Mountain Currents – Issue 2 2025

Official Publication of the West Virginia Water Environment Association

ISSUE 2 2025

2025 Annual WV AWWA/WEA JOINT WATER CONFERENCE UPDATE

Address Service Requested.

West Virginia Water Environment Assocation P.O. Box 5262, Charleston, WV 25361

CONTENTS

17

15 13

West Virginia Water Environment Association Conference Update

15

The Huntington Sanitary Board: 3rd Avenue/5th Avenue Combined Sewer Separation Project

16

Celebrating Jack Whittaker’s 50 Years of Service

17

Thrasher Engineering: Pea Ridge Upgrade

16 DEPARTMENTS

05 Board of Directors

07 President’s Message

09 WEF Delegate’s Report 10 Committee Reports

26 Advertiser Product & Service Centre

Managing Editor: Scott Kelman

Address Service Requested West Virginia Water Environment Assocation P.O. Box 5262, Charleston, W V 25361 2026 BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Charlie McKenzie – charliemckenzie@servicepump.com

Immediate Past President Todd Swanson – todd.swanson@steptoe-johnson.com

President Elect Zach Thompson – zthompson@thethrashergroup.com

POTW Director Scott Kelly – skelley@huntingtonsb.com

1st Vice President Jacob Daley – jdaley@csb-wv.com

Secretary/Treasurer Matt Dawson – matt@ghosheng.com

Marketing Manager: David Gill Design/Layout: Jackie Magat Tel: 866-985-9780 Fax: 866-985-9799 info@kelman.ca www.kelman.ca

Advertising Co-ordinator: Stefanie Hagidiakow

© 2025 Craig Kelman & Associates Ltd. All rights reserved.

The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

2nd Vice President Paul McDanald – pmcdanald@huntingtonsb.com

ISSUE 2 2025 | MOUNTAIN CURRENTS | 03

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2026 WV WEA Board Members

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CHARLIE MCKENZIE

ZACH THOMPSON

President charliemckenzie@servicepump.com

President Elect zthompson@thethrashergroup.com

JACOB DALEY

PAUL MCDANALD

1st Vice President jdaley@csb-wv.com

2nd Vice President pmcdanald@huntingtonsb.com

SCOTT KELLY

MELISA POWERS

POTW Director skelley@huntingtonsb.com

National Delegate melisa.powers@k12.wv.us

MATT DAWSON

TODD SWANSON

Secretary/Treasurer matt@ghosheng.com

Immediate Past President todd.swanson@steptoe-johnson.com

ISSUE 2 2025 | MOUNTAIN CURRENTS | 05

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Building on Success: See You at Canaan Valley Charlie McKenzie President, West Virginia Water Environment Association

I

t is my pleasure to share that the AWWA/WEA Joint Conference will once again be held at beautiful Canaan Valley Resort this year.

Last year’s conference was one of our best-attended in recent memory, and we are grateful to all who joined us and contributed to such a successful event.

Our dedicated board of volunteers is working hard to build on that success and ensure this year’s conference is even more impactful. As always, our focus will be on providing high-quality training for our operators, helping them continue to uphold

the reputation of being among the best in the nation.

We will again host the Terry Smith Memorial Golf Tournament, a tradition that combines fun, friendly competition, and the chance to have your team’s name etched onto our plaque of past winners. For those who prefer other activities, our networking event promises games, contests, and plenty of opportunities to connect in a relaxed and enjoyable setting.

In addition, attendees can look forward to presentations from industry leaders, an exhibitor showcase featuring the latest tools

and technologies, and countless opportunities to exchange ideas, experiences, and solutions with colleagues from across the state. Whether you represent a large utility, a small system, or serve in the legal, engineering, or vendor community, there will be something meaningful for everyone.

For details and registration, please visit wvwaterconference.com. We encourage you to register early and be part of this important event.

On behalf of the West Virginia Environmental Association, I look forward to welcoming you to Canaan Valley in May 2026.

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ISSUE 2 2025 | MOUNTAIN CURRENTS | 7

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WEF DELEGATE’S REPORT

Building the Future: Workforce Development Efforts Underway Melisa Powers

I

joined the workforce development work group last fall. The Workforce group consisting of 15 or so people from around the country has been meeting every two weeks. The group began by creating a survey to gather information on operator recruitment challenges, strategies, and workforce needs across water and wastewater utilities. This initiative is part of WEF’s broader effort to address workforce shortages and national workforce development strategies.

The link to the online survey was then distributed through HOD members and MAs. There were over 200 responses from the US and Canada. There utilities in West Virginia were well represented, with 37 responses from our State.

THIS INITIATIVE IS PART OF WEF’S BROADER EFFORT TO ADDRESS WORKFORCE SHORTAGES AND NATIONAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES. The Workforce Development Group has since been working on creating a hiring toolkit, which would include information on recruitment from groups of people that might not know anything about what operators do or what benefits come with a career as a professional operator.

The workgroup is also looking at different ways to better market the importance of the work that operators do and getting

that message out to the public through different marketing techniques.

Earl Shepperd, the Chief Operator of the Beaufort, SC WWTP said it best during our very first Workforce meeting last fall, when he pointed out that no other occupation directly affects the percentage of the population that operators of wastewater and drinking water plants do, every single day.

Loyalty at Lakeside as Dan Widdel becomes new President Dan Widdel has become the new President of Illinois-based Lakeside Equipment Corporation, who since their formation back in 1928, have become a highly renowned provider of wastewater treatment systems, including screens, grit collectors, clarifiers, screw pumps, and biological processes.

With Lakeside for 25 years, Dan steps up to replace retiring President, Karen Wolk, who served the employee-owned company for 40 years. Karen had been in the head role for the past three years, following the sudden passing away of Lakeside’s much-admired President, Steve Eckstein.

“This is a huge honour for me to follow in the footsteps of those who have led Lakeside Equipment Corporation so diligently for almost a century,” said Dan Widdel.

“Despite some challenging times in our long history, including the Pandemic, and the tragic loss of our former President, we have stuck together as a very solid team, determined, no matter what, to deliver the very best solutions for our customers. I would like to sincerely thank Karen Wolk for her huge contribution in pushing Lakeside forward”.

Jim Snyder (Lakeside’s Production Manager), who has been with the business for 43 years, moves up to become joint Vice President, sharing the new mantle with Jim McKee (National Sales Manager), who has been at Lakeside for 25 years.

Meanwhile, Jamie Marshall has joined Lakeside as its new Controller. She recently completed her Master of Business Administration, together with achieving a human resources graduate certificate.

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ISSUE 2 2025 | MOUNTAIN CURRENTS | 9

COMMITTEE REPORTS

NEWSLETTER AND WEBSITE COMMITTEE The Newsletter and Website Committee is pleased to present the third edition of Mountain Currents, our bi-annual publication.

Each edition is designed to share timely updates, resources, and important information that support our members and highlight the ongoing work of our communities.

Beyond this issue, our committee has been actively working to improve the organization’s website. These enhancements are intended to make it easier for members to access key resources and stay informed. In the coming months, you can expect to see:

• Scholarship Application Portal – providing a streamlined, secure way for students and applicants to submit applications online.

• News and Events Section – offering a central hub for upcoming conferences, trainings, and announcements.

• Improved Navigation – creating a more user-friendly layout to ensure information is easier to find and access.

These updates reflect our commitment to delivering valuable tools and resources to our membership. We are confident that the upcoming improvements will provide added convenience and strengthen the ways in which we share information as we continue in advancing our mission: To inspire the West Virginia water community in pursuit of human and environmental well-being.

For further details about our organization and how to become a member, we encourage you to visit and bookmark our website at https://westvirginiawea.org/.

Official Publication

of the West Virginia

Water Environmen

t Association

ISSUE 1 2025

Address Service Requested.

West Virginia Water Environmen t Assocation P.O. Box 5262, Charleston, WV 25361

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10 | MOUNTAIN CURRENTS | ISSUE 2 2025

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COMMITTEE REPORTS

WVWEA YOUNG PROFESSIONALS The West Virginia Water Environment Association (WVWEA) Young Professionals (YPs) recently participated in a duo of plant tours in conjunctions with the YPs of the West Virginia Section of the American Water Works Association. The YPs had the opportunity to take a guided tour of both wastewater treatment, the Charleston

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Sanitary Board, and water treatment, the West Virginia American Water Kanawha Valley Water Treatment Plant, facilities. Special thanks to those who took the time out to provide a great and informative experience to all those who came on the tours and stay tuned for updates on upcoming events!

ISSUE 2 2025 | MOUNTAIN CURRENTS | 11

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2025 Annual WV AWWA/WEA JOINT WATER CONFERENCE UPDATE

T

he 2025 West Virginia Water Conference was held May 18–21 at scenic Canaan Valley Resort, once again uniting professionals from across the state and region.

A joint effort between the West Virginia Water Environment Association (WVWEA) and the West Virginia Section of the American Water Works Association (WV AWWA), the conference continues to serve as a cornerstone event for both the water and wastewater industries.

The four-day program provided a balanced mix of education, networking, and collaboration. Attendees had the opportunity to earn valuable CEU credits, meet with vendors showcasing the latest technologies and services, and strengthen professional connections with colleagues who share a commitment to advancing the industry.

Building on the success of last year, the conference again featured the student poster competition. This event highlighted the innovative research and creative problem-solving of students eager to address real-world water challenges. Their work not only offered fresh perspectives but also underscored the importance of cultivating the next generation of water professionals.

The conference also included many returning favorites that participants have come to look forward to each year. The social networking picnic provided a relaxed atmosphere for attendees to reconnect and share ideas outside the classroom setting. The annual Terri Smith Golf Tournament once again combined friendly competition with a meaningful cause, raising awareness and funds for both organizations’ scholarship programs. Additional activities included a networking gaming event, the vendor showcase, a Young Professionals (YP) engagement session, and the annual banquet, where achievements across the industry were honored and celebrated.

Overall, the 2025 WV Water Conference proved to be a rewarding and memorable experience for all who attended. With its blend of technical sessions, professional development opportunities, and community-building events, the conference continues to inspire collaboration and innovation across West Virginia’s water sector.

We look forward to seeing everyone at next year’s event, where new ideas, engaging discussions, and meaningful connections are sure to make the conference even more impactful.

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ISSUE 2 2025 | MOUNTAIN CURRENTS | 13

ARTHUR SIDNEY BEDELL AWARD Acknowledges extraordinary personal service to the WVWEA. It is named for Arthur Sidney Bedell, the second person of the Federation who exemplified its purpose by his long devotion and service to the New York Water Pollution Control Association, the Bureau of Sewage and Waste Disposal of the New York State Department of Health.

Recipient – Melisa Powers, WV Environmental Training Center

Nutrient Removal

WV WEA 2025 Annual Conference Awards WILLIAM D. HATFIELD AWARD Presented to operators of wastewater treatment plants for outstanding performance and professionalism. The award was established in honor of William D. Hatfield, Superintendent of the Decator, Illinois Sanitary District, who was President of the Central States Sewage Works Association in 1944–45 and served as President of the Federation in 1958-59.

Recipient – Scott Kelley, City of Huntington Sanitary Board

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OPERATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD This award is named after Glenn O. Fortney and is presented to an operator to recognize his or her outstanding and dedicated service and professionalism TREATMENT in routine operation and maintenance activities. Mr. Fortney was a pioneer in the training and licensing of wastewater operators in West Virginia and dedicated his career at the State Department of Health to advancing the professional HYDRAULICS-MODELING status of these operators.

Sewer Rehab

RATE STUDIES

RIENT REMOVAL

Rate Studies Co-Energy Proje Recipient – Bryan Chapman, Pea Ridge Public Service District

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Funding SYSTEM EVALUATIONS

m Evaluations

SSO/CSO CONTROL

SCADA

ACT 537 PLANNING

14 | MOUNTAIN CURRENTS | ISSUE 2 2025

FUNDING

WILSON/WELLMAN

COLLECTION SYSTEM OPERATOR SOLIDS MANAGEMENT

Treatment

Recipient – Lee Adams, City of Huntington Sanitary Board

CONVEYANCE

CO-ENERGY PROJECTS

George W. Burke Award Established to encourage an active and eff ective safety program in municipal and industrial facilities. This award was created in 1982 in honor of George W. Burke, Jr., for his many years of service to both the water environment field and the Federation as staff manager of technical services. Mr. Burke was instrumental in developing the Federation’s annual safety survey and assisting in the production of several safety aids and promotional packets.

OF THE YEAR AWARD In memory of Brian Wilson and Tim Wellman who gave their lives while working at the collection system of Northern Wayne PSD. This award will be presented to an individual or utility for contributions to the advancement of the ‘State of the Art’ in Wastewater Collection based on the performance and compliance of the collection system they operate their contributions to the wastewater field, and their service to the community.

Act 537 Planning

SEWER REHAB

­

Hydraulics-Modelin COLLECTION

Recipient – Wes Leak, City of Huntington Sanitary Board

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Plant: (304) 696-5917 | P.O. Box 7098 Huntington, WV 25775 | Board Office (304) 696-5564

3rd Avenue/5th Avenue Combined Sewer Separation Project

T

he 3rd Avenue/5th Avenue combined sewer separation project will mitigate frequent flooding at two intersections – 3rd Avenue and 24th Street and 5th Avenue and 25th Street.

This will be accomplished by separating portions of the storm sewers from the combined sanitary sewer and installing pump station and force main systems to convey runoff from these two low-lying

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areas to the Ohio River. It will remove the stormwater of approximately 40 acres of drainage area from the Sanitary Board sewer system and treatment plant.

This project is critical because it will allow emergency-response vehicles to travel through Huntington in the quickest manner during heavy rain. It also is important to efforts to redevelop the former ACF industrial site and surrounding properties so that it can create jobs and strengthen the local economy.

Tribute Construction was awarded the construction contract. The project will began in June 2025 near the Ohio River and is moving south toward 3rd and 5th avenues.

While the entire project is expected to take approximately two years to complete, the first phase focuses on 25th Street between Guyan Avenue and 4th Avenue. Construction crews currently are installing a 24-inch sewer pipe from the Ohio River to 4th Avenue. and proceed south toward 4th Avenue.

ISSUE 2 2025 | MOUNTAIN CURRENTS | 15

Celebrating Jack Whittaker’s

T On behalf of everyone, “thank you, Jack, for your

remarkable service and your friendship. We wish you all the best in this next chapter of life.”

50 Years of Service

his spring, we celebrated an extraordinary milestone as one of our own, Jack Whittaker with the City of Welch, transitioned into a well-deserved retirement after an incredible 50 years of dedicated service. Yes, you read that right – five decades of commitment to his community and colleagues.

Throughout his career, Jack was known not only for his expertise but also for his positive outlook, stellar personality, and determination to get the job done – and done right.

Personally, every time my phone rang, and his name popped up, I couldn’t help but smile and think, “There’s my old buddy Jack.” That simple joy says a lot about the kind of person he is.

Jack’s presence has been a source of encouragement and camaraderie for all who have worked with him. His ability to connect with people and his unwavering commitment to serving the citizens of Welch leave behind a legacy that will not be forgotten.

As he steps into retirement, Jack looks forward to spending time with his family and working on his farm, two passions that bring him great joy.

On behalf of everyone, thank you, Jack, for your remarkable service and your friendship.

We wish you all the best in this next chapter of life.

Sincerely, Charles McKenzie, President, West Virginia Environmental Association

New Flomatic 12” Model 92 Swing Check Valves for Municipal & Industrial Water Systems Flomatic Valves is proud to announce the official release of its new AIS and BABA Compliant 12” Model 92 Swing Check Valve, a robust and versatile valve solution engineered for municipal and industrial water and wastewater applications that helps minimize the effects of water hammer during pump shutdown. Designed to meet the rigorous demands of modern infrastructure, Model 92 fully complies with ANSI/AWWA Standard C508, ensuring reliability and performance in critical environments.

Model 92 is available in three versatile, field adjustable configurations to suit specific operating conditions: • Lever & Spring (3712LS) • Lever & Weight (3712LW) • Lever, Weight & Air Cushion (3712CS) Each model supports horizontal or vertical (flow up) pipeline installations, with field-convertible external controls thanks to a convertible shaft, dual keyed lever arm, and symmetrical cylinder mount, making installation and adjustment more efficient than ever.

• Built for Strength & Longevity • Model 92 is engineered to withstand high stress and shock loads, with the valve being constructed from ductile iron for the body, cover, clapper arm, and disc holder. A replaceable stainless steel seat ring ensures positive sealing even in high solids environments, while the resilient one-piece cut seat seal provides a self-cleaning wiping effect and bubble-tight sealing across pressure ranges.

• Smart Maintenance & Sustainability • All internal components are accessible and field-replaceable via the valve cover access port – no pipeline removal required, making them easy for upgrades and maintenance. The valve features NSF/ANSI 61 powder epoxy coating on both interior and exterior surfaces, and all internal ductile iron components, ensuring long-term corrosion resistance.

• Made in the USA – AIS & BABA Compliant • Model 92 is proudly AIS and BABA compliant, manufactured with U.S.-sourced materials and components, supporting domestic infrastructure and sustainability goals.

To explore Flomatic’s complete line of Swing Check Valves, please visit: www.flomatic.com/valves/check-valves/swing or contact our sales team at 518-761-9797.

16 | MOUNTAIN CURRENTS | ISSUE 2 2025

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Pea Ridge S Upgrade Thrasher Engineering

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ince its founding, the community of Lesage has lacked access to public sewer services. This absence created a range of challenges, particularly as the area between Huntington and Barboursville continued to grow and develop. When the need for support arose, the Pea Ridge Public Service District (PSD) and their longtime engineering partner, The Thrasher Group, stepped in to help.

As part of an approximately $30 million wastewater treatment plant upgrade – currently underway and designed by Thrasher – Pea Ridge PSD was able to extend reliable sewer service to roughly 700 residents in the Lesage area. This marks a significant improvement for the community, as public sewer systems typically require less maintenance than septic tanks, reducing long-term costs and labor for homeowners.

Thrasher has played a key role in this initiative from the outset. As a West Virginiabased firm committed to supporting municipalities, Thrasher has been a trusted partner to Pea Ridge PSD for years. Their involvement went beyond design – they provided hands-on support throughout the process, helping the PSD manage the region’s rapid growth. Their dedication to the project not only contributed to its success but also demonstrated how committed consultants can deliver high-quality, lasting solutions.

ISSUE 2 2025 | MOUNTAIN CURRENTS | 17

H.M.W.P.E. Man-Hole Inserts SPECIFICATIONS: • • •

•

The insert is made of High Molecular Weight Polyethylene material that meets ASTM specifications designation D 1248, Class A, Category 5, Type 111 with a minimum impact brittleness temperature of -180°F. The thickness shall be uniform to .187 or greater.

The lift strap is made of 1-inch-wide woven polypropylene web and is attached to the bowl of the dish by a wide head stainless steel 3/16” rivet and a stainless steel ¾” backup SS washer. All cut edges are seared to ensure against raveling.

Ventilation is provided by a 1/8” vent hole and/or a valve (see valve information under the SS specifications), vent hole located on the side wall of the bowl, valve threaded into the side-bottom of the insert. The hole or valve allows maximum release of 5 gallons of water per 24 hours and is not affected by debris that might collect in the bottom of the dish. Sewer gas is vented at one P.S.I. or less.

The gasket is made of closed cell neoprene and is attached by a pressure sensitive adhesive to the weight bearing surface of the dish.

Stainless Steel Man-Hole Inserts SPECIFICATIONS:

INSERT- The manhole insert is manufactured of 16 gauge, 304T Stainless Steel. The insert shall have a bowl size large enough to receive the design of the underside of the manhole lid. The bowl size shall also be designed to allow easy removal from the manhole frame. The insert shall have a load test greater than 3000 pounds.

GASKET- The gasket is made of closed cell neoprene and is attached by a pressure sensitive adhesive to the weight bearing surface of the dish.

HANDLE- The handle, cable terminal, and cable eye end are manufactured from stainless steel. The handle is manufactured from 3/16” plastic-coated stainless-steel cable and is attached with a #66 stainless steel rivet and a 1” diameter SS washer. The cable is braided in a manner which resists cutting with bolt cutters.

TETHER- The tether is manufactured from 3/16” braided stainless steel and is attached to the insert using #66 stainless steel rivet. The cable terminal end and eye are manufactured from stainless steel.

RELIEF VALVE- The gas relief valve is designed to, release at a pressure of .5 to 1.5 PSI and release less than 5 gallons of water in 24 hours. The valve is threaded and screwed into a hole drilled in the bottom of the insert. The valve is made from material that is inert against Sulfuric Acid, Hydrogen Sulfide and other substances found in the sanitary sewer systems.

H.D.P.E. or A.B.S. Valve Box Inserts SPECIFICATIONS: • •

The valve box insert is made of High Molecular Weight Polyethylene material that meets ASTM specifications designation D 1248, Class A, Category 5, Type 111 with a minimum impact brittleness temperature of -180°F. The thickness shall be uniform to .187 or greater.

The lift strap is made of 1-inch-wide woven polypropylene web and is attached to the bowl of the dish by a wide head stainless steel 3/16” rivet and a stainless steel ¾” backup SS washer. All cut edges are seared to ensure against raveling.

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THE NINE VILLAINS OF CYBERSECURITY Part one in a two-part series about cybersecurity by Brian Gongol, M.Sc., M.Ed.

A prudent approach to protecting our well-connected water infrastructure begins with being alert to who our enemies are.

T

here is a popular myth that the typical hacker – one of the bad ones – is just a disgruntled adolescent or young adult living in his mom's basement. It's a myth so deeply embedded in the culture that even cybersecurity textbooks often use a shadowy figure wearing a hoodie to stand in as an icon for the ‘bad guys,’ just like the black cowboy hat once identified the villain in a Western.

The real cybersecurity ‘enemies list’ is much more complex than that, and oversimplifying it doesn't do us any favors.

The villains are constantly out to take us by surprise. Surprise is one of their most important offensive weapons.

Water and wastewater service is special in that our sector daily means the difference between life and death. That's as vital as it can get. But that also means that we have to be on guard more than anyone else against RETURN TO CONTENTS

anything that threatens our continuity of operations. No sector is more essential.

Our best hope against the cyberattacks heading our way is to degrade the element of surprise. A prudent approach to protecting our well-connected water infrastructure begins with being alert to who our enemies are. There are at least nine different forms they can take, and we can distinguish among them by asking five questions: 1. What motivates them?

2. What are they targeting inside your networks?

3. What could they cost you?

4. How would you know if you were under attack?

5. What are the first steps you must take to protect yourself?

Let's meet your opponents.

1. SCRIPT KIDDIES

These are the villains closest to the stereotype of the basement-dwelling misanthrope. They know a few things about computers, and they want to mess with things out of boredom, a desire to sharpen their skills, or to show off to their friends. They're looking for easy wins: things like unpatched vulnerabilities on your systems or unprotected computers they can turn into bots.

What could they cost you? At the low end, some loss of face if they manage to deface ISSUE 2 2025 | MOUNTAIN CURRENTS | 19

your website. At the higher end, they can leave you with significant network cleanup costs if they manage to compromise a cluster of your machines.

Script kiddies sometimes make themselves known by defacing websites or social media accounts. Other times, they'll lurk and use up your bandwidth or computer processing power to carry out pranks or mine for cryptocurrency.

Your first step towards self-defense is to follow a routine for installing program patches and upgrades. Make someone accountable!

Don't just assume that they will download automatically. Is it a job for an IT department?

Maybe… if you even have one. Or maybe it's a job for an administrator. Or maybe even for your maintenance team. The key is to make sure that the job is clearly designated as someone's responsibility, and that real accountability follows the assignment.

2. HOSTILE FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS

wrong – like losing control of everything that connects to your SCADA system. The whole point of something like the advanced persistent threat is for the villain to go undetected until conflict breaks out.

Many of these threats use human weaknesses to break through, so the first step to protecting yourself is to establish and follow through on training and policies for the weaknesses in your defenses, especially from what we know as ‘social engineering’ attacks.

Social engineering is the use of psychological tricks to get people to let down their guard, and we're all susceptible to it. Think of it as hacking people rather than hacking computers. Social engineering looks like spearphishing (emails that target

means, motive, and opportunity. There have already been headline-grabbing examples of people accessing control systems at water utilities after having been let go, including at least one example of a contractor who resigned and later remotely accessed the system at a water treatment plant to disable its controls.

These kinds of attackers are hard to catch, precisely because they may have been the ones who installed your cybersecurity protections in the first place. Keep an eye out for unexplained changes in control settings and logins that don't match people's job assignments. And keep some paper records of your most important settings!

Disciplined use of access controls (like giving every individual a separate username and password for everything they do) is a basic

individuals inside your system who have access to valuable things like passwords) and ‘discovered’ files and media left behind in the hope you'll plug them in (do you know what to do if you find an unlabeled USB thumb drive sitting on a desk?). There is practically no end to the need for ongoing training to protect your team against social engineering attacks.

first step towards protecting your system, as is assigning administrative privileges only to the people who absolutely need them. And, for your own sake, treat people with dignity when they leave!

4. VANDALS

3. DISGRUNTLED EX-EMPLOYEES

It's begun to creep into public attention that governments are willing to use cyberwarfare as a tool to get what they want, whether it's to gain diplomatic leverage, to steal money, or to commit bloodless warfare against their opponents. The United States has plenty of enemies out there, and they know that utilities are a vulnerability.

What are they targeting in your system?

A variety of things, but mostly weaponizable tools (things they can shut down), customer data (things they can hold for ransom), or backdoors they can use to gain long-term access to your networks without you noticing (in the cybersecurity realm, we call this an ‘Advanced Persistent Threat’).

In the worst-case scenario, these attackers could cause a complete loss of control over your networked operations. This is the foreign-originated threat scenario that people recognize most, and it's already happened – see, for instance, how Russia attacked Ukraine's electrical grid.

Unfortunately, you often won't even know you're under attack until the damage has been done and something has gone horribly 20 | MOUNTAIN CURRENTS | ISSUE 2 2025

Everyone knows that it's important to treat co-workers with respect and dignity. But there are times when people leave a workplace under a cloud, either because of their own behavior or because something happened externally that left them in a bad spot. Even a totally no-fault layoff can still sting.

When someone leaves a role for involuntary reasons, there's always a chance they could want a little retaliation. And an ex-employee is in a very good position to know what (virtual) buttons to press that could leave a serious bruise on a utility's operations, either punishing the operation internally or causing harm to its reputation.

Ex-employees probably know more about your systems than anyone but the current employees they leave behind, and an entire utility operation could be compromised by someone with the right combination of

Vandals have had the same basic motivations for centuries: boredom and antisocial tendencies. Why, after all, do people carve messages in bathroom stalls?

Utilities are targets for vandalism, too, especially of the cyber variety. These vandals are looking for whatever is easiest to find and deface, especially websites and social media accounts. Think of it as digital spray paint. And, as with real spray paint, the costs come down to the basics of cleanup (a costly nuisance) and potential reputational harm.

If you let vandalism go on long enough, you risk looking careless or incompetent – not a good look for a public utility tasked with maintaining public trust.

Keep a close eye on your public-facing digital property, looking out for unauthorized changes to websites and social media accounts. Many of them allow you to set an alert for every time a change is made, and someone in the leadership of every utility needs to be watching.

You can also protect yourself by implementing multi-factor authentication on RETURN TO CONTENTS

those public-facing accounts, which requires someone to respond with a challenge code or similar proof before allowing them to make changes to tools like your Facebook page.

It's also very important to make sure you're using individual credentials to access those accounts, so you can trace straight to the person behind every change. Shared usernames and passwords are a giant invitation to trouble.

5. TERRORISTS

Hollywood has been making movies about terrorist attacks on infrastructure since Sean Connery made his debut as James Bond.

The target hasn't changed, only the means.

Terrorists are of course motivated by politics, financial gain, and bloodlust, but also by the attraction of asymmetric warfare: That is, causing high-impact events at relatively little cost. That's why some terrorist groups even become involved as proxies for hostile foreign governments (see Villain #2 above).

Unfortunately, utilities offer a wealth of potential targets, though we should pay especially close attention to our control systems. Terrorism depends upon attention, so the more consequential the disruption, the higher the profile of the attack and thus the more attractive to the bad guys. If you lose control over networked systems, leading, for example, to the failure of a water distribution system or a breakdown of your wastewater lift stations, the public would feel the consequences almost immediately. That's the ‘essential’ part of being ‘essential workers.

While there are detection tools and practices you can follow to become aware of an attack (careful surveillance of your server logs, for example), there's a fair chance you wouldn't know until you either started hearing the alarms or got a call from an agency like the FBI or CISA. Still, the more steps you take to defend against the full spectrum of possible attackers, the better your chances of avoiding trouble.

Being aware of potential threats is an important defensive practice, and it's an ongoing task. There are also prudent steps you can take to defend your networks, like RETURN TO CONTENTS

activating firewalls and segregating your networks. Network segregation is especially important, so that if someone breaks into your website server, they can't access customer payment data, or if they crack into your WWTP SCADA system, they can't hop over to your potable water distribution system. And, for goodness' sake, replace the default passwords on any devices (computers, PLCs, HMIs, smartphones, and anything else) that you connect to your networks. If someone can look up a default

password in an O&M manual somewhere, it's basically useless for protecting you.

So far, we have encountered enough cybersecurity villains to keep you on your toes for a long time to come. Yet there are still four other foes we need to profile, including mobsters and lone wolves. We will identify them in the next installment (and hope that a tenth doesn't emerge while we're waiting). In the meantime, to borrow a line from the classic cop show, ‘Hill Street Blues,’ let's be careful out there.

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WHICH ACTIVATED SLUDGE CONTROL STRATEGY IS BEST FOR MY FACILITY?

By Doug Yarosz, P.E. – Brown and Caldwell and Ken Schnaars, P.E. – Brown and Caldwell

Introduction The activated sludge process is the heart of a water resource recovery facility (WRRF). If this process is not performing properly it could result in non-compliance issues, solids handling loading issues, and/or excessive energy costs. Activated sludge process issues will occur if the microbes within the system are exposed to widely varying conditions. Not unlike humans, aerobic microbes struggle when they have too much or too little or too much food, when there’s not enough oxygen, when they’re exposed to toxic substances, etc. Wastewater operators are responsible for providing a stable environment for the microbes so they can efficiently process the incoming wastewater and then be separated from the clarified water. The rate at which microbes are wasted from an activated sludge system, the waste activated sludge (WAS) flow rate, is one of the most critical parameters that needs to be determined by operators. It directly determines how much food will be available for each microbe and factors into how much oxygen is needed. How should operators determine their WAS rate? This article discusses the pros and cons of a few common activated sludge system control strategies and makes the case that solids retention time (SRT) based control may be the easiest and most effective way to determine WAS rates and maintain a stable and efficient activated sludge system.

Types of Process Control Unfortunately, when some WRRFs are asked how they control their systems they provide responses like these: RETURN TO CONTENTS

• We do whatever the Plant Manager tells us. The Operators have NO say.

• We don’t trust the numbers, we only look under the microscope and make adjustments based on the approximate age of the microorganisms.

• We do whatever Bob says because he’s been working here the longest.

• We watch the plant effluent quality.

• First shift uses F:M control, second shift uses MLSS control, and third shift God only knows.

Many other WRRFs operate their activated sludge processes using one of these three common control strategies: • Maintaining a predetermined MLSS concentration • Maintaining a predetermined Food to Microorganism (F:M) Ratio • Maintaining a predetermined Solids Retention Time (SRT) Maintaining a Predetermined MLSS Concentration Operating an activated system by maintaining a constant mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentration is self-explanatory and simple. However, WRRF influent loading may change throughout the year, requiring variable quantities of microbes for effective treatment. If the facility has several biological process units and tanks are brought online or taken out of service, this will cause sudden changes in MLSS concentration due to dilution (added tanks) or consolidation (less tanks). In both cases the number of microbes remain the same, but operators may be compelled to lower ISSUE 2 2025 | MOUNTAIN CURRENTS | 23

or raise the WAS flow rate to get back to their predetermined MLSS concentration, causing instability for the microbes. Also, this method of activated sludge control gives no guidance as to how quickly the operator should change the WAS flow rate to get back to the target MLSS concentration. Of course, the “10% rule” applies, but 10% of what? WAS flow rate? WAS quantity (pounds)? MLSS concentration?

How do you determine the target MLSS concentration? Many of these questions are determined based on experience and trial/error. While this mode of activated sludge control sounds simple, during changing conditions, maintaining a constant MLSS concentration often leads to an unstable environment for microbes.

Maintaining a predetermined Food to Microorganism (F:M) Ratio F:M ratio represents the balance between the amount of organic matter (food) available in the wastewater and the mass of microorganisms (microbes) present in the system. In more detail, the F:M ratio is calculated by dividing the aeration infl uent BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) by the mass of active microorganisms (MLVSS, the volatile portion of the MLSS) in the aeration tanks. This ratio infl uences the growth rate of the microbes, the efficiency of the treatment process, and the overall stability of the system. Maintaining a predetermined F:M ratio is critical for achieving efficient and stable wastewater treatment.

It helps ensure that the microorganisms are neither starved nor overloaded, leading to eff ective breakdown of organic pollutants and production of high-quality effl uent.

Depending on permit requirements, seasonal temperatures, influent characteristics, and other facility-specific parameters, industry standard F:M ratio targets are widely accepted and easily available to operators. However, while maintaining a predetermined F:M Ratio is an effective means of control an activated sludge system, it is difficult to use for day-to-day operation because it takes five days to get the BOD values that are used in the F:M ratio formula.

The delays in test results could in turn affect the performance of the activated sludge process.

Maintaining a Predetermined Solids Retention Time (SRT) SRT-based control involves actively managing the rate at which microbes are removed from an activated sludge system to maintain a desired average time that they stay in the treatment process. This is done by adjusting the WAS flow rate based on real-time or averaged measurements of system solids and flow. The following formula is used to calculate SRT:

All of the parameters required for calculating SRT can be obtained within a few hours and are typically monitored daily by most WRRFs. SRT control provides one of the best overall control parameters for the activated sludge process and similar to F:M ratio control, industry

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standard SRT targets are widely accepted and easily available to operators. For example, to achieve complete ammonia nitrogen removal, an SRT of 8 to 15 days is recommended. Also, the activated sludge system will adapt to varying conditions such as influent loading and temperature. As such, MLSS concentration may vary to maintain a stable environment for the microbes.

Since SRT control uses the pounds of solids in the activated sludge system, it accounts for varying numbers of tanks in service.

The illustration below shows how the same number of pounds results in changing MLSS concentrations with a different number of aeration tanks online. Even though the MLSS concentration with six aeration tanks online is 1,800 mg/L and 2,700 mg/L with four tanks online, the pounds of solids needed to maintain a constant SRT is the same for both scenarios.

Utilizing SRT-based control can maintain the pounds of solids in the activated sludge process at a fairly constant level. This is accomplished after the operator sets the desired SRT in days and then adjusts the waste activated sludge flow after calculating the pounds of solids in the aeration tanks and secondary effluent.

Using SRT control will result in better settling microbes and low plant effluent suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, and ammonia nitrogen.

Note that Mean Cell Residence Time (MCRT) is often used in the same context as SRT and both are very similar. However, the MCRT calculation also includes the amount of pounds in the secondary clarifiers and channels while the SRT calculation does not. In the authors’ opinion and experience, there is little benefit gained compared to the effort required to accurately calculate these values.

The table below lists pros and cons for these three common activated sludge system control strategies.

SRT Control Sound Great but How Can I Use it?

SRT-based activated sludge control can be implemented at your facility by utilizing an Excel-based spreadsheet to input operating data and calculate the WAS flow rate necessary to maintain a desired SRT. Trends of key parameters can be reviewed and discussed with facility staff to gain a better understanding of activated sludge system process operation.

CONTROL STRATEGY

PROS

CONS

Constant MLSS Concentration

• Simple to implement and automate • Maintains stable biomass concentration • Useful in systems with limited instrumentation

• Doesn’t adapt to influent variability • Doesn’t account for number of process tanks online • May lead to energy inefficiency • Can cause poor settling if MLSS is too high • Limited flexibility for advanced treatment goals

Predetermined Food-toMicroorganism (F/M) Ratio

• Directly relates biomass to organic load • Helps optimize microbial activity and treatment efficiency • Useful for adjusting to variable influent loads

• Requires accurate and frequent measurement of BOD which takes 5 days for results • Requires volatile suspended solids analysis for calculation • More complex to manage and automate • Sensitive to influent fluctuations and measurement errors

Predetermined Solids Retention Time (SRT)

• Optimizes biological processes (e.g., nitrification) • Improves sludge settling and stability • Enhances energy efficiency and process control • Adapts well to seasonal and load changes

• Requires reliable flow and solids measurement • More complex to implement and maintain

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ISSUE 2 2025 | MOUNTAIN CURRENTS | 25

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