��,,1+) �1-,�'22�31&+

4��54�� /��6�� 7��04�� 0��04�� 8��!�� 0�� !��0��.�(��08��0 ��! ��9��0:��!��0:��4��8��

;��

�� $��9��

aegrtIn

e MRemotele, ttsumenitu instre In-St

ooring SMonitta se, and daemsy systmetr

Water MonitoringInnovations in

olutionso yess tce acuror seces fovicer

,ytimeta anour day

ta you nta yhe daT

wyanaegrtIn

es

om.cttps://in-situhhvicer

a S

w y .ant itou ww y, ho, honeed

eve risk and sa. Reducewherele, ttsumenitu instre In St

eedeal-time fee money with rta se, and daemsy systmetr

ogecuickly find and r Q•

.esvicerta SDain one cloud-based loc

oje multiple prganizrO•es:vicerata SD

er mtaour wdback on all of yo yess tce acuror seces fvicer

, and ese sitniz

™uoVdrytion with Hactsuments and instrjec

.esoring sitmonit, ytimeta anour day

taDa

ta analysisdepth daIn

esscta acM b l dMobile da

ouead yo rers tomputc,expensivor eno need fo

xisting smarour ese y U•

Mobi™ituuSthe Vwith wnlo, dotly viewinstan

.r sensors, bulky handheldtphone or tablet – r

.pple Ata e da, and sharoad

300ubT

yel

emet

rel

ess T

irW

eLifear5 Yederwoy PerttaB

300RCube

0Rbe

ederwoolar PS

300SubeT

300SCube

, dependiningorkwnetor ot designs foompac C•

, and malfuntamperingoe cessurometric prbar

, plus e alarmsdevicIn-•

eal-time sor rems fosysteural and seconomiccE•

elemireless TeWi

our unique g on yell or ptional in-w

.tstion alernction, ompensa

ta, ed datomaaut

.eedbacke fsitoring eless monite wir

y:metr

t 1 devonnecC

Wtsn

evic

eso 5 devict up tonnecC

, titan

ymen

eliable, retaurccA•oring InsMonit

y aaliter QuatWa

oring deplomonit, pg

.

y er qualittanium wstruments:

el veend La

tnqg y

X-PRORDO

TRORugg

umen

Inst

r

TROLL 100qua A

TROLL 200qua Al

TROLLlL veeL

LLged

TROLL 400 MP and RDOAqua TROLLsmar

TROLL 600qua A

echnologysensor t

,e and stabley lifeerttbaoringerm monitong-tL•

and samplingetaoundwess or grocpr

ece twith mobile devicer quata-use wo-tasy E•

or anel sondes fand lev

cleaning-o, autendedtxg sondes with e

oringer monit, efacor surchnology fo

y handhelds alit

t or budgetojecy prnyq

y and vop btS. I N -W W W

t booth #931visit us aO M. CS I T U

e S B|. e MobileB

.itue In-S B|. tmar

AAAORIDAIN FL

VIDERPROUSIVEEXCL

INDUSTRIESTERAATASTEWWATER & WWAAATWWA

O OF ABB DRIVES T

TISEEXPERUTIONSSOL

VICESER

VINGSER

BDIndustrial..com954-271-712954-271-7128

7CE 1SINCE 194Y G INDUSTRG INDUSTR

florida water resources journal - may 2016

Documents