Getting a Taste for Water
Safe Drinking Water Act
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/sdwa
St. Paul Regional Water Services (SPRWS) has been using a Flavor Profile Panel since the mid-1990s to monitor the taste and
odor of its water and determine if any chemical adjustments are needed. Water quality specialist Justine Roe (shown in the
middle of the above photo on the left) oversees the panel, which is used between April and October each year. Flanking Roe,
from left to right, are Andrew Magdziarz, Steve Schoenecker, Mark Cullen, Jodi Wallin, and Martha Burckhardt. (Another panelist,
Mike Anderson, was unavailable for this meeting.)
Roe says six SPRWS employees make up the panel, and she wants at least four present for the weekly gatherings with the
goal of the group to come up with a similar descriptor for taste and odor.
Flavor Profile Analysis is an approved Standard Method. A typical session consists of panelists determining the descriptor of
three samples, one of source water, one of treated water, and one of deionized water. The samples are in flasks and labeled with
a letter so that the panelists don’t know which type of sample they are sniffing. Panelists determine a descriptor (chlorinous,
gassy, earthy, etc.) and then assign an intensity on a scale that runs from 1 (barely perceptible) to 12 (strongest).
After analyzing odors, the panelists get three samples to taste, two consisting of treated water and one of deionized water.
“It’s similar to the sniffing portion,” says Roe. “The objective is to describe the odor and intensity. It’s just that currently we
are working on determining the different samples from a group of three, with two of them the same. This is because several
panelists are new, and we need practice in this area.”
SPRWS has dealt with taste and odor issues in its water during each summer and early fall, and the panel is a method of quality
control. The utility also added granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment in 2007 with the biologically active filters breaking
down troublesome compounds, especially geosmin, that contribute to taste and odor problems. Roe said that the number of
calls they received about these issues declined significantly, from an average of 156 from 1999 through 2006 to 11 per year
since 2007, after the GAC treatment was added. “You can do what you want with facts and figures,” said Cullen, “but that one
[reduction in customer complaints] really tells the story.” Cullen had been quoted in a St. Paul Pioneer Press article several
years ago, stating, “I just calls ‘em as I smells ‘em.”
Another type of taste test (right) was conducted this year at the State Fair. The Minnesota Section of American Water Works
Association and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) collaborated on a stage show in the Eco Experience building, inviting
audience members to taste samples of water from across the state in a single-elimination tournament. Water from Golden
Valley was selected as the best tasting with Melrose finishing second. Plymouth and St. Louis Park also made the Final Four.
In addition to water from these cities, Blaine, Apple Valley, Lino Lakes, Champlin, Bloomington, Minnetonka, International Falls,
St. John’s University, St. Cloud, St. Peter, and St. Paul entered the tournament.
Winter 2012-2013 Volume Twenty/2
Inside:
Andrew Sullivan Honored for Liquid Assets Minnesota
Eden Prairie Responds to Electrical Incident
East Bethel Opens New Water Treatment Plant
Andrew Sullivan Honored for
Outstanding Leadership in Developing
Liquid Assets Minnesota
Minnesota AWWA Conference
Ongoing Award to be Named after Sullivan
The Minnesota Section of
American Water Works Association (AWWA), at its annual
conference in Duluth in September, presented Andrew Sullivan
with the first-ever Outstanding
Leadership Award. The section
also announced that the award
would be renamed the Andrew
Sullivan Award and presented to
an individual or group for exceptional service that demonstrates
initiative and dedication to the
drinking water profession.
Sullivan (shown receiving the award from section chair
Carol Blommel Johnson) was recognized for his role in the
Liquid Assets Minnesota documentary, a local follow-up to
the national Liquid Assets program, which highlighted issues
related to infrastructure in drinking water, wastewater, and
stormwater. The program calls attention to the vital need to
maintain infrastructure and the investments needed to do so.
After watching the Liquid Assets documentary on public
television in 2009, Sullivan saw an opportunity for a similar
show focused on Minnesota. An operator with the water
utility in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, he contacted Twin Cities
Public Television (TPT) to discuss the idea of a follow-up
program illustrating critical water infrastructure in the state.
Sullivan brought together people from various organizations, including Central States Water Environment Association – Minnesota Section, West Central Initiative, Minnesota Rural Water Association, Minnesota AWWA, and West
Central Initiative, as well as private companies in the water,
wastewater, and stormwater industry.
The groups pledged money toward the production of a onehour documentary and met regularly to discuss topics to be
highlighted in the program. The filming occurred across the
state in the summer of 2011, and Andrew, on his own time,
accompanied the TPT crews to all the sites and interviews.
He also developed a website (blueprintminnesota.com), and
was constantly engaged in the project, developing the story
plan, attending meetings, sending late-night e-mail messages
to participants, and providing constant encouragement and
support.
Liquid Assets Minnesota began showing on TPT in
December 2011 and is available on the TPT web site. The
group had enough money to develop attractive and informative packaging for a DVD, which it has distributed to all
cities in Minnesota and used for other outreach opportunities.
Minnesota AWWA explained that more than one
Andrew Sullivan Award can be presented in a year, and it
is not necessary that an award be presented each year. The
Minnesota AWWA Governing Board will determine whether
an individual or group has exceeded the level necessary for
recognition.
Duluth mayor Don Ness spoke at the annual conference of the
Minnesota Section of American Water Works Association about
the June 2012 flooding in northeastern Minnesota.
Minnesota AWWA chair Carol Blommel Johnson (right)
presented Carol Kaszynski with the Volunteer of the Year award.
Jim Sadler received the L. N. Thompson award.
Pete Moulton received the George Warren Fuller award.
2
Public Water Supply Profiles
Bruce Olsen Retires from MDH
Dag Moselle and Mackenzie Hales
Dagmara “Dag” Moselle (on the left in the photo above)
has joined the Minnesota Department of Health as a compliance engineer who will be working with lead and copper,
inorganic chemicals and radionuclides, and the general water
chemistry project.
Dag worked in the military for 10 years, traveling and
moving about the country. After her service, she and her
husband moved to Minnesota, his home state, where she has
taught engineering and science courses at a university and
worked as a manager supervising the construction of wind
turbine farms.
Dag loves the outdoors and trying new ethnic cuisine.
She and her husband have a grumpy 13-year-old cat and a
Lab puppy.
Mackenzie Hales is a health program representative working on a variety of compliance related topics, including the
transition of the revised total coliform rule.
Mackenzie mostly grew up in Texas but has also lived in
Oklahoma, California, and Washington and spent summers in
Idaho. Her family—two parents, two younger siblings, and
a younger border collie, Scout—now live in Utah.
Mackenzie majored in politics and environmental studies
at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, and wrote
her senior thesis on the proposed large-scale groundwater
transfer from eastern Nevada to Las Vegas.
After college Mackenzie worked for an environmental and
water resources consulting firm in Washington, D. C., and
then moved to Minnesota and did contract work for Fletcher
Driscoll and Associates before joining MDH.
While still in college, Mackenzie was a rock climbing
instructor and led trips for the outdoor program. She’s still
up for helping anyone looking to learn how to climb rocks.
Bruce Olsen and Janet Kuefler of the U. S. EPA.
Bruce Olsen has retired as supervisor of the Source Water Protection Unit at the Minnesota Department of Health
(MDH) after a career in groundwater of more than 40 years.
Olsen joined the health department in 1989 after having
worked 20 years for the Minnesota Geological Survey.
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
presented him with an award for his service and a citation
that included the following:
Bruce wrote the book on wellhead and source water protection programs in Minnesota, developing
both programs which are highly successful and a
national model.
Bruce is extremely dedicated, works long hours,
and does not get much sleep. I hear that he is
known for calling staff at all hours of the day or
night when he thinks of a great idea that just can’t
wait.
He leads efforts to help create win-win situations
for source water protection in the agricultural
sector. Bruce demonstrated both innovation and
determination in leading an effort which resulted
in a change in USDA [U. S. Department of
Agriculture] Conservation Reserve Program continuous signup Policy to base funding eligibility on
delineated areas rather than fixed radius circles.
This policy change resulted in a more efficient
and effective distribution of federal conservation
funding toward protecting public health.
Grant Funding Available to Seal
Unused Public Water Supply Wells
He ensured that the state had a robust, integrated
geospacial database for SWP.
Through the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment
to the Minnesota constitution, funding was provided to the
MDH to establish cost-share assistance to owners of unused
(not-in-use) private and public water supply wells.
Request for proposals, available at http://tinyurl.
com/9847hzm, will be accepted at MDH until 4:00 p.m. on
December 5, 2012.
He writes the most detailed, outcome oriented
set-aside workplans around.
We appreciate all of his extra efforts.
3
Eden Prairie Operators Stay Cool in Responding to Electrical Incident
An electrical malfunction
Because of a previously uncreated a scary situation at the
known electrical setting made
Eden Prairie Water Treatment
in 1997 during the last plant
Plant the evening of Friday,
expansion, the generator was
August 31.
running but was not powerBrian Schultz and Cory
ing the facility. The police,
Dalbec were on duty when
unable to reach the treatment
Schultz investigated the shutplant when the alarm systems
down of one of the utility’s
failed because the phones were
500-horsepower pumps. Finddead, called the utility field
ing the motor-starter tripped,
operations on-call operator,
Schultz called Dalbec to say
Isaac Raser, to investigate.
he was going to operate the
Meanwhile, Schultz and Dal480-volt switch and try to
bec used their cell phones to
restart the motor. Nothing
reach emergency contacts at
happened on the first attempt;
the power company, the elecwhen Schultz tried again, the
trician, the utility’s consulting
result was a flash and a bang, a Schultz and Dalbec at the scene of the action.
engineer, the automation suproom filled with smoke, and a building engulfed in darkness
port people, the generator specialists, and the chain of comwith all the equipment shut down.
mand. Kevin Carlson left home immediately and headed to
Schultz’s phone call was also disconnected, leaving Dalbec
the plant. Raser and John Adie guided the contractors while
in a state of panic as to the condition of his co-worker. As
the operators inspected the control systems for damage.
the emergency generator was starting, Dalbec headed for
Rick Wahlen, the manager of utility operations, said,
the pump room, expecting the worst. Instead he encoun“Thanks to the quick thinking of Cory and Brian, the intered Schultz—with a grin on his face, indicating he had
sightful guidance from Kevin, the helpful support of Isaac
survived the mishap with nothing more than the smell of burnt
and John, the prompt expertise of Mark Rathje from Prairie
installation. “I knew I was all right,” said Schultz, “so all I
Electric and Anthony Pitman from AE2S, and everyone
was thinking about was getting the systems back on to keep
pulling together as a team on a Friday night, Eden Prairie’s
the water flowing.”
citizens never lost water service for a moment. A couple of
He and Dalbec (who enjoyed a moment of rejoicing that
hours later, the treatment plant was back in service.”
Schultz was safe and to allow his own heart beat to settle
Wahlen added that all six of the city’s shared expectadown a bit) divided the facility into inspection zones. In the
tions—flexibility, initiative, public stewardship, results
darkness, they ensured that all valves were open, no flooding
orientation, teamwork, and customer service—were
was taking place, the water coming in from the wells had a
demonstrated by their front-line employees that night, without
place to go, and nothing was in immediate distress. “Everyany direction from management. The employees involved
thing failed open,” said Dalbec, referring to the valves, “so
were more modest, merely describing their efforts as “just
that was nice.”
taking care of the public.”
More from the Minnesota AWWA Conference
Chris Voeltz of St. Peter received the Operator Meritorious Service award from Nancy Zeigler. A team from St. Cloud Technical
& Community College participated in the pipe tapping competition.
4
High-Hazard Cross Connections as
Significant Deficiencies
Water on Display at
Science Centers in Minnesota
Customer Responsibilities
Fifth in a series by MDH engineer David Rindal
A typical comprehensive cross-connection control (CCC)
program at a municipality identifies an authority that has
jurisdiction and that establishes the ability to implement
and enforce the CCC program through an ordinance. CCC
program ordinances not only describe the responsibilities of
the public water supply (PWS), but also of customers. Some
descriptions of customer requirements found in publicly
available ordinances:
• Protection of the water supply system from contamination or pollution between a backflow prevention
assembly and the water main.
Science and education centers around Minnesota are
focusing on water resources. The Big Back Yard (above) is an
outdoor environmental science park at the Science Museum
of Minnesota in St. Paul and includes a 300-foot-deep well
drilled into the Jordan aquifer. The Minnesota Ground Water
Association supported the drilling of this well in 2005, which
supplies water to a drinking fountain and a spigot in the park’s
Ground Water Plaza. Kids and adults collect water from the
spigot in watering cans and use it to explore how water can
flow through unconsolidated sediments and certain kinds of
rocks. The pressure in the well is high enough to support
artesian conditions (water flowing from the drinking fountain
and spigot without the aid of pumping).
• Protection of the water supply system from contamination or pollution within the premises.
• Allowance for, or arrangement at the customer’s own
expense of, inspection of the customer’s property for
unprotected cross-connections.
• When containment (rather than isolation) is desired,
installation of a backflow prevention assembly in
parallel piping sized to handle the temporary water flow
needed during a time of test or repair.
Cascade Meadow Wetlands & Environmental Science Center
(below) in Rochester opened in 2010. “The center was designed
on the principle of interactivity,” says Bob Freund of Rochester
Public Utilities, which is a partner in the center. The center
includes displays devoted to water and wetlands as well as
biocells, which hold water with plants, that make the parking
lot “one big catch basin,” according to Freund, who added that
even the roof was designed strategically, “not to shed water,
but to catch it.” Other systems used to catch water are porous
concrete and pervious pavers. In January 2012, the center
earned LEED Platinum certification, the highest level awarded
by the U. S. Green Building Council, for the green practices
used in its construction and operation. (LEED, Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design, is a rating system to
promote design and construction practices that reduce the
impact on the environment and are more profitable than their
conventional counterparts.)
• Receipt from the PWS of standards used to determine
the degree of hazard from the PWS.
• Receipt from the PWS of notification that the customer’s
premises have been classified such that it must comply
with a CCC program.
• Completion and submission to the public water
supply of a cross-connection hazard survey for premises
meeting certain pre-determined qualifications.
• Installation at the customer’s own expense, upon notice
from the PWS, of an approved backflow prevention
device (typically within 90 days).
• Testing of backflow prevention assemblies by a
registered backflow prevention assembly technician.
• Submission to the PWS of records of the installation,
testing, and/or repair of backflow prevention assemblies
subject to the CCC program (typically within 10 to 30
business days following installation/testing/repair).
• Immediate notification of the PWS of a backflow
incident within a building, property, or private water
service and obligation to take steps to confine the
contamination or pollution.
Examples of general cross-connection control ordinance
provisions are in Chapter 7 of the EPA Cross-Connection
Control Manual at: http://tinyurl.com/7h8cxth.
5
East Bethel Spurs Development with New Water Plant
Metropolitan Council’s network since
Another example of the importance of
the city of Ham Lake, which has no
water to local development has emerged
utility, is between East Bethel and Blaine
in East Bethel, a community of 11,000
to the south.
approximately 30 miles north of the
Construction began in late 2011 on a
Twin Cities, spanning both sides of
500,000 gallon tower, and in early 2012
Minn. Hwy. 65.
the city bid and awarded a contract for
Most of the residents have private
the treatment plant to Municipal Buildwells although a residential developers, Inc. (MBI) of Andover, Minnement, consisting of 42 houses with 120
sota. Public works superintendent Nate
lots still undeveloped, gets water from
Ayshford said the dual pressure filters,
an existing plant on the east side of Hwy.
which remove iron and manganese,
65. The plant has two 8,000-gallon preshave a rated capacity of just over 1,000
sure tanks for storage and adds chlorine,
gallons a minute. “They can handle
fluoride, and a polyphosphate to the
much more, but that is their approved
water. A well drilled into the Mount
capacity,” said Ayshford.
Simon aquifer had supplied the water
Two new wells serve the plant, one
for this system, but, because of radium
that is 350 feet deep and draws from the
issues, it was replaced two years ago by
Ironton-Galesville aquifer. The water from this well is low
a well drilled into the Ironton-Galesville aquifer (sometimes
in iron, according to Craig Jochum of Hakanson Anderson
referred to geologically as the Wonewoc).
Associates, Inc. of Anoka, Minnesota, the firm that designed
A new water and stand-alone wastewater system is now
the plant. The other, which is 250 feet deep in a gravel seam
going on-line on the west side of the city, designed to spur
above the Ironton-Galesville aquifer, is a
commercial development along the Hwy. 65
“With the availability higher producer but also has higher levels of
corridor.
“The original thought was to promote of water, this changes manganese. Jochum said that iron is added
the water before it reaches the filters to aid
industrial and commercial development,” said
the whole landscape.” to
in the manganese removal. The utility adds
city administrator Jack Davis, who added
chlorine and then sulfur dioxide to neutralize the chlorine.
that this may also bring some high-density housing to the
Fluoride is added to the water after it leaves the filters.
area. “With the availability of water, this changes the whole
The water system is scheduled to be on-line in late 2012,
landscape.”
and the sewer lines will be completed in 2013. Davis said
The new water plant was built in tandem with an interthe entire project was financed with three bonds totaling
ceptor sewer and wastewater reclamation plant constructed
$18.8 million.
by the Metropolitan Council. The city will pay the council
“We’re doing more commercially,” Davis added. “Water
for this portion with the revenue produced by the project.
is the key to development.”
The wastewater system will not connect with the rest of the
Left: The new plant has dual pressure filters. Right: Operator Jeremiah Haller and public works superintendent Nate Ayshford.
Words to Live By
• What we think out for ourselves we’re less apt to forget.
• A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone.
6
REGISTRATION FORM FOR SPRING 2013 SCHOOLS
You may combine fees on one check if more than one person is attending a school; however, please make a copy of this
form for each person. For questions regarding registration, contact Jeanette Boothe at 651-201-4697.
To request an exam application, contact Noel Hansen at 651-201-4690 or Mark Sloan at 651-201-4652.
Southeast School, March 13-15, 2013. Ramada Hotel and Conference Center, Rochester. Fee: $135 ($145 after
February 27).
Metro School, April 2-4, 2013. Ramada Mall of America, Bloomington. Fee: $175 ($210 after March 18).
Name
Employer
Address
City
Zip
Day Phone
E-mail Address
Please enclose the appropriate fee. Make check payable to Minnesota AWWA. Mail this form and fee to Drinking
Water Protection Section, Minnesota Department of Health, P. O. Box 64494, St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0494.
Reminder to All Water Operators
When submitting water samples for analyses, remember to do the following:
- Take coliform samples on the distribution system, not at the wells or entry points.
- Write the Date Collected, Time Collected, and Collector’s Name on the laboratory request form.
- Write the Sample Point on the laboratory request form.
- Attach the label to each bottle (do not attach labels to the lab form).
- Include laboratory request forms with submitted samples; make sure the information on the bottle label
and the lab form is the same.
- Use something other than a rollerball or gel pen; the ink may run.
- Consult your monitoring plan(s) prior to collecting required compliance samples.
Notify your Minnesota Department of Health district engineer of any e-mail changes for contact people.
If you have questions, call the Minnesota Department of Health contact on the back of all sample instruction forms.
Waterline
Published quarterly by the Drinking Water Protection Section, Minnesota Department of Health
Editor:
Stew Thornley
Staff:
Noel Hansen
Jeanette Boothe
Past issues of the Waterline are available at http://www.health.state.mn.us/water/newsletters.htm
7
Presort Standard
US Postage
PAID
Permit No. 171
St. Paul, MN
Environmental Health Division
625 North Robert Street
P. O. Box 64975
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0975
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
CALENDAR
Minnesota Section, American Water Works Association
*March 13-15, Southeast Water Operators School, Ramada
*May 15-17, Northeast Water Operators School, Sugar
Hotel and Conference Center, Rochester. Contact Bob Dunn,
Lake Lodge outside Grand Rapids. Contact Mark Proulx,
507-457-8272.
952-240-2023.
*April 2-4, Metro Water Operators School, Ramada Mall
of America, Bloomington. Contact Jeanette Boothe, 651201-4697, or Stew Thornley, 651-201-4655.
Information for all district schools, including agendas, is at
http://www.health.state.mn.us/water/wateroperator/trng/schoolagendas.html
*Includes a water certification exam.
Minnesota Rural Water Association (MRWA)
Contact Kyle Kedrowski, 800-367-6792
*December 12, Operation & Maintenace, Biwabik
*March 5-7, Technical Conference,
St. Cloud
MRWA Class D and E Training
Class D
The workshops listed above include
a certification exam. Other training
dates are available at http://mrwa.com/
trainingcalendar.htm.
For an up-to-date list of events, see the training calendar on the MDH web site:
http://health.state.mn.us/water/wateroperator/trng/wat_op_sched.html