Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association
3rd Quarter 2009
From the PRESIDENT
2009 PNCWA Conference 640+ and 75
PNCWA President
John Shawcroft
Veolia Water NA
When I was
a boy, my
answer to
the question,
‘What do you
want to be?’
would never
have been
‘President of the Pacific
John Shawcroft
Northwest
Clean Water Association’, but that
honor may have become inevitable
the second I volunteered to help
with an Idaho Water/Wastewater
Operator Conference many years
ago. My role was not large, but the
professional contacts made and
the personal growth I gained was
immense. Most of the people I met
while working on the conference
were very kind and just as lost as
I was. There were a few veterans
directing traffic and teaching novice
volunteers the ropes, but accepting
a small leadership role was as easy
as raising your hand. It was hard
work but it was a rewarding experience and I now relish the memory
of that time. I went on to serve as
a volunteer in two other Idaho conferences, each one a unique and
extraordinary experience.
During the second of the
conferences, I was serving on the
Board of Directors for the Southwest Idaho (continued on page 27)
WEF Trustee Carl Janson presents Arthur Sidney
Bedell Award to Paul Schuler, GE Water
WEF Executive Director Bill Bertera accepts the Individual
Distinguished Achievement Award for Linda Kelly, WEF,
past president of PNCWA.
Kim Ashmore, City of Centralia, receives the Lyman
Ketcum Award from Rick Shanley
Kristi Nelson, HDR Engineering, receives the Young
Professional of the Year Award from Rick Shanley
The 2009 annual conference in Boise, Idaho was a rousing success with more than
640 in attendance and 75 exhibitors. Sharing Solutions--Technology and the Workforce
abounded with lively, insightful sessions jam packed with solid information. Many thanks
to the conference champion sponsors Black & Veatch, Carollo Engineers, GE Water,
HDR Engineering, CH2M HILL and J-U-B Engineers. Conference Chair David Keil of
HDR Engineering and Program Chair Erik Coats, Ph.D., of the University of Idaho were
supported by a raft of conference volunteers too numerous to name here. Attendees
raised more than $3,600 to be contributed to Water for People that will be doubled by a
challenge grant match, thanks to the tireless promotion by Irene Wall of Tetra Tech. See you
at the 2010 conference at the beautiful Riverhouse in Bend, Oregon on October 24 - 27.
More winners and photos on page 4!
3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association • 1
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• 3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association
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In this Issue
Mission
Statement
Pacific Northwest Clean Water
Association (PNCWA) is dedicated
to preserving and enhancing the
water quality in the states of Idaho,
Oregon, and Washington. We
promote the technical development
of our members, the dissemination
of information to the public and the
advancement of science needed to
protect the water environment.
Vision Statement
Pacific Northwest Clean Water
Association will be the recognized
leader throughout Idaho, Oregon,
and Washington for ensuring clean
water for future generations.
PNCWA Newsletter Advertisers
We thank these advertisers for their
support of the PNCWA newsletter and
other education and training activities.
APSCO
Black & Veatch
Brown & Caldwell
Carollo Engineers
CEU Plan
DHI Water & Environment
ENECON
GE Water & Process Technologies
HDR Engineering
ITT
Jacobs Engineering Group
J-U-B Engineering
Kennedy/Jenks
Linko Data
Murray, Smith & Associates
MWH
Parametrix
Schwing Bioset
Tetra Tech
Treatment Equipment Company
West Yost
Whipps, Inc.
4-5
PNCWA Winners
5S Society
6
Leadership: An Opportunity of Destiny or Accident?
7
Water for People
8
Welcome New PNCWA Board Members
9
10-11
Operator Training a Priority
2008 Safety Awards
12
WEF Water Hero DeAnna Windh
14
15-16
Clean Water Services – Large Diameter Rehabilitation Program
Idaho Statesman Editorial by Larry Bennett
17
Streamlines
18
Welcome to New Members of PNCWA!
19
Help wanted: assistant editor and contributors
20
And the Winning Schools Are...
21
WEFMAIL
23
City of Athena, Oregon
25
Got News?
25
Current Board of Directors, Committee Chairs, and Section Presidents
26
2009 PNCWA Conference Photos (continued)
27
The PNCWA newsletter is printed quarterly, and sent to over 1,500 members in Idaho,
Oregon, and Washington. Professionals in wastewater treatment, most of whom are
members of the Water Environment Federation organization, make up our mailing list.
Change of address for PNCWA members, officers, directors, or committee members should be directed to:
www.pncwa.org
or Nan Cluss
PNCWA Association Manager
or Michael Rainey
PNCWA Staff
Advertising Rates for
PNCWA Newsletter
• Full Page Back Cover YEAR ISSUE
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To contribute an article, please contact
Sheri Wantland at (503) 681-5111 or
[email protected]
EDITOR’S NOTE: Newsletter articles
reflect the author’s opinions and not
necessarily those of the PNCWA Board
of Directors or Water Environment
Federation.
$175
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(Rates subject to change)
Direct advertising inquiries
to the PNCWA office.
3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association • 3
PNCWA Annual Conference Winners
Idaho Operator of the year
Tony Samartino, City of Boise
Southwest Idaho Operators Section
Washington Collections Operator of the year
Bill Appleby, City of Chehalis
Southwest Washington Operators Section
Idaho Collections Operator of the year
Brett VanBrunt, City of Pocatello
Southeast Idaho Operators Section
Oregon Operator of the year
Chris Miccolis, City of Redmond
South Central Operators Section
Oregon Collections Operator of the year
Bill Strait, City of Redmond
South Central Oregon Operators Section
President’s Award
Carlo Spani
Clean Water Services
In memoriam of Jonathan Wayne Hays December 22, 1952 – August 9, 2009
Adapted from a memorial to Jon Hays written by
co-worker
DeAnna Windh
Jon maintained his positive attitude and cheerful out-
Washington Treatment Plant
Operator of the year
Jon Hays
Lakehaven Utility District
Puget Sound Operators Section
DeAnna Windh accepted Operator
of the Year Award for Jon Hays.
4
look even after learning he had cancer. The first symptoms
were a chill and a slight runny nose, followed by difficulty
swallowing, weight loss, and violent vomiting. Jon completed
chemo treatments that destroyed his immune system and
dragged his weight down to that of a small boy, only to find
Jon Hays
out several weeks later that the cancer had invaded other areas
of his body.
In the quiet chapel, those who came to honor this man struggled with the loss,
hid the tears behind smiles, and told of their special times with Jon. The haunting
strains of “Like A Bridge Over Troubled Waters” filled the chapel—so appropriate
for Jon truly was our bridge over the troubled waters of constant change, personnel clashes and sometimes personal issues. He would listen quietly and encourage
each of us with his often infuriating optimism. He supported us and carried us
safely through stormy times of demanding projects, short staffing, and long hours.
As “Go High Upon That Mountain” played, tears roll unchecked down my cheeks
as I spoke to the spirit of the man who meant so much to all of us, who never
faltered in his duties as a husband, a father or a friend.
• 3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association
President’s Award
Steve James
J-U-B Engineering
Municipal Water Protection Award
City of Emmett, Idaho
Ron Gearhart accepting award
Idaho Water Reuse Program of the Year
City of Meridian, Idaho
Clint Dolsby accepting award
Best of the Rest
William D. Hatfield Award
Ross Stout
South Fork Coeur d’Alene
River Sewer District
President’s Award
Walt Meyer
West Yost
Sustainability Award
Oregon Garden Wetlands
Oregon Water Reuse Program
of the Year Award
City of Newberg, Oregon
Laboratory Analyst Excellence Award
Lorisa Watkins
Past Presidents
Chuck Zickefoose, John Poppe, Dale Richwine, Pat Brown,
Irene Wall, Doug Berschauer, Steve James, Owen Boe and Ron
Moeller
Operations Challenge
Operations Champions - Clean Water Services River Rangers
Tom Thorson, Rick Shanley, Bob Fitzgerald,
Mark Poling, Jim O’Reilly, Justine George
3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association • 5
Five S Society
Many a dedicated PNCWA volunteer longs to be inoculated into the
Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers (Five S). Picture being proudly
pinned by a plethora of peers pulsating
with praise. It’s a veritable victory to be
vaunted and validated for one’s valorous volunteerism. Every Five S’er must
forever wear the gold shovel complete
with the salmon motif at any PNCWA
or WEF event or be fined for failure
to follow the fine print for fulfilling the
first fundamental of fellowship. John
Poppe, the current chair or “pH7” of
PNCWA’s Five S, led the inoculation
of this year’s 5 S inductees who were
selected by a grueling process of elimination by the Society members.
Introducing PNCWA’s 2009 Five S inoculates: Mark Poling, Andy O’Neill, Kristi Nelson, Connie Boag, Jack
Bennion and Carl Janson.
6
• 3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association
Leadership: An Opportunity of Destiny or Accident?
By Bob Bandarra, Leadership Committee Chair
Wikipedia encyclopedia defines Leadership as the “process of social
influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others
in the accomplishment of a common task.”
Some people are born leaders, at least that’s what the adage says.
Others are leaders of destiny or happenstance, required to lead by circumstance, elevated to a position of authority based on longevity. Some
leaders guide the team but are not quite sure of the direction, others
have a vision of what needs to happen, set a direction and make it happen. Where do you fall in this vast spectrum? I’m looking for a few good
leaders or those who want to be even better leaders.
I was asked and agreed to chair the Leadership Committee for the
PNCWA early this summer. I’ve asked many what they believe the role
of the leadership committee should be in our esteemed organization. Interestingly there has been little response. Many
take for granted in their busy schedules that they know and understand what leadership is or should be.
I believe the leadership committee needs to be two fold. First, it should look to assist those who would like to be good
leaders in their current or future organizations. Second, it develops a leadership pool to establish a vision and direction
that will lead PNCWA into the next decade.
I need you to help build that leadership pool, so please share your thoughts about where you think the leadership
committee should be going. If you think my vision is too short sighted, tell me so! I welcome constructive criticism.
Better yet, tell me you would like to join me on the committee and help to develop a strategy to get this vision or another
vision implemented. Remember “it’s not what PNCWA can do for you; it’s what you can do for PNCWA”. Contact me
at (425) 450-6395 or [email protected]
Bob Bandarra, MPA, is the Washington Water Marketing Manager for HDR Engineering, Inc. in Bellevue.
3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association • 7
Water for People--2nd Annual “World Famous” PNCWA
Latrine Building Competition Attracts Fans and Dollars
By Irene Wall, Water for People Committee Chair
Four teams showed their good humor, latrine building and fundraising skills in Boise at the annual conference. Staged concurrently with the Operations Challenge
on Monday evening, four-person teams from the PNCWA
Board, Veolia Water, Clean Water Services, and the Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers (5S) competed
against the clock to assemble a life size latrine. This year’s
diabolical addition to the latrine was a “fancy” magazine
rack/toilet paper dispenser with at least one hundred wing
nuts required for assembly. OK that’s a slight exaggeration
but there were a lot of wing nuts involved (not counting
the competitors!). That added several minutes to each
team’s times but the competition still turned in some impressive team work. In minutes and seconds the times were:
• Team 5S at 5:52
• PNCWA Board Team at 6:30
• Veolia at 7:36
• Clean Water Services at 7:52
The latrine competition is all about raising awareness
and money to support Water For People, the non-profit
organization that works with local residents in very poor
often isolated communities in Central and South America, Africa and India to provide sustainable drinking water
resources, sanitation facilities and health and hygiene
education programs.
A big shout out to all who participated by raising
money, competing, and buying their “brick” which now
adorns our latrine wall of fame. Special thanks to Mark
Poling and the Clean Water Services Team that raised
$250 prior to the competition and did the latrine transportation duty. The Southeast and Southwest Idaho Sections
and the SW Washington Section together donated over
$800. The conference committee got into the latrine spirit and gave gift bricks in lieu of more traditional trinkets
as thank you gifts to Carl Jason and Bill Bertera, our WEF
guests at the conference. Counting brick sales, PNCWA
members raised over $3,600. Good Work!
Even better, our donation will be matched by the
Rosenthal Million Dollar Challenge. Read more about
this challenge and how you can double any contributions
to Water for People made before November 15th at http://
www.waterforpeople.org/site/PageNavigator/million_dollar_challenge
What will we do next year? Join the PNCWA Water
for People Committee and find out. Contact Irene.Wall@
tetratech.com or (206) 883-9438.
8
• 3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association
Irene Wall and Grizelda Sarria, both of Tetra Tech, have helped PNCWA
raise many thousands of dollars for Water for People.
Welcome New PNCWA Board Members
PNCWA Vice President Cyndy Bratz is the Boise Wastewater Practice Leader for Brown and
Caldwell. Cyndy has over 20 years of project experience in the fields of water, wastewater, and
environmental engineering. Her background includes facilities planning, predesign, detailed
design and services during construction of municipal water and wastewater treatment facilities.
Her specialty is ultraviolet disinfection.
Incoming Idaho Regional Director Ron Gearhart has more than 22 years of experience in
the water and wastewater fields and is Operations Manager for the City of Emmett, Idaho’s
municipal drinking water and wastewater and collections systems. He holds Idaho certifications for wastewater treatment operator IV, collections operator IV, laboratory analyst IV, and
wastewater treatment land application endorsement, as well as water distribution I, and water
treatment I. Ron is an active member and past president of the Southwest Idaho Operators
Section and was the 1997 PNCWA Idaho Operator of the Year.
PNCWA Treasurer Shannon Taylor is the Wastewater Division Manager for the City of
Redmond, OR. She co-chairs the ACWA Groundwater Committee, has participated with the
South Central Operators Section of PNCWA, and earned a BS in Chemical Engineering
from the Colorado School of Mines. She has a six year-old son and enjoys backpacking and
skiing in the mountains of Central Oregon.
3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association • 9
Operator Training a Priority
Bill Bertera, WEF Executive Director
One of the conversations
that inevitably occur at any
WEF gathering involves
“operators”. For all the right
reasons, those who actually run
wastewater treatment plants of
all kinds and sizes are always on
our minds. These are the members of the water environment
profession that actually “do
water”…they are the front line
between public health, environmental protection and the
disease and environmental degradation that occurs in the
absence of the plants they make work. Consequently, the
quality of operator credentials and knowledge, as well as
their recruitment and training, are of critical importance
to those who supervise them and to the communities our
utilities serve.
Conversation, however, gets complicated when it
becomes clear that when we talk about operators we
are not all talking about the same people. WEF has a
category of membership for operators, but a look at that
10 • 3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association
list makes clear that the vast majority of the people on it are
not front line operators, but their supervisors in some cases,
and in others, engineers who think of themselves as operators. The distinction is important because it is clear there
are “operators” and then there are “operators”. Programs
directed at one group do not reach the other.
Front line operators, for example, are the people who
actually make our plants work. They are not the supervisors
or the designers or the utility executives. Front line operators do not have the options of travel or time management
for purposes of education and training that other WEF
members do. And in smaller plants, they often have duties
other than running the facility. They may run snow plows,
or cut grass or any variety of other tasks that municipal
employees in small communities are called upon to perform…and therein lies the nub of the problem.
That, and of course, the dilemma that lumping all
operators into a single class (for conversation’s sake) presents in keeping us from addressing the issues of operator
training and education. So long as we mix up front line
operators with their supervisors, engineers, managers and
executives, we are never going to solve the “operator problem”. And that is because there is no single or universal
answer to the subject of operator training.
Providing access to training is a primary responsibility
for those who run individual utilities. Even when money
for travel is not the problem, providing the time is…especially for small and mid-sized utilities where the luxury
of redundancy is almost non-existent and where utility
employees are responsible for other critical municipal
services. And then there are the varying requirements for
competency of each state which adds additional complexity to issues associated with training operators.
A new service model is needed for training and educating operators. Acknowledging that training is a primary
interest of the utility itself, there is still an important role
for public interest associations. That is why professional associations exist…to serve utilities in their training needs…
for both front line operators and management.
The Water Environment Federation has historically
been best at serving those who can travel. That is still the
case much of the time, though new distance learning
tools and the web are erasing some of the distinctions and
benefits. For the present, though, it is clear that even an organization like WEF with all its resources, is disadvantaged
in trying to service the needs of the local front line operator. State and regional associations, on the other hand,
are better suited for this role because they are physically
closer to the utility and can therefore more easily and more
economically meet their needs.
This is not to say that even state or regional associations
do not have challenges in reaching the critical operator
community. But for many reasons, those obstacles are more
easily addressed with sufficient resources and planning closer
rather than farther from home. And that is where WEF can
come in. In the complicated world of operators, WEF’s job
is not to train operators but to assist utilities and member associations in training operators. How best to do that?
The first step is to recognize that every state and region is
different and that no single model is likely to fit every situation. The second is to recognize that any solution is likely to
be heavily dependent upon the resources and programs of
the local member association. The third is to acknowledge
that some member associations need and would welcome
assistance from WEF were it available and easily accessed.
That assistance could take many forms to include curriculum development and support, demonstration projects,
distribution and packaging of MA developed sessions to
other member associations, introduction of subsidized programming, WEF sponsorship of training modules, packaging and distribution of cutting edge sessions on emerging
topics, and local public service messages to suggest just a
few possibilities.
The bottom line is that utilities and their operators
need access to operator training and member associations
and WEF exist to provide that training. A little creativity
can go a long way to meeting the needs of our operators
and the utilities they serve, but that creativity is dependent
upon a close working relationship between the member
association and WEF. One of our Midwestern member
associations is working with WEF staff on a pilot project to
see if we can figure out how best to combine what WEF
does best with the assets of a state association to meet that
need. This is a start.
3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association • 11
2008 Safety Award Winners
By Mike Myers, Safety & Occupational Health Committee Chair
Congratulations to CH2M HILL/City of Walla
Walla, recipient of the 2008 George W. Burke award
from the Water Environment Federation.
PNCWA Safety Awards
The Division A (greater than 75,000 hours worked)
recipient of a plaque is the City of Portland, OR. Also
honored is Veolia Water/City of Vancouver with a zero
lost time certificate for 86,000 hours worked.
CH2M HILL/City of Twin Falls, ID claimed Division
B (20,000-74,999 hours worked) with zero lost time for
41,600 hours worked. CH2M HILL/City of Walla Walla, WA and City of Blackfoot, ID received certificates.
In Division C (10,000-19,999 hours worked) Hayden
Area Regional Sewer Board, ID is the recipient of a
plaque with zero lost time for 15,619 hours worked. The
City of Silverton, OR received a one-year zero lost time
certificate.
The Division D (5,000-9,999 hour worked) recipient is City of Burley, ID with zero lost time for 5,038
hours worked. And Veolia Water/City of Cle Elum
claimed Division E (less than 5,000 hours worked) for
the second year in a row with zero lost time for 4,200
hours worked. The Suquamish WWTP and Kingston
WWTP, both owned and operated by Kitsap County,
WA received a one-year zero lost time certificate in
Division E.
Special commendation goes to four treatment
plants. The City of Blackfoot, ID (Division B) and
OMI/City of Walla Walla, WA received a plaque for
five years with zero lost time. The Hayden Area Regional Sewer Board, ID (Division C) and the Suquamish WWTP (Division E) received a plaque for 10 years
with zero lost time.
It is an honor and privilege to be involved in
bestowing the Burke and Divisional Safety Awards to
deserving treatment plants. All of the recipients had
an exemplary safety performance record for 2008 and
many have received commendations in the past. Their
safety programs are solid, emphasizing fundamentally
sound principles of safety awareness, proper attitudes,
and implementation of effective policies and procedures.
The PNCWA Safety & Occupational Health Committee has grown in 2009, and there is still room for
energetic, enthusiastic members who share the vision
and want to contribute. We meet face-to-face at the annual conference and participate in five conference calls
per year. If you would like to contribute to this invaluable PNCWA committee please feel free to contact me
at 360-537-0060 or contact the PNCWA staff.
We are dedicated to providing the best, most up-todate training possible, so watch for announcements of upcoming webinars. Here’s hoping you are having a safe
and sane 2009, and are looking forward to submitting
applications for awards come next spring. Application
forms will be mailed, but also consider the easy to use
online application at www.pncwa.org
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Enduring relationships
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Trusted expertise
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Promises delivered
Seattle
206.652.4905
Federal Way
253.874.0555
Wastewater Services
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Vancouver
360.254.3394
6 Waste-to-Energy
Portland
503.295.4911
6 Stormwater
Eugene
541.338.8135
6 Sewer Rehabilitation
6 Surface Water
Management
6 Utility Planning
6 Water Recycling
www.KennedyJenks.com
12 • 3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association
3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association • 13
WEF Water Hero DeAnna Windh
Puget Sound Operators Section president DeAnna Windh is the second PNCWA member
to be named a “Water Hero”. DeAnna is an Operator 3 at Lakehaven Utility District in Federal
Way, WA with 19 years’ experience. Asked why she is a water quality professional, DeAnna said,
“I was born and raised in an area where open pit and deep coal mining has
had a devastating effect on our water resources. The general population rarely thinks about
life without water, until they experience an unannounced supply interruption. It seems
that absolutely everything they do calls for water when this happens. The dishes need
washed, the baby needs bathed, food needs to be prepared, hygiene needs met, and the car
picks this moment to overheat. The simple act of getting a drink requires a trip to the market for
bottled water. Consider this one day interruption as a glimpse of life without water.”
“Perhaps that is why I use every opportunity to teach water resource protection and conservation to any and all groups that will listen to me. I would devote a lifetime, come to think
DeAnna Windh
of it, I have, to any effort needed to assure future generations the luxury of pure clean water.
Right now, water is a renewable resource. However, this cannot be guaranteed for future generations unless we who understand
water quality issues such as ground water protection, recharge issues, stormwater management, water and wastewater treatment,
and conservation step forth in a worldwide effort to inform the general population,” she added.
Asked to name her biggest achievement as a water quality professional, DeAnna said, “My greatest accomplishment is that
I have been privileged to speak to young people across the United States from East to West coasts about the importance and the
necessity of everyone working together to assure future generations the pure clean water that is necessary to sustain all life. The
second would be the honor of being asked to represent the water quality professionals at the China conference a few years back.”
In addition to Section duties, DeAnna is active on the PNCWA Public Education Committee and personally delivers water
education resources to local students. DeAnna is retiring this month and returning to Pennsylvania where her family resides.
The originator of the original PNCWA “Silent Heroes” program, Dale Richwine, was WEF’s very first Water Hero.
Learn about more special individuals with a passion for clean water at wef.org/AboutWater/ForThePublic/AboutWaterQuality/WaterHeroes.htm
14 • 3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association
Clean Water Services – Large Diameter Rehabilitation Program
By Robert K. Lee, P.E. and James R. Hansen, P. E., Brown and Caldwell; and John D. Kennedy, P.E., Clean Water Services
Grade 5 defects (left: reinforcing cage visible; right: hole with void visible)
Clean Water Services (the District) is a water
resource management utility that serves nearly 500,000
customers in the Tualatin River Watershed in northwest Oregon by providing wastewater collection and
treatment and surface and stormwater management
in collaboration with its 12 member cities. Within its
service area there are over 530,000 linear feet (LF) of
larger (18” to 72” diameter) trunk lines and interceptors, many of which were constructed from reinforced
concrete that was installed in the early 1960’s. Most
of these trunk sewers and interceptors are adjacent to
streams and within floodplains, and because access to
these sewers can be very difficult and costly, structural
or operational issues may go unnoticed.
In order to preserve the public’s investment in
infrastructure and operate cost-effectively, the District
proactively inspects large diameter sewers to assess
structural, hydraulic, and operational condition. Since
2003, the District has contracted annually with an
engineering consulting firm to inspect the large diameter sewers, review the inspection data and make
initial recommendations. The inspection program goal
is on a 9-year cycle. Sewer condition assessments use
the National Association of Sanitary Sewer Companies
(NASSCO) Pipeline Assessment Certification Program
(PACP) grades. As of 2008, the District has inspection
results on over 1,000 individual large diameter pipe
segments totaling 305,000 LF. Approximately 50,000
LF had PACP grades of 4 or 5 (meaning that the pipes
had experienced either structural or operational failure
or they could experience failure in the foreseeable
future). The District sought an approach for identifying
the appropriate rehabilitation, replacement, or maintenance activity and for grouping and prioritizing the
final recommendations.
A vast majority of the inspected sewers are structurally rated as grade 3 sewers. Generally, a manholeto-manhole reach is only as structurally sound as its
worst defect which drives the entire pipe to be rated
4 or 5. Most of the District’s large diameter sewers are
concrete, therefore most grade 4 and 5 sewers are due
to concrete pipe corrosion caused by hydrogen sulfide
attack or erosion due to high velocities with sand and
grit (See photos.). Of the inspected large diameter sewers, 3 percent have significant structural defects that are
classified as poor or failed, and 13 percent were rated
with grade 4 and 5 operational defects. Operational defects often accelerate structural defects such as the loss
of pipe bedding due to heavy infiltration, or hydraulic
restrictions that increase the frequency of surcharging
and related corrosion.
Replacement/Rehabilitation/Maintenance Options
The District examined the following options for
rehabilitating or replacing existing pipelines:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Open-cut replacement
Cured-in-place pipe
Sliplining
Pipe-bursting
Spiral-wound pipe
Mechanical short repairs
Injection grouting
Magnesium hydroxide
Each option was evaluated based on cost, proven
history, design-life, structural or non-structural repair,
corrosion resistance, abrasion resistance, construction
access requirements, feasibility for the range of pipe
diameters, availability of local experienced contractors,
bypass pumping requirements, and impact to exist3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association • 15
ing pipe hydraulic capacity. Maintenance options were
identified and discussed with District staff, and although
they could perform many of the maintenance activities
and point repairs, several activities are more cost-effective
when done by private vendors.
Approach
The District approach requires comprehensive data
on each grade 4 or 5 pipe segment, including:
• The specific defect(s) and location, including the consequence of failure due to the defect(s)
• Manhole and pipe segment location (e.g., within
a floodplain, crosses a roadway, adjacent to a rail-
road, in close proximity to buildings, etc.)
• Accessibility by various types of maintenance and/
or construction equipment
• Current and future hydraulic capacity requirements
The District applied these criteria to each grade 4 or 5
sewer and evaluated the rehabilitation/replacement/maintenance alternatives listed above by:
• Initial capital cost
• Life-cycle cost
• Impact to hydraulic capacity
• Permits required for each of the possible mainte-
nance or construction activities
• Traffic impacts and controls that may be required
• Feasibility/difficulty of bypass pumping
Recommended alternatives were selected for each
grade 4 or grade 5 pipe segment. While each segment
was given a priority ranking number, segments were also
grouped into projects based on type of rehabilitation/replacement technology, geographical location, or size (e.g.,
that could be completed by in-house staff).
Challenges
A big challenge in addressing trunk lines and interceptors proactively is assigning criticality. Is a 30-inch trunk sewer
with gushing infiltration and heavy root intrusion at every
joint more critical than a 60-inch interceptor that is degrading structurally due to corrosion but may have another 5
to 10 years of life? Which is worse—a reinforced concrete
trunk sewer located in a field with reinforcement corroding
throughout the entire pipe length, or the same type of pipe
under a major roadway with aggregate protruding? And is a
“run-to-failure” mentality ever appropriate for larger diameter
sewers? These are difficult choices, but the District’s priority
ranking system forces these decisions to be made.
There are also financial challenges. With a limited
budget and no immediate failure, at what point does a
utility budget for a large diameter sewer rehabilitation/
reconstruction project? The District has allocated funding
16 • 3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association
for future large diameter rehabilitation and is committed
to continuing its large diameter inspection program. By
setting the initial inspection as a baseline, the District will
be able to determine rates of corrosion and degradation
and reprioritize as appropriate. And a proactive inspection
and rehabilitation program will reduce costly emergency
repairs to critical and difficult-access sewers.
Another challenge is integrating the organization’s big
picture with the project. Can a utility take on even more
recurring maintenance activities such as injection grouting of leaking pipe joints, or is one-time 50-year structural
rehabilitation of the pipe more appropriate? How will
the large database of sewer projects be maintained and
updated, especially when the majority of sewers are grade
3 but will someday start becoming grade 4 and 5? The District has recognized this challenge and is currently identifying the appropriate staffing for a holistic large diameter
rehabilitation program. The District’s approach to its large
diameter sewers will be not only to inspect but to collect
all the necessary data to make decisions regarding future
rehabilitation and/or replacement.
Conclusion
With an acceptable methodology in place, the District
can now track and update a database of large diameter
sewers. As grade 4 or 5 sewers are discovered, they can be
added to existing projects that have not yet been bid or
they can be added to the queue of new projects.
These are the types of challenges the District is facing
and answering. However, as our nation’s infrastructure
continues to degrade, it becomes even more necessary
that every utility begin to face these challenges and be
prepared to make the hard decisions, because there is a lot
riding on our pipes.
Idaho Statesman Editorial by Larry Bennett
Published on September 10, 2009
This letter is in response to the article on page B7
of the August 8 issue. The article had the headline “No
job? Try the sewage plant. Smelly, dirty, dangerous work
suddenly doesn’t look so bad in tough times”.
I am glad to see others advertising the potential employment opportunities at wastewater treatment plants. I
have worked as a consulting engineer to cities and industries on their wastewater treatment issues for over 35 years. I have often encouraged friends to investigate this very
interesting and rewarding profession. While it has its detractors (i.e, Art Karney as Ed Norton in the Honeymooners), the profession has much going for it. Here are some
of the benefits of working at a wastewater treatment plant:
1. Reliable job. At any time, it is a benefit to have a reliable job. In today’s environment, it is especially beneficial. In good times or bad, people still flush and someone
has to be at the receiving end to protect the environment.
2. Decent wages. The starting income for an entry
position is around $30,000 per year. After learning the
processes and becoming a manager, one can earn up to
$90,000 per year in Idaho and even more in more populous areas.
3. Good benefits. Working for a municipality will have
the same benefits (sick leave, vacation, health insurance)
as any other municipal employee.
4. Reliable Working hours. Usually, the same hours
each day with “on call” a few days a month. This is to solve
the problems so that when someone flushes the toilet, they
can forget about it.
5. Responsibilities. In many cities, the wastewater collection system and treatment plant are the largest capital investment. For instance, Kuna is currently christening their
$30 million plant. The replacement value for the City of
Nampa treatment plant is over $70 million. The collection
system is usually near the same value. The operators are
responsible for a very sizable investment.
6. Rewarding. Every day the wastewater treatment plant
staff is rewarded with the knowledge that they have helped
to keep the planet clean. For instance, the Nampa wastewater treatment plant removes over 55,000 pounds of pollutants daily.
7. Health improvement. Prior to the construction of
water and wastewater treatment plants, the death rate for
typhoid fever was 30 per 100,000 population (so about 60
people annually in a city the size of Boise ). By the mid
20th century, typhoid was responsible for less than 0.1
death per 100,000 (less than two per decade in a city the
size of Boise).
8. Challenging. It is not a dull profession. Every day,
new challenges and opportunities arrive ranging from how
to quickly fix a pump to how to improve operations. A new
idea can remove more pollutants while saving money or
energy. A recent change to the Nampa WWTP saved over
1,500,000 kw-hours of power, equivalent to the power used
in approximately 125 houses.
9. Training. Every operator in the state of Idaho (and almost every other state in the USA) is licensed. To maintain
that license, each operator takes classes annually.
(continued on page 22)
3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association • 17
Streamlines By Nan Cluss and Michael Rainey
One of my favorite lines in a comedy is in “Baby
Boom” when a handyman tells Diane Keaton that her
well has run out of water and she says something to the
effect of, “Then turn on the hose and fill it up!” That and
the scene in the vet’s office make it a movie I will howl at
no matter how often I see it.
In the movie, the “turn on the hose” line is hilarious.
In reality, the disconnect that a majority of the public has
on issues of water is no laughing matter. Speaking at our
recent conference in Boise, WEF Executive Director Bill
Bertera urged the people in the audience to be the communicators that educate the public on important water
issues. No matter how busy you each may be …it rests
on those who work in the industry to be the voices that
elevate water knowledge in the public sphere. Too much
depends on that public knowledge to ignore this obligation. Bill’s words were simple, short and direct yet one
long-time PNCWA member said it was the best speech
he had ever heard at such a gathering.
WEF, under the direction of our own Linda Kelly,
has projects and programs to help with these public
18 • 3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association
Nan Cluss
Michael Rainey
communications. (Click on Public Information on the
homepage header at www.wef.org for links to these valuable resources.) Did you miss the WEF Public Communications & Outreach Committee Webcast in February?
Now you can watch “Working Together for Amazing
Results” online (from the PC&O committee page on
the WEF website) to learn how to leverage creativity and
volunteer resources to promote the value of water and the
profession. PNCWA has a very active Public Education
committee doing good things as well. But we need you to
join in, not only by using the tools already in place, but
also by sharing your ideas of how we as individuals and as
the water community can spread the word.
Welcome to New Members of PNCWA!
The people listed below have become members of PNCWA between mid-May and mid-September. The list represents both WEF/PNCWA new members and transfers from other Member Associations to PNCWA as well as new
PNCWA-only members. Welcome to all of you. Please let us know how we can best serve your needs and interests.
Donald Acheson, Riedesel Engineering
Kwabena Adu-Sarkodie,, West Yost Assoc.
John Akers, City of Ellensburg
Art Allen, City of Ontario
Terry Anderson, Kootenai-Ponderay SD
Monica Anderson, City of Wilsonville
Sal Arreola, City of Meridian
Jeremy Aulbach, Pharmer Engineering
Peter Bair, Idaho DEQ
Jason Baker, Tri-City Water Pollution Ctrl Plant
Rick Ballard, RH2 Engineering Inc
John Beacham, City of Portland
Marie Binford, Brown & Caldwell
Gary Bonus, Clean Water Services
Jim Bottoroff, City of Eugene
Mike Bryan, City of Albany
Daryl Bullard, City of Yakima
David Burns, Kitsap County Public Works
Loretta Callahan, City of Vancouver
Stephanie Carroll, Idaho DEQ
Ashiyah Cays-Vesterby, 2009 WA SJWP Winner
Vincent Chavez, Clean Water Services
Jeanie Colburn, Umpqua Basin Ops Section
David Cole, Pierce County
Rhodes Copithorn, Stearns & Wheler
Pete Cortez, City of American Falls
Daniel Cowger, Varela & Associates Inc
Walter Crahan, Midway Sewer District
Todd Crutcher, Idaho DEQ
Rich Dees, City of Meridian
Jason Diamond, GE ZENON
Mark Dietrich, Idaho DEQ
Zachary Dobroth Steven Drangsholt, HDR Engineering
Jeremy Dunfield Paul Fendt, CDM
Jordi Figueras, Pharmer Engineering
Jack Gantz, Idaho DEQ
David Gies, City of Ashland
Tadd Giesbrecht, JUB Engineers
Isaac Gonzales, City of American Falls
Leonard Grady, City of Nampa
Dan Grassick, City of Lebanon
Valerie Greear, Idaho DEQ
Crystal Green, City of Meridian-WWTP
Matthew Gregg Jude Grounds, MWH Americas Inc.
Nick Guho Jon Gunnerson, Boise Public Works
Max Hastain, City of Moscow WWTP
Matt Hays, City of Eugene
Derrick Heinson, City of American Falls
Kim Hewlett, Midway Sewer District
Laura Hoggan, Plasti Fab Inc
Glen Holdren, Keller Associates
Kurt Holland, Varela & Associates Inc
Mark Holtzen, JUB Engineers
Kirby Hubbs, Midway Sewer District
Michael Humm, Kennedy Jenks
David Hunt, ECO:LOGIC
Kimberly Hursh, City of Yakima
Jonathan Jackson, Brown and Caldwell
Neil Jenkins Henry Knepp Jason Knope, City of Junction City
Jeremiah Knox, City of Yakima
Dillon Koester, Water Environment Svcs
Angie Koski Tim Kraft, Otak
Gilbert Kwan, Harris Group
Shannon Laframboise, City of Yakima
Larry Lane, City of Ontario
Isaiah Langi, King County
James Lee, Lakehaven Utility District
Shem Liechty, Brown and Caldwell
Monte Lingbloom, Midway SD
Ken Loghry, City of Port Angeles
Michael Lowdon, City of Spokane
Richard Ludlow, Veolia Water NA
William Lynam, Cowlitz County PW
Steve Maneck, City of Meridian
Scott Martin, City of Eugene
Don Martin, City of Meridian-WWTP
Robyn Mattison, Forsgren Associates
Mike May, Idaho DEQ
Dennis Meier, Idaho DEQ
Cliff Meier, City of Portland
Alan Meyer Marshall Meyer, RH2 Engineering Inc
Alexander Mockos, University of Idaho
Greg Mooney, City of Bend-Public Works
Wesley Morrell, West Sound Utility District
Jeremy Morris, City of Washougal
Christopher Muller, Brown and Caldwell
Trever Munsch, City of Washougal
Don Nebekor, City of American Falls
Jesse Neilson, Pharmer Engineering
Tressa Nicholas, Idaho DEQ
Mchael Norton, Stantec Consulting Inc.
Yakup Nurdogan, CDM
Eric Nyquist, A3 Northwest LLC
Dennis O’Connell, Lott Alliance
Steve Ogle, Idaho DEQ
Neal Oldemeyer, Boise Public Works
Joseph Otero, Idaho DEQ
Mark Owen, Puralytics
Anette Owens, City of Port Angeles
Elaine Payne, City of Junction City
Chris Preboski, LOTT Alliance
John Pregge, Sorrento
Kyle Radek, Meridian Public Works
Joshua Reed, Pharmer Engineering
John Reiser, Sherwin Williams
Jeremy Rentz, Washington State Univ.
Lyle Roscoe, Parametrix
Terry Sackett, Rogue Valley Sewer
Eric Schey, Jacobs
Ben Scrace, Whitney Equipment Co.
Jessica Shaw, City of Wenatchee
Gabe Shones, Harris Group Inc.
Levi Shoolroy, JUB Engineers Inc
Charles Simpson, City of Bonney Lake
Kristofer Snider, Pharmer Engineering
Michael Stambulis, Idaho DEQ
Warren Stewart, City of Meridian
Michael Summers, Idaho DEQ
Paul Suto, City of Portland BES
Tom Suttle, City of Medford
Todd Swanstrom Stephen Tanner, Idaho DEQ
John Tensen, Boise Public Works
Lori Terry, Foster Pepper LLC
John Tindall, Idaho DEQ
Susie Vanderburg Krystal Varney, SW WA Section PNCWA
Pete Wagner, State of ID, Boise Office
David Webber, Casne Engineering, Inc.
Jennifer Wester, Idaho DEQ
John Wester, Idaho DEQ
Ricky White, Professional Engr Services
Loren Wiedeman, City of Ontario WW
Brian Wilkerson, Bionavitas Inc
Carlton Wilt, Hayden Area Regional SB
Matt Winkler Doug Woods, Oak Lodge Sanitary District
Gordon Woodward, City of Wilsonville
Sean You, 2009 Oregon SJWP Winner
Christopher Young, DYK Incorporated
Michael Zagar
Barbara Zaroff
Karsten Zuendel, A3 Northwest LLC
3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association • 19
AWWA Water Quality
Technology Conference
Seattle, November 15-19
The American Waterworks Association’s Water Quality
Technology Conference (WQTC) will be in Seattle November 15-19. Drinking water quality and treatment professionals from utilities, regulatory agencies, universities,
consultants and manufacturers from around the world will
be attending. The conference includes over 350 presentations and 6 in-depth workshops plus
unlimited networking opportunities (priceless!). For more information, go to www.awwa.org
Help wanted: assistant
editor and contributors
By Sheri Wantland, Newsletter Committee Chair
The PNCWA newsletter is changing, and soon
you’ll see a new look. While we’re at it, the PNCWA
Board of Directors thought it would be a good idea to
ask for more help with the newsletter. Thanks to the
steady contributions of Mike Myers, Marc Yarlott and a
few others now and again, we always come up the next
issue and often wonder how we did it. It’s tempting to
be flattered when a Board member says “we wouldn’t
have a newsletter without you”, but I know some of
them really mean “why don’t you let someone else have
a crack at it?” I would love to! Please, let me know how
you’d like to get involved and make the newsletter committee a real committee. Call or email me at 503-6815111 or [email protected]
www.ceuplan.com
u
CEU Plan is approved
for wastewater and
water related continuing education credits
u Approved in Idaho and
Oregon for CEUs—DW
and WW operators,
and Washington for
WW operators
u Over 125 courses
to choose from
starting at $9.95
u Largest online in
USA—approved
in over 40 states
for multiple state
licenses
20 • 3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association
And the Winning Schools Are . . .
The following schools have been awarded a total of $4,500 from
PNCWA’s 2009 Adopt a School program coordinated by the Public
Education Committee:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ashland Middle School, Ashland, OR $200
Cleveland High School, Portland, OR $350
Crater High School, Central Point, OR $450
Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, WA $450
Emily Dickinson Elementary School, Redmond, WA $300
Fowler Middle School, Tigard, OR $200
Kings West Secondary School, Bremerton, WA $200
La Center High School, La Center, WA $450
Ashiyah Cays-Vesterby, the 2009 Stockholm Junior Water
Prize winner from Washington, also received support from
Parrish Middle School, Salem, OR $400
PNCWA.
Raymond Elementary School, Raymond, WA $400
Riverstone International School, Boise, ID $450
Roberts High School, Salem, OR $200
Rachel Carson Environmental Middle School, Beaverton, OR $450
Applications for the 2010 Adopt a School program will accepted in February, so pass the word if you know of a
deserving school that is teaching students about the water environment. For more information, contact PNCWA Public
Education Committee chair Karen Debaker at 503-681-3643 or [email protected]
Committee members will staff booths this October at the North American Association of Environmental Educators
Conference in Portland and the Oregon Science Teachers Association Conference in Salem.
Hire Smarter—
make an employment
connection in 2009!
3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association • 21
WQLAS Nutrient Testing
Procedures Workshop
November 3–6 • Port Angeles, WA
Designed for water or wastewater technicians, laboratory personnel and other
wastewater professionals, the class will demonstrate the proper laboratory techniques for the anlaysis of chlorine, ammonia, COD, Volatile Acids/Alkalinity, and
Fecal Coliform. Prerequisite: One year in a water or waste water laboratory or instructor’s permission. Students will receive instruction in interpreting lab results,
and assessing effective quality control methods. Upon satisfactory completion
of the Laboratory Training Workshop each student will receive 2.0 college credit
hour (this equates to 3.2 CEU’s).
Instructors:
Victor Santa Cruz, Biologist, Inland Empire Utilities Agency; Keith Chapman, City
of Salem; Diane J. Lawver, President, Quality Assurance Solutions, LLC; Belinda
Pero, Clallam County HHES Lab; Chris Copeland, ManSci Inc.; Doug Roy, WaterTrax Inc., and Mark P. McElroy and Adrian Vasquez, ThermoOrion
Course topics:
Ammonia Nitrogen-Colorimetric and Electrode Method, Alkalinity, Chlorine Residual-Amperometric Titration and
Colorimetric Method COD-Dichromate reactor digestion Method, Volatile Acids, Fecal Coliform-Membrane Filtration and MPN Method, Microscopic Examination-Basic and Activated Sludge Microorganisms, Laboratory Solutions,
Good Laboratory Practice.
Classes are limited to the first 26, so register early. For details, please contact Jeff Young at 360-417-4845 or
[email protected]
$450.00 WEF/PNCWA Member $605.00 Non-member $365.00 Student
Sponsored by Western Washington Region of PNCWA, Western WA Water Quality Lab Analyst Section and
Peninsula College.
Idaho Statesman Editorial (continued from page 19)
10. Significance. Not only can a mistake cause damage to equipment or the environment, the operators can be fined or
even jailed. Operators must be very attentive to their operations and know that their work matters.
11. Planning for the future. The rules are increasing. The Treasure Valley is facing the requirement to remove up to
99% of the phosphorus in the wastewater. This will require over $250 million of new facilities at the five major valley
plants. The operators need to work intelligently with the engineers and the City Councils to get the best value for the
money.
12. Friendly people. Every profession has friendly people but this profession seems to have a higher percentage. Also,
these are giving people who donate time to paint houses during “Paint the Town” and donate to water systems in third
world countries ( “Water for People” program).
All these reasons and more is why the water and wastewater operators are called our Silent Heroes (a recognition
program of the Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association). It is definitely a profession worth investigating.
Wastewater treatment plants are also a great place to visit
and learn about our environment. If you have any questions, please call me at (208) 343-2466.
Sincerely,
Lawrence J. Bennett, P. E.
tetratech.com
22 • 3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association
WEFMAIL (WEF Member Association Information Letter)
By WEF Director Michelle Burkhart
Times are tight and many agencies are on tight budgets. Restricted travel and reduced training dollars have made it difficult to keep up to date on training necessary for
operator certifications and engineering licenses. Both WEF and PNCWA recognize this
problem and have begun to invest in providing training opportunities locally at a low cost.
WEF has been busy with webcasts this year, offering 17 separate webcast trainings
through the end of August in 2009. This emphasis on distance learning is a result of
technology advances coupled with economic times, and offers a low cost opportunity to
stay up to date on issues that range from cutting-edge technology to engineering fundamentals to utility management tools. These are offered at a low cost to WEF members,
and the number of attendees at each site is unlimited. So the value for your training
dollar goes up by joining up with a few of your coworkers or neighboring agencies. Past
webcasts are available for purchase via WEF’s website at http://www.wef.org/ConferencesTraining/Webcasts/WebcastSchedule/ - so check them out.
Another cool thing that WEF has just unveiled is a new Distance Learning Web site
(http://training.wef.org/) that allows busy utility operators and other water professionals
to pursue continuing education opportunities in a convenient distance learning format.
The site currently includes eight courses, each containing a set of modules and a final
exam. The courses are completed online at your own pace.
One other area that I wanted to highlight is materials available from WEF for communicating with your ratepayers and stakeholders. Communicating the value of our industry is
key to the public valuing the vital services we provide. WEF has done the heavy lifting and
developed a number of programs and materials for your use for just that purpose. Water is Life,
and Infrastructure Makes it Happen™, World Water Monitoring Day, Bill Stuffers and Fact
Sheets are available on WEF’s website for your use. To find out more about these programs
and materials, click on “About Water and Sanitation” on the information bar at www.wef.org
and take advantage of the resources available to you as a WEF member.
Michelle Burkhart
WEF Director
CH2M HILL
Portland, Oregon
(503) 235-5000
Fax: (503) 736-2056
[email protected]
Doug Allie
WEF Director
Goble Sampson Associates
Issaquah, Washington
(425) 392-0491
Fax: (425) 392-9615
[email protected]
Oregon Operators
Conference
November 2 – 4
Spirit Mountain Casino
Grand Ronde, Oregon
“For Operators, By Operators” is the first ever Oregon Operators Conference and will address the many
and varied challenges before water professionals. All Oregon PNCWA Sections worked to organize an
exceptional technical program, including:
• One day Kubota MBR workshop
• One day Siemens / Memcor filtration water treatment workshop
• Operator’s Toolbox by Brad Musick • Laboratory Track
• Maintenance Track • Manufacturers’ exhibit hall full of products and new ideas
Max Hildebrand, PNCWA Director for the Oregon Region, encourages you to arrive early and stay late
to enjoy the many recreational opportunities at Spirit Mountain Casino and Lodge and the nearby Central Oregon Coast. Meet and make friends, earn CEUs or PDHs, get away to a beautiful and relaxed
atmosphere, and receive quality training and education to embrace the challenges of tomorrow.
Registration and details are on the PNCWA website at pncwa.org.
3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association • 23
From the President (continued from front page)
Operators Section (SWIOS) as President of the section.
This too was a volunteer position, achieved by a phone
call from the section’s nominating committee two years
earlier. “Would you consider serving?” was the question. “I guess,” was my answer; hardly a resounding
acceptance but binding nonetheless. The experienced
members of the Board guided my efforts and made sure
I wasn’t overwhelmed. I spent four years going through
the SWIOS chairs and an additional two as an advisory
member assisting the Board and providing them with
advice when requested.
I first served on the Pacific Northwest Pollution Control Association Board of Directors as the Idaho Regional
Director beginning in 2002. As most PNCWA members
know, the Association changed its name at that time to
more accurately reflect the association’s commitment to
clean water. The credit for the name change is shared
by many volunteers serving on the Board and committees of the time. To date, the Pacific Northwest Clean
Water Association is the only “Clean Water” Association
in the Water Environment Federation (WEF).
I really enjoyed my tenure as the Idaho Regional
Director. Two years ago, I returned to the Board as the
PNCWA Vice President and now I am assuming the
24 • 3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association
duties of President. This was not an honor I originally
sought but a goal developed by degrees through volunteering. The more work I did for the organization, the
more strongly I felt that it was ‘my turn’ to give back,
having been helped so much as a young operator by
the knowledge and experience of PNCWA members,
my sense of professionalism immeasurably enriched by
our shared interaction. PNCWA is an organization of
volunteers; we achieve our goals by the hard work and
dedication of volunteers.
The world we now find ourselves in is inundated by
problems associated with ever growing human populations, global warming, deforestation, devastated fisheries, dead zones in the oceans, and deteriorating /diminishing fresh water supplies all threaten our collective
future. No easy answers are forthcoming but many
of the leaders who will be challenged to solve these
issues are likely to be volunteers. No one ever won
the game by idly watching unfolding events. PNCWA
members collectively have the knowledge and experience to be part of the solution. The world and PNCWA
needs your abilities; whatever your interests, there is
a PNCWA section or committee in great need of your
talents and efforts.
City of Athena, Oregon
By Mike Myers, Safety and Occupational Health Committee Chair
The City of Athena, Oregon’s Wastewater Treatment Plant has operated safely for more than 30 years
with zero lost time accidents. Its many accolades for
safety include awards from the League of Oregon Cities
for 2001-02 and 2002-03. Athena’s is a PNCWA division
E facility (less than 5,000 hours worked) that received
safety plaques in 1995, 2001, and 2002, safety certificates
four years running from 2003 to 2006, and 15-year and
25-year zero lost time plaques.
Located near Pendleton in northeast Oregon’s picturesque Blue Mountains, the City of Athena owns and
operates a 0.31 mgd design capacity treatment plant with
average daily flows of 0.22 mgd with nutrient removal,
and 22-mile collection system serving 1,300 people. The
only lift station pushes flow through the final 200 yards of
sanitary sewer to the treatment plant and has a back-up
emergency generator.
In the past two years, the city has spent $1.3M constructing new sewers and slip lining pipes. Other I/I work
includes CCTV and documenting I/I problems.
Due to strict effluent limitations a $2M Capital project
will commence later this year to construct a five-cell wetland.
Licensed operators Hans Schroeder and Ken Faircloth have 16 and 9 years’ experience with the city,
respectively, and operate and maintain the entire collection and treatment system together as the only public
works employees.
Because safety involves just two people there is
plenty of participative management. Both employees
select PPE such as safety glasses, face shields, and ear
protection, and various lifting devices with a vendor’s
assistance. Hans and Ken have recommended several
engineering controls that have improved safety, and are
so thorough that the Oregon OSHA inspector report had
no recommendations. The City Council is very proactive
and has a “git ‘er done” approach to problem solving.
Electrical contractors provide safety training, and daily tailgate meetings are held as needed. Both employees
maintain First Aid/CPR certification, and all city employees have access to First Aid/CPR training from the East
Umatilla Ambulance District. With annual emergency
response drills and quarterly coordination meetings, 100
to 120 hours of safety training are conducted annually.
The safety-conscious Athena City Council believes
safety should go beyond regulatory requirements to create
a safe work environment and foster a safe work culture of
skills and knowledge that could save the lives of friends
and family. The Athena WWTP safety record compares
to the very best and this is directly related to the attitude
of both employees. Congratulations to Hans and Ken at
the City of Athena WWTP.
Electrical contractors provide safety training, and daily tailgate meetings are held as needed. Both employees
maintain First Aid/CPR certification, and all city employees have access to First Aid/CPR training from the East
Umatilla Ambulance District. With annual emergency
response drills and quarterly coordination meetings, 100
to 120 hours of safety training are conducted annually.
The safety-conscious Athena City Council believes
safety should go beyond regulatory requirements to create
a safe work environment and foster a safe work culture of
skills and knowledge that could save the lives of friends
and family. The Athena WWTP safety record compares
to the very best and this is directly related to the attitude
of both employees. Congratulations to Hans and Ken at
the City of Athena WWTP.
Got news?
Like so many PNCWA activities and achievements, the
quarterly newsletter is volunteer-driven and relies on the
dedicated efforts of PNCWA members and associates. It’s easy
to contribute articles of interest to water environment professionals. The rules are pretty simple:
• 200 to 500 words (longer articles may be accepted, space permitting)
• No overt marketing, but it’s fine to talk about your company’s achievements
• High resolution photos or graphics, if possible
• Deadlines are the 15th of February, May, August and November
Just draft the article and email it to Sheri Wantland at [email protected]. Don’t worry that
you’re not a journalist; all submissions are professionally edited.
3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association • 25
Current Board of Directors, Committee Chairs, and
Section Presidents
Board of Directors
President
John Shawcroft, 208-455-3041
Conference 2010
Susanna Leung, 206-684-6532
President Elect
Andy O’Neill, 509-926-5762
Conference Program 2010
Dan Laffitte, 503-244-7005
Vice President
Cyndy Bratz, 208-336-1340
Constitution & Bylaws
Ed Gilmore, 503-557-2834
Secretary
Heather Stephens, 503-295-4911
Emerging Technologies
Susanna Leung, 206-684-6532
Treasurer
Shannon Taylor, 541-504-5072
Futures
Rick Shanley, 503-227-1885
Past President
Rick Shanley, 503-227-1885
Leadership Development
Bob Bandarra, 425-450-6395
WEF Director
Michelle Burkhart, 503-235-5000
Manufacturers & Representatives
Doug Allie, 425 392-0491
WEF Director
Doug Allie, 425-392-0491
Membership Services
Brian Casey, 503-227-1885
Regional Director-Idaho
Ron Gearhart, 208-573-7606
Sustainability
Jennifer Belknap Williamson
503-977-6617
Water for People
Irene Wall, 206-443-3570
Water Reuse
Dan Ayers, 208-336-1340
Idaho Section Presidents
Western Washington
Section Presidents
Northwest
Gil Bridges, 425-355-6378
Olympic Peninsula
Larry Willman, 360-473-5400
Puget Sound
Jim Pitts, 206-684-2477
Northern
Vacant
Southwest
Dan Chitwood, 360-330-7512
Southeast
Larry Martin, 208-612-8476
Western WA Water Quality Lab
Analysts Section
Jeff Young, 360-417-4845
Southwest
Carl Hipwell, 208-433-1900
Eastern Washington
Section Presidents
Oregon Section
Presidents
Columbia Basin
Troy Zerb, 509-754-2992
Newsletter
Sheri Wantland, 503-681-5111
Water Quality Lab Analyst
Section (WQLAS)
Cory Fortez, 503-618-3451
Inland Empire
Mike Coster, 509-625-4640
Regional Director-Oregon
Max Hildebrand, 541-231-0748
Odor & Air Quality
Mark Smith, 503-423-3727
Lower Columbia
Noah Harvey, 503-547-8153
Yakima Valley
Daryl Bullard, 509-575-6077
Regional DirectorW Washington
Kay Hust, 360-397-6118, x7004
Operations Challenge
Preston Van Meter, 503-295-4911
South Central
Dan O’Malley, 541-385-6199
Public Education
Karen DeBaker, 503-681-3643
Eastern Oregon
Jeff Brown, 541-276-3078
For more information,
please contact PNCWA
via:
Safety and Occupational Health
Mike Myers, 360-537-0060
Umpqua Basin
Brian Anderson, 541-679-5152
Site Selection
John Poppe, 360-895-2440
Maintenance
Kevin Bruton, 541-673-6570
Source Control
Celeste Vialet, 503-681-5131
West Central
Mark Landau, 503-751-0175
SSSSS
John Poppe, 360-895-2440
Southwest
Bob Dillard, 541-756-6078
Regional Director Pro Tem E. Washington
Bud Ruther, 509-527-4509
Committee Chairs
Asset Management
Marc Yarlott, 360-635-5453
Awards (General)
Cyndy Bratz, 208-336-1340
Awards (Burke/Safety)
Mike Myers, 360-537-0060
Collections Systems
Carrie Pak, 503-681-3646
Students & Young Professionals
Kristi Nelson, 503-423-3732
Full contact information is available at www.pncwa.org
26 • 3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association
www.pncwa.org
or
Nan Cluss
Michael Rainey
PNCWA Association
Managers
P.O. Box 1075
Caldwell, ID 83606
Phone: 208-455-8381
fax: 208-455-8382
2009 PNCWA Conference
Guests arriving at the conference
in Boise.
Exhibitors Hall.
Michelle Burkhart makes the Operations Challenge look easy.
3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association • 27
Pacific Northwest
Clean Water Association
P.O. Box 1075
Caldwell, ID 83606
28 • 3rd Quarter Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association