Florida Water Resources Journal - May 2018 by Florida Water Resources Journal

Editor’s Office and Advertiser Information:

Florida Water Resources Journal 1402 Emerald Lakes Drive Clermont, FL 34711 Phone: 352-241-6006 • Fax: 352-241-6007 Email: Editorial, editor@fwrj.com Display and Classified Advertising, ads@fwrj.com

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Michael Delaney Rick Harmon Patrick Delaney Buena Vista Publishing

Published by BUENA VISTA PUBLISHING for Florida Water Resources Journal, Inc. President: Richard Anderson (FSAWWA) Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority Vice President: Lisa Prieto (FWEA) Prieto Environmental LLC Treasurer: Rim Bishop (FWPCOA) Seacoast Utility Authority Secretary: Holly Hanson (At Large) ILEX Services Inc., Orlando

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Membership Questions FSAWWA: Casey Cumiskey – 407-957-8447 or fsawwa.casey@gmail.com FWEA: Karen Wallace, Executive Manager – 407-574-3318 FWPCOA: Darin Bishop – 561-840-0340

Training Questions FSAWWA: Donna Metherall – 407-957-8443 or fsawwa.donna@gmail.com FWPCOA: Shirley Reaves – 321-383-9690

For Other Information DEP Operator Certification: Ron McCulley – 850-245-7500 FSAWWA: Peggy Guingona – 407-957-8448 Florida Water Resources Conference: 407-363-7751 FWPCOA Operators Helping Operators: John Lang – 772-559-0722, e-mail – oho@fwpcoa.org FWEA: Karen Wallace, Executive Manager – 407-574-3318

Websites Florida Water Resources Journal: www.fwrj.com FWPCOA: www.fwpcoa.org FSAWWA: www.fsawwa.org FWEA: www.fwea.org and www.fweauc.org Florida Water Resources Conference: www.fwrc.org Throughout this issue trademark names are used. Rather than place a trademark symbol in every occurrence of a trademarked name, we state we are using the names only in an editorial fashion, and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark. None of the material in this publication necessarily reflects the opinions of the sponsoring organizations. All correspondence received is the property of the Florida Water Resources Journal and is subject to editing. Names are withheld in published letters only for extraordinary reasons. Authors agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Florida Water Resources Journal Inc. (FWRJ), its officers, affiliates, directors, advisors, members, representatives, and agents from any and all losses, expenses, third-party claims, liability, damages and costs (including, but not limited to, attorneys’ fees) arising from authors’ infringement of any intellectual property, copyright or trademark, or other right of any person, as applicable under the laws of the State of Florida.

News and Features 4 Increasing Stormwater Utility Revenues Without Increasing Rates: A Win-Win Proposition— Hal Clarkson 18 Effective Ways to Motivate Employees—Myron Curry 22 Utilities Lag Other Industries in Digital Experiences by Customers 32 Value of Water Campaign Announces 6th Annual National Infrastructure Week 41 Today’s Businesses and Organizations Need “Gladiator” Leaders—Greg Smith 42 WEF HQ Newsletter 44 Applications Open for “Utility of the Future Today” Recognition Program 46 News Beat

Technical Articles 8 The Maintenance of Change: Developing Electronic Tools for a Dynamic Sustainable Asset Management System—Matthew Paymer 24 Human Capital Improvement Program: Sanford’s Vertical Training Program—William Marcous and Jim Peters 38 State-of-the-Art Tools and Techniques for Multidisciplinary Condition Assessments—Tyler Smith Semago, Larry Elliott, Marti Martin, and Seung Park

Education and Training 9 12 13 14 15 19 21 23 27

FWPCOA Training Calendar FSAWWA Fall Conference Overview FSAWWA Fall Conference Call for Papers FSAWWA Fall Conference Exhibits FSAWWA Fall Conference Sponsorships FSAWWA ACE18 Luncheon FWPCOA Spring Short School CEU Challenge FSAWWA Roy W. Likins Scholarship

Columns C Factor—Mike Darrow Test Yourself—Donna Kaluzniak FSAWWA Speaking Out—Bill Young Let’s Talk Safety: Hurricane Preparedness for Water and Wastewater Utilities 34 FWRJ Reader Profile—Albert Bock 35 FWEA Focus—Tim Harley 36 FWRJ Committee Profile: FWEA Public Communications and Outreach Committee—Chuck Olson 16 20 28 30

Departments 43 New Products 47 Service Directories 50 Classifieds

Volume 69

ON THE COVER: St. Johns County Utility Department’s twin-packed tower draft degasifiers at its reverse osmosis drinking water facility. (photo: St Johns County Utility Department)

May 2018

Number 5

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 the Florida Water Environment Association. Members of all three associations receive the publication as a service of their association; $6 of membership dues support the 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

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2018

Increasing Stormwater Utility Revenues Without Increasing Rates: A Win-Win Proposition Hal Clarkson Municipalities across the United States measure their impervious surface area to determine the stormwater runoff generated from each residence or business parcel and often support their stormwater utilities by assessing an impervious surface area fee. An impervious surface is any material, natural or manmade, that prevents the infiltration of surface water to the underlying strata. For years, impervious surface area has been collected using a manual digitization method throughout the municipality, applying a standard rate to residential parcels, and charging nonresidential parcel owners based on an average residential parcel impervious area. More recently, technology has emerged that allows municipalities to more accurately assess impervious surface and charge fees specific to each parcel, without raising that standard applied rate. These more-accurate assessments ensure that residents and businesses are charged appropriately and that all impervious surface area is measured, which yields greater revenues for municipalities.

Manual Digitation Method The manual digitization of impervious surface area uses a statistically valid, random

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

number of residential parcels and develops an equivalent residential unit (ERU) based on the average impervious surface area of residential parcels. The same-rate structure is applied for residential parcels and to nonresidential ERUs. Manual digitization, as the name implies, is labor-intensive, and therefore, expensive. It allows for human error, making the data collected subject to debate and the results inconsistent and unreliable. Florida, like other states across the U.S., has multiple municipalities that have relied on collecting impervious surface data via manual digitization. Florida is consistently among the fastest growing states, reportedly expanding at a rate of 1 percent per year—that’s the equivalent of adding a city the size of Jacksonville every five years. Jacksonville has about 850,000 residents, and is the largest city in area in the continental U.S. On its 2016 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave Florida an overall grade of “C” and a stormwater grade of “D.” The ASCE noted that monthly stormwater utility rate averages in Florida were $5.68, which, according to the organization, “is slightly less than the cost of a Big Mac meal at McDonald’s.” At the same time, the Florida Stormwater Association’s 2016 Stormwater Utility Report found that the state’s capital improvement needs for stormwater management are esti-

mated to be $1.1 billion through 2019. This illustrates that utility fees were not keeping up with demand, and only the most urgent needs were being met. The state’s stormwater utilities utilized a user fee of 71 percent of the time, and 70 percent of those utilities fees were based on percent impervious surface: 12 percent were based on gross area and impervious surface, 4 percent were based on gross area with intensity of development, and 14 percent other. The average-size ERU was listed at 2,842 sq ft, and the fee was standardized to $2.78 per each 1,000 sq ft per month. To evaluate this more specifically, consider a community the size of West Palm Beach. The impervious surface area was calculated via manual digitization to be roughly 11.6 sq mi, or 323 mil sq ft. If the impervious surface delineation error was only 5 percent, which is at the lower end of manual digitization error most often seen, that would equal 7,439 ERUs, or about $153,000 per month in lost revenue.

Feature Extraction Method Fortunately, there is technology available to appropriately assess impervious surface area and accurately support stormwater needs. By employing a semi-automated feature extraction method to digital ortho-imagery and lidar (light detection and ranging), municipalities can determine the exact impervious surface area to support a fair and consistent stormwater fee structure. This feature extraction method employs the precision of four-band, near-infrared imagery, with 6in. or higher resolution, and lidar at 1 meter or denser point spacing. Technicians then fuse available data, perform segmentation, conduct analyses, extract features, and refine and prepare that data for delivery. The benefits of this method directly address the challenges of the manual digitation method, such as: S The accuracy of the data makes assessments fair and defensible. S The results significantly reduce the human error associated with manual digitization and provide reproducible results, which support consistency and accountability. Continued on page 6

Continued from page 4 S For large numbers of parcels, this method provides a streamlined and cost-effective process. S By using analyses from multiple data sources, this method provides a redundancy of data and further supports that accuracy. This allows assessors to determine exactly how much impervious surface each resident or business has, and to charge fees appropriate to that site’s potential stormwater runoff. There have been additional uses found for impervious surface data generated via feature extraction, as well, which include change detection and the delineation of multiple sur-

faces, such as asphalt, paving, concrete, roof tops, etc.

Returns on Investment Municipalities across the country have analyzed this updated method of impervious surface area collection to determine whether it’s financially beneficial. The city of Springfield, Ohio, has a population of about 60,000 people and a service area of roughly 30 sq mi. The city has analyzed residential and nonresidential parcels, with residential parcels on a tiered system. With the previous method of manually digitizing impervious surface data, the city calculated 141,930,800 sq ft of impervious

surface data, 78,473 equivalent service units, and a monthly revenue of $100,537. By using the feature extraction method, the city found it had 162,659,093 sq ft of impervious surface area and 85,697 equivalent service units, which generated a monthly revenue of $112,094. This more-accurate assessment was an adjustment of 11 percent, and meant $11,557 more each month for the city. In Indianapolis, the percentage difference was smaller, but the money reaped was greater due to the size of the city. Indiana’s capital has close to 850,000 residents across 400 sq mi, and performed an analysis of nonresidential parcels. The previous manually digitized calculation yielded 1,446,468,367 sq ft of impervious surface area, with 1,470,935 base billing units and a monthly revenue of $1,618,028. The feature extraction method ascertained that there were 1,517,728,074 ft of impervious surface area in the city, with 1,525,640 base billing units, which would generate $1,678,204 monthly. This was a difference of 4 percent, and produced an additional $60,175 for the city each month. Indianapolis invested $235,000 to employ this updated feature extraction method and earned $722,100 annually. This yielded a net revenue of $487,100 the first year and $722,100 in each additional year.

Conclusion

This color infrared image taken of Columbus, Ohio, illustrates digital ortho-imagery collected to determine accurate impervious surface area during the feature extraction method. (photo: Woolpert)

Comparing the feature extraction method of collecting impervious surface data to its manual digitization predecessor is a classic example of how technologies are evolving to improve and refine processes and applications. Stormwater utilities are becoming more crucial to increasingly built-up environments, and budget-strapped municipalities can use all the help they can get to fund needed programs. Ensuring that residents and businesses are charged impervious surface area fees accurately, without needing to raise their rates, while also increasing the revenue yielded from these assessments, is a win-win for the municipality and the constituent. Hal Clarkson, P.E., is a certified floodplain manager and program director for Woolpert in Columbia, S.C. S

Lidar, or “light detection and ranging,” is a powerful tool in the semi-automated feature extraction method of collecting precise impervious surface area data. The data were collected in Columbus, Ohio. (photo: Woolpert)

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

F W R J

The Maintenance of Change: Developing Electronic Tools for a Dynamic Sustainable Asset Management System Matthew Paymer any utilities today are beginning to understand the need for a robust computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) to more effectively manage their assets. Many of these utilities are instituting asset management systems in environments where no existing systems are in place. For those utilities, developing an effective asset management plan becomes two-fold: step one is to capture a snapshot of all the existing assets the utility currently owns, while step two is to ensure that the assets in the system remain updated as the utility changes and grows. Holtz Consulting Engineers Inc. (HCE) was tasked to prepare an inventory of approximately 35,000 existing assets for Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department (PBCWUD) and a vast network of infrastructure to be added to its asset inventory software, Maximo. The PBCWUD has a network consisting of five water treatment plants, three wastewater treatment plants, several water and wastewater repump stations, rechlorination facilities, and approximately 1,000 wastewater pump stations. In addition to physically capturing the data, the scope of work included establishing the definitions of what would constitute an asset, establishing the data types for data collected on each of the assets, and what specific attributes would be collected for each asset. To better manage such large-scale quantities of data, a variety of electronic tools were created that would allow users to collect existing data in a user-friendly format for upload to Maximo, in addition to electronic tools used by contractors during the submittal process to ensure that the existing database does not become obsolete over time.

Establishing the Data Structures and Definitions The data collected on PBCWUD’s existing assets needed to be useful and easy to manage; therefore, it was important that the data were given rigid definitions and structure. To ensure that that the data would be of value, a few key factors of an asset were considered:

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

S What defines an asset? S How should the assets be structurally organized? S What types are attributes are important for that asset or family of assets?

Matthew Paymer, EI, is an associate engineer with Holtz Consulting Engineers Inc. in Jupiter.

Definition of an Asset Several meetings were held to establish the functional definitions of what would constitute an asset. These definitions are functionally useful for the purposes of PBCWUD, but can be very utility-specific. It was decided that an asset would be defined as follows: 1. Items that costs $1,000 or more. 2. Items that requires routine maintenance or calibration. 3. Items that are difficult to replace due to either long lead times or that require operational shutdown.

Selection of Asset Attributes In addition to capturing the assets themselves for input into Maximo, it was equally important that data specific to those assets were captured. This kind of asset-specific data is known as “attributes” and it was important that these attributes were tied to one specific asset via a unique asset identifier and that types of attributes could vary widely from asset to asset. Attributes could be similar across asset types, such as manufacturer data, model numbers, or serial numbers, or could be very specific, such as size, frame, and horsepower for a motor.

These definition criteria exclude spare parts or consumables that dramatically decreased the amount of data needed to be stored and managed and that wouldn’t provide much useful information for capital improvements, analysis of day-to-day operations and maintenance, or procurement operations.

Data Collection

Asset Hierarchical Structures Database structure can vary widely and is ultimately dictated by the purpose of the data collection. For PBCWUD’s existing utility networks it was decided that data would be organized via two primary hierarchies: geographically and operationally. Using a two-system approach to database structure hierarchies ensured that data could be easily queried by a variety of different users searching for a variety of very different types of assets. For example, a wastewater plant manager may be interested in locating all assets associated with the replacement of a returned activated sludge transfer pump, while a lift station zone supervisor may be more interested in locating every pump that was ever installed at a specific lift station to see if force main pressures at that location have been causing pump lifetimes to decrease.

Once a utility has invested in a CMMS and has established the data model of its database management system that establishes the structural hierarchy of how the data is to be stored, managed, and manipulated within the database framework, the next step is to collect the raw data that will be added to the system. This step can often be the most challenging for large-scale utilities that have amassed massive quantities of assets prior to the implementation of any centralized data management system. It’s common for these utilities to have very few records of what assets they currently own, and frequently the records they do have are in data formats that are incompatible with each other, or are simply too inconvenient to be useful. For instance, old record drawings may be only available in paper format and are incomplete, missing, or faded over time; existing operation and maintenance manuals that were issued at the end of construction may not have been updated to reflect changes to the system; or larger utilities may have acquired assets from smaller or private systems without proper documentation. Continued on page 10

FWPCOA TRAINING CALENDAR SCHEDULE YOUR CLASS TODAY! May 7-9 14-17 14-18 21-25 21-25 25

....Backflow Repair ..............................................Deltona ..............$275/305 ....Backflow Tester* ..............................................St. Petersburg......$375/405 ....Reclaimed Water Field Site Inspector ..........Osteen................$350/380 ....Water Distribution Level 2..............................Osteen................$225/255 ....Reclaimed Water Distribution B ....................Osteen................$225/255 ....Backflow Tester Recert*** – 1:00 pm ..............Osteen................$85/115

June 4-7 4-8 4-8 4-8 4-8 4-8 11-14 11-15 11-15 11-15 18-22 29

....Backflow Tester ................................................Lake City ............$375/405 ....Water Distribution Level 3, 2, 1 ....................St. Petersburg......$225/255 ....Wastewater Collection A ................................St. Petersburg......$225/255 ....Stormwater A ..................................................St. Petersburg......$225/255 ....Reclaimed Water Distribution C, B, A ..........St. Petersburg......$225/255 ....Water Treatment Plant Operator ..................St. Petersburg......$225/255 ....Backflow Tester ................................................Osteen................$375/405 ....Wastewater Collection C, B ............................St. Petersburg......$225/255 ....Utilities Maintenance Level 3, 2 ....................St. Petersburg......$225/255 ....Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator ......St. Petersburg......$225/255 ....Wastewater Collection B ..............................Osteen................$225/255 ....Backflow Tester Recert*** ..............................Osteen................ $85/115

July 9-11 9-13 16-19 16-19 23-26

....BackflowRepair* ..............................................St Petersburg ......$275/305 ....Reclaimed Water Field Site Inspector ..........Osteen................$350/380 ....Water Distribution Level 3 ............................Osteen................$225/255 ....Reclaimed Water Distribution C ....................Osteen................$225/255 ....Backflow Repair ..............................................Osteen................$275/305

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 training@fwpcoa.org. * Backflow recertification is also available the last day of Backflow Tester or Backflow Repair Classes with the exception of Deltona ** Evening classes

You are required to have your own calculator at state short schools and most other courses.

*** any retest given also Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2018

Continued from page 8

Figure 1. Microsoft Access Walkdown Collection Tool

Figure 2. Modified Walkdown Tool for Lift Stations

Figure 3. Blank Equipment Data Sheet User Form to be Completed by the Contractor

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Developing the “Walkdown” Tool At the onset of the project, multiple teams of two (one engineer and one utility staff person) were deployed to “walkdown” each of the facilities, manually fill out asset data on paper, and then transfer that data to an Excel spreadsheet. The data were then sent to PBCWUD where they would need to be modified to fit the data structure that could be uploaded to Maximo. This process was inefficient and each time the data were transferred provided another opportunity to introduce transcription errors. It was quickly recognized that without a new method of data collection, accurately collecting data on the existing assets in the PBCWUD system simply could not be achieved within a reasonable amount of time and effort. To streamline the data collection process, an electronic walkdown tool was developed, designed on a Microsoft Access platform, and loaded on Microsoft Surface tablets (Figure 1). This tool was designed as middleware that would allow a user to collect field data in a user-friendly format and then automatically “translate” that data into the data structure required for upload to Maximo. Data collected for each asset includes system, location, asset tag, asset identification number, and various other data fields, depending on the type of asset. A pump’s data field may include flow and head conditions, while a motor’s data field may include horsepower and speed. Asset function was also categorized as either water, wastewater, or reclaimed water. Finally, the status of the asset was listed as active, inactive, or missing. The data added into the tool automatically took a Maximo-ready form, meaning that data could be collected in the field, checked for quality assurance, and sent back to PBCWUD quickly and accurately with minimal human error. Modifying the Walkdown Tool One of the advantages of using an electronic data collection sheet is that it can be easily tailored to meet different collection types. Data collection at a water or wastewater treatment plant consists of a large variety of assets all located in one centralized area, whereas data collection for wastewater collection lift stations are opposite, with a small subset of asset types all spread out over a large geospatial area. Lift stations typically contain similar types of assets; therefore, a new tool was developed specific to lift stations that could highlight a smaller number of asset types in a much greater level of detail (Figure 2).

Data Maintenance: Electronic Equipment Data Sheets Asset management systems that dynamically change in tandem with the utility as it grows are considered to be “sustainable,” and developing asset management systems that are sustainable are critical to the success of that utility’s organizational objectives, particularly for large-scale utilities with rapid growth. One of the biggest challenges to achieving a sustainable asset management system is how the utility will communicate with external influences that are relevant to the assets or asset management system, such as outside contractors, especially if existing procedures were not designed with CMMS in mind. New tools must consider how and when information is to be collected and analyzed, the type and quality of the data, and what specific unique attributes are required to fully describe the asset. Most importantly, the tools must be familiar, simple to use, and widely available. One of the most common external influences to an asset management system is outside contractors; therefore, HCE’s first approach to ensure that Maximo will remain sustainable was to develop an electronic equipment data sheet. This data sheet will be used by contractors performing work for PBCWUD to record new asset data and will be submitted by the contractor at the substantial completion phase of the project. This process will facilitate the transfer of new asset data into the existing asset inventory system. The software used to develop the new electronic equipment data sheets needed to be familiar, easy to use, and widely available; for these reasons, Microsoft Excel was chosen as the platform for the initial design. The Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) was used to develop “user forms” that allow the contractor to input data on the assets to be added to the PBCWUD system. These data fields defined the assets identity (description, manufacturer, model, and serial number), product history (purchase price and warranty dates), and location (physical location and within the record drawing), as shown in Figure 3. In addition, a dynamic reference table was created so that the contractor can easily locate attributes on the asset that were specific to the asset type and important to PBCWUD. Attributes for a pump may include horsepower, impeller size, amperage draw, total dynamic head, and design flow rate (Figure 4). As the contractor completes the electronic equipment data sheet, the information is sent to two separate locations: a viewable and editable table within the userform, and a hidden table elsewhere in the spreadsheet. By sending the

Figure 4. Dynamic Reference Table for Asset Attribute Specification

Figure 5. User-Friendly Interface to View and Edit Asset Data Within the User Form

data to two locations, the contractor can view and edit the assets in a user-friendly interface, while simultaneously, the assets are developing in a Maximo-ready format (Figure 5). This process greatly reduces the time and effort that would otherwise require PBCWUD to use a combination of record drawings and equipment submittal logs to compile information from the project, manually convert the data into a useful form, and upload it to Maximo. Large-scale utilities are constantly updating assets; therefore, the chances that information is missed or wrongly recorded using traditional data collection techniques is magnified greatly and could eventually diminish the usefulness and accuracy of the asset management system.

Summary It is well known in the world of water and wastewater utilities that, to reliably provide water and sewer services, it’s imperative to have the right tools; building a successful CMMS program is no different. Electronic tools that aid in the large-scale collection of existing assets and tools that create the bridgework between internal asset management systems and external influences are the first step of many to ensure the sustainability and viability of an effective asset management system. S

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2018

C FACTOR

A Guide to Successful Operations Mike Darrow President, FWPCOA

ater and wastewater operators, mechanics, and technicians are all being challenged now more than ever before. New technology, limited staffing, aging infrastructure, higher customer expectations, and more regulations and reporting are keeping us busy every day of every month of every year. And then, when you add on the internal and external demands for your time, including research, writ-

ing and reviewing documents and reports, and staffing and management issues, it’s a wonder that anything gets done. We must, however, maintain our focus on the daily operations of our facilities, and this is where, as I say, “the rubber meets the road.” I’ve put together some of my own thoughts on water and wastewater utility operations that hopefully can be of use to you at your workplace. Some of this is very basic, but it should not be overlooked and is worth noting.

A Guide to Successful Operations S Know your equipment S Know your team S Know your permits

S S S S

Know your numbers Know your customers Know your limitations Know your goals

Equipment At each of your facilities, you should understand the path of every process, using a flow diagram or display chart. You should know each piece of equipment and its components; know how to monitor and adjust for your operation parameter control points; know your equipment by make, model, size, capacity, flow, depth, dimensions, and horsepower; and know where the operation and maintenance manual is for each unit. All staff members should know how to bypass certain components for that time when the system goes down (and we all know it will go down!), and know which team members are the specialists for which components—and then learn all that you can from them. This will help you understand, in depth, each component of the process when you and your staff are troubleshooting. Monitor your instrumentation trends and sampling results daily for your facility. Do this for each component of treatment, and see what your removal rate is (and if you can tweak it for more efficiency). Monitor chemical usage and power consumption for your plant and treatment components; understand how these relate to each line item in your budget so you can submit changes in your strategic planning for forecasted increases or decreases. This will help you move forward to have the funding when it’s needed. Team We are all slightly different in our thought processes and how we do things. This diversity helps us see the “bigger picture” of our facilities and can lead to great ideas and innovations. The size of your operation will also determine the tasks and roles for your team members, and they all have an important role to play in the running of your facilities. Like spokes in the wheel, each is as important as the other and strengthens the overall team. Operators, mechanics, instrument and control technicians, laboratory and compliance technicians—and even management—all must work together, as a whole and individually, in their daily tasks. It’s important that they all work together to address issues in a team approach for true solutions. Treatment operators are tasked with monitoring the components used for drinking water treatment and the proper removal of contami-

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

nants from wastewater; the decisions they make to adjust any processes are directly related to compliance, and they’re also tasked with periodic reporting to ensure that compliance. They may have different roles in the processes that complete the picture of a streamlined and compliant practice, but all are equally important to ensure product purity and protect public health. Permits One good thing to do is review your facility operating permit periodically, which really helps you understand the requirements of the facility. The operations compliance is spelled out in documents from the state regulatory agency; use this and the regulations from the Florida Administrative Code to fine-tune your operations and meet all your compliance requirements. Use these requirements daily as operational guidelines when needed. Numbers After reviewing your permits and the regulations behind them, know your plant’s numbers; what I mean is your flows and your compliance numbers, like 5-5-3-1 nutrient levels on the wastewater side, or your total organic carbon, trihalomethanes, or haloacetic acids numbers on the water side. This will go a long way when trouble happens or you have to talk with others about your process. Take some time to review all the sampling and reporting data on your discharge monitoring reports or monthly operating reports. Know them and you’re a step ahead. Customers We all provide a service and a product in our daily work. We must serve our customers to protect public health and the general welfare of our community. Have a dialogue with your customers about how they think you’re doing with the service they’re provided, then use the feedback as ways to adjust you methods. Use the media (including social media) to inform your customers about a facility project or repair; an educated customer will be happier and more satisfied with your service, as well as provide positive feedback. As an example, the annual consumer confidence report is required by the Safe Drinking Water Act; use it to your advantage to tell your customers how you’re doing. Our industry is always improving, and we need better marketing and outreach to the public about our services and what has to be done to meet there daily needs. Limitations Now, we cannot be expected to know everything out there. Today’s staff can be lean, and outside help is good to have. This is done

by hiring a contractor, supplier, or consultant to help you solve an issue. You never know the day when the next big problem will show up; many times in my career we have needed to call in more crew and equipment to repair large pipework or complete a project. We are all responsible to keep water flowing at all times. Keep the phone numbers of these helpers handy for after-hour repairs. Keep an inventory of the parts needed for your equipment and know all of your suppliers’ emergency contact information in case you have to track down replacement parts. Emergency response plans should be reviewed, revised, and practiced before each storm season—like right now, in May. Also, these response plans should be made available for staff to use in the moment, along with your standard operating procedures and operation and maintenance manuals. Your team members will also need training for improvements on new technology and knowledge upgrades to keep them sharp and

help them advance in their careers. The FWPCOA can help you in this task; check out our website at www.fwpcoa.org for details. You can also take online training as well there, too! Goals Every facility must have goals or standards to operate by every day. Some common themes are public health and welfare, regulatory compliance, customer service, awards and recognitions, finances, and budgeting, as well as team member training and enhancement. Choose the ones that will benefit you and your facility and use them as guidelines to benchmark your operations. Performance measures can also be used to quantify effectiveness and efficiency. I hope you can use some of this in the operation your facility. May your operations continue to serve your community by delivering clean water, collecting and treating waste streams, and collecting and removing stormwater. Good luck—and go with the flow! S

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2018

Effective Ways to Motivate Employees Myron Curry

What's the Drive? What is it that drives employee motivation? More specifically, what is it that causes an employee to want to do his or her job well? After all, the answers to these important questions are the key to the motivation of employees and employer happiness. And, even more important than knowing what it is that motivates an employee is whether or not this motivation is something that will cause an employee to go through the motions of doing the job, or instill actual desire for a job well done in the employee's mind. The answers to these questions—and more—are what should always be on every employer's mind if they are to create an effective, productive workforce. A lack of motivation is a true killer of productivity, as anyone certainly knows.

Show Me the Money or Not Popularized by the movie, Jerry Maguire, starring Tom Cruise and Renee Zellweger, “Show me the money” has been a commonly used phrase in society. And, often, this is the basis for what most people think is at the top of the list for employee motivation. But, is it? Naturally, higher pay is never frowned upon. There is not a person in the world that couldn't use more money. Between bills, children, higher education, and personal desires, among many other reasons, money is a factor that can never be ignored. It is a need that we must all have filled. Many companies use money as incentive for motivation. Is this wrong? Not necessarily. Pay raises and bonuses are always something that a person can use, and these are things that will certainly never be turned down. Cash is a motivator that will always be popular, and, if possible, money is always a good choice to use for employee motivation, because who doesn't like money? But, money should not be the only tool used from the toolbox of motivation. There are many other choices for increasing motivation. In fact, many employees who claim money is the only thing that will drive their motivation higher do so because there is a lack of any other form of compensation. This frame of mind adheres to the comment so often heard, “Well, they better pay me more money or give me a bonus because I'm sure not getting anything else out of working here.” In other words, there surely isn't anything else the employee is receiving that even remotely resembles compensation to increase motivation.

Something Else to Increase Motivation Employee contribution is something that can also increase employee motivation. If an employee is regularly able to contribute thoughts, ideas,

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

and suggestions to problems at hand or regular work activities, there is a feeling of accomplishment, which goes a long way. It makes an employee feel as though he or she is important and, hence, their motivation is elevated. Recognition is another form of motivation. If all an employee hears about is the things he or she does wrong, the opposite effect of motivation will occur. Of course, an employee is going to do things wrong, at times, but, they will inevitably do things right, as well. Let them know when this happens—always. If an employee feels he or she has the respect of his or her peers and colleagues, this is another motivation booster. Stifle negative comments in the workplace. Do not allow employees to talk down to one another and/or drag each other through the mud. Likewise, make sure you don't do the same when other employees are able to see it happen to a fellow coworker. That's bad for morale and only downplays motivation. Keeping an employee in the loop is something else that is important to motivation. When an employee feels he or she is not up to date with what is occurring in the company or department, that is a message to the employee that says, “You are not important.” That's not the kind of message that increases motivation. Keep information flowing to all employees; let them know what the company is doing and the direction it is taking.

More Tips Other ways to help your employees stay motivated include: S Stay flexible. Make an absolute effort to ensure your employees are not tied up in red tape. If an employee is not able to solve problems with a degree of flexibility because there are too many company rules hampering common-sense progress, the employee feels nothing but frustration. Motivation is not built on frustration. S Constant check-in with higher-ups when working on a project undermines employees’ confidence and willingness to think for themselves. It also deteriorates motivation. S Make sure plenty of sufficient resources are available for an employee's use. Motivation cannot thrive if an employee is constantly faced with having inadequate resources to do the job. S Create a fun and stimulating workplace. Let everyone address each other on a first-name basis or have a more casual dress code. Encourage employees to create a work environment that is as comfortable as possible and not so office-like by bringing in personal things, such as pictures and plants, for example (and maybe even dogs and cell phones). This will promote creativity and, in the long run, increase motivation.

S Communicate with your employees. Find out what interests them and what doesn't. Speaking with employees frequently shows that you care about them in more ways than simply wanting them to keep up with productivity. This will increase an employee's motivation as well.

Points to Remember S S S S S S S S S

Keep these points in mind and motivation will have a chance to soar: Employee contribution is important. Recognition from an employer is a must. Always respect peers and colleagues. Keep your employees informed. Stay flexible and make sure that employees can avoid as much red tape as possible. Constant check-in with higher-ups only leads to micromanaging and lack of motivation. Make sure employees have sufficient resources available to do their job. Create a fun and stimulating work environment. Make sure you communicate.

Keeping these methods of compensation in mind is what it takes to understand what drives your employees to want to do a better job. They must want to do a better job or the work they do will never be as excellent as it could be. If you are ever in doubt as to what it is that drives your employees, simply ask them, either in a group meeting or one-on-one. In fact, asking an employee what it is that motivates him or her is a good idea right from the start. Then, you can always be sure of what to provide.

All in all, make sure that money isn't the only thing you can offer an employee to increase his or her motivation. If it is, then as soon as the money is better somewhere else, your employee's motivation will definitely increase working for the other company. Myron Curry is the president of Business Training Media, a leading provider of motivational training videos for improving management and employee productivity. S

Florida Water Resources Journal â&#x20AC;˘ May 2018

Test Yourself

What Do You Know About Whole Effluent Toxicity Testing? Donna Kaluzniak

4. Per FAC 62-620, except as otherwise provided in the rule, facilities required to do WET testing must conduct what type of tests? a. Acute definitive tests with 60 percent effluent and five dilutions b. Acute flow-through tests with 100 percent effluent c. Chronic definitive tests with 100 percent effluent and five dilutions d. Chronic flow through tests with 50 percent effluent

1. Per EPA’s website page, Whole Effluent Toxicity Methods, what is whole effluent toxicity (WET)? a. A database of industries that discharge toxic chemicals to the wastewater treatment facility. b. A database of specific toxic chemicals found in the wastewater facility’s influent. c. A list of specific chemicals that are toxic to aquatic organisms. d. The aggregate toxic effect to aquatic organisms from all pollutants contained in a wastewater facility's effluent. 2. Per FAC 62-620, Wastewater Facilities and Activities Permitting, all major wastewater treatment facilities that discharge to surface water must conduct WET testing. Which other wastewater facilities must conduct WET testing?

5. Per FAC 62-620, what factors determine which species are used for WET testing? a. Effluent pH and carbonaceous biological oxygen demand (CBOD) values b. Effluent salinity and whether receiving waters are predominantly fresh or marine c. Hardiness of the species compared with the expected effluent toxicity d. Temperature and salinity of the plant’s receiving waters 6. Per FAC 62-620, if 100 percent mortality occurs in all effluent concentrations before the end of any test, and control mortality is less than 20 percent at that time, the test (including the control) shall be

a. All minor industrial wastewater facilities. b. Minor facilities that have or need an approved pretreatment program. c. Wastewater facilities that accept wastewater from commercial businesses. d. Wastewater facilities that have not yet had issues with effluent toxicity. 3. Per EPA’s web page, Whole Effluent Toxicity, WET test methods include two basic types. These are a. b. c. d.

acute and chronic. basic and advanced. biological and chemical. long-term and short-term.

8. Per FAC 62-620, unless otherwise noted in the facility’s permit, “routine” toxicity tests are WET tests conducted at regularly scheduled intervals how often? a. b. c. d.

Annually Every six months Every three months Monthly

9. Per FAC 62-4.241, for chronic WET, the IC25 shall not be less than what percent effluent? a. 25 percent c. 75 percent

b. 50 percent d. 100 percent

10. Per FAC 62-620, if a routine toxicity test fails, the permittee shall notify the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) within 21 days of the last day of the failed tests, and shall a. conduct two additional tests on each species that failed. b. continue WET testing on the normal schedule. c. meet with FDEP to discuss a consent order. d. submit a plan for correction of the effluent toxicity within 60 days. Answers on page 54

a. considered a false reading and retested within the next quarter. b. repeated within one week. c. retested with additional dilutions. d. terminated with the conclusion that the test fails. 7. Per EPA’s Short-Term Methods for Estimating the Chronic Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater Organisms, the toxicant concentration that would cause a given percent reduction in a nonquantal biological measurement for the test population is the

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

a. inhibition concentration (IC). b. lethal concentration (LC). c. lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC). d. safe concentration (SC).

References used for this quiz: • FAC 62-620, Wastewater Facilities and Activities Permitting • FAC 62-4.241, Whole Effluent Toxicity Limits • U.S. EPA website: www.epa.gov, Whole Effluent Toxicity and Whole Effluent Toxicity Methods • U.S. EPA manual: Short-Term Methods for Estimating the Chronic Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater Organisms Send Us Your Questions Readers are welcome to submit questions or exercises on water or wastewater treatment plant operations for publication in Test Yourself. Send your question (with the answer) or your exercise (with the solution) by email to donna@h2owriting.com.

Florida Water Resources Journal â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

Utilities Lag Other Industries in Digital Experience by Customers Every interaction customers have with their local electric, gas, and water utility reflects their overall experience. It’s critical for utility companies to provide services that delight customers at every touch point—from reviewing account information online, to making a payment on their mobile app, to resolving an issue through email. Consumer behaviors and expectations are changing, and companies must be able to provide services when and where their customers want them. Utilities that understand their digital strengths and weaknesses will be better positioned to improve customer satisfaction efficiency by deploying resources to enhance areas that will have the most impact. Currently, utilities are among the lowestperforming industry groups when it comes to delivering distinct digital customer experiences, but some pioneers have found the secret to digital success, according to the 2018 Utility Digital Experience StudySM by J.D. Power. The study provides an analysis of customer perceptions of a company’s digital presence. It explores the correlation between website and mobile app engagement and user experience. Additionally, it provides an overall digital proficiency rating assessed by J.D. Power’s strategic partner, Centric Digital. The inaugural study evaluates customer perceptions of the websites, mobile apps, and social, chat, email, and text functions of the 67 largest electric, natural gas, and water utilities in the United States. It’s the first-ever J.D. Power customer satisfaction study to incorporate biometric analyses (which tracks eye movements, facial emotions, and voice tone), video verbatim interviews, and detailed surveying to extract realworld customer perceptions. The study was conducted in collaboration with Centric Digital, a leader in measuring and navigating digital transformations. Centric Digital is contributing an expert assessment to the study, including industry benchmarking, digital experience analysis, and cross-industry insights. “Consumers have grown accustomed to re-

ceiving up-to-the-minute alerts on the status of at-home deliveries and being able to make checking account deposits with the cameras on their phones, but interacting with their utilities—whether to check usage, pay a bill, or report an outage—often seems like a step back into the dark ages of technology,” said Andrew Heath, senior director of utilities practice at J.D. Power. “Utilities know this is a problem, and many have put in place initiatives to address it. But, until now, there hasn’t been a reliable playbook for what works. By probing deeper than ever before into real-world customer interactions with their utility’s digital platform, we’ve been able to spotlight best practices.”

Key Findings The following shows some of the highlights that came from the study: S Utilities are among the lowest-performing industries in digital. When benchmarked against other consumer-facing industries, utilities deliver the worst digital experiences. According to the Centric Digital DIMENSIONSTM score, which evaluates digital proficiency, the utility industry scores 571 on a 1,000-point scale. The retail sector, by contrast, scores 771. S Standouts are emerging. Though overall utility industry performance is weak, there is a wide range of performance, with some providers achieving digital customer satisfaction scores that are in line with top performers in other industries. The highest-ranked utility in the study, Alabama Power, has a customer satisfaction score of 879, which is a significant 40 points higher than the industry average. S More information is in a streamlined format. Top-performing digital utility platforms, whether delivered via desktop or mobile, all display a great deal of information, including usage, account information, and payment information, in a streamlined format. The ability to clearly and easily view usage information is the top driver of a positive website/app experience, associated with a 43point improvement in overall customer satisfaction when delivered. S Cross-channel communication remains a challenge. One component of the overall digital experience that utility brands struggle with the most is cross-channel communication. Utilities score 345 in the Centric Digital

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

score due to major gaps in social media, email, messaging, and customer service capabilities.

Study Rankings In the U.S., Alabama Power in Birmingham ranks highest in overall satisfaction, with a score of 879, Salt River Project in Phoenix ranks second at 872, and MidAmerican Energy in Des Moines, at 870, ranks third. The industry average is 839. The 2018 study is based on evaluations from 16,341 customers of the 67 largest utilities in the U.S. To be included in the study, utilities must serve 540,000 or more customers. The study was fielded in December 2017 through January 2018.

The Benefits The study gives a utility insight about how to improve its functions and processes: S Understand how customers currently interact with the utility. S Determine how well digital touch points meet—or fail to meet—customer expectations. S Discover which companies perform highest digitally (and what they are doing right) within the utility industry and cross-industry. S Identify the websites and mobile apps that need improvement. S Improve return on investment by deploying resources to improve areas that will have the greatest impact on customer satisfaction. For more information about the study go to http://www.jdpower.com/resource/us-utilitywebsite-evaluation-study. For additional J.D. Power ratings data visit www.jdpower.com/cars and www.jdpower.com/ratings. S

Operators: Take the CEU Challenge! Members of the Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association (FWPCOA) may earn continuing education units through the CEU Challenge! Answer the questions published on this page, based on the technical articles in this month’s issue. Circle the letter of each correct answer. There is only one correct answer to each question! Answer 80 percent of the questions on any article correctly to earn 0.1 CEU for your license. Retests are available. This month’s editorial theme is Operations and Utility Management. Look above each set of questions to see if it is for water operators (DW), distribution system operators (DS), or wastewater operators (WW). Mail the completed page (or a photocopy) to: Florida Environmental Professionals Training, P.O. Box 33119, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. 334203119. Enclose $15 for each set of questions you choose to answer (make checks payable to FWPCOA). You MUST be an FWPCOA member before you can submit your answers!

Earn CEUs by answering questions from previous Journal issues! Contact FWPCOA at membership@fwpcoa.org or at 561-840-0340. Articles from past issues can be viewed on the Journal website, www.fwrj.com.

__________________________________________ 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 information:

__________________________________________ (Credit Card Number)

Human Capital Improvement Program: Sanford’s Vertical Training Plan William Marcous and Jim Peters (Article 1: CEU = 0.1 DS/DW/WW)

1. The author identifies the delivery of drinking water as a _______ - based activity. a. b. c. d.

technology science labor knowledge

2. Which of the following was not listed as one of the vertical training plan’s three basic elements? a. b. c. d.

Training requirements Onsite experience requirements Career ladder narratives Career ladder visuals

3. Training previously provided to staff a. b. c. d.

was deemed inadequate. was reduced during the Great Recession. was deemed excessive. is no longer available.

4. Nationwide, ___percent of utility workers are at or above the age of 55. a. b. c. d.

10.3 22.5 35.2 48.1

5. The utilities department has little control over employee wages because they are a. b. c. d.

dictated by union contracts. controlled by local ordinance. established citywide by city government. limited by private-sector competition.

__________________________________________ (Expiration Date)

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2018

F W R J

Human Capital Improvement Program: Sanford’s Vertical Training Plan William Marcous and Jim Peters “Succession planning is an area that always seems to need attention, but never really gets properly addressed until it’s too late.” - Scott Anaheim, Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association president, March 2017 ccording to “The Smart Grid for Water” by Hill and Symmonds, "Utilities are losing corporate knowledge at an alarming rate. Overall, the utility workforce is aging; nationwide, 22.5 percent of utility workers are at or above the age of 55.” For the water sector, however, the problem is more acute, with 70 percent of states (32 of 46 reporting) indicating that the percentage of water employees at or above the age of 55 is greater than the national utility average. In addition, the overall distribution of utility workers is significantly skewed as compared to the workforce in general, with a larger proportion of the industry moving into retirement age. This represents a significant challenge for utilities: how to retain and store a generation's worth of knowledge about their systems so that it remains available and easily accessible. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the operation of water systems is a knowledge-based industry that necessitates significant training and experience to be effective. As noted in a recent C.D. Howard report on ensuring public safety:

The first step is to recognize that providing safe drinking water is a knowledge-based activity. This activity cannot be downloaded to the same level of municipal priority as garbage collection and snow removal. Those assigned to provide drinking water must be afforded the training, intellectual support, and compensation that is commensurate with taking responsibility through their actions or inactions for the health of an entire community. Ensuring that operations staff members "know their systems" is a critical facet of the provision of safe drinking water. The City of Sanford (city) has done an excellent job of maintaining and expanding its water, wastewater, and water reuse infrastructure through a sound capital program. Now, however, it’s confronted with the new reality facing many Florida utilities and others nationally—that of a human

kind. The city is gradually losing long-time employees as they reach retirement age and take valuable job skills with them. Moreover, with an improving Florida economy, there is an increasing demand for skilled workers, and often, higher pay is the enticement to leave city employment. Outside competition for skilled employees resulted in the Sanford Water and Sewer Utilities Dept. (utility) being stunned by the sudden departure of a majority of its billing staff. The utility scrambled and was fortunate to rehire a retired employee and a consultant to temporarily fill this important staffing gap. More recently, a lead wastewater plant operator was critically injured in an automobile accident; he was out for a number of months, which created a knowledge gap at one of the utility’s two wastewater treatment plants. Being a part of city government, the utility has little control over employee wages. The salary scales are set for employees citywide, which has, at times, resulted in utility employees leaving for higher-paying jobs at other utilities or in the private sector. With this limitation in mind, the utility’s management decided to develop a training program to help reduce this loss of skilled staff. The concept of a vertical training plan (plan) was conceived and developed into a formal program for all department staff. This human capital improvement plan (CIP) is intended to be a winwin for the department and employees by training staff to move into higher-level positions when these become available. The vision is that there will be clearly defined and easily visualized paths for advancement within the department. Existing staff will see how they can advance if they “stay the course” and continue to learn and hone their skills within the utility. The plan will help them because it will provide recommended training needed for advancement—and along with advancement, will come higher pay. The utility wishes to enhance its long-term relationship with its employees by providing the plan.

Interactive Process With Employees: Other Utilities Studied Utility management wanted an interactive process with employees to develop its plan concept into something formal and workable. The belief was that the plan would be of higher quality if it were developed with direct employee

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

William Marcous is utility support services manager with City of Sanford, and Jim Peters, P.E., MBA, is a semiretired consultant and owner of JAKAP Consulting LLC in Sanford.

input, and later, would have greater and more rapid acceptance among the employees. Management especially wanted to capture knowledge and input from four very senior management staff members who would be retiring in early 2016. The combined experience of these four was well over 100 years and a consultant was selected who already knew many of the utility employees through previous work. The consultant’s scope of work and schedule were developed with the concept of direct employee involvement in mind. Development of the plan was initiated in early 2016 and completed by the end of September of that year. It consists of three basic elements: career ladder visuals, career ladder narratives, and training requirements. The consultant interviewed a cross section of utility employees during two rounds of interviews. Questions about the type of work they do, the offsite and on-the-job training needed to adequately perform their jobs, and licensing requirements were posed. They were encouraged to provide input about the training they need but is not currently provided, or training that was previously provided but was eliminated during the Great Recession. The consultant reviewed every job description and captured the most essential requirements of them. The utility was interested in how other Florida utilities approach training and the impending retirement of senior staff. The consultant had prior knowledge of one of these (JEA in Jacksonville), obtained information from the City of Tavares, and reviewed a training plan developed by the City of Tallahassee. From this review, it appears the plan developed for the city is unique, given it broad application for all department employees.

Career Ladder Visuals After several rounds of employee interviews throughout the utility, reviewing every job

description, and gaining an understanding of the current training situation at the utility, the consultant developed career ladder visuals for review by management and staff. Four of these visuals were prepared, one for each general work area of the utility. The four visuals included: S Utility Support Services (Figure 1) S Plant Operations (water and wastewater treatment plants) S Utility Field Operations (water distribution and wastewater collection) S Maintenance (mechanical and electrical maintenance and lift station operations) These ladders are visuals that clearly show the career paths available to employees who desire to move up within the organization. For the first time, employees will have visuals to guide them to higher-level positions; they no longer have to study job descriptions and salary schedules and learn from other employees to identify potential next steps for their careers. An unanticipated positive consequence of creating the career path visuals was that it became apparent that these could be used as a tool to attract new employees to the utility. Anyone interested in joining the department could readily see what potentials lay ahead for future promotions and answer the inevitable question from candidates: “How do I move up?”

Career Ladder Narratives In addition to the career ladder visuals, the consultant prepared career ladder narratives that provided additional details. These were based on requirements of the job descriptions of every position. An example for the four administrative positions is shown in Figure 2. The concept behind the career ladder narratives is to provide a summary of the key requirements contained in the job descriptions so an employee (or outsider) can easily see the requirements to move up to the next position. For example, to move from an administrative specialist II to and administrative specialist III requires additional experience, as well as training in office systems technology and software. The job description for this particular step up also requires Incident Command System training, but in actual practice, this training is required of all new employees within six months of a hire. The interactive process of developing the plan uncovered a number of discrepancies in the job descriptions. This was viewed as an additional benefit of developing the plan because it resulted in very helpful visuals from both micro and macro perspectives so discrepancies could be seen and eventually corrected.

Figure 1. Utility Support Services

Training Courses Identified The third basic element of the plan is that of training courses. Based on employee interviews, state licensing requirements, job descriptions, valuable input from senior employees, and the more than 40 years of utility management experience of the consultant, courses were researched and recommended for each position and each step within the career ladders. The consultant researched numerous private providers of these courses, but it was ultimately decided to utilize course providers already familiar to the utility, such as Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association (FWPCOA), University of Florida/Training, Research, and Education for Environmental Occupations (TREEO), Fred Pryor Seminars, Mitchell Training, etc. Both online and classroom training were identified because it was felt that, while online training is less expensive, there is value in classroom training because of the networking value to employees. Classroom training was identified within Florida, and in most cases, provided locally (there was, of course, disappointment voiced when no courses were proposed in Las Vegas!). The consultant proposed a limited number of courses for each position because he realized the limits of both training budget and training time. The courses were reviewed by utility management, and later by a focus group, to assure the most value for the time and money spent. Spreadsheets were developed that identi-

fied these courses, and they were clearly linked to the career ladder narratives. The combination of the career ladder visuals, career ladder narratives, and career training courses makes it very clear to employees the training that was expected of them to prepare to fill future vacancies. A complete spreadsheet containing both the career ladder narratives and career ladder training is not included here due to its size, but an example is provided as follows: For an administrative specialist I to prepare to move up to an administrative specialist II calls for the following training: S City of Sanford Class: Records Management S FWPCOA Class: Utility Customer Relations, Level 1 S Mitchell Training: Phone Skills and Communications S Fred Pryor Seminars: The Outstanding Receptionist: Managing Emotions Under Pressure S Asset Management Software Provider: CityWorks Training In a like manner, training courses were identified for every position within the utility. This makes it easy for an employee currently in a particular position to understand the training needed for the next step up on the career ladder. Training is specifically spelled out and closely connected to the career ladder visuals and career ladder narratives. It’s emphasized that this training does not substitute for on-the-job training, which was found throughout the utility.

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2018

During interviews and later during roll-out of the plan, the need for training was emphasized and will continue. It’s noted that the courses selected were of a traditionally technical nature, such as those required for water and wastewater operator licenses, but also of a nontraditional nature, such as management, customer, and employee relations. Courses such as “Dealing with Difficult Employees” and “The Effective Receptionist” were strategically included. Courses were sought, in many cases, based on the interactive input from employees during the second round of interviews with the employees. An example of this is the fats, oil, and grease (FOG) coordinator who voiced the need for technical drawing training. This was unexpected, but was logical given the fact this employee reviews building plans prior to city permitting to determine the need for and sizing of grease control equipment. A local college (Seminole State College) course in engineering graphics/drawing was located that fulfills that need.

Plan Validation The plan was developed in a stepwise manner, with employee and utility management

input as the interactive process moved forward. When a draft plan was created, it was presented to a focus group of employees to obtain opinions and feedback. The utility management and consultant presented the draft plan in much the same manner they expected it to be presented to all utility employees. The focus group provided a critique of the presentation method. Overall, the focus group members were very favorable toward the plan and saw the win-win nature of it for employees and the utility. The group was asked its opinion on how the plan could most effectively be presented to the entire utility staff. Options were discussed and the conclusion was reached that it should be rolled out to small groups, rather than at a meeting of the entire utility staff.

Plan Roll-Out Following the advice of the focus group, the plan was presented to small groups of employees at their respective work meeting locations. Hard copies of the plan were provided to all employees so they were able to closely follow the presentation, which provided an explanation of the career ladder visuals, career ladder

narratives, and career training courses. Examples of vertical promotions were presented, along with limitations placed on the plan. The career ladder training courses provided only course titles; full descriptions of each course were provided as additional information. Questions and comments were welcomed throughout each presentation. Limitations of the plan were presented, including training budget limits, the need to perform daily work, continuation of on-the-job training, and no guarantee of job promotion. It was explained that, obviously, the training budget has limits, so priorities will be made. Also obvious is the fact that daily work has to be done, so there will be a limit on the number of employees going to training at any one time. On-the-job training is important, so it was emphasized that this will continue as usual. Finally, it was pointed out that having completed training related to particular positions does not guarantee promotion, for several reasons, including the fact that more than one employee may have obtained the same training, and there are other factors to be considered in promotions; however, having the training places them in a much better position for promotion than not having it. There was no push-back to these limitations; utility management and the consultant stressed the win-win nature of the plan, and the feedback was positive.

Future of the Plan

Figure 2. Administrative Positions

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

The desire for training was monitored during late 2016 and early 2017 in preparation for development of the fiscal-year 2018 budget for training, or as it is becoming known, the “Human CIP.” Having the plan in place provides the opportunity for employees to request specific training from their supervisors. This demand can be translated into training budget requests from the utility divisions, and ultimately, a utility budget proposal to city government. Utility management expects that having these specific demands will help convince city government to increase the utility training budget because the requests will be specific to position, course, and cost, rather than simply a figure that’s “last year’s, plus x percent.” An additional selling point will be the fact that management has identified positions expected to be vacated within the next several years, so training existing employees to fill these positions is a logical argument. Initially it is expected to require some “nudging” from supervisors to their staff members to consider their career plans, and therefore, training for advancement. For those employees who do not actively step up and re-

quest training, the supervisors will formally discuss the topic during annual employee performance reviews. The longer-term intention is to have a “living document” by having training an accepted and routine part of the utility culture. Some of this was lost during the budget cutbacks of the Great Recession, but the plan provides an opportunity to regain training as an accepted culture; and of course, it will be modified as new and different courses are needed.

Plan Advantages Utility management’s initial vision of the plan foresaw certain advantages to defining it, but as the interactive process evolved with the employees, additional advantages were discovered. A summary of the plan’s advantages are as follows: S Available to all Employees. This is a significant difference from a succession plan because this opens training to all employees, not just those selected by management to fill expected vacancies. It perhaps removes some of the stigma of the “good old boy” method of promotions. S Proactive Employees Given Opportunities. The plan provides ambitious proactive employees

guidance to stepping up and taking courses to create a better future for themselves and their families. Removes the Guesswork. Historically, employees had to study job descriptions and talk with more-senior staff to try to understand how they might move up within the organization; however, the plan removes all that study time and guesswork because the career steps are clearly identified and shown in visuals. Easily Understood. The plan is very visual in nature, so it’s easily understood by employees. They can “follow the arrows” in the visuals (Figure 1) to see where their careers could go, and the narratives and training courses are easy to comprehend. Full descriptions of courses are available to supervisors and employees. Customized. Given the interactive approach to developing the plan, and the fact that many employees (and, in particular, very senior employees) and a senior consultant contributed to identification of the training courses means it is highly customized for relevance to each position. The utility and employees will not be wasting time and money on frivolous courses. Preparations for Retirement. Management has identified those positions that are expected to

be vacated within the next several years due to retirements. Employees within those work areas will be encouraged to take the prescribed training to be prepared to fill the vacancies. Management Consistency. Because courses are clearly defined for each step upward, management can readily compare training among candidates considered for promotion. Promotes a Training Culture. Because the plan encourages training and will rely heavily on that as a measure of promotability, training is expected to take root as a culture within the utility. This will promote the concept of the utility enhancing a long-term relationship with its employees. Budgeting Tool. Utility management can be very specific in its budget requests for training because it will be based on specific employee requests and training needed to prepare for impending retirements and to shore up areas where there is a weakness in skill sets. Recruiting Tool. During interviews when candidates ask “How can I move up?” the visuals clearly shows career paths. This will be a hiring advantage to the utility over competing entities. S

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2018

FSAWWA SPEAKING OUT

Water, Water Everywhere! Bill Young Chair, FSAWWA

ne of the most frequently asked questions I receive from family, friends, and customers is, “Do we have enough water?” With all the negative stories about water supply issues and water quality degradation, these concerns are both legitimate and understandable. As a longtime utility professional, I am expected to have the answers, and at least this time, I believe I do! But why am I so confident? I’m confident because my utility at St. Johns County has many capable, competent professionals who take these very serious concerns to heart. I’m also confident because of the multiple, dedicated environmental consulting firms that allow us to access their many years of trial and error, and global and regional experiences. Like many utilities, we consider these consultants an extension of our staff.

several growth-rate scenarios and involved other stakeholders in our area, such as regulators, agricultural interests, neighboring utilities, and environmental groups. The process built a complex decision-making model that weighed, evaluated, and prioritized dozens of short- and long-term strategic water supply options. The final report, available on our website (www.sjcfl.us), pointed out that while we have done a good job as environmental stewards, we are sure to encounter significant challenges in the years ahead. The plan goes on to lay out a roadmap for our future, which includes increased commitment to conservation, maximization of reuse water, and joint partnerships with our neighbors and other stakeholders. Our IWRP gives me confidence in our future.

We have a staff that is totally dedicated to St. Johns County and to our profession. Today we have eight professional engineers, a certified wetland scientist, 37 state-certified treatment operators, and several other key employees with master’s degrees to protect our environment and our citizens. It’s the quality and professionalism of our staff that give me confidence in our long-term strategies. Moreover, the national and global consulting firms that we work with ensure that we look for answers beyond our local comfort zone. Lastly, our staff frequently attends regional, state, and national technical conferences to make sure we are thinking “outside the box.”

Staffing

The employees of my department, like many others around the state, are committed to the residents, and visitors, of our county. As I have stated many times, no one cares more about our environment than the people who live here and raise their families here. It’s this dedication and commitment that motivate our staff to thoroughly analyze our situation, develop feasible options, and choose the best long-term water supply strategy for St. Johns County. I feel good about the future of our utility department because of the quality and professionalism of our employees. While we can never be complacent, I believe that our customers can share the same optimism for our future, as should all customers of the many professional water providers throughout Florida. While we certainly have our challenges, I believe we have the best natural resource of all—our people! S

I’m extremely proud of the team we have built at the utility department. Over the years, the issues related to water supply strategies have become much more complex from a technical, legal, and regulatory perspective. At the same time, our staff has grown in both technical and professional expertise to assure our success.

Integrated Water Resource Plan Two years ago, our utility conducted an extensive planning process entitled the Integrated Water Resource Plan (IWRP). This thorough process combined our staff with professional technical consultants from several national firms to conduct a complete analysis of our water supply options for the next 25 years. The process assumed

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Commitment

LET’S TALK SAFETY This column addresses safety issues of interest to water and wastewater personnel, and will appear monthly in the magazine. The Journal is also interested in receiving any articles on the subject of safety that it can share with readers in the “Spotlight on Safety” column.

Hurricane Preparedness for Water and Wastewater Utilities atrina, Ike, Rita, Ivan, Sandy, and Irma. All of these are names of devastating weather events that have wreaked havoc on the eastern and southern parts of the United States, as well as island states and coastal nations, since the beginning of the 21st century. A hurricane’s destruction doesn’t spare water and wastewater utilities, and the loss of potable water further exacerbates response and recovery efforts. Drinking water and wastewater utilities need to take precautions in advance of the arrival of a hurricane. Public suppliers in the possible path of the storm should prepare for high winds, storm surge, torrential rain, flooding, and extended power outages. Common storm impacts on utilities include: S Loss of water pressure or sewage spills from pipe breaks caused by uprooted trees, washouts, and other events.

S Loss of power from downed power lines. S Combined sewer overflows from flooded storm drains. S Flooded facilities, particularly those near rivers and coasts. S Impeded roadways from debris, floods, and fallen trees, preventing travel to facilities or access to broken mains. S Loss of water quality testing capability because of damage to facilities or restricted travel. S Staffing shortages while personnel deal with their own families and homes during a storm event or are unable to get to work because of impassable roads or weather conditions.

Advance Preparation To help utilities provide continuity of service to its customers before, during, and after the storm, the following actions are recommended: S Weather monitoring. The National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides daily weather forecasts and severe storm warnings through the National Hurricane Center, the National Weather Service, and other agencies. S Vulnerability assessment. Know what the utility’s critical assets are and what components are most likely to fail in the event of a catastrophic weather event. A thorough vulnerability assessment can identify what needs fortification, as well as access and escape routes. S Agency coordination. Plug into the Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (WARN), coordinated through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), prior to an event so you know who to call for help with equipment, manpower, and other assistance when disaster strikes. S Emergency response plans. Review, update, and practice emergency response plans

The 2017 Let's Talk Safety is available from AWWA; visit www.awwa.org or call 800.926.7337. Get 40 percent off the list price or 10 percent off the member price by using promo code SAFETY17. The code is good for the 2017 Let's Talk Safety book, dual disc set, and book + CD set.

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

before disaster strikes. Make sure that everyone knows the drill, update emergency contact numbers as necessary, and coordinate with key response partners. Establish service priorities. Identify priority water customers, such as hospitals, record their contact information and location, and make a plan to restore services to those facilities first. Emergency water supply. Establish a plan to provide potable water, which could include bulk water hauling, temporary bypass lines, mobile treatment units, and interconnections with other water supply agencies. Emergency operations/incident command centers. Work with other local utilities and agencies to establish and understand how a community emergency operations center will be activated, who will be in charge, and what the utilityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role is. Public notification. Create public outreach materials to provide your customers in advance with information they need during a hurricane, and develop a plan to inform the public during and after an event about water advisories, such boil water notices and service disruptions.

When Landfall Looms Readiness for an event means that the utility is poised for action when the hurricane is near and predicted to make landfall. Actions to take include: S Facility readiness. Secure equipment, clear storm drains, and pile sandbags to protect facilities in flood-prone areas. Protect exposed pipes and pumps. S Backup power. Fill fuel tanks for your generators. Exercise each generator under load to be sure it is running properly and

power transfer is reliable. Assume a lengthy power outage. Estimate the time that you will be able to meet demand with the backup power, fuel, and water storage you have on hand. Identify several possible locations where fuel can be procured in case your primary supplier becomes unable to deliver. Water readiness. Fill finished storage tanks to full capacity. Wastewater facilities should empty holding tanks, ponds, and lagoons to prepare for an increased flow. Fill your storage tanks to help you meet demand during a power outage and to help anchor your tanks during high winds and inundation. Water storage and water sources. Identify sources that may become inundated. Prepare to remove sources from service that may be susceptible to damage from inundation or intrusion by flood-borne pathogens or salt water. Chemical storage. Check tanks to be sure you have enough essential chemicals (e.g., disinfectant) to get you through the storm. Check tank anchoring to be sure they are protected from wind damage and buoyancy forces (floating or overturning) should they become inundated. Vehicle readiness. Fill vehicle gasoline tanks, pack with equipment and gear, and park vehicles on higher ground or send home with on-call staff. Fill spare fuel tanks to full capacity. Provide essential equipment for each vehicle, including radios, instruments, tools, safety equipment, lights, ropes, etc. Personnel readiness. Identify essential staff to shut down and start up the system and outfit them with proper equipment, gear, vehicles (or establish alternative transportation plans), and communication systemsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;radios may work better than cellphones. Review evacuation and escape

routes and procedures, as well as emergency shelter plans. Identify staging areas for mutual-aid crews if necessary, including facilities to house the crews. Dispatch designated staff to the local emergency operations center. S Continuity of operations. Contact all essential employees to place them on alert. Make sure that sufficient staff will be on duty throughout the expected storm duration. Provide enough food and clean water for staff working extended shifts. Have them bring extra dry clothes, and consider providing sleeping arrangements so that extended-duty staff members do not become overly tired. S Emergency communications. Check your emergency communications equipment to be sure it is in good working order. Charge all batteries, or replace with fresh ones. Distribute communication equipment to appropriate staff. S Public communications. Be prepared to provide public information as needed. Check contact information with local radio and television stations, and use social media, if possible. If you do not have storage and/or dedicated backup power sufficient for three days, consider preparing water conservation advisory notices that can be issued.

Additional Resources For more information, see the NOAA StormReady website at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/ stormready/, or visit the EPA websites on emergency response and preparedness: http://www2.epa.gov/waterutilityresponse, or incident checklist for hurricanes: http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/watersecuri ty/emerplan/upload/epa817f15006.pdf. S

Florida Water Resources Journal â&#x20AC;˘ May 2018

Value of Water Campaign Announces 6th Annual National Infrastructure Week Event to convene thousands of business, labor, public-sector leaders to push to rebuild U.S. infrastructure The Value of Water Campaign has announced that the sixth annual Infrastructure Week will take place from May 14-21, 2018. Across the United States, hundreds of businesses, labor organizations, state and local elected officials, and more will highlight the urgency of rebuilding and modernizing America's transportation, water, energy, and communications infrastructure. Infrastructure Week is led by a bipartisan national steering committee, with members from AFL-CIO, American Society of Civil Engineers, Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, Building America's Future, Business Roundtable, National Association of Manufacturers, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Value of Water Campaign. "We are thrilled to once again be part of the steering committee for Infrastructure Week,” said Radhika Fox, executive director of the Value of Water Campaign. Most people know the typical signs that infrastructure is in need of repair:

seeing rusty bridges, feeling the potholes they drive over, being frustrated with overcrowded airports or delayed public transit. But with water infrastructure, so much lies beneath our feet and is invisible in our daily lives. Infrastructure Week gives water providers an opportunity to pull the curtain back and invite the public in to see how important investing in our infrastructure, and particularly, our water infrastructure, truly is." Last year, more than 300 affiliate organizations participated in Infrastructure Week and hosted more than 100 events in Washington, D.C., and across the country. At ports, airports, highway construction sites, water treatment plants, and more, Infrastructure Week affiliates convened stakeholders to talk about the importance of protecting the future by investing in the country’s infrastructure. America's infrastructure problems become more expensive every day. The costs of inaction—lost time, lost productivity, and increasingly expensive maintenance and construction—are rising. While Washington debates how to move forward, Americans are footing the bill on their own, to the tune of an additional nine dollars for each American family. The poor quality of the nation's roads costs the average motorist $533 each year in auto repairs, and commuters waste 42 hours and $1,200 in fuel per person idling in traffic. Aging and strained water utilities are rushing to keep pace with demand, while water-reliant businesses, from breweries to automakers, lose as much as $5,800 per employee for each day of disrupted service.

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

The combined costs of damaged and delayed shipments ripple across supply chains—and are passed on to consumers. More than $1.3 trillion in property lies in the path of under-maintained aging levees, dams, and other critical infrastructure, putting whole communities at risk. "Too many Americans are waiting for modern, fast, reliable, and safe infrastructure, while our global competitors are modernizing old systems and building new ones,” said Zach Schafer, executive director of Infrastructure Week. “Failing to fix, modernize, and build 21st century infrastructure is making our lives and communities more vulnerable, and has profound implications for our long-term economic competitiveness. The future won't wait, and neither can we. It's time to build." More information about the Value of Water Campaign can be found at www.thevalueofwater.org. Additional information about Infrastructure Week is available at www.infrastructureweek.org. S

FWRJ READER PROFILE

Albert Bock

Bay County Utility, Panama City Beach Work title and years of service: I have been the utility wastewater operations supervisor for Bay County Utilities since 2011 and have 21 years of experience working in Europe and the United States. My career started in 1997 when I entered the wastewater operations field through a three-year apprenticeship program at a wastewater treatment facility in Germany. What does your job entail? At Bay County I oversee the operations of three wastewater treatment facilities. The treatment plant sizes are 7 mgd, 1.5 mgd, and 0.072 mgd. When I look back at my school days, I always enjoyed the subjects of chemistry and biology. This was the foundation of my fascination for wastewater process control and optimization. I love being a wastewater treatment plant operator since the trade is highly technical and combines engineering with the laws and principals of chemistry and biology. When we tackle a problem at one of our waste-

water treatment plants, we approach the issue from a biochemical standpoint. Sometimes finding the answer is not an overnight success, but we keep working on the problem until we find a satisfactory solution. With this mindset at Bay County, we have been able to utilize the wastewater treatment plant systems as test beds to demonstrate innovative solutions, which optimize the treatment plant operation in conjunction with the original engineering design. Over the years we implemented a wide range of process improvement methods for our treatment plants that: S Enhanced effluent phosphorous and nitrogen removal S Reduced digester biosolids energy requirements by 95 percent S Increased digester biosolids organic solids reduction S Eliminated daily use of chemicals for effluent phosphorous removal S Implemented BNR ammonia aeration control I encourage my operations staff, especially the young operators entering the field, to comprehend and embrace the wide range of potential that this industry offers. What education and training have you had? I grew up in Germany and entered the wastewater operator field through an apprentice program with a utility in North Rhine Westphalia, Germany. The German wastewater operator apprentice program is very unique, since it combines the practical experience at a wastewater treatment plant (learning on the job) with the theoretical components, which are taught at a regional wastewater school. For example, I would

Albert with wife, Michele, and daughter, Sophia.

May 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ Florida Water Resources Journal

work for three months at the wastewater treatment plant and then attended a school block for two months. This cycle would rotate throughout the course of the three-year program. At the school I studied a customized industry-specific curriculum, such as chemistry, biology, math, physics, etc. After three years of training, I had to pass a state exam before becoming a certified wastewater treatment plant operator. In order to qualify further as a chief wastewater treatment plant operator I underwent an additional two-year term at a technical college in Germany. The technical college taught wastewater treatment-specific subjects alongside managerial and training skills at an elevated level, in comparison to the apprentice program, which included subject-related education in the English language. In 2004 I moved to the United States. When I arrived here and was ready to work, I had to start from the ground level as a wastewater trainee; however, I already knew the industry very well and had several years of practical experience. I was able to obtain my class C, B, and A wastewater licenses within a short period. I was always interested in further improving my knowledge and understanding, especially in the wastewater process control field. While working for Seminole County, I met Dr. Gene Keyser, who became my mentor for more than a decade. Dr. Keyser was a wastewater scientist, and with his support and instruction, I was able to advance my understanding of the complexity of biochemistry of wastewater treatment. Dr. Keyser just recently passed away, and I am very thankful for all of his support and dedication throughout the years. I hope that I, in turn, can continue to pass on this knowledge to other operators in the future.

Albert kiteboarding at St. Andrews State Park in Panama City Beach.

FWEA FOCUS What do you like best about your job? I really enjoy the teamwork at Bay County. The operators here are very dedicated and very proud of the work they do. The management style at the county enables us to develop solutions and to further enhance our knowledge.

The Dash: How Will You Live Yours?

What organizations do you belong to? I am a member of WEF, FWEA, and FWPCOA. I also act as the Region 1 director for FWPCOA. How have the organizations helped your career? I joined FWPCOA and FWEA several years ago and immediately experienced how important the networking concepts are. Through these organizations I speak and teach regularly at wastewater conferences, which enables an exchange of technical knowledge and ideas with other experts. I have made many friends through the professional organizations. Currently, we are working on re-establishing the FWPCOA Region 1 training program. What do you like best about the industry? I enjoy the challenges that wastewater processes pose and finding optimal solutions. Working as a team allows development of many new ideas and improves everyone’s understanding of the processes. I enjoy passing on my own experience and helping other young professionals. This is a very fascinating and exciting industry to work in. We are all responsible for protecting public health and ensuring that the environment is protected for future generations. The wastewater industry plays a vital role in paving the way for future generations to have good-quality water. What do you do when you’re not working? My main focus is to spend time with my family. My wife, Michele, and I have a young daughter, Sophia, to whom we devote a majority of our time. As a family, we enjoy spending most of our time outdoors: riding bikes, going to the beach, and doing water sports. My favorite water sport that I spend the most time on is kiteboarding. We love traveling and experiencing different cultures. Last year we visited Croatia and met with my parents and siblings from Germany. It’s hard to switch the wastewater brain off completely when on vacation. I constantly find myself looking for wastewater plants when travelling and checking them out to compare systems. My wife is not always impressed with this, but is extremely patient with me as she understands and supports my passion. S

Tim Harley, P.E. President, FWEA

ach year the leaders of FWEA change, but the vision of a clean and sustainable water environment for Florida’s future generations remains the same for each new officer. Through planning efforts and an over-arching mission, the goals set forth can be achieved with time. This process is much like that of generations of farmers: the first generation clears the land, and subsequent generations till the soil, plant, water, fertilize, and weed out the things that do not work to promote the things that do grow and flourish. Then, hopefully, one day the harvest is realized. If you are not familiar with our mission statement, here it is:

The Florida Water Environment Association (FWEA), a leading nonprofit organization, will promote clean and sustainable water environment by: 1. Supporting and uniting our members and the public through Public Awareness, 2. Providing Professional Development of our members, 3. Promoting Sound ScienceBased Public Policy, and 4. Maintaining a Strong Organization. The “unofficial” turnover of the FWEA fiscal year occurs at our annual meeting, which was held on Tuesday, April 17, at the Florida Water Resources Conference. New officers were elected and the reins of the organization turned over to the next generation of leaders. The current year (April 25, 2017 - April 17, 2018) began at our meeting in West Palm Beach and concluded at the conference in Daytona Beach. Your FWEA has been busy over this past year with seminars, chapter luncheons and events, golf tournaments, and sporting clay events, to name a few. In each way our mis-

sion has been advanced and time has passed, which reminds me of the poem written and copyrighted by Linda Ellis. In her poem, “The Dash,” Ellis recognizes that, at a funeral, the "dash" between the year of birth and the year of death is remembered by those who loved the deceased and spent time with him or her while the person was alive. According to the poem, the value of people does not rest in the wealth they have accumulated, but in their love and relationships. It reflects on ways to enhance the time in "the dash" and make changes if necessary, such as slowing down, having more patience, understanding what is real, being less angry and showing more appreciation, and being grateful. In addition, the poem suggests treating others better by being more respectful, pleasant, and thankful, and trying to understand their feelings. So, fill your dash with the things that are worthy and remember that it only lasts for a while. I am very thankful and proud of the efforts and achievements of this year, and I am very excited about our future and want to thank our committees, chapters, and board of directors for their dedication. They will continue to advance each facet of our mission into the future with vigor and will continue to make FWEA the “go-to” water organization, not only today, but for generations to come. As I have written in the past, FWEA and WEF are like a buffet. There are a lot of good things to choose from, and not everything is for everybody, but there is something good for any who choose to sit down at the table. After you have done so, in anticipation of the delicious dessert that is certain to be served, keep your fork because the best is yet to come! Please lend your support to FWEA and its leaders in 2018-2019, as I step down as president, by joining me in volunteering to make our association the best that it can be. S

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2018

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

Public Communications and Outreach Committee

Scope of work: The PCOC assists in exchanging information between FWEA members and the public on water environment issues. Its activities include developing and implementing programs and materials that members can use to enhance their public education efforts.

Several PCOC members recently reviewed applications and selected winners for FWEA public education awards. The winners were recognized at the FWEA Awards Luncheon at the Florida Water Resources Conference in April. The public education awards recognize individuals, organizations, or events/campaigns for significant accomplishments that foster and support the development of public outreach programs and integrate public education as a core element of wastewater and water utility planning and management. The award is intended to encourage individuals in promoting public education and for utilities and other organizations to incorporate public education and outreach into their operating plans and to provide examples of successful public education programs and best practices.

Recent accomplishments: The PCOC recently provided world water monitoring kits to the FWEA Southeast Chapter for the Broward County Water Matters Day. Chapter members used these kits to provide school children with hands-on experience in sampling water for pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and turbidity.

Current projects: As in the past, PCOC members served as judges to select the Florida Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) winner for 2018. The committee also sponsors travel to the national competition for the student and the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teacher. The SJWP is open to any high school student, in grades 9 through 12, who has

Affiliation: FWEA Current chair: Chuck Olson, Constantine Engineering, St. Augustine Year group was formed: The Public Communications and Outreach Committee (PCOC) was formerly known as the Public Education Committee. Its inception date is unknown, but it dates back at least to the 1980s.

reached the age of 15 by August 1 of the competition year, and has conducted a waterrelated science project Future work: In fiscal year 2016-17 the PCOC conducted a video contest for high school students. This was a pilot program held in Martin County. Seven students submitted oneto two-minute videos that focused on water conservation. All the videos were exceptional; however, PCOC members selected first, second, and third place, and honorable mention, with cash prizes. In fiscal year 20182019 the PCOC is planning to scale up the video contest by expanding it to other counties. Counties that have already been identified include St. Johns and Miami-Dade. The PCOC is currently working to prepare presentations that will be made available to FWEA members to use in classrooms for Career Days and similar events. This is in response to teacher requests at the Broward County Water Matters Day that FWEA members participate in the event in May. Group members: S Chuck Olson, Constantine Engineering S Julia Felter, Constantine Engineering S Manasi Parekh, Constantine Engineering S Debbie Sponsler, Orange County Utilities S Melissa Green, Orange County Utilities S Alex Maas, Heyward Florida S Ruth Burney, Brown and Caldwell S Greg Kolb, Jacobs Engineering (FWEA director at large for PCOC) The committee also has the following emeritus members (former committee chairs) who provide insight, act as reviewers or judges for competitions, and assist in other ways: S Tim Madhanagopal, Orange County Utilities S Julie Karleskint, Hazen and Sawyer S Julianne LaRock, South Florida Water Management District (now PCOC chair for WEF) S Phil Kane, Florida Department of Environmental Protection S

May 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ Florida Water Resources Journal

F W R J

State-of-the-Art Tools and Techniques for Multidisciplinary Condition Assessments Tyler Smith Semago, Larry Elliott, Marti Martin, and Seung Park he City of Tampa owns and operates the David L. Tippin Water Treatment Facility (facility). The facility processes surface water from the Hillsborough River and is permitted to withdraw an average annual daily flow of 82 mil gal per day (mgd), with a permitted maximum-day capacity of 120 mgd. Originally built in the 1920s, the facility has undergone expansions and upgrades and houses thousands of assets that are currently in service. The facility's major systems include mechanical bar screens, Actiflo™ systems, conventional coagulation systems, ozone, biofilters, chemical feed systems, gravity thickeners, pump stations, and clearwells. Since a majority of the existing assets

range from 15 to 40 years in service, a comprehensive master plan was undertaken to determine the remaining useful life and functionality of those assets considering, among other factors, their size, age, efficiency, reliability, and process complexity. The following disciplines and respective scopes of work were required to complete the assessment: S Mechanical - Inspection of process and nonprocess mechanical equipment, chemical feed and storage systems, and pumping systems. S Structural - Inspection of water-bearing structures, building superstructures, and structural components of mechanical equipment.

Tyler Smith is with Carollo Engineers in Tampa and Larry Elliott is senior vice president with Carollo Engineers in Orlando. Marti Martin is lead programmer and Seung Park is chief engineer with City of Tampa Water Department.

S Architectural - Inspection of each building interior and exterior; roofing; lighting; lavatories; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC); and fire suppression systems. S Electrical - Inspection of electric power supply and distribution systems, building electrical systems, and electrical components of mechanical equipment. S Civil - Inspection of onsite paving, roadways, drainage, and easily accessible lift stations and manholes. Instrumentation and controls, and assets under $5,000 in value and not critical to plant operations, were not evaluated under this project. In order to complete this task in the most efficient manner, the AWWA Research Foundation “Water Treatment Plant Infrastructure Assessment Manager” (Manager) software was utilized in conjunction with a newly developed android tablet software and field tablets.

Methodology

Figure 1. Tablet Software Asset Tree Screenshot

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

The Manager desktop software, originally developed in the early 2000s, utilizes a tree structure hierarchy to aid in organization and management of systems ranging in complexity from simple pump stations to complex multiprocess systems (i.e., ozone). The software's main purpose is to assist in organizing and recording results of the physical and operating characteristics of any system within a water treatment plant and help identify assets most critical and in need of attention (Elliott and Stecklein, 2002). The desktop software is free to download for any American Water Works Association (AWWA) or Water Environment Federation (WEF) member via the Water Research Foundation (WRF) website under the “Resources” section.

Tablet Software Application Additional programming and modifications were needed in order to fully utilize the benefits of this software in the field. A software application was created to allow for the use of specific aspects of the Manager desktop software on an android platform tablet. These specific aspects included the ability to: 1. Define applicable unit discipline(s), unit type, and estimated useful life. 2. Ability to add systems, subsystems, and units while in the field. 3. Ability to add questions/components under the physical condition, assessment, and/or supplemental information tabs for any unit. 4. Assign a percent weight (or importance) to a unit within a subsystem. 5. Assess units and assign scores for overall condition, criticality, estimated replacement value, and safety impact. 6. Automatically calculate overall score of a subsystem, system, and facility. 7. Provide comments for physical, operational, and supplementary aspects of a unit. The tablet also provides the ability to use â&#x20AC;&#x153;talk-to-textâ&#x20AC;? for taking notes and is able to cap-

ture photos for each unit. This helps save time in the field, while also minimizing confusion when trying to recall any particular asset evaluated under any particular subsystem (i.e., a specific pump in a pump station). Another difference between the desktop and tablet software was the desire to use a different condition-naming convention. The tablet software was programmed to utilize the International Infrastructure Management Manual (IIMM) condition scoring nomenclature. Pre-Data and Post-Data Management Extensive preparation was required before use of the tablets in the field for the condition assessment due to the number of assets and major treatment processes. The City of Tampa provided a comprehensive asset inventory list based on the terminology and nomenclature in its existing computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), which, after consolidation and/or elimination of some assets, resulted in the manual input of 16 systems, 96 subsystems, and 771 units into the Manager desktop software. If formatted properly, there is the ability to convert an Excel file with the listed assets to a Microsoft Access database file, which can

then be imported into the software, thereby eliminating this manual step. After creation of the organized tree in the desktop software, the data were then exported as a database file (.dbf) and imported into the tablet software utilizing a desktop program coded by the programmer. Figure 1 shows a screenshot from the tablet software illustrating the tree structure organization: Facility > System > Subsystem > Unit. The systems and subsystems were organized by engineering discipline (mechanical, structural, electrical, and architectural) and uploaded to four tablets for each discipline team, respectively; for example, the electrical engineers received a tablet that only contained electrical assets to be evaluated. This helped expedite the assessment process by eliminating extraneous assets that were not pertinent to that assessment team. Laminated field guides were also created for each discipline team to help facilitate the use of the tablet and condition assessment process. After the field assessments were completed, the scored units and data were exported and copied from the tablets, compiled, and imported Continued on page 40

Florida Water Resources Journal â&#x20AC;˘ May 2018

Continued from page 39 back into the Manager desktop software using Microsoft Access database files and manually written queries by the programmer. Additionally, a script was written and programmed so that the photos could be labeled and imported with their appropriate assets.

Results The Manager desktop software has the ability to generate a number of reports, including a unit data report that comprehensively contains all the scoring and comments related to the physical, operational, and supplemental information aspects for all units within an entire facility. An example of this report is shown in Figure 2. The unit data report was used to verify assessment completeness, aid in quality control, and provide a foundation for a chapter in the master plan document as described: S Assessment Completeness Verification

• Asset units without rating or comments were identified to be verified with the inspection discipline team to check whether the assessment was erroneously missed or unit actually didn’t exist in the field • Asset units with missing component scores were identified and scoring determined based on accompanying photos S Quality assurance/quality control tailored reports for each discipline created and sent to each team for thorough review • Teams could comment on reports and edit scores or add notes or clarifications if needed S Chapter in the master plan document • Comments on physical aspects used to justify condition scoring • Operational information used to justify criticality scoring • Supplemental information used to develop background and/or historical information on asset

Due to the preferred IIMM method of condition assessment scoring (i.e., condition score ranging from 1 to 5, risk, evaluated remaining useful life, etc.), the desktop software was not utilized for overall weighting and scoring calculations. Therefore, the database was exported from the desktop software to a workable Excel file that organized the assets by facility, system, subsystem, unit, and discipline, allowing for easy management and calculation of condition fractions, evaluated remaining useful life, vulnerability, and risk.

Discussion Facility and condition assessment can be a major effort, especially at larger facilities with complex treatment processes. The utilization of field tablets and the Manager tablet software can help eliminate the need for excessive paperwork and field materials, allow for easy discipline separation, provide ease of note-taking and documentation through talk-to-text and camera features, allow for quick navigation from one asset to another, and more. Like conventional condition assessments, preparation and post-data management is required and can be extensive given the number of assets; however, such efforts can be significantly reduced through the use of the desktop software. Clients have the option to utilize the software's built-in scoring and weighting system or can manage and analyze the data themselves via an exported Microsoft Excel file and/or reports with the same goal of prioritizing the units in most need of rehabilitation, repair, or replacement. Additionally, the exported Microsoft Excel files, when formatted properly, can be imported to a utility's existing CMMS. Due to the recent creation and development of the tablet application, a number of data importing and exporting efforts (between the desktop and tablet) were manually completed by an experienced programmer, and automation of functionalities that were helpful for the end user required additional programming efforts; however, the Manager desktop software is free and readily available, unlike expensive proprietary software out on the market. This efficient approach to facilities evaluations, condition assessments, and benchmarking could significantly reduce data collection error and provide valuable information for report writing and presentation of results.

References

Figure 2. Unit Data Report From Manager Desktop Software

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

• Elliott, L.E., Stecklein, M. "Infrastructure Manager Software Provides Comprehensive, Multidiscipline Plant Assessment.” Journal AWWA, 94:1:60. 2002. S

Today’s Businesses and Organizations Need “Gladiator” Leaders The “gladiator virtues” of bravery, integrity, and vision can help your company rise from mediocre to extraordinary Greg Smith Remember the heart-pounding, soul-stirring message of the movie Gladiator? In the first scene Maximus Meridius, general and commander of the Northern Legions of the Roman Army, is taking a moment to reflect and prepare for one final battle after years of war. He returns to his army to meet briefly with other generals to finalize the coordination of the Roman cavalry and infantry attack on the German warriors. As he walks through the ranks of his infantry, you see something very powerful. What you see is admiration and respect; not just from the soldiers, but from both the soldiers and from the general. He even stops to speak with one of the soldiers who has a head wound and taps him on the shoulder. You see mutual respect for one another and you get a real sense that both men would do anything to help the other be successful. Remember how Maximus rallied his men around him and led them to victory, even in the face of almost certain defeat? Remember his “envision the goal” technique for getting through the horrors of battle? Now, consider the leadership in your own company—are there any gladiators in the ranks? Are you a gladiator? The time is right for a more heroic style of leadership. Desperate times lend themselves to the rise of gladiators. Instead of seeing any of today’s business challenges as a negative, executives should view them as opportunities in disguise—a chance to position your organization for better things. Here are eight virtues that all gladiators share.

Gladiator Leadership 1. Gladiators have a mission for which they feel real passion. Call it a purpose, an obsession, a calling; but whatever the terminology, good leaders have a defining mission in their lives. This mission, above all other traits, separates managers from leaders. In the movie, Maximus lived for the mission of killing the evil usurper Commodus and restoring Rome to the values that made her great. 2. Gladiators create a vision. Having and communicating a clear picture of a future goal will lead to its achievement. Dare to think great! Maximus helped his fellow gladiators see that they could overthrow their enemies and survive the horror of the battles they were forced to participate in. In business, a leader may create an “enemy”—the economy, the competition, inef-

ficiency—to challenge the energies of his or her people and give them something to fight for. 3. Gladiators lead from the front—they don’t dictate from the back. In the movie, when Maximus was both a general and a gladiator, he fought up front where the firestorm was heaviest. So does a good business leader. Working “in the trenches” shows that you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty; it helps you fully understand the issues your “soldiers” are facing, and inspires loyalty in your troops. 4. Gladiators know there is strength in teams. Where would Maximus have been if he had not trusted his men to fight with him and cover his back? Likewise, where would you be without your employees? While the gladiator leader has the skills to draw people together, he doesn’t hog the spotlight. He has care and compassion for his team and wants every member to be recognized for his or her efforts. This is especially important in a time when the old style “command and control” structure is waning. Younger workers (Generation Y and millennials) tend to be loyal to their coworkers rather than the traditional “organization.” 5. Gladiators encourage risk-taking. In the Roman Empire, gladiators were expected to die with honor. Refusing to lie down and let one’s opponents win was bucking the status quo. (And certainly, killing the reigning emperor—however corrupt—simply was not done!) If a company or organization does not examine its way of doing things, if it does not push out its boundaries, if it never makes mistakes, it may become roadkill. 6. Gladiators keep their heads in a crisis. Maximus had to think on his feet and refuse to give into terror and panic. He faced the most formidable foes calmly and with focus, and business leaders must do the same. They must take a position and defend it when things go awry. Being graceful and brave under fire is the surest way to build credibility—a necessity for sound leadership. Gladiators don’t retreat due to a company setback, but look for the opportunity under their feet. 7. Gladiators prepare for battle 24 hours a day. Essentially, a Roman gladiator was a fighting machine. To stay alive, his mind had to be constantly on the upcoming battle. Business leaders, likewise, must be obsessed with training and developing their people in good times and bad. People need and want to hone their individual skills and “sharpen their swords.” Furthermore, good leaders must constantly learn what’s necessary to survive and unlearn the “old rules.” Just because a

management style worked a decade ago does not mean it will work in today’s business climate— good leaders evolve with the times. 8. Gladiators are teachers and mentors. Maximus taught his soldiers the lessons they would need to survive in their new role as gladiators. In today’s rapidly changing business environment, leaders must also teach and train those who may soon replace them. We are not necessarily talking about formal classroom training. We need leaders talking to people every day—in the hallway, in a meeting room, in a restaurant, in the media . . . everywhere. Everyone should be mentoring someone.

Gladiators are Everywhere Leaders don’t always set out to become leaders. In fact, many leaders probably don’t even realize they are leading, when in fact they are having enormous impact upon those around them. Leaders are developed over time and by consistently doing things that causes others to look at them as leaders. Here are five examples of what creates a leader: 1. They do the right thing. 2. They step up and make tough decisions. 3. They lead by example. 4. They respect and appreciate the effort of others (managers, peers, and subordinates). 5. They learn what works and implement replicable processes to succeed. Building new leaders can be the foundation for a leader’s work. Ask yourself: Who are the people in your organization with the most influence? You’ll be surprised to find that often it is not the formal leaders. Once you get to know these “influencers” make sure they are in your communication loop and are part of your team. The “law of the inner circle” states you are only as strong as the people around you, so make sure they are strong, help fill your skill gaps, and have influence! Greg Smith’s cutting-edge keynotes, consulting, and training programs have helped businesses reduce turnover, increase sales, hire better people, and deliver better customer service. As president of Chart Your Course International he has implemented professional development programs for hundreds of organizations globally. He has authored nine informative books, including Fired Up! Leading Your Organizational to Achieve Exceptional Results. For more information, visit ChartCourse.com or call (770) 860-9464. S

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2018

WEFTEC Operator Ingenuity Contest Opens for 2018 he WEFTEC® 2018 will host the seventh annual Operator Ingenuity Contest. Not all innovations come from a research laboratory; sometimes, you need to tackle a persistent problem using just what’s at hand and a big shot of ingenuity. The competition is open to all clever ideas related to the following: S Treatment processes S Maintenance practices S Safety measures S Collection systems S Laboratory practices S Stormwater S Administration S Human resources S Anything else associated with the water sector

The bottom line: Even if you’re not sure that your innovation qualifies, submit it!

Drawing Inspiration From Past Winners This contest has discovered about 40 award-winning fixes in its first six years. Entries are judged on safety, resourcefulness, and how transferable the ideas are. The criteria are kept simple to encourage all kinds of entries. Past winners have included painting buildings dif-

ferent colors to make deliveries easier, building a replica manhole, a cleanout cap to show customers how smoke inspections work, and a device to safely and easily lift the clarifier skimmer in the winter to prevent it from freezing to the grease box. For some more inspiration, check out all of the 2017 winners. Vacuum Virtuoso Award Andy Loudermilk from the Bigfork (Mont.) Water and Sewer District received this award for his invention of the “scum sucker.” Loudermilk repurposed an old rotary-lobed positive displacement blower into a vacuum to remove scum from the top of the facility’s membrane bioreactor tanks and deposit it into the facility’s solids holding pit. Alternative Acid Activist Award Zenon Kochan and Matt Seib from the Nine Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant in the Madison (Wis.) Metropolitan Sewerage District received their award for assembling a low-cost, safe, and efficient acid pumping system. Instead of carrying 55-lb bags of powdered acid to the top of a 30-ft-tall reactor, operators now use a portable pump that Kochan built to deliver a liquid acid directly into the process tankage.

At WEFTEC 2017, the winners of the sixth annual WEFTEC Ingenuity Contest receive their certificates for the presentations on their “duct-tape fixes.” Left to right are Andy Loudermilk, Matt Seib, Zenon Kochan, Mark Cataldo, Sidney Homer, Water Environment Federation Trustee Joan Hawley, Tomas Martinez, David Dedian (representing the Thinkers Who Tinker), Tony Hale, Jason Patty, and Pat Fountain. (photo: Oscar & Associates; Courtesy of Water Environment Federation.)

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Chemical Capture Chief Award Mark Cataldo from Suez (Paramus, N.J.) and the Killingly Water Pollution Control Plant (Danielson, Conn.) earned this award for installing a trough to catch any spills during sodium hypochlorite deliveries. Catalado attached a simple trough to the wall beneath the inlet pipe to replace a bucket propped up with a board. Thinkers Who Tinker Award Kevin Barry, Jeff Leonard, and Jim Wilson from Woodard & Curran (Portland, Maine) and the Pinehills Wastewater Treatment Facility (Plymouth, Mass.) won for applying the motto “Work safer, not stronger” to find safer, more efficient approaches to routine tasks. Their changes include using davits and hoists throughout the facility to lift heavy equipment. Root Assassin Award Tony Hale from the Cottonwood Improvement District (Sandy, Utah) won for devising an in-pipe spot applicator for chemical herbicides. He built a floating rig that holds a camera and a swiveling nozzle to help deliver foaming root removal chemicals precisely where they are needed. This leads to halving the amount of chemical needed for the job.

Tidy Tester Award Jason Patty, Ron McClure, Pat Fountain, Glen Holz, and Brad Gillis from the El Dorado (Kan.) Wetlands and Water Reclamation Facility received this award for building a simple and effective return activated sludge (RAS) sampling station. The operators plumbed the RAS line to a bucket, which has a hole in the bottom that is plumbed to the sump pit. Closing the drain valve on the bucket and opening the RAS flow line fills the bucket; opening the bucket drain valve send the RAS into the sump. Helpful Hitch Hand Award Travis A. Fisher from the Ojai (Calif.) Valley Sanitary District won for creating a ballhitch-mounted arm to hold spools of cable. The “bumper hitch reel” fits over the ball hitch on a truck and helps manage the cables associated with a pipe patch kit and a push camera.

abled emergency response work following Hurricane Harvey.

New Entry Criteria for 2018 The submission process is a little different this year. In addition to up to five photos and about one page of text describing the problem that was faced and the fix that was found, we’re asking three questions: S How transferable is it to other facilities or locations? S How does this fix take safety into account? S Where did the materials and any money used for the fix come from? Operator Ingenuity Contest logo.

The entire submission process also will move to a more user-friendly platform. Visit www.weftec.org/ingenuity to get started.

Win, Present, and Publish The First Responders’ First Responder Award Sidney Homer and Tomas Martinez from the 69th Street Wastewater Treatment Facility (Houston) each received an honorary Operator Ingenuity Award for ensuring services that en-

Selected inventors will be invited to give 10-minute presentations at WEFTEC 2018 in New Orleans. Submitters do not have to write a full WEFTEC paper; what you provide in your

submission is all that is needed in writing for the contest. Even if you can’t come to WEFTEC, submit your ideas. Award winners and select other entries will be converted into articles for the Operator Ingenuity section of Water Environment & Technology. Questions? Email us at innovation@wef.org. S

New Products The SD7500 Universal Differential pH Probe from Sensorex extends the working lifetime of sensors, reducing maintenance frequency without compromising accuracy and reliability. Universal compatibility with virtually any brand of conventional pH transmitter enables easy upgrade of existing sensors for industrial and municipal wastewater treatment and neutralization, metal finishing and plating, wet fume scrubbers, chemical processing, and other online water quality and process applications. The probe measures process pH differentially with three electrode sensors: a process pH electrode, a pH reference (actually a second measuring pH electrode in a known pH 7 buffered cell solution protected by a replaceable salt bridge reference junction), and a titanium ground electrode. The result is a highly accurate differential pH measurement that is virtually unaffected by ground loop measurement errors. The three-electrode design, coupled with durable Ryton® polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) body construction, resists process contamination, and the double-junction construction of the replaceable salt bridge further guards against fouling, even in highly aggressive chemical environments. Automatic temperature

compensation with an accurate Pt1000 RTD ensures pH measurement accuracy over a wide temperature range. Differential pH sensors are designed so the salt bridge and the buffered reference cell solution can be replaced in the field by onsite operators at a much lower cost than total sensor replacement. Compared to conventional combination sensors, differential pH sensors provide measurements of greater stability, over longer periods of time, with less downtime and maintenance. Typical sensor service lifetime ranges from three to five years. With a self-powered preamp and combination sensor output, the probe can be used with most conventional online pH/ORP transmitters and controllers. This enables drop-in replacement in existing process installations, as well as easy integration into new systems. Manufactured in the U.S., the probe is backed by a two-year limited warranty. (www.sensorex.com)

BRAVO chemical metering systems from SEEPEX are plug-and-play, pre-engineered feed systems that improve process control with accurate and repeatable flows and lower chemical consumption. The system is an integrated,

modular, and scalable solution used for disinfection, pH control, flocculation, corrosion inhibition, oxygen scavenging, and contaminant elimination, and is designed as a single source for pumps and controls. Systems are built from standardized panels in floor- or wall-mounted simplex, duplex, or triplex options. The system incorporates NSF/ANSI 61 certified SEEPEX progressive cavity intelligent metering pumps. Slip is minimized even when fluid temperature, viscosity, or discharge pressure fluctuates. (www.seepex.com)

Spectro Scientific has introduced an upgrade to its FieldLab 58, consisting of a morepowerful X-ray fluorescence (XRF) module and newly designed filter that significantly improve the limits of detection for wear metal elements in oil. FieldLab 58 has also earned a U.S. patent for its innovative and convenient combination of a variety of analytical technologies. In addition, the system’s coupling of XRF and filter particle quantifier testing meets the new ASTM International Standard D8127, “Standard Test Method for Coupled Particulate and Elemental Analysis using XRF for In-Service Lubricants.” Continued on page 44

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2018

New Products Continued from page 43

Applications Open for “Utility of the Future Today” Recognition Program The Utility of the Future Today recognition program returns for a third year to honor water resource recovery facilities for community engagement, watershed stewardship, and recovery of resources, such as water, energy, and nutrients. The deadline to apply for recognition this year is May 30. The Utility of the Future concept is being promoted as the nation’s water systems transform operations through innovation and technology. The program is a model for utilities of all sizes to achieve more-efficient operations, enhanced productivity, and longterm sustainability. “It’s inspiring to see the many ways utilities are using innovation to approach and respond to the challenges they face,” said Eileen O’Neill, Water Environment Federation (WEF) executive director. “The Federation and the other partners are proud to continue supporting and celebrating those utilities that are improving the way they serve their communities.” The Utility of the Future activity areas focus on the key building blocks of this transformation: S Recovery and new uses of a range of resources. S Engagement as a leader in the full water cycle and broader social, economic, and environmental sustainability of the community.

S Engagement in the community and formation of partnerships necessary for success when operating outside of the traditional span of the utility. S Transformation of the internal utility culture in support of these innovations. Public and private water sector utilities of all sizes that can demonstrate achievement of the application requirements are encouraged to apply by May 30, 5 p.m. EDT. Applicants must have no major permit violations in the year prior to the submission date of their applications. Honorees will be notified during the summer and formally recognized during an awards ceremony at WEFTEC 2018—WEF’s 91st annual technical exhibition and conference—this October in New Orleans. Two webinars are scheduled for utilities wishing to learn more about the program and the application process. The webinars are scheduled from 1–2 p.m. EDT on April 5 and repeated on April 25. Registration is available at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/414387 6095883522817. Since the Utility of the Future concept was introduced in 2013, many utilities have successfully implemented new and creative programs to address local wastewater technical and community challenges. The recognition program was launched in 2016 by WEF, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, Water Research Foundation, and WateReuse Association, with input from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. More than 80 utilities have been recognized by the partnership. To learn more about the program visit https://www.wef.org/utility-of-the-future/ or contact UtilityRecognition@wef.org. S

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

FieldLab 58 is a battery-powered, integrated oil analysis system that provides quick and comprehensive oil analysis in the field. Packaged within a small, portable case, the analyzer integrates four analytical technologies: XRF for elemental analysis, a filter particle qualifier (FPQ) pore blockage particle counter, an infrared (IR) spectrometer, and a kinematic viscometer (40˚C). The upgrade includes a new XRF engine that is four times more powerful than the previous generation. Coupled with a newly designed filter, the analyzer provides improved sensitivity of wear metal particles in oil (on average over four times more sensitive) for all the 13 elements it can detect. The product has earned U.S. Patent 9,791,386 B2, for an “Integrated, Portable Sample Analysis System and Method.” The patent describes the physical configuration and operational details of the analyzer and notes that, before this invention, no portable device had replicated the analysis capability of a tribology laboratory. With its quartet of analytical technologies, FieldLab 58 provides immediate, comprehensive in-service analysis of lubricating fluids. The unit’s portability and convenience eliminate any need to send samples to an offsite laboratory. The results are invaluable in determining signs of contamination, abnormal wear, or lubricant conditions that can result in downtime or cause failure of high-value machinery assets. In addition to particle count and elemental analysis met by ASTM Standard D8127, FieldLab 58 also measures fluid chemistry and contamination per ASTM Standard D7889 and viscosity per ASTM D8092. Using only 3 ml of oil, the four tests generate more than 20 fluid analysis parameters in five to seven minutes. (www.spectrosci.com)

The wet-end components of the Vanton Chem-Gard® line of horizontal, centrifugal pumps are constructed of injection-molded, homogeneous, corrosion-resistant thermoplastic materials, such as polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyvinylidene fluoride. These materials are 100 percent inert to fluids across the entire pH range. Along with other nonmetallic materials that are also totally inert to acids, caustics, ultrapure fluids, chlorides, unknown waste/effluent streams, and other aggressive and abrasive chemicals, Vanton’s line of products feature a sealless, magnetically-driven design, along with a range of ANSI, self-priming, and close-coupled pumps. (www.vanton.com) S

News Beat The Water Environment & Reuse Foundation (WE&RF) board of directors recently approved $1.2 million in funding for 14 new research projects. The planned research, which was recommended by WE&RF’s Research Advisory Council, will significantly advance WE&RF’s research agenda addressing high-priority research topics on stormwater, wastewater, and water reuse, including advancing utilities of the future, integrated water approaches, and intelligent water systems. The council, which is comprised of highly respected researchers and experts, recommended the 14 new projects based on their readiness and significance to the water community. The list of projects is provided on WE&RF’s website. “Each of these projects represents important WE&RF research that will advance the water community,” said Rhodes Trussell, Ph.D. of Trussell Technologies and WE&RF RAC chair. Due to WE&RF’s ability to leverage funding through partnerships and in-kind contributions, this new phase of research will provide two to three million dollars of research for WE&RF’s research portfolio. “Based on the need for these research topics, these projects will generate large interest in the water sector and the water research community,” said WE&RF Chief Research Officer Jeffrey Mosher. The research projects will address advancing integrated water management planning, stormwater management, data analytics, resource recovery, nutrient removal, and potable water reuse. WE&RF anticipates releasing requests for proposals for these projects between November 2017 and January 2018. Visit www.werf.org for updates.

build projects to be completed as part of Hillsborough County’s $250-million Northwest Hillsborough Consolidation Program. The largest consolidated capital improvement program ever undertaken by the county, the program will retire two aging wastewater treatment plants and consolidate treatment into one facility that will serve the area’s wastewater needs for decades. The consolidation program is estimated to save the County approximately $86 million in operation and maintenance costs over the next 20 years. “It was critical for the pivotal Diversion Pipelines project to be successful to set the stage for the remaining three phases of the program. Our team was formed about a year before the procurement was issued and had a long track record of working together to complete water/wastewater infrastructure projects. This afforded the team great familiarity and confidence in each member, which is the cornerstone of a successful design-build relationship,” said Robert Garland, P.E., PG, ENV SP, regional manager with McKim & Creed who oversaw the engineering portion of the project. The design-build process provided multiple benefits for Hillsborough County. For example, the team was able to directly negotiate easements to quickly facilitate an alternate route, and incorporated maintenance of traffic reviews as part of the design process, which saved time and money. The team also used trenchless technologies to minimize environmental and community impacts, developed and implemented a successful and proactive community outreach and public information program, and incorporated alternative pipe materials and more stringent testing protocols to obtain permit variances.

The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) Florida Region has recognized Hillsborough County, Westra Construction, and McKim & Creed Inc. for outstanding utilization of design-build practices on a project that improves wastewater service, boosts reliability, lowers power usage, and minimizes future rate impacts. The team was selected for a DBIA Florida Region Honor Award for work on the $25.9million Dale Mabry Diversion Pipelines project. The award will be presented October 12 during the association’s annual conference in Orlando. The Diversion Pipelines project involved installing more than 12 mi of large-diameter force mains and reclaimed water transmission mains to transfer flows from the Dale Mabry Wastewater Treatment Plant to the Northwest Regional Water Reclamation Facility. The project also allows reclaimed water to be returned to the region to offset the use of potable water for irrigation. Diversion Pipelines is the first of four design-

Matt Armstrong has joined Stantec as a project manager in the land use planning group in its Tampa office. With his dual degrees, Armstrong brings nearly two decades of experience providing award-winning urban planning, land-use policy development, and arARMSTRONG chitectural design services. Most recently, Armstrong served as the executive planner for Pasco County Planning and Development, where he managed the long-range planning group to implement aspects of the county’s comprehensive plan. For this work, the county won first-place recognition for planning and development from the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council in 2015. He has worked in the Tampa Bay community for more than a decade, and this experience helped build an understanding of state and fed-

eral regulations that will enhance Stantec’s community development practice in the Gulf region. Armstrong earned his master of science degree in urban and regional planning from Florida State University and his bachelor of science degree in architecture from Arizona State University. He worked as an architect and urban designer before serving as an urban planner for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Air Force at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He brings experience in large medical and military facilities design and master planning from across the country and overseas, from Houston, Phoenix, Colorado, Nebraska, North Dakota, New Jersey, Florida, South Korea, Japan, and Belize.

Patrick Meeds has joined Stantec as a senior surveyor in its West Palm Beach office. Meeds brings almost four decades of experience providing surveying on transportation, energy, environmental, and hydrographic projects throughout the state. MEEDS Meeds has managed contracts with the South Florida Water Management District, Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Department of Corrections, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservancy, local municipalities, and ports and marinas. His prior relationships working with these state and local agencies will help him further Stantec’s position as a leader in surveying and mapping in the southeastern United States. His prior project experience includes boundary surveys, right-of-way control survey and maps, horizontal and vertical control surveys, topographic surveys, hydrographic surveys, mean high water line surveys, retracement surveys, laser scanning, digital terrain models, and platting. Meeds is a registered professional surveyor and mapper in Florida and is past director of the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society.

Larry Ray has joined Stantec as a senior project manager in its Orlando office. Ray brings almost four decades of experience providing civil and site engineering services. He has worked with private- and publicsector clients to provide hotel, master planned development, industrial parks, Continued on page 46 RAY

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2018

Continued from page 45 airports, and highway projects totaling $4 billion. Ray will help grow Stantec’s community development group in central Florida. Ray’s recent projects include Isleworth in Windermere, Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, and various civil engineering projects for Orlando International and Executive airports. Ray is former president of engineering and environmental design in Winter Park, and is a professional licensed engineer and certified general contractor.

Tony Pevec, P.E., BCEE, has joined the Tampa office of McKim & Creed Inc. as a senior project manager, providing technical, design, and project management services in support of water infrastructure projects for local government clients. Pevec has been acPEVEC tively engaged in civil and environmental engineering for nearly 20 years. He has spent the last decade of his career in Florida, where he has managed the permitting, design, and construction of wastewater treatment facilities,

water treatment facilities, biosolids processing facilities, odor control facilities, and pump stations. He is also skilled in plant data analysis, site investigations, alternative delivery, construction management and inspection, facility start-up, acceptance testing, operator training, and quality assurance and quality control reviews. Pevec is a graduate of Cleveland State University with a degree in civil engineering. He is a professionally licensed engineer in Florida, and is board-certified by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard arguments concerning Florida and its complaint that Georgia uses too much water and leaves too little for its southern neighbor. The fight is over Georgia's use of water from the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers that serve metropolitan Atlanta and Georgia's agricultural industry. Florida says too little is left by the time those rivers form the Apalachicola River that flows into Apalachicola Bay and the nearby Gulf of Mexico. A special master appointed by the justices recommended that they side with Georgia and reject Florida's call for limiting water consumption from the Flint River. But during the hour-long argument, several justices suggested that special

master Ralph Lancaster might have been unfair to Florida. Low river flows on the Apalachicola have harmed the environment and fisheries dependent on fresh water entering the area, including a huge drop in the oyster harvest in the bay. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers controls the water flow on the Chattahoochee River to serve several purposes, including hydropower, flood control, protecting endangered species, and storing water for release during droughts. The federal government took part in the recent argument, but the Corps is not part of the lawsuit that Florida filed against Georgia at the court in 2013 after the justices refused to intervene in an earlier round of litigation that sought to limit water use in the Atlanta area. The states' battle over water use dates back to 1990, and includes drawn-out negotiations and several lawsuits. Alabama, which has the Chattahoochee on its eastern border, is not part of the current lawsuit. The agency has enough control over the flow of water that there might not be any increase in the water that reaches Florida, even if the court were to cap Georgia's use of water from the Flint River. The Corps could decide to store more water in its Chattahoochee reservoirs and cancel out any increases from the Flint River.

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) has released a new edition of Design of Water Resource Recovery Facilities, MOP 8. As the water sector’s premier manual of practice for water resource recovery facility design, the sixth edition features a convenient single-volume format that makes it easier than ever to reference the latest guidance on procedures to effectively design or upgrade a recovery facility. This thoroughly revised resource from WEF and the Environmental and Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers fully explains all water treatment systems and processes and takes a look at environmental issues and procedures for energy generation. Featuring contributions from hundreds of wastewater engineering experts, the book is a state-of-the-art resource in facility planning, configuration, and design. New and expanded topics include use and application of modeling wastewater treatment processes; advances in biological treatment; and advances in biosolids handling, including effective thermal hydrolysis. It also explains the transition from wastewater treatment to water resource recovery and features design approaches, facility planning guidance, and configuration best practices. S Please send any newsworthy items for this column to editor@fwrj.com.

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

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Pos i ti on s Ava i l a b l e CITY OF WINTER GARDEN – POSITIONS AVAILABLE The City of Winter Garden is currently accepting applications for the following positions: • • • • •

Wastewater Plant Operator – Trainee Solid Waste Worker I, II & III Collection Field Tech – I, II, & III Distribution Field Tech – I, II, & III Public Service Worker II - Stormwater

Please visit our website at www.cwgdn.com for complete job descriptions and to apply. Applications may be submitted online, in person or faxed to 407-877-2795.

Water Conservation/Recycling Coordinator This position is responsible for the administration of the water conservation and solid waste recycling customer education programs for the City. Salary is DOQ. The City of Winter Garden is an EOE/DFWP that encourages and promotes a diverse workforce. Please apply at http://www.cwgdn.com.

Engineering Inspector II & Senior Engineering Inspector Involves highly technical work in the field of civil engineering construction inspection including responsibility for inspecting a variety of construction projects for conformance with engineering plans and specifications. Projects involve roadways, stormwater facilities, portable water distribution systems, sanitary pump stations, gravity sewer collection systems, reclaimed water distribution systems, portable water treatment and wastewater treatment facilities. Salary is DOQ. The City of Winter Garden is an EOE/DFWP that encourages and promotes a diverse workforce. Please apply at http://www.cwgdn.com. Position Requirements: Possession of the following or the ability to obtain within 6 months of hire: (1) Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Stormwater Certification and an (2) Orange County Underground Utility Competency Card. A valid Florida Driver’s License is required. • Inspector II: High School Diploma or equivalent and 7 years of progressively responsible experience in construction inspection or testing of capital improvement and private development projects. • Senior Inspector: Associate’s Degree in Civil Engineering Technology or Construction Management and 10 years of progressively responsible experience, of which 5 years are in at a supervisory level.

Minimum Qualifications: • Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Science • Three (3) years of experience in water conservation, recycling and/or related environmental management field. • Considerable knowledge of water, irrigation, conservation and recycling methodologies and processes. • Valid Florida driver’s license.

Principal Civil Engineer “We create happiness.” That’s our motto at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. And it permeates everything we do. At Disney, you’ll help inspire that magic by enabling our teams to push the limits of entertainment and create the never-before-seen! The Principal Civil Engineer will provide professional design, planning and engineering services to support all aspects of the RCID/RCES water and waste resource utility systems including: potable water resources for production, distribution, source protection and allocation; reclaimed water storage, production and distribution; solid waste collection, recycling and transfer; and wastewater collection, transmission, treatment, disposition of residuals and reuse. To learn more, visit: https://jobs.disneycareers.com/job/lake-buenavista/principal-civil-engineer/391/7709229?cid=18030

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Water Production Superintendent The City of Melbourne, Florida is accepting applications for a Water Production Superintendent at our water treatment facility. Applicants must meet the following requirements: High School diploma or GED. Must possess a Class "A" Water Treatment Plant Operator's certificate issued by the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and five (5) years experience in the management, operation, and maintenance of a water treatment facility. Two (2) years of experience in both surface and ground water treatment processes. Must possess a valid State of Florida Driver's license. Applicants who possess a valid out of state driver's license must obtain the Florida driver's license within 10 days of employment. Salary Range: $56,369-$94,676/yr., plus full benefits package. To apply please visit www.melbourneflorida.org/jobs and fill out an online application. The position is open until filled. The City of Melbourne is a Veteran's Preference/EOE/DFWP.

WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATORS Utility Compliance/Efficiency Manager $78,836 - $110,929/yr.

U.S. Water Services Corporation is now accepting applications for state certified water and wastewater treatment plant operators. All applicants must hold at least minimum “C” operator’s certificate. Background check and drug screen required. –Apply at http://www.uswatercorp.com/careers or to obtain further information call (866) 753-8292. EOE/m/f/v/d

Analytical/QA Specialist $52,821 - $74,325/yr.

Utilities Electrician $52,821 - $74,325/yr.

Utilities Storm Water Foreman $47,911 - $67,414/yr.

Utilities System Operator II & III

MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS U.S. Water Services Corporation is now accepting applications for maintenance technicians in the water and wastewater industry. All applicants must have 1+ years experience in performing mechanical, electrical, and/or pluming abilities and a valid DL. Background check and drug screen required. -Apply at http://www.uswatercorp.com/careers or to obtain further information call (866) 753-8292. EOE/m/f/v/d

$39,415 - 55,463/yr.; $41,387 - $58,235/yr. Apply Online At: http://pompanobeachfl.gov Open until filled.

Lead Wastewater Operator Career Opportunity

Operator A, B, and C for Wastewater Treatment Plant Toho Water Authority This is your opportunity to work for the largest provider of water, wastewater, and reclaimed water services in Osceola County. A fast-growing organization, Toho Water Authority is expanding to approximately 95,000 customers in Kissimmee, Poinciana and unincorporated areas of Osceola County. You can be assured there will be no shortage of interesting and challenging projects on the horizon! As an Operator, you will be expected, among other specific job duties, to have the ability to do the following: • Maintain compliance and operations of Wastewater Treatment Plants; • Conduct facility inspections, perform maintenance on equipment, and ensure normal operations; • Evaluate water systems; and • Fulfill recordkeeping, documentation, and reporting requirements. Candidates are required to hold the following certifications: Class “A”, “B” or “C” Wastewater Operators License, and Valid Class E Florida Driver’s License. Toho Water Authority offers a highly competitive compensation package, including tuition reimbursement, on site employee clinic, generous paid leave time, and retirement 401a match. If you are a driven professional, highly organized, and looking for a career opportunity at a growing Water Authority, then visit the TWA webpage today and learn how you can join our team! Visit www.tohowater.com to review the full job description and submit an employment application for consideration.

City of Cocoa Beach Maintenance Worker ~ Water Reclamation For more info or to apply http://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/619/ Employment-Opportunities

The Coral Springs Improvement District is accepting applications for the position of Wastewater Lead Operator. Applicants must have a valid Class A Wastewater treatment license and a minimum of 3 years supervisory experience. Must have a valid Florida driver’s license and pass a pre-employment drug screening. The Lead Operator operates the Districts wastewater plant, assists in ensuring plant compliance with all state and federal regulatory criteria and all safety policies and procedures. This position reports directly to the WWTP Chief Operator. Provides instruction and leadership to subordinate operators and trainees as assigned. This is a highly responsible, technical, and supervisory position requiring 24 hour availability. Exercise of initiative and independent judgment is required in providing guidance and supervision for continuous operation. Excellent benefits and compensation including a 6% non-contributory defined benefit and matching 457b plan with a 100% match of up to 6%. EOE. Applications may be obtained by visiting our website at www.csidfl.org/resources/employment.html and fax resume to 954-7536328 attention Jan Zilmer, Director of Human Resources

City of Groveland Class “C” Water Operator The City of Groveland is hiring a Class "C" Water Operator. Salary Range $ 29,203-43,805 DOQ. Please visit groveland-fl.gov for application and job description. Send completed application to 156 S Lake Ave. Groveland, Fl 34736 attn: Human Resources. Background check and drug screen required. Open until filled EOE, V/P, DFWP

CITY OF WINTER PARK – POSITIONS AVAILABLE * PLANT ELECTRICIAN * UTILITY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS * WASTEWATER PLANT OPERATORS * APPLY ONLINE: https://employment.cityofwinterpark.org/ Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2018

UTILITIES TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR On Top of the World is now accepting applications for a State certified treatment plant operator, seeking full time employment to join our team. All applicants must hold at least a minimum FDEP Class “C” Wastewater Treatment Operator’s License. Must be able to work weekends. Valid FL driver’s license with acceptable driving history is required. Salary ranges from $16.57 to $26.44 based on experience. Please forward resume to Ritzy_norindr@otowfl.com Please apply in person or visit our website at WWW.OnTopoftheworld.com On Top of the World Parkway Maintenance 2025 Denmark Street Clearwater FL 33763 Phone: 727-799-3270 Hours of applications Monday to Friday from 8am to 1pm.

Electronic Technician The City of Melbourne, Florida is accepting applications for an Electronic Technician at our water treatment facility. Applicants must meet the following requirements: Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university 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, installation and repair of electrical, electronic equipment, and SCADA systems associated with a large water treatment facility. Experience must include field service support and repair of PLC’s, HMI, SCADA, programming VFD’s, switchgear and working in an industrial environment. Desk/design work does not count toward experience. Must possess and maintain a State of Florida Journeyman Electrician License. Must possess and maintain a valid State of Florida Driver's license. Applicants who possess an out of state driver’s license must obtain the Florida license within 10 days of employment. Salary commensurate with experience. Salary Range: $40,890.98 $68,680.30/yr., plus full benefits package. To apply please visit www.melbourneflorida.org/jobs and fill out an online application. The position is open until filled. The City of Melbourne is a Veteran's Preference /EOE/DFWP.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SUPERVISOR We seek a skilled leader to oversee enforcement of regulations intended to protect the Wastewater Collection System, Wastewater Reclamation Facility, human health, and the environment.

Water Production Operations Supervisor The City of Melbourne, Florida is accepting applications for an Operations Supervisor at our water treatment facility. Applicants must meet the following requirements: High School diploma or G.E.D., preferably supplemented by college level course work in mathematics and chemistry. Five years supervisory experience in the operation and maintenance of a Class A water treatment facility. Possession of a Class A Water Treatment Plant Operator license issued by the State of Florida. Must possess a State of Florida driver’s license. Applicants who possess an out of state driver’s license must obtain a Florida license within 10 days of employment. Must have working knowledge of nomenclature of water treatment devices. A knowledge test will be given to all applicants whose applications meet all minimum requirements. Salary commensurate with experience. Salary Range: $39,893.88$67,004.60/yr., plus full benefits package. To apply please visit www.melbourneflorida.org/jobs and fill out an online application. The position is open until filled. The City of Melbourne is a Veteran's Preference /EOE/DFWP.

Chief Plant Operator The City of Groveland is hiring a Chief Plant Operator. Salary Range $ 42,764-65,643 DOQ. Please visit groveland-fl.gov for application and job description. Send completed application to 156 S Lake Ave. Groveland, Fl 34736 attn: Human Resources. Background check and drug screen required. Open until filled EOE, V/P, DFWP

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

When you decide that you are ready to propel your career to the next level and want to have an immediate impact on improving the environment in our community, consider becoming part of our team! For more details, please go to: www.largo.com/jobs The City of Largo - Naturally A Great Place to Work!

Operator Trainee Consta Flow Inc located in Winter Haven FL is seeking to hire an Operator Trainee who has completed both Sacramento Volumes 1 & 2 Water / Wastewater and passed the test for both, but not received their license. Salary based on experience $15-18. Benefits package. Valid drivers license required, Drug Free, Smoke Free Workplace. MUST RESIDE IN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE TO POLK COUNTY, FL. Please send resume to calexander100062@gmail.com.

Water / Wastewater Operator Consta Flow Inc located in Winter Haven FL is seeking to hire a dual licensed Water / Wastewater Operator. Applicant must have a minimum class “C” in both. Salary based on experience $20-25. Benefits package. Valid drivers license required, Drug Free, Smoke Free Workplace. MUST RESIDE IN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE TO POLK COUNTY, FL. Please send resume to calexander100062@gmail.com.

Utilities Director $75,900 to $106,895 Annually (DOQ) POSITION FUNCTION: Directs and oversees the Utilities Department consisting of the Water and Wastewater operations of the City. Directs Department activities through the development and oversight of program design and implementation, contract management, polices and directives, budgets, and goals and objectives to ensure the integrity of the water treatment and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, and water reclamation processes of the City. Serves as the Principal Utilities Administrator. * For more information, please visit www.hainescity.com/jobs

Pinellas County Utilities Utilities Maintenance Specialist $34,008.00- $52,728.00 This is skilled technical work involving specialized testing, maintenance, and repair of utilities systems equipment, lines, or devices. Employees in this class perform routine and preventive maintenance on a variety of utilities systems and devices. Duties may include supervising skilled and semi-skilled employees, and work is performed in accordance with established procedures, but requires initiative and independent judgment. The position reports to a division supervisor, unit supervisor or designee.

Water Wastewater Engineer III Wanted Mathews Consulting, a Baxter & Woodman company, has a rewarding opportunity for a full-time Water/Wastewater Engineer III in our West Palm Beach, FL office. The position will be in our Water/Wastewater Group. The Water/Wastewater Engineer III will assist with managing projects, developing business, serving clients and designing pump stations, water and wastewater projects. The successful applicant will be provided with a rewarding combination of design and fieldwork assignments and excellent career development opportunities. For more information, please visit www.baxterwoodman.com/ careers/current-openings

P o s itio ns Wanted STEVEN OLES – Holds a Florida B Wastewater & C Water liscense with several years of experience. Prefers the Leesburg area, within 20 miles. Contact at 352-408-1067

Minimum Qualification Requirements: High school graduate and 4 years of skilled utilities field experience; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience. Florida Commercial Driver's License "B". Possession and maintenance of a valid Level 3 Water Distribution System Operator License obtained in accordance with Florida Administrative Code, Chapter 62-602, Drinking Water and Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators. Candidate may be required to perform manual labor for extended periods occasionally in adverse weather conditions. Apply by: May 17, 2018 To apply visit: www.employment.pinellascounty.org EOE/AA/ADA/DFW/VP Certain service members and veterans, and the spouses and family members of the service members and veterans, receive preference and priority in employment by the state and are encouraged to apply for the positions being filled.

Water Treatment Plant Operator Accepting applications for state certified wastewater and water treatment plant operators for work in Pembroke Pines. All applicants must hold at least minimum “C” operator’s certificate. Background check and drug screen required. -Apply by emailing resume to hpickard@hkaa.com

LOOKING FOR A JOB? The FWPCOA Job Placement Committee Can Help! Contact Joan E. Stokes at 407-293-9465 or fax 407293-9943 for more information. Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2018

Test Yourself Answer Key From page 20

Editorial Calendar January ......Wastewater Treatment February ....Water Supply; Alternative Sources March ........Energy Efficiency; Environmental Stewardship April ............Conservation and Reuse; Florida Water Resources Conference May ............Operations and Utilities Management 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 and are due 60 days before the issue month (for example, January 1 for the March issue). The closing date for display ad and directory card reservations, notices, announcements, upcoming events, and everything else including classified ads, is 30 days before the issue month (for example, September 1 for the October issue). For further information on submittal requirements, guidelines for writers, advertising rates and conditions, and ad dimensions, as well as the most recent notices, announcements, and classified advertisements, go to www.fwrj.com or call 352-241-6006.

Display Advertiser Index

1. D) The aggregate toxic effect to aquatic organisms from all pollutants contained in a wastewater facility’s effluent. Per EPA’s website page, Whole Effluent Toxicity Methods: ‘“Whole effluent toxicity (WET) refers to the aggregate toxic effect to aquatic organisms from all pollutants contained in a facility's wastewater (effluent). It is one way we implement the Clean Water Act's prohibition of the discharge of toxic pollutants in toxic amounts. The WET tests measure wastewater's effects on specific test organisms' ability to survive, grow, and reproduce.”

Per FAC, 62-620.620(3)(a), Whole Effluent Toxicity Testing: “(a) Whole effluent toxicity testing shall be required for the following wastewater facilities that discharge to surface waters: 1. Major wastewater facilities, 2. Minor domestic wastewater facilities with an approved pretreatment program or required to develop a pretreatment program, 3. Minor industrial wastewater facilities with a discharge that has the potential to result in aquatic toxicity; and, 4. Any wastewater facility, regardless of size, which has a prior history of effluent toxicity.”

3. A) acute and chronic. Per EPA’s web page, Whole Effluent Toxicity: “Whole effluent toxicity test methods include two basic types: acute and chronic (including sublethal endpoints).”

4. C) Chronic definitive tests with 100 percent effluent and five dilutions Per FAC 62-620.620(3)(b), Whole Effluent Toxicity Testing: “Unless provided elsewhere in this rule, facilities required to conduct whole effluent toxicity testing shall conduct chronic definitive tests starting with 100 percent effluent using a minimum of five dilution concentrations in accordance with paragraph 62-620.620(3)(g), F.A.C. Acute definitive tests shall not be required unless 50 percent or greater mortality is observed in any test concentration.”

Blue Planet ..........................................55 CEU Challenge ......................................23 FSAWWA ACE18 ....................................19 FSAWWA Conference......................12-15 FSAWWA Likins Scholarship................27 FWPCOA Training....................................9

5. B) Effluent salinity and whether the receiving waters are predominantly fresh or marine

Grundfos ..............................................33 Hudson Pump ......................................29 Hydro International ................................5 InfoSense..............................................53 Lakeside Equipment ..............................7 Stacon ....................................................2 UF TREEO ..............................................37 Xylem....................................................56

6. D) terminated with the conclusion that the test fails. Per 62-620.620(3)(g)2.h, Whole Effluent Toxicity Testing: “If 100 percent mortality occurs in all effluent concentrations before the end of any test, and control mortality is less than 20 percent at that time, the test (including the control) shall be terminated with the conclusion that the test fails.”

7. A) inhibition concentration (IC). 2. B) Minor domestic wastewater facilities with an approved pretreatment program or required to develop a pretreatment program.

Barry University....................................39

FWPCOA Region IV ..............................21

Marine and Estuarine Organisms, 3rd ed., October 2002, EPA-821-R-02-014, incorporated by reference in sub-subparagraph 62620.620(3)(g)2.b., F.A.C.

May 2018 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Per FAC, 62-620.620(3)(g)2.c., Sample and Test Requirements: “The permittee shall conduct seven-day chronic toxicity tests for survival and growth with the mysid shrimp, Americamysis (Mysidopsis) bahia, EPA Method #1007.0 and the inland silverside, Menidia beryllina, EPA Method #1006.0, concurrently, if the effluent salinity is 1 part per thousand or greater measured as conductivity and the discharge is to predominantly marine waters, as defined in Rule 62-302.200, F.A.C. EPA Methods #1007.0 and #1006.0 are located in Short-Term Methods for Estimating the Chronic Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to

Per EPA’s Short-Term Methods for Estimating the Chronic Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater Organisms, Section 9.1.1.6: “Inhibition concentration (IC) - The toxicant concentration that would cause a given percent reduction in a nonquantal biological measurement for the test population. For example, the IC25 is the concentration of toxicant that would cause a 25 percent reduction in mean young per female or in growth for the test population, and the IC50 is the concentration of toxicant that would cause a 50 percent reduction.”

8. C) Every three months Per FAC, 62-620.620(3)(g)1., Whole Effluent Toxicity Testing: “Monitoring Frequency. ‘Routine’ toxicity tests are whole effluent toxicity tests conducted at regularly scheduled intervals once every three months unless otherwise specified in the facility’s permit or by operation of paragraph 62620.620(3)(l), F.A.C.”

9. D) 100 percent Per FAC, 62-4.241(1)(b), Whole Effluent Toxicity Limits: “For chronic whole effluent toxicity, the IC25, as defined in subsection 62-302.200(14), F.A.C., shall not be less than 100 percent effluent.”

10. A) conduct two additional tests on each species that failed. Per FAC, 62-620.620(3)(i)1.,2., and 3., Acute and Chronic Whole Effluent Toxicity Test Failures: “1. A whole effluent toxicity test fails when the test does not meet the applicable acute or chronic whole effluent toxicity limits in Rule 624.241, F.A.C. 2. If a routine test fails, the permittee shall notify the department within 21 days after the last day of the routine test. 3. The permittee shall conduct two additional follow-up tests on each species that failed the routine test. The first additional follow-up test shall be initiated within 28 days after the last day of the end of the failed routine test and weekly thereafter until a total of two valid additional follow-up tests are completed. If needed for intermittent discharges, the additional follow-up tests shall be initiated at the next discharge occurrence. The additional follow-up tests are intended to determine whether the whole effluent toxicity test failure of a facility’s effluent is intermittent or persistent.”