A JOINT PUBLICATION OF
ROCKY MOUNTAIN SECTION of the AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION & ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER ENVIRONMENT ASSOCIATION
R O C K Y M O U N TA I N
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024
COLORADO | NEW MEXICO | WYOMING
Optimizing Aurora Water’s CIP Program Through More Efficient Asset Management
Address Service Requested. RMSAWWA CSU Spur Hydro 4777 National Western Drive Denver, CO 80216
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VOL. 56 NO. 82 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
A JOINT PUBLICATION OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN SECTION of the AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION & ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER ENVIRONMENT ASSOCIATION
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 Rocky Mountain Water Magazine Group The following volunteers support RMSAWWA and RMWEA with content collection, management, editing, and reviewing the magazine.
COLORADO | NEW MEXICO | WYOMING
On the cover: Lockheed Martin Space, Industrial Clarifier at Dawn. Photo by Jason Vasquez, Lockheed Martin
FEATURES
ALEX CASTULOVICH acastulovich@carollo.com BLAIR CORNING bcorning@englewoodco.gov HANNAH FODOR hfodor@carollo.com RORY FRANKLIN rfrankli@auroragov.org KARI LARESE klarese@highlsandsranch.org RMSAWWA Communications Committee KARI LARESE, Co-Chair klarese@highlandsranch.org RORY FRANKLIN, Co-Chair rfrankli@auroragov.org ERIN ROGERS, eNewsletter Editor erogers@rmsawwa.org RMWEA Communications Committee Elizabeth Dewaard, Chair edewaard@englewoodco.gov JORI NELSON, eNewsletter Editor jnelson@waterrf.org NATALIE COOK, eNewsletter Reviewer ncook@auroragov.org ANDREW DUGAN, eNewsletter Reviewer andrew@andrewwritescopy.com
Published by
Tel: 866-985-9780 info@kelman.ca
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Managing Editor: Mathias Leiendecker Marketing Manager: Chad Morrison Design/Layout: Jackie Magat Advertising Co-ordinator: Stefanie Hagidiakow © 2024 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.
Address Service Requested. RMSAWWA CSU Spur Hydro 4777 National Western Drive Denver, CO 80216
18
22
Optimizing Aurora Water’s CIP Program Through More Efficient Asset Management
Examining the Evolving Water Sector
COLUMNS ROCKY MOUNTAIN VIEW From the RMSAWWA Chair.......................................... 9 From the RMWEA President .................................... 11
STUDENT DESIGN COMPETITION CU Boulder Student Design Competition 2023 – WEFTEC Update ............ 32
COMMITTEE SPOTLIGHT Communicators: Gather(ed) ‘Round! ............................................................ 13
IN MEMORIAM Barbara Biggs ......................................................................... 35
MANAGEMENT PIPELINE Water Workforce Recruiting and Retention Roundtable................................................... 17
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Rocky Mountain Water Magazine Submission Guidelines ................................................. 36 QUICK CONNECTIONS........................................... 39
HOT TOPICS A Black History Month Perspective from Dr. Dewey Brigham, President and Executive Director of CABPES ........................................................... 28
GET INVOLVED ................................................................ 41 ADVERTISER PRODUCT & SERVICE CENTER .................................................... 45
The Management Pipeline column, “Quiet Leadership” included in the Nov/Dec 2023 issue of RMW was written by Sarah Stone, the Utilities Deputy Director of Business Solutions at the City of Englewood. The print edition of this article incorrectly listed the author as Blair Corning. We sincerely regret the error.
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significan t and exc Beginnin iting evo g with 20 lution in 2 our indust 4 ’s issue #1 o & Associa ry-wide c f Rocky M tes provid ommunic o e u their profe ntain Wa importan ation effo ter, we h ssional pu t and valu rts. ave made blishing se able pub th rvices to lication. e decisio n to have produce a significa Craig Kelm Like our tw ntly enha an o section nced vers s, Kelman practices ion of ou places a g and mate r reat deal rials, whic of import h was an ance and importan pride in u t part of o We know sing envir ur decisio that transi onmenta n ti m o n aking pro s improve lly conscio c a n h a ve their o cess. our publi us wn set of cation th for profess ro c h u a g ll h their ye enges, bu ional asso ars of exp t we belie ciations in perspecti erience in ve Kelma a wide va ve, Kelma n will sign producin ri e ty n is o g high-qu ificantly f industri the proud North Am es, includ a li publishin erica. ty in dustry m ing our o g partner agazines wn. From of nearly an indust 50 water ry knowle industry For more dge organizati informati ons throu on on ou www.kelm ghout r new pu an.ca/abo blisher, p ut-us lease che ck out th eir websi We look fo te and vid eo at: rward to using our educate a upgraded nd inform fl agship pu , and hop and expe blication e our me rience by to enhan mbers se su b ce the wa m e Our indu it th ti e n g value in u v y we com aluable c stry will b sing its p ontent th municate e better fo ages to sh rough ne , r it. are their ws and fe knowledg a tu For those re articles e of you wa on timely nting to u topics. members se Rocky hip and b Mountain eyond, yo Water to u can con promote nect with products Chad Mo o u r Rocky M and servic rrison – c ountain es to our had@kelm Water m an.ca – 8 arketing 66.985.97 m anager. 88 From our officers a nd leaders pages to hip, we h reach ou ope that r membe you take rs. advantag e of our e nhanced magazine and use it s Charlie L eder Board Ch air, RMSA WWA
6 | ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024
Bill Perett i President, RMWEA
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We are proud to serve you Craig Kelman & Associates is thrilled and honored to be the new, official publisher of Rocky Mountain Water magazine, effective January 2024. Serving as the publishing partner for close to 100 professional associations, including nearly 50 in the water and wastewater industry, throughout the US, Canada, and the Caribbean, we are proud to bring a wealth of publishing experience and expertise to the Rocky Mountain AWWA/WEA. Our company was established in 1980 and operates as a full-service contract publisher of print and digital magazines, newsletters, directories, websites and social media. We specialize in, but are not limited to such diverse industries and professions as water and wastewater, engineering, public works, education, transportation, health care, real estate, and much more.
Our professional, experienced, and talented team is ready to meet the communication needs of the Rocky Mountain AWWA/WEA, its members and the companies who will utilize the magazine’s pages to convey their important messages. We hope you enjoy the magazine as you read through the newest edition of Rocky Mountain Water and stay tuned for a new look in the near future. Thank you sincerely for allowing us to be such an important part of your communication team. Both Managing Editor Mathias Leiendecker and Marketing Manager Chad Morrison truly look forward to serving you in the months and years ahead.
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ROCKY MOUNTAIN VIE W
FROM THE RMSAWWA CHAIR
Looking Forward to the Year Ahead Charlie Leder, PE, RMSAWWA Chair, Senior Associate at Hazen and Sawyer
W
elcome to 2024 and a not-so-fond farewell to the year 2023 which climate scientists worldwide noted was likely the hottest year on record since reliable records have been kept. Maybe I’m being a little harsh with 2023, after all, we had a great year for training and knowledge transfer activities based on the new attendance records set for the 2023 Rocky Mountain Water Conference and the Western Colorado Water Wastewater Conference. Remember, during that extra-long hot summer, at least it was in New Mexico, water utility members could grin about their customer’s water meters spinning and chalking up records for water sales even after factoring in good conservation practices. Maybe the utility members working on the operations side of the house got a little stressed trying to keep up with all that water demand while always meeting Safe Drinking Water Act standards. This issue features articles about distribution and collection systems which are those buried, linear assets our customers tend to ignore, out-of-site and out-of-mind until something goes sideways. Yes, there’s nothing like a waterline break on Good Friday that takes out a street intersection and the main entrance to a church, did this ever happen or am I making this up? or an interceptor collapse that’s parallel to a four-lane arterial route. The good news is the technology for managing our collection systems and distribution systems, including tools for pipe condition assessment and remote sensing throughout the system in real-time, is getting better and better, giving system RETURN TO CONTENTS
“We had a great year for training and knowledge transfer activities based on the new attendance records set for the 2023 Rocky Mountain Water Conference and the Western Colorado Water Wastewater Conference.”
managers the information they need to pro-actively plan next steps for system operations and what to renew. Take a good look at the article on innovation in distribution systems in this issue of Rocky Mountain Water Magazine for what could be the next solution to the challenges your distribution system faces. Look for an interesting career perspective told by Dr. Dewey Brigham, current President and Executive Director of the Colorado Association of Black Professional Engineers and Scientists (CABPES). Dr. Brigham is a 33-year veteran in construction management at Jacobs Engineering back in the days when it was still called CH2M-Hill. He chronicles a time when few engineers looked like him and could mentor him in the finer points of construction management. Nonetheless, his
determination to succeed ensured his success while also strengthening an organization that will make the path for similarly motivated Black youth easier to follow in STEM careers of their choosing. Speaking of Rocky Mountain Water Magazine, no doubt you’ve noticed a fresh look and layout thanks to the handiwork of Craig Kelman & Associates, our new magazine publisher. Craig Kelman & Associates has an enviable record of experience in this field and currently serves as the publisher for the magazines produced by nearly 50 other membership associations in the US and Canada. After careful consideration and evaluation by the respective governing boards for both RMWEA and RMSAWWA, I’m pleased to advise we have a five-year agreement in place with our new publisher that will be
ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 9
ROCKY MOUNTAIN VIE W advantageous to all parties. RMWEA and RMSAWWA members will continue to generate the content that’s at the heart of this publication. For those members that have a story to share about effective utility management which is the theme of the May/June issue, get out your pens or word processors and turn in your completed articles to Rory Franklin of the Communications Committee at rfrankli@auroragov.org by March 1, 2024. The Action Now Committee once again has a full slate of in-person, water operations-focused training planned for 2024. They plan to travel the four corners of Colorado as they deliver in-person training at ten events during 2024. Check the RMSAWWA website for specifics on the content to be presented, dates, and locations of these events. Dave Hoagland, long-time chair of the Action Now Committee is looking for a trusted deputy. If your passion is preparing and delivering
“Whether you’re chairing a committee, serving on a committee, reviewing conference abstracts, writing magazine content, teaching a class, or helping to plan the next event, your efforts are making this organization the force that it is today in the water industry.” training content, this could be a fun job for you. You have the backing of our capable section staff to handle the nitty-gritty details associated with holding these events like collecting money, coordinating the issuing of Tus, etc. The Section’s Colorado Water Utility Council is a committee chaired by Brandon Bernard at Security Water and Sanitation District and is composed of utility members in search of reasonable regulations that affect how they do business. They have plans in the works for meeting with members of the Colorado legislature and the US Congress later this Spring as they
work towards the end of getting utilityfriendly laws, regulations, and rules in place. All told RMSAWWA has a lot planned for 2024, and none of it would be happening without the extra effort, time, and dedication put forth by our volunteer members. Whether you’re chairing a committee, serving on a committee, reviewing conference abstracts, writing magazine content, teaching a class, or helping to plan the next event, your efforts are making this organization the force that it is today in the water industry. Many thanks for what you’ve done and hopefully will continue to do for the section.
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10 | ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024
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ROCKY MOUNTAIN VIE W
FROM THE RMWEA PRESIDENT
Seizing the Opportunities for Growth in 2024 Bill Peretti, President, RMWEA
G
reetings and salutations. As we kick off 2024, I want to express my gratitude to the many dedicated volunteers who contribute to the success of our initiatives. 2024 promises to be an action-packed year, with multiple opportunities to get involved either through volunteering or participating with RMWEA. To kick the year off, RMWEA is continuing to support the week-long in-person schools. Fundamentals will take place at the Delta Marriott in Thornton the week of January 15. The intermediate/ advanced class will take place at the same location during the week of March 25. The schools would not happen without the dedication of volunteers. I would like to extend a special thanks to Dave and Renea Lewis for making sure the entire event is both an amazing product for students to learn at and a seamless registration/school event. I’d also like to thank the supervisors of the fundamentals week-long class, Al Smith, Jarod Limk, and Brad Janoka. The intermediate/advanced class has seven supervisors providing more than a century of experience to learn from. A special shoutout to Ron Schuyler for continuing to bring experience and excellence to the in-person event. Speaking of accomplishments, I am also thrilled to highlight the remarkable success of our Rocky Mountain teams in the Operations Challenge. Orren West and Brenna Durkin along with countless other volunteers have made this event a professional and rewarding experience for all involved. RETURN TO CONTENTS
“As we look ahead to 2024, I am confident our collaborative spirit, commitment to professionalism, and dedication to service will propel us to even greater heights. I encourage each of you to actively engage in our programs and events, seizing the opportunities for learning, growth, and networking that lie ahead.”
This year, RMWEA proudly supported four teams at WEFTEC, with notable achievements in both Division one and Division two. Elevated Ops (Metro Water Recovery) and Sewerside Squad (City of Westminster) both competed in Division one. Elevated Ops placed third overall and Sewerside Squad placed fifth overall. Double Duty (Metro Water Recovery) and Commode Commandos (South Platte Renew) competed in Division two. Double Duty placed second overall which qualifies them to move up to Division one next year.
The Commode Commandos placed seventh overall and had strong competition as well. With three teams competing in Division one next year, this is a great accomplishment for our RMWEA teams. As we look ahead to 2024, I am confident our collaborative spirit, commitment to professionalism, and dedication to service will propel us to even greater heights. I encourage each of you to actively engage in our programs and events, seizing the opportunities for learning, growth, and networking that lie ahead.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 11
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COMMIT TEE SPOTLIGHT
Communicators:
Gather(ed) ‘Round! By Jori Nelson
Elizabeth DeWaard (South Platte Renew) presents on Board Communication.
W
hen I moved to Colorado in mid-2021, I became a volunteer for RMWEA’s Communications Committee so that I could start getting involved and network in the region. I had always found communications to be a side-passion of mine, but not one I could consider myself an expert in. In November 2022, I attended RMWEA’s annual Biosolids Committee workshop for the first time. As I looked around the room and saw how a group of experts had been brought together to discuss a specialized topic, I wondered, “why doesn’t the Communications Committee do something like this? I’m sure communications professionals would appreciate something like this.” When I got back to my office and attended the next Communications Committee meeting, I decided to pitch RETURN TO CONTENTS
“The primary goal of the RMWEA Communications Committee is to help the organization effectively reach the membership, public and other outside entities.” the idea. I was pleased to hear that there was support from others on the committee and I was told to run with the proposal. As months went on, the idea slowly came to life as we put out a call for abstracts, got speakers lined up, and registration opened. The primary goal of the RMWEA Communications Committee is to help the organization effectively reach the membership, public and other outside entities. Historically, the committee has managed the ongoing distribution of information and activities via social media, the website, and electronic newsletters. The committee is also responsible for the
creation and distribution of the popular RMWEA annual calendar which features photos submitted by members. More recently, committee initiatives have also included the production of branded promotional videos. When we first opened registration for the communications seminar, attendee sign-up was slow. To draw interest in the event, I reached out to individual utilities whose communication department contact information I could find online. I also heavily relied on word of mouth to spread the word. This was no easy feat. It was challenging to break through to
ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 13
COMMIT TEE SPOTLIGHT a new group of professionals that I had limited experience working with. As days passed, our registration numbers grew and my goal of hosting this seminar became more of a reality: we had a venue, we had an amazing line-up of speakers, and we had a growing registrant list. Finally, on Thursday, October 19, 2023, it was the day! We started setting up for the event bright and early on a picturesque day at the community center in Golden, Colorado. It was a beautiful Fall day, complete with turning leaves and a gentle breeze in the air. As attendees started to roll in, my excitement increased. Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to hear from a variety of presenters speaking on several different focus areas of communication including: BOARD COMMUNICATION Creating effective messaging for governing boards or executive leadership teams is crucial to get buy-in on projects, programs, and initiatives. Presenters from South Platte Renew and the City of Arvada shared how to best craft your message with the board/ leadership in mind, how transparency is key, and how to strategically communicate and present information to meet your goals – and the board’s.
BRANDING In technical fields like the water industry, the “what” and “how” is often communicated, without any explanation of the “why.” Brown and Caldwell explored the power of defining clear mission, vision and values statements through recent water utility case studies. DIGITAL COMMUNICATION In today’s world of digital communication and social media, it’s critical that water utilities maintain a digital presence. Experts from Raftelis and Denver Water explained how they use social media, online blogs, and videos to provide information on timely topics, important information, project updates and employee features. TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION Up-to-date, accurate messaging about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is critical to stay ahead of headlines and customer concerns. CDM Smith shared messaging strategies for water utilities to effectively communicate the regulatory status of PFAS and how it relates to wastewater and biosolids. PUBLIC OUTREACH Speaking with the public is a necessary component of the work we do within the
Group photo of all attendees enjoying a beautiful Fall day in Golden, Colorado
14 | ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024
water industry. The City and County of Denver spoke about the meanings of and best practices for public education versus public outreach, clarifying the difference between the two. Raftelis explained how to design strategic communications and outreach plans to build awareness for the value of water and how to best frame rate increases. INTERNAL COMMUNICATION While external communication is important, internal communication helps enhance team dynamics and workforce retention. Two of Metro Water Recovery’s experts shared how even a small team can integrate internal communications into their day-to-day routine while Water Writes shared how entities can best prepare themselves to work with a hired external communications team so that the experience is productive and budget conscious throughout. COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY Artificial Intelligence (AI) gives water and wastewater utility communication professionals free and cheap tools to generate messaging swiftly. Water Writes provided a step-by-step process to use these tools and gave tips on how to use AI, like ChatGPT, to write faster. Between presentations, attendees participated in Q&A sessions with the speakers and discussed how utilities face such similar communications challenges. One attendee mentioned that it was helpful for a large group of communication experts to be in one room, as they are frequently not together, despite working in such similar areas. Providing this networking space was one of the goals of this seminar, so it was wonderful to hear that this was accomplished. A total of 32 people registered for the inaugural event, representing 20 different entities including utilities, consultants, non-profits, and governmental agencies. The RMWEA Communications Committee received overwhelmingly RETURN TO CONTENTS
COMMIT TEE SPOTLIGHT
“The seminar brought us together for a day of learning, networking, and sharing. Hearing best practices from other communications professionals was invigorating and inspiring. The RMWEA Communications Committee is eagerly planning next year’s seminar and hopes to make it an annual event!” positive feedback from this event and numerous requests to hold the event again next year. When asked about the event, Elizabeth DeWaard, RMWEA Communications Committee Chair, said: “The seminar brought us together for a day of learning, networking, and sharing. Hearing best practices from other communications professionals was invigorating and inspiring. The RMWEA Communications Committee is eagerly planning next year’s seminar and hopes to make it an annual event!”
Attendees (left-right): Andrew Dugan (Water Writes), Donny Roush (City and County of Denver), Rienna Nuber (Metro Water Recovery)
Jori Nelson is a Regional Liaison for utility subscribers in the Rocky Mountain West at The Water Research Foundation (WRF). She is based in Denver, Colorado and is a member of both RMWEA and RMSAWWA. Jori has been an electronic newsletter editor for RMWEA for over two years and, while not a communications expert herself, she continues to champion the important role it plays within the water industry. For more information on the seminar, contact Jori at jnelson@waterrf.org.
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ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 15
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16 | ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024
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MANAGEMENT PIPELINE
RMSAWWA UTILITY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S
Water Workforce Recruiting and Retention Roundtable By Jim Ginley & Cindy Goodburn, Co-Chairs of the RMSAWWA Utility Management Committee, Initial Facilitators of the Water Workforce Roundtable
Water Workforce Roundtable Tackles Challenges of Recruiting and Retention
T
he RMSAWWA Utility Management Committee’s 2022 workshop on workforce issues, including the four pillars of a sustainable workforce – recruiting, retention, competency, and partnerships – spawned several follow-up activities. One of those is the water workforce recruiting and retention roundtable. The goal of the group is to share ideas and learn from each other about both successes and challenges that we are all facing as water sector organizations, with emphasis on two key areas – recruiting and retention. The group was initially recruited, pun intended, from the May 2022 workshop participants. In early 2023, a group of 10 or so participated in a virtual meeting to brainstorm some ideas, including what to talk about and how often to meet. We all agreed that ultimately our periodic RETURN TO CONTENTS
meetings, conversations, and discussions can lead to solutions for individuals, organizations, and the water sector in Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. We plan to develop articles, presentations, panel discussions, and workshops, all inspired and fueled by the things we have been and will continue to be discussing. Our first live roundtable held in June in Firestone, Colorado, was hosted by the St. Vrain Sanitation District. Fourteen people participated (12 in person and two virtually) and we brainstormed two areas: one dealt with our strengths, and the other covered our top challenges or things to address. We came up with 15 items on each of the two lists. We held our second live roundtable in August this time hosted by the City of Arvada, Colorado. Thirteen people from 10 organizations participated, with more than half being HR professionals. The focus
of the meeting was to identify the top three strengths and challenges and then pick one of each for presentation and discussion at our next meeting. The top strength was the opportunities for career progression/path that included pay increases and other incentives/benefits. At the next meeting, we will have a short presentation by a team from Arvada, Aurora, and Fort Collins about this topic. The top challenge was the lack of awareness in the community about the potential for a job and career in our sector. Arvada and Boxelder Sanitation District are going to team up on this topic next time. Looking ahead, the roundtable plans to meet once a quarter. If you’d like to join us, drop us a note or give us a call and we’ll get you plugged in. We can be reached at jim.ginley23@gmail.com or cindy@cgoodburnconsulting.com.
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18 | ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024
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FEATURE
Optimizing Aurora Water’s CIP Program Through More Efficient Asset Management By Andrea Long and Swirvine Nyirenda
M
aintaining over 1,200 miles of sanitary sewer system that ranges in size from six to 48 inches takes teamwork. Incorporating input from its operators, engineers, and the finance team, Aurora Water team members work together to develop a rehabilitation program for its assets. Aurora Water uses asset management principles to drive financial planning, prioritize repairs, and allocate funding based on the condition of its assets. For the linear wastewater assets, the procedure generally follows an inspect-evaluateprioritize-rehabilitate strategy. The first step, inspection, involves their operation staff, whose responsibility, among many other things, is to use closed-circuit television (CCTV) to record and code the condition of the pipelines using the National Association of Sewer Service Companies Pipeline Assessment Certification (NASSCO PACP) coding system. The recordings and codes are tracked in their GraniteNet system, which currently includes over 75,000 CCTV surveys. Historically, steps two, three, and four (evaluate, prioritize, and rehabilitate) were performed manually by Aurora’s principal engineer. Operations would notify the principal if anything was out of the ordinary during their initial CCTV recordings and the principal would review the other CCTV recordings to create lists to prioritize the issues.
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ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 19
FEATURE FIGURE 1: Initial Decision Tree Logic (Simplified) Full Lining ≥ 5 Major Defects Dig and Replace Major Defects Point Repair + Full Lining ≥ 1 Major Defects Point Repair – Severe
> 4 Minor Defects
Full Lining
≥ 1 Minor Defects
Heavy Clean + CIPP
Continuous Minor Defects
Continuous Minor Defects >50% of pipe
Full Lining
Special Defects
>5 MWLS & Age <5 years
Principal Review
Minor Defects
TABLE 1: Decision Tree Logic Results Rehab Approach
# of assets
Reinspect in 10 years
42,174
Reinspect in five years
788
Dig and Replace
24
Full CIPP Lining
702
Heavy Cleaning and CIPP
54
Point Repair and CIPP Lining
104
Point Repair Severe
741
Principal Engineer Review
14,601
FIGURE 2: Initial Decision Tree Results
702 788
54
104
741
Empty Value Alternative Inspection Dig and Replace Full Lining
14601
Heavy Clean + CIPP Initial Inspection Point Repair + Full Lining Point Repair-Severe
42174
Principal Review Reinspect (10 yrs) Reinspect (5 yrs)
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This approach was very time-consuming for both the operations staff and the principal engineer. It also lent itself to increased human error, or assets getting ‘lost in the mix’. To help automate this process and reduce staff’s evaluating time, Aurora conducted a series of internal workshops, Aurora engineering staff developed a decision tree based on the pipeline’s PACP codes. The decision tree was broken out into four categories which cover the majority of the available PACP codes: major, minor, continuous, and special defects. Depending on the types of defect codes entered and/ or their frequency, the logic created would help dictate what types of rehabilitation (if any) were needed. Figure 1 shows a general review of the recommended rehabilitation for each defect category. Outcomes of “Reinspect in five years” and “Reinspect in 10 years” are also potential results but were removed from the figure for clarity. Table 1 shows the eight rehabilitation approaches the decision tree would populate along with how many assets were in that approach based on the decision tree logic. Figure 2 shows the pie chart of the initial analysis for a visual perspective. Based on the initial analysis, 72% of the city’s pipelines were classified as “Reinspect in five years” or “Reinspect in 10 years.” A small percentage (<0.5%) required immediate attention or a “Dig and Replace” disposition. Despite the coding efforts put into the decision tree to automate the process, the logic resulted in nearly 25% (or over 14,600) assets requiring “Principal Review”, meaning the principal engineer would be required to review the CCTV data and codes in order to decide on appropriate rehabilitation. While these were fewer videos than in years past, it was still not manageable for staff to accomplish while maintaining their other responsibilities. Aurora hired Tetra Tech to find ways to improve the current logic and reduce the number of pipelines that required “Principal Review”. Tetra Tech was also asked to spotcheck the videos in the “Dig and Replace” and “Point Repair” categories to confirm the decision tree logic approach was adequate for managing the assets and data. RETURN TO CONTENTS
FEATURE Tetra Tech’s review showed the only PACP code that resulted in “Principal Review” was a miscellaneous water level sag. The original (current) decision tree logic includes a check for ‘sags’ at the beginning of the analysis. Sags in pipelines are the deflection of the pipe between supported ends, resulting in a dip in the bottom of the pipe that can eventually lead to problems with the pipe integrity and other problems. If there are greater than five sags for pipes less than five years old, the logic recommends “Principal Review.” However, if there are only one to four sags, or the pipe is older than five years, the logic recommends “Reinspection.” Including this logic at the beginning of the decision tree resulted in pipes with any number of sags not being checked for other defects that may have resulted in a different rehabilitation outcome. Tetra Tech recommended updating the logic for sags and moving the “Principal Review” outcome to a last-step check before rehabilitation recommendations. Under the updated logic, only sags greater than or equal to 40% on pipes less than five years old, or a sag greater than or equal to 80% on any pipe, would result in a “Principal Review” outcome. By categorizing sags in pipes by their size instead of the total quantity, these pipelines will continue through the decision tree to a rehabilitation/ replacement outcome, alleviating most of the pipes in the “Principal Review” category. Utilizing 40% or more as the criteria for a “Principal Review” (even without considering age) will lead to a 90% reduction in the total number of inspections in that category, reducing from 14,137 to 1,471. Tetra Tech also recommended further refining the “Principal Review” category into the following sub-categories: • Principal Review | Major Defect • Principal Review | Minor Defect • Principal Review | Continuous Minor Defect • Principal Review | Sags Only This refinement will allow staff to focus their efforts on reviewing the pipelines in a more manageable “Principal Review” category. RETURN TO CONTENTS
Aurora Water is currently working on implementing the decision tree recommendations from Tetra Tech into their GraniteNet system. They are also focusing their efforts on the pipelines that were in the highest need of rehabilitation and evaluating future years’ budgets to address the pipelines in need of point repairs and lining. Special thanks to Shiva Sapkota for his help during the creation and implementation of the decision tree and to Dan Phipps with Tetra Tech for all his team’s help with the review of the CCTV videos and decision tree logic. Andrea has a bachelor of science in civil engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Currently she is the Principal Engineer on Aurora Water’s Project Delivery Services team where she manages the stormwater and wastewater capital project programs.
She has been with the City of Aurora for over seven years and is actively involved in RMWEA’s Collection Systems Committee, RMNASTT, and NASTT. Outside of work she enjoys mountain biking and camping with her family. Swirvine has a bachelor of engineering (mechanical) from the University of Zambia and a master of science in engineering (environmental) from Tulane University. Currently, he is the Project Delivery Services Manager in the Planning & Engineering Division of Aurora Water. The project delivery services team executes an annual CIP program of approximately $150m. Swirvine has been with the city for over 15 years. Outside of work Swirvine enjoys watching soccer, primarily the English Premier League.
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FEATURE
Public perception and circular economy in water
EXAMINING THE EVOLVING WATER SECTOR By Roya Pishgar
This article was originally published in the Winter 2023 issue of Western Canada Water, a Craig Kelman & Associates publication
An evolution in the water sector is underway. Facilitated by the third industrial revolution, the advent of the internet, and the exchange of ideas, water economy is gradually transitioning from the conventional, linear “take-make-consume-dispose” model of growth, to a circular format. Water reclamation and reuse is at the core of the circular water economy (Figure 1), enabling the economy to grow alongside sustainable development of the water industry and resource-efficient water supply/demand. Circular water economy redefines the relationship between markets, customers, and natural resources to alleviate freshwater stressors, such as excess withdrawal and anthropogenic pollution. RETURN TO CONTENTS
Figure 1: Circular Economy in Water Sector (recreated based on Voulvoulis, 2018). ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 23
FEATURE Water reclamation and reuse offer numerous benefits, including providing additional supplies of water, environmental protection through reductions in effluent discharge, opportunities for expanding agriculture, aquifer recharge, and monetizing wastewater potentials to produce energy, fertilizer and other addedvalue products (e.g., biochar). The primary driver for a circular water economy is water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions. Diverting nutrient discharge to surface waters has served as a secondary driver in some areas of the world, such as Florida and California in the United States (US) as well as the United Kingdom (UK) and Europe. Redirecting the effluent from discharge to reuse, either year-round or for part of a year, can open windows of opportunity for municipalities and water companies to expand capacity while maintaining discharge load allocations. In Western Canada, Alberta has recently implemented Public Health Guidelines for Water Reuse and Stormwater Use in January 2021 and has had Guidelines for Residential Rainwater Harvesting Systems since 2010. British Columbia (B.C.) has a Reclaimed Water Guideline which was issued in July 2013. It serves the practitioners as a comparison document to B.C.’s Municipal Wastewater Regulation. The circular water economy faces numerous challenges particular to water reuse, including cost of supply, technological advancement, health and safety, public perception, and regulatory requirements. Reuse purposes include potable and non-potable water reuse initiatives. Potable water reuse branches into indirect (IPR) and direct potable reuse (DPR), with IPR including either surface water storage and augmentation, or managed groundwater recharge. Non-potable water reuse encompasses a wide range of activities, such as irrigation, toilet flushing, filling ponds, decorative uses (e.g., fountains on public property), environmental preservation (e.g., habitat rehabilitation), and industrial uses. Defining necessary water quality for each end use is another challenge that municipalities,
communities and regulatory agencies have been encountering. Generally speaking, the overall idea of water reclamation and reuse as an alternative source of water is positively perceived by the public, especially when awareness about the growing water scarcities and stresses on freshwater resources exist within communities. People are becoming more environmentally concerned about water supply, and seem to see water recycling as naturally as they view other recycling approaches. However, this inference is very broad and driven by local acceptance surveys with different reuse purposes and variable levels of public awareness and determinants. A general acceptability toward water recycling and reuse, without the consideration of the nuances of individual cases and challenges particular to each region, could be a misleading “thin narrative”. Public acceptance vs. public opposition Public acceptance can be volatile and prone to quick turnaround in the wake of contamination accidents, political debates, rumors, media reports, etc. In the past, public opposition has halted water reuse projects after years of planning and significant investments. So, social science researchers and water industry experts have found value in examining similarities and discrepancies in water reuse acceptance surveys conducted in different regions of the world in order to distinguish between general trends and region-specific causes. This would allow evaluating local circumstances with a better understanding of acceptability determinants and consideration of the factors applicable to local cases. Some of these similarities and discrepancies are discussed here in further detail. Since the beginning of research in this field in the 1960s and 1970s, a decrease in acceptance of water reuse with close-toperson end uses, such as bathing, cooking, and drinking, has been a common, stable observation in the case studies. The famous “yuck” effect of encountering previously
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dirty water is caused by psychological effects, cultural influences and social terms. Public events, such as introducing beer brewed with recycled water while public figures and celebrities drink from it, can reduce the “yuck factor”. Getting further from the close-to-person uses, the exact preference order depends on the location of collection (e.g., rainwater versus recycled water), reuse purposes, and the characteristics of the water provided to the consumers. Labeling the recycled water with acceptable names can help with water reuse acceptability, such as recycled water or NEWater (in Singapore) with positive psychological effects as opposed to “Toilet to Tap” or “Sewage Beverage”. In addition, it has been observed that accepting one resource type in a region does not guarantee the willingness to automatically adopt other types. As an example, desalination (i.e., reused seawater) is the main source of domestic and industrial water in the Gulf countries, and is used in agriculture to a limited extent, but the use of recycled water in agriculture is not largely accepted or practiced in that region. Recycled water and reclaimed water are generally the same thing, meaning water recovered from wastewater. In a circular format of water economy, truly valid concerns arise regarding water quality due to the remaining contaminants in the effluent. The main issue with close-to-person uses is the constituents bringing on potential health concerns. The two main categories are pathogens and residual organic constituents which are either not obstructed, or are generated by conventional and advanced wastewater treatment processes. The main concern stems from the presence of priority pollutants, endocrine-disrupting constituents, pharmaceutically active compounds, and other potential unregulated trace contaminants in reclaimed water. Residual organic compounds in recycled water either originate from human activity (e.g., pharmaceuticals and personal care products), occur naturally in the drinking water supply, or are generated through RETURN TO CONTENTS
FEATURE biological wastewater treatment (e.g., soluble microbial products). Reuse systems, particularly for potable applications, should be designed in multi-barrier layouts composed of advanced unit processes, with microfiltration and reverse osmosis at the core of the system, and should incorporate resiliency (i.e., ability to adapt to upsets), redundancy (i.e., backups), and robustness (i.e., combination of processes to address multiple contaminants) in design, according to site specific conditions and end uses. El Paso Water has been planning for a new pipe-to-pipe, direct-to-distribution DPR system since 2012, which is anticipated to be started up in 2027. The plant is designed to receive treated effluent as source water to generate up to 38,000 m3/d of potable water, to meet water demands when surface water is not available and also to reduce groundwater usage. The El Paso advanced water purification facility is designed to include microfiltration, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet (UV) advanced oxidation, granular activated carbon, stabilization and ground water blending, and chlorine disinfection. As a general trend, awareness and knowledge within societies about the quality of reclaimed water and the associated risks are low. This is supported by the high demand from consumers for more information about water recycling processes and risk of water reuse. However, different determinants can affect awareness, acceptance and
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trust regarding water reuse initiatives. The weight of determinant categories can vary from case to case due to local conditions, heterogeneity of the survey methods, and vagueness of the measured conceptual matters as to whether the survey seeks to determine the incidents, perceptions and/or risks related to acceptance, or the opinion of individuals, stakeholders, communities or the public in general. Education, economy and climate conditions have had significant effects in large acceptance surveys in the US, while gender, age, location, and the last monthly water bills do not stand out. Some surveys indicate that risk perception is significantly correlated with employment status and gender. While gender is not found to be a determinant in Turkey, it plays a role in Greece, among many other determinants. While some studies identify media as an important method for informing the community, some other studies do not see any impact by media coverage on public reactions in comparison to other factors such as expert knowledge, technical plans, and the involvement of communities. A key discussion is related to risk perception and risk factors associated with the use of recycled water. Concerns and consequences revolving around water reuse can vary from region to region as a result of the governments’ approaches to water reuse initiatives as well as public trust. The communities’ confidence
in potentials, capabilities and their willingness within the local and federal administrations to mitigate and adapt to the associated risks seems to be central to societal acceptability. Risk perception and trust are identified shoulder to shoulder as determining “psychological” factors in acceptance surveys, among many other factors in this broad category, such as social norms, fairness, disgust, environmental concerns, knowledge, etc. An article by Hartley was published in 2006, reporting the results of an interdisciplinary and integrative social science study on public perception and participation in water reuse within the U.S., funded by the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF). The lessons learned from this WERF project resulted in proposing a framework with five critical categories: 1) manage information for all; 2) maintain individual motivation and demonstrate organizational commitment; 3) promote communication and public dialog; 4) ensure fair and sound decision making and decisions; 5) build and maintain trust. In a recent literature review by Al-Saidi published in March 2021 in the Journal of Frontiers in Environmental Science, it was recommended to view acceptability of water reuse projects holistically as a multilayer, complex social acceptability process, with interactions between humans, technology, and nature. It is emphasized that water reuse should not be seen entirely as an individual or group
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FEATURE Table 1: Solutions for increasing social acceptability of water reuse developed based on contextual analysis of acceptance studies. (courtesy of Al-Saidi, 2021)
Components of Water Reuse Social Acceptability Process
Traditional Acceptance Studies
Narrative and Psychological Studies
Economic and Institutional Acceptance Studies
Social Legitimacy and Justice Studies
Public perception
• Awareness campaigns. • Information on control, multi-barrier systems, safety and quality criteria. • Public consultations.
• Engagement through role models. • Promotion of trust in authorities and decision-making processes.
• Information on economics of recycling, risk–cost/ benefit trade-offs, valuations and externalities.
• Impartiality and credibility of information. • Transparency and promotion of quality suppliers (e.g., quality standards certification training).
Politicization
• Media engagement to increase public interest. • Effective crisis and emergency management, and communication. • Consensus-building and political activism.
• Making recycling issues “influenceable”, i.e., participatory planning and policymaking. • Independent panels of prominent experts.
• Complaint and monitoring arrangements. • Participatory economic regulation (e.g., boards, publicprivate partnerships).
• External accountability in monitoring and evaluation. • Technical publications on quality and success stories. • Involvement of local authorities and advisory boards.
Individual acceptance
• Stakeholder and consumer engagement. • Community involvement.
• Branding and terminology (e.g., recycled instead of treated water).
• Adequate pricing policies. • Information on environmental costs and benefits.
• Frequent contacts with utility managers. • Increasing consumer representation in reuse schemes.
Use adaptation
• Educational programs. • Guidelines and information for household level and farm level.
• Branding and terminology (e.g., recycled instead of treated water). • Testimonies of users.
• Use of financial incentives such as subsidies to water bills or to production costs of small recycling schemes.
• Tasting, demonstration and self-experimentation. • Different products of recycled water (e.g., bottled water).
viewpoint issue, neither is it merely related to public opinion. This is due to the fact that – as discussed so far – water reuse acceptance cannot be modeled with a simple set of determinants. While individual acceptance and public perception are intertwined with a two-way influence direction, the latter is the most difficult, yet the most important component of social acceptability in water reuse. In the public perception context, debates from different perspectives such as political, technical or scientific, and religious and cultural take place where individuals with different societal positions participate
in, such as policymakers, practitioners, regulators, scientists, public and religious figures. Water reuse acceptance should be investigated in a nuanced and contextual approach based on social norms and processes, to gain a broad understanding of the problem. This can result in drawing structured conclusions from the current case studies to provide broader recommendations applicable to regions with different local conditions (Table 1). Social acceptability of water reuse should be framed with having four components in mind, including public perception, politicization, individual
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acceptance, and use adaptation. Within the context of these components, the debates occur, and the views are shaped. In each of these components, one or more of the three aspects of water reuse (water resource, treatment technology and reuse purpose) can be of more significance from region to region. Scanning through solutions provided in Table 1, three key elements are embedded in almost all the recommended solutions: information, engagement and transparency, which should be adopted in public dialogs of all water reuse projects in one way or another. RETURN TO CONTENTS
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HOT TOPICS
A Black History Month
Perspective from Dr. Dewey Brigham, President and Executive Director of CABPES
By Mathieu Medina and Ayush Shahi, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of RMSAWWA
D
r. Brigham is the President and Executive Director of the Colorado Association of Black Professional Engineers and Scientists (CABPES), responsible for the strategic direction, vision, and growth of the CABPES mission and programs. Dr. Brigham retired from CH2M after 33 years of service as a Senior Construction Manager. Dr. Brigham holds a bachelor of science degree in industrial technology from Prairie View A&M University, a master of science degree in construction management from Colorado State University, and a Ph.D. in human services, specializing in nonprofit management and leadership from Capella University. The topic of Dr. Brigham’s dissertation is ‘Mentoring Relationships in the Careers of African American Professional Male Nonprofit Leaders.’ Dr. Brigham is a life member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated. 1. What is CABPES and its mission? CABPES is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to developing the next generation of STEM professionals. The Colorado Association of Black Professional Engineers and Scientists (CABPES) mission is to prepare African Americans and other underrepresented minority students for education and careers in STEM. RETURN TO CONTENTS
2. What programs does CABPES run? CABPES runs four afterschool STEM programs, which include Junior Engineers Tomorrow’s Scientists (JETS); Math Enrichment Program (MEP); SAT/ACT College Preparatory Program; and a Summer Math Boot Camp (SMBC). 3. What has motivated you to lead CABPES? What motivated me to lead CABPES goes back to my childhood. I was first introduced to the CABPES organization and its students at a science fair held at the Colorado School of Mines in 1986. I was asked to be a judge at the science fair. I was so inspired by the students’ performance and how they carried themselves. I thought to myself: I wished someone would have done this for me as a kid. At that moment, I decided this would be my life’s journey. I wanted to help build a pipeline of African American students and help expose them to every discipline in STEM possible. 4. What motivated you to pursue a career in STEM? My love for construction and building things was the fuel to my fire. I enjoyed being on construction sites and making sure structures like bridges, dams, pipelines, and buildings were constructed with quality, safety, and on time.
“I was so inspired by the students’ performance and how they carried themselves. I thought to myself: I wished someone would have done this for me as a kid. At that moment, I decided this would be my life’s journey.”
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HOT TOPICS
“CABPES welcomes all engineers and scientists. We have been practicing diversity, equity, and inclusion since the 1980s. We need non-Black engineers/ scientists just like we need Black engineers and scientists. We practice what we preach!”
5. What was your experience as a Black engineer like in the water industry? I was blessed to work on award-winning projects at CH2M Hill, now Jacobs. It was challenging because I did not have people working as construction managers in the firm who looked like me. Early in my career, I learned that I had to be a trailblazer for others coming behind me. 6. What sort of challenges do Black engineers and scientists face throughout their careers? First, we do not have many role models
and mentors who look like us in the engineering industry. Therefore, our chances of becoming engineers and scientists are very slim. Second, there are few Black engineers in leadership and management positions in engineering, so our advancements to becoming leaders and managers are complex. Last, we do not get exposure to engineering professions like our White peers because of a lack of role models, mentors, and leaders in the engineering industry.
7. What are some of the strategies that you have used to overcome these challenges? I decided early in my career that no one would determine my future. I was willing to work 60-plus hours per week to be the best. I read books by Black authors daily as my inspiration to succeed. I earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. while working full-time to ensure I knew I was the best in my heart. I dedicated my life to community service by helping the next generation of STEM professionals after me. 8. What is your hope for the future of Black engineers and scientists in the industry? I hope young Black students will not abandon their dreams of becoming engineers and scientists. I hope they will find programs like CABPES that will inspire and prepare them for education and careers in STEM. 9. How can RMWEA/RMSAWWA be more inclusive of Black engineers, operators, and water professionals? RMWEA/RMSAWWA can support programs like CABPES. Their members can help organizations like CABPES build a pipeline of Black STEM professionals. CABPES is always looking for volunteers to tutor students in math and science and teach in our after-school STEM programs.
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HOT TOPICS
“I was willing to work 60-plus hours per week to be the best. I read books by Black authors daily as my inspiration to succeed. I earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. while working full-time to ensure I knew I was the best in my heart. I dedicated my life to community service by helping the next generation of STEM professionals after me.” 10. How can we support Black engineers, operators, and water professionals in this Industry? Look around you at meetings within your firms and conferences and recognize that something is missing. We all need people who look like us in our professions to encourage us to press on. Help CABPES build a pipeline of STEM professionals.
to be great. Giving your time helps the giver more than the receiver. Read books by Black authors and follow the blueprints already written. I would remind young Black engineers that the journey is rough, but never to give up!
11. What does Black History Month mean to you? What Black History Month means to me is that I stand on the shoulders of some extraordinary trailblazers. It is my responsibility to continue what they started. Victory is not won until we all have a seat at the table.
13. How can non-Black engineers/ scientists be better allies to the Colorado Association of Black Professional Engineers and Scientists (CABPES)? CABPES welcomes all engineers and scientists. We have been practicing diversity, equity, and inclusion since the 1980s. We need non-Black engineers/scientists just like we need Black engineers and scientists. We practice what we preach!
12. What advice would you give a young Black engineer starting in the water industry? I will tell young Black engineers starting in the water industry to give back if they want
14. How can those interested in joining CABPES get involved? Visit our website at www.cabpes.org or reach out to Dewey Brigham at deweybrigham29@gmail.com.
Interviewers Mathieu Medina is a water process engineer at Corona Environmental Consulting. He has a master of science in environmental engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor of science in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Ayush Shahi is an associate water and wastewater engineer at WSP. He has master’s degrees in civil and environmental engineering from the University of New Mexico and civil global engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder. Mathieu and Ayush are part of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of RMSAWWA. Please contact Victor Sam if you are interested in joining the DEI Committee at victor.sam@stantec.com.
HENSEL PHELPS WATER Building Water + Wastewater Projects Nationwide & Across the Mountain West for 45 Years
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S T U D E N T D E S I G N CO M P E T I T I O N
CU Boulder Student Design Competition 2023 – WEFTEC Update By Andrew Kowalkowski
The University of Colorado Boulder student design team followed up their winning presentation at the regional competition, hosted by RMWEA in April by attending the national WEFTEC student competition on October 1. At the national competition, the CU Boulder team built upon their proposed design improvements to the Copper Mountain Consolidated Metropolitan District’s (CMCMD) wastewater treatment plant. The students proposed a solution to optimize treatment with dissolved oxygen setpoints and concrete baffles for biological nutrient removal flexibility. The national competition comprised of collegiate teams from across the United States and some international teams including the Universidad de Costa Rica and the University of Guelph, in Canada.
“It was an incredible experience and such a fun way to learn so much about an industry we are excited to jump into.”
University of Colorado Boulder Design Team (From left to right: Orion Wilson, Whitney Knopp, Kate Linnane, Anna Bolio)
Consulting Engineers for Municipalities and Special Districts » Water System Planning & Design » Wastewater System Planning & Design » Reuse/Recharge Planning & Design » Regulatory Permitting
» Grant & Funding Assistance » Hydraulic & Hydrologic Engineering » Construction Management & Formerly Observation
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S T U D E N T D E S I G N CO M P E T I T I O N In total, 27 teams presented on a variety of topics specific to projects near their university’s location. The overall competition seeks to give students real-world experience evaluating alternatives and developing designs. Teams were judged based on their written report, live presentation, and the technical quality of their proposed solution. A member of the CU Boulder design team, Anna Bolio, described the national competition as a “wonderful conclusion to the nine months of hard work that we have put into this project,” Anna continued, “It was an incredible experience and such a fun way to learn so much about an industry we are excited to jump into.” Another team member, Whitney Knopp, mentioned, “It was a pleasure to be able to share our team’s hard work in collaboration with CU Boulder and RMWEA with other talented and passionate students and young professionals at WEFTEC.”
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“It was a pleasure to be able to share our team’s hard work in collaboration with CU Boulder and RMWEA with other talented and passionate students and young professionals at WEFTEC.” This year the design team from Texas Tech University took home first prize at the competition. Going forward, the RMWEA Student Design Competition Committee has started putting together a problem statement for next year’s local student design competition and we look forward to promoting another set of students at the national conference.
Andrew Kowalkowski is a water and wastewater Project Engineer with CDM Smith. He has four years of work experience in design and delivery of water and wastewater treatment projects and received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. He is a member of the Student Design Competition Committee and the Awards and Publications Chair of the Rocky Mountain Water Young Professionals (RMWYP) Committee. He can be reached at (713) 423-7322 or kowalkowskaj@cdmsmith.com.
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Innovation To Achieve A Brighter Future for our clients, community, and the environment providing sustainable solutions in: • Water & Wastewater Treatment • Water/Wastewater Infrastructure Planning, Design & Rehabilitation • Groundwater Wells • Special District Engineering & Consulting Services • Construction Management
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IN MEMORIAM
Barbara Biggs With heavy hearts, we commemorate the life and contributions of Barbara Biggs, a luminary in the water and wastewater industry in Colorado and across the country. She leaves a legacy of innovation and a passion for sustainability and environmental stewardship. Her leadership and dedication to the community in which she dedicated her professional career leaves an enduring mark on the landscape of the water and wastewater industry. She began her career at Metro Water Recovery, then went to CDM Smith where she collaborated on a variety of water and wastewater projects, and then finished her career leading Roxborough Water and Sanitation District as its General Manager. During her 30-year career, she held numerous positions including chair of the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s Metro Basin Roundtable, member of the National Association of Clean Water Agency’s Board of Directors, member of the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission, Colorado Water Conservation Board, and Colorado Water and Wastewater Facility Operator Certification Board, Colorado Water Trust Board of Directors, and Advisory Council member for the One World One Water Center for Metro State University. She was passionate about the water industry which was evident to all who met her. Barb was a 2015 inductee to NACWA’s Hall of Fame and was recently appointed to the NACWA Board representing small utilities. A resolution passed by the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners eloquently sums up Barb’s impact on the water community, “Barb’s true legacy lies in the profound effect she had on the countless people she served, worked alongside, and mentored throughout her career.” “We can all keep her bright light aside by following her example,” added Lisa Darling, Executive Director of South Metro Water Supply Authority. The Rocky Mountain Water family offers our heartfelt condolences to Barb’s family and friends.
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SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Rocky Mountain Water Magazine
Submission Guidelines
Rocky Mountain Water (RMW) is the member magazine publication of the Rocky Mountain Section of the American Water Works Association (RMSAWWA) and the Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association (RMWEA). RMW provides information and material related to the water and wastewater industry for the Rocky Mountain region – Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming. You can also view the magazine at www.rmwea.org/rocky_mountain_water_magazine.php and at www.rmsawwa.org/page/RMWater. ARTICLES Rather than an academic paper, primary articles should resemble a magazine feature story. It should be of interest to the general audience, informational, and free from any promotional language. Specific product information should be made generic unless its inclusion is essential for the reader’s understanding. Sections of focus are: • Feature – Directly related to the themes listed below • Science, Research, and Technology • Operations • Management Pipeline – Leadership and employee relationships • Hot Topics • Of Special note – Retirement, new hires, awards, celebrations, achievements, etc. • Quick Connections – Brief description of projects and whom to contact for more information 36 | ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024
TO SUBMIT Step 1– Article length should be between 700 to 1,000 words and include a title. Footnotes are not used and any references, which should be kept to a minimum, should be attributed within the text of the article. Step 2 – Short (280 characters) author biography and contact information. Step 3 – Author photo(s), additional photos, and graphics if applicable. Step 4 – Submit by emailing rfrankli@auroragov.org and hfodor@carollo.com in Microsoft Word format. RETURN TO CONTENTS
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES PICTURES AND GRAPHICS Must be high res (1 MB or larger) and provided with captions and credit lines. Original graphic files, photos, figures, tables, and charts must be sent separately from text files. Photos and figures should be in TIFF or JPEG format, at least 300 dpi at a minimum size of 3×5 inches. Tables must be in Microsoft Word or Excel format. Please embed photos/graphics within the Word document where you would like them to appear as well as submitting the pictures/ graphics separately. DISCLOSURE Unsolicited articles deemed to be acceptable may be published at the discretion of the editor and on a spaceavailable basis. Rocky Mountain Water reserves the right to reject all submissions. Submissions should try to relate to the magazine issue’s, but it is not required. THEME/DUE DATES THEME
MAGAZINE RELEASE DATE
DUE DATE FOR ARTICLES
Collection and Distribution
January
November 1 of the prior year
Resource Recovery
March
December 21 of the prior year
Effective Utility Management
May
March 1
One Water
July
May 1
Innovation and Technology
September
July 1
Process and Treatment
November
September 1
MAKING A DIFFERENCE in People’s Lives & Their Environment
Infrastructure C O N S U LT I N G E N G I N E E R S
www.TSTInfrastructure.com 303-799-5197 Greenwood Village, CO 80111
PLANNING. ENGINEERING. CONSTRUCTION. MANAGEMENT. OPERATIONS. RETURN TO CONTENTS
ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 37
Precious resources. Powerful insights.
NEW TANKS (270) 826-9000 ext. 2601 EXISTING TANKS (270) 826-9000 ext. 4601
38 | ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024
A future we build together.
Providing legendary client service and smart solutions in water, environment, transportation, energy and facilities. Inspired to think and driven to solve the world’s environmental and infrastructure challenges.
cdmsmith.com
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QUICK CONNEC TIONS
Quick Connections Do you have an amazing project to share but don’t have the time to write a full article for the Rocky Mountain Water magazine? The Rocky Mountain Water Magazine Group launched a new |magazine section called “Quick Connections” to connect members and their projects quickly. RMSAWWA and RMWEA are soliciting a short magazine submission about your projects through a five-to-10-minute form. With a simple three-sentence limit, or about 280 words, we encourage utilities with limited staff time to submit short summaries about current projects. Scan the QR code below to have your project considered to be spotlighted in the magazine. You are 10 minutes away from sharing your ideas and connecting with others.
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ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 39
THE LEADING SUPPLIER OF HIGH PERFORMANCE CHEMICAL STORAGE TANKS
www.miscowater.com
smarshall@miscowater.com sperry@miscowater.com nlucas@miscowater.com slynch@miscowater.com
303-309-6150
GE T INVOLVED
Get Involved RMSAWWA and RMWEA are always looking for members dedicated to their work in the water sector and willing to become more involved, no matter the area of expertise level. We offer a range of opportunities for you to meet new people, build your professional network, expand and deepen your professional knowledge, and contribute to realizing our vision of elevating water professionals. For additional information about the committees and workgroups, visit RMSAWWA.org and RMWEA.org.
Rocky Mountain Section American Water Works Association (RMSAWWA) 2023-2024 CHAIRS Chair
Charles Leder
Chair-Elect
Stephanie Elliott
Treasurer
Tom Quammen
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Trustees
Stuart Asay Jonathan Chill Jim Ginley Jason Palmer Brett Pugh Jacqueline Rhoades Joshua Shackelford Mark Uhland
ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 41
GE T INVOLVED
Rocky Mountain Section American Water Works Association (RMSAWWA) COMMITTEES AND CHAIRS Action Now
David Hoagland Drake Dennert
Annual Conference
Stephanie Elliott
Awards
Melinda Brown
Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
Paniz Miesen
Colorado Water Utility Council
Brandon Bernard
Communications
Rory Franklin Kari Larese
Competitions
Roger Harshman Nick Craig
Diversity & Inclusion Subcommittee
Victor Sam
New Mexico Water
Allie Arnig Jared Lam
Resilience & Risk
Steve Conrad
Small Systems
Scott Price
Student Chapters
Stephanie Espinoza
Supervisory Leadership Program
James Roche Patty Brubaker
Utility Management
Cindy Goodburn Jim Ginley
Water Distribution
Jim Wielebnicki
Conservation
Dena Egenhoff Hope Bartlett
Water Treatment
Ashley Waldron
Customer Service
Vacant
Western Colorado Water & Wastewater Conference
Erin Loughlin Molliconi Rick Huggins
Membership
Vacant
Young Professionals
Makenzie Chesak
42 | ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024
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GE T INVOLVED
Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association (RMWEA) EXECUTIVE BOARD OFFICERS
TECHNICAL COMMITTEES AND CHAIRS
President
Bill Peretti
Biosolids
Past President
Hannah Fodor Jamie Safulk
Arlisa Michael Luke Bond
Collection Systems
Ceila Rethamel Andrea Long Taylor Ahrendsdorf
Government Affairs Chair
Meghan Wilson Leah Cribari Lauren Riedle Julie Tinetti
Innovative Water Technology
Christopher Marks Sean O’Connell
Lab Practices
Richard MacAlpine Seirra Potter
Operations Challenge
Brenda Adams Orren West Heather Hurtado
Water Reuse
Andrew Dixon Richard Huggins
Vice-President
Clay Rahn
Treasurer
Kristen Johansen
Secretary
Kacie Allard
Trustee (term expires 2024)
Stephanie Segler Tanner Kraft
Trustee (term expires 2025)
Emilie Abbott Rob Staton
Trustee (term expires 2026)
Becca Chapa Muzand it Kiflai
Executive - RedPoint (non-voting)
Greg Williams Vicki Schrock Renea Lewis
WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION (WEF) DELEGATES WEF Delegate – At Large
Jeff Berlin
WEF Delegate – Senior
Joe Tamburini
WEF Delegate – Junior
Carol Martinson
WEF Delegate – Elect
Not used this year
You Don't Get to the Top Alone... Huffman Engineering Inc. Making Ideas Work with start to finish engineering projects
112 INVERNESS CIR EAST, STE E ENGLEWOOD, CO 80112 303.376.6280 INFO@HUFFMANENG.COM HUFFMANENG.COM
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ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 43
GE T INVOLVED
Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association (RMWEA) TECHNICAL TRANINING COMMITTEES AND CHAIRS
NONTECHNICAL COMMITTEE AND CHAIRS
Operator Training Schools – Fundamentals, Intermediate/Advanced
Dave Lewis
Communications
Elizabeth DeWaard
Membership Chair
Emilie Abbott
Operator Training Schools – Leadville
Stephanie Segler
Membership – NM Liaison
Alfredo Zendejas Rodriguez
Professional Wastewater Operator (PWO)
Tim Drescher Becca Chapa
Membership – WY Liaison
Position Available
Technical Activities
Steve Polson
B O U L D E R | F O R T C O L L I N S | W I N T E R PA R K GLENWOOD SPRINGS | DENVER
Membership – Western Slope Liaison Leanne Hyatt Membership – Small Systems Liaison Position Available Public Education
Marina Kopytkovskiy
Student Chapters
Belle Sexton Shannon Harney
Young Professionals
Madeleine Harris
Water for People
Alesandra Reed Shannon Harney
WORK GROUPS AND CHAIRS
West Jefferson County Metropolitan District Wastewater Treatment Facility
ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE S I N C E 19 5 6
STRUCTURAL CIVIL ENVIRONMENTAL
Awards and Recognition
Jenny Hartfelder
Educational Grants
José Velazquez
Nominating Committee
Position Available Jamie Safulko Hannah Fodor
Rocky Mountain Water Conference
Joe Tamburini
Programs
Tanner Kraft
Utility Management
Chris Parton
Budget Procedures
Kacie Allard
Conference Site Selection
Greg Woodward
jvajva.com
44 | ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024
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ADVERTISER PRODUC T & SERVICE CENTER Rocky Mountain Water is made possible by the companies below who convey their important messages on our pages. We thank them for their support of RMSAWWA and RMWEA and its publication and ADVERTISER PRODUC T & SERVICE CENTRE encourage you to contact them when making your purchasing decisions. To make it easier to contact these companies, we have included the page number of their advertisement, their phone number, and, where applicable, their website. COMPANY
PHONE
WEBSITE
PAGE
AE2S
303-503-8307
www.ae2s.com
47
Boerger, LLC
303-833-9998
www.boerger.com
27
Browns Hill Engineering & Controls
720-344-7771
www.brownshilleng.com
16
Burns & McDonnell
303-721-9292
www.burnsmcd.com
2
CDM Smith
303-383-2300
www.cdmsmith.com
38
Corrosion Probe Inc.
860-767-4402
www.cpiengineering.com
34
Denali Water Solutions
303-886-0572
www.denaliwater.com
43
Dewberry
720-501-5814
www.dewberry.com
8
Force Flow
800-893-6723
www.forceflowscales.com
21
Garver
303-721-6932
www.garverusa.com
4
HDR Engineering
303-764-1520
www.hdrinc.com
46
Hensel Phelps Water
720-592-2000
www.henselphelps.com
31
Huffman Engineering, Inc.
303-376-6280
www.huffmaneng.com
43
JVA, Inc.
303-444-1951
www.jvajva.com
44
Kennedy Jenks
720-244-2233
www.kennedyjenks.com
34
Lakeside Equipment Corporation
630-837-5640
www.lakeside-equipment.com
25
Martin/Martin, Inc.
303-431-6100
www.martinmartin.com
16
Merrick & Company
303-964-3333
www.merrick.com
42
MISCOwater
303-309-6150
www.miscowater.com
40
Neptune Technology Group Inc.
800-633-8754
www.neptunetg.com/home
38
Olsson
303-237-2072
www.olsson.com
10
Orthos Liquid Systems Inc.
843-987-7200
www.orthosfilters.com
3
Pipestone Equipment
303-579-9658
www.pipestoneeq.com
33, 48
Pittsburg Tank & Tower
270-826-9000
www.pttg.com
38
Providence Infrastructure Consultants
303-997-5035
www.providenceic.com
25
RESPEC
605-394-6400
www.respec.com
32
Sunrise Engineering, Inc.
970-372-2255
www.sunrise-eng.com
30
Test Guage, Inc.
303-353-4797
www.shopbackflow.com
15
TST Infrastructure, LLC
303-799-5197
www.tstinfrastructure.com
37
Wilson & Company, Inc.
303-297-2976
www.wilsonco.com
16
A JOINT PUBLICATIO
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
SECTION of the
AMERICAN WATER
WORKS ASSOCIATI
N OF
ON & ROCKY MOUNTAIN
ROCKY MOU
ARY 2024 JANUARY-FEBRU
WATER ENVIRONM
ENT ASSOCIATI
ON
N TA I N
COLORADO |
NEW MEXICO
To reach professionals through Rocky Mountain Water and its targeted readership, contact Chad at your earliest convenience to discuss your company’s promotional plans.
| WYOMING
ra Optimizing Auro ProgManaragemenmt ’s CIP Water ent Asset Through More Effici
CHAD MORRISON, Marketing Manager Toll Free: 866-985-9788 | E-mail: chad@kelman.ca
Requested. Address Service RMSAWWA CSU Spur Hydro Drive 4777 National Western Denver, CO 80216
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ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 45
We have Grand plans for your career. Join our staff who have provided engineering services to our national parks throughout the country for the last 17 years.
Grand Canyon National Park
Glacier National Park
Denali National Park and Preserve
Mesa Verde National Park
Contact: Kevin.Bergschneider@hdrinc.com | Colorado hdrinc.com/careers | 303.764.1520
At our very core, AE2S is all about people. Beyond engineering, we are committed to empowering our clients, employee-owners, and all those around us to develop a vision for a better tomorrow.
Water Engineering and Beyond www.ae2s.com Award-Winning Best Place to Work