Affiliate, National Rural Water Association
Summer 2019
In this Issue: What’s in Your Spec? – A Tracer Wire Spec Guide Shifting the Burden of Non-Point Pollution The Perception of “Small System” 2019-2020 MRWA College Scholarship Recipients The Loss of Community Water Supply: Good or Bad? Waterdrop Awards of Excellence System Profile: And the Winner Is... Protecting Your Storage Tank from Lightning Strikes What are you investing into the future of the water industry? Beware of Little Expenses. A Small Leak will Sink a Great Ship Around the State Capitol Establishing Base Lines
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MRWA Board of Directors
REGION I:
REGION V:
REGION II:
REGION VI:
REGION III:
REGION VII:
Roger Barker Daviess County PWSD #3 116 Waterworks Drive Gallatin, MO 64640 (660) 663-2771 Fax: (660) 663-2771 rbarker@moruralwater.org David Waller, President & National Director Macon County PWSD #1 P.O. Box 386 Macon, MO 63552 (660) 651-3726 FAX: (660) 385-6006 dwaller@moruralwater.org Tammie Winter C-PWSD #2 of Lafayette, Johnson And Saline Counties 1801 Walnut Street Higginsville, MO 64037 660/584-2344 Fax: 660-584-7650 twinter@moruralwater.org
Kathy Voyles, Vice President Jefferson County PWSD #8 7970 Graham Road, Box 170 Cedar Hill, MO 63016 (636) 274-3125 FAX: (636) 274-3126 kvoyles@moruralwater.org Melinda Piper, Secretary Barton County C-PWSD #1 1009 E 11th St. PO Box 586 Lamar, MO 64759 (417) 682-3401 FAX: (417) 682-3038 mpiper@moruralwater.org Paul Michael Shaw City of Caruthersville Municipal Building 200 W. 3rd St. Caruthersville, MO 63830 pmshaw@moruralwater.org
Janet Sears, Asst. Treasurer Boone County C-PWSD #1 1500 N. 7th St. Columbia, MO 65201 (573) 449-0324 FAX: (573) 442-9222 jsears@moruralwater.org
Remember . . .
Randy Norden
Tom Hyatt
Crystal Cooper
Donald Jones
Executive Director
President’s Message..........................................................................4 From the Executive Director...........................................................6 What’s in Your Spec? – A Tracer Wire Spec Guide...................12 Shifting the Burden of Non-Profit Pollution..............................18 The Perception of “Small Systems”..............................................20 2019-2020 MRWA College Scholarship Recipients..................26 The Loss of Community Water Supply: Good or Bad..............28 Waterdrop Awards of Excellence..................................................30 System Profile: And the Winner Is...............................................33 Protecting Your Storage Tank from Lightning Strikes...............36 What are you investing into the future of the water industry?...40 Beware of Little Expenses. A Small Leak will Sink a Great Ship.......................................42 Around the State Capitol...............................................................44 Establishing Base Lines..................................................................49 Calendar of Events..........................................................................58
About the cover: Pictured is Moniteau County PWSD #2’s 200,000 gallon storage tower. Photo was taken by Mary Jones in California, Missouri, May 2019.
REGION IV:
Staff
Contents
Call us and let us know your needs so we can stop and visit with you when we are in your area. There is no charge for our services. Call Missouri Rural Water Association at 573-657-5533.
Water Training Specialist
Office Manager
Wastewater Technician
Joe Anstine
Mark Klaus
Circuit Rider II
Energy Efficiency Circuit Rider
Howard Baker
Jim Patton
Small Systems Circuit Rider
Mapping Specialist
Andy Bowman
Brad Rayburn
Maggie Dixon
Wayne Roderman
Circuit Rider III
Marketing Coordinator
Jim Enterline
Resource Conservation Circuit Rider
Billy Everett
Wastewater Technician
Eric Fuchs
Membership Services Secretary
Training Secretary Apprentice Coordinator
Gary Webber
Circuit Rider I
Saem Yem
Source Water Protection Specialist
Elizabeth Grove
Management Circuit Rider This Publication is Printed on Recycled Paper with Soybean Ink.
Missouri Rural Water Association Mission Statement:
“To be the leading source of professional services, support and representation for water and wastewater utilities.” Missouri Water Lines is published by General Printing Service, 1910 N. Providence, Columbia, Missouri 65202, (573) 443-8890 and is distributed free to water/ wastewater systems, board presidents, mayors, suppliers, individual members and associate members. Call the MRWA office at (573) 657-5533 for copy deadlines. Subscription rates are $15.00 yearly to help cover printing and postage costs. To subscribe, send names and addresses with prepayment to: Missouri Rural Water Association, 901 Richardson Drive, Ashland, Missouri 65010.
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President‘s Message David Waller, MRWA Board President Is consolidation, partnering, working together or joint projects in your future? No matter which term you choose to use, the basic concept is the same; seeking a partner or entity to help reduce the cost of a project or reduce operation and maintenance costs by entering into an agreement with your neighboring town, city, village or water district to accomplish a common goal. The hope is always to lower the cost to both entities. This concept has come up in meetings I have attended over the years, sometimes as an offhand remark, sometimes to test the amount of resistance to the idea and often, as the logical answer to almost every challenge faced by smaller systems. Recently this subject seems to come up in more and more meetings from a range of governmental entities, both regulatory and financial. There is definitely a stronger push to put partnering on the table as a viable option to solve a wide range of challenges. Funding agencies seem to like the idea of building a single slightly larger project to serve two or more systems as opposed to building two or more smaller similar projects. If your need is additional storage, going together with a neighboring town or adjoining water district to build a joint tower might be a less expensive project than each building one of their own. Or if you are looking to replace your water meters, it might be advantageous to buy the same meter as a neighbor and enter into an agreement to jointly purchase the equipment necessary for a drive-by reading system. The list of possible projects is quite large. The types of agreements are endless, it just takes someone to have the vision to see the opportunity and reach out. While I believe that partnering is a good idea, you always have to approach with the knowledge that while it is somewhat easy to get into a joint project, getting back out can be much more difficult. Consider that a board or operator, many years down the road, might decide to question the agreement and try to address the reasons that you entered into the agreement in the first place in the documents or in a written history for future decision-makers to have an understanding of the factors that drove the original decision. 4
The questions for the systems involved; is this type of arrangement worth it? Is it something you, at the local level, wish to enter into? The upside is mostly financial and in a lot of cases a more efficient use of financial resources and manpower. The drawback? Both parties will be working with a new management structure. An understanding of what is being proposed and agreed to is paramount to a successful combined project. Both parties need to have a strong belief in the union and be willing to accept and work through any disagreements that may arise as time goes by, realizing the people involved in the original deal no longer are the ones in charge. There are many challenges to recognizing and pursuing a partnership project, but I believe that we as an industry will see more encouragement to look at consolidation, partnering, working together and joint projects as part of the initial study to determine the best, most financially beneficial and most efficient approach to your project. The position of your state association is that we don’t oppose the partnership concept, but we do oppose a forced or mandatory use of the method to solve challenges. It has always been our belief that this is a local control issue and for any type of partnering to work over the long haul, it has to be arrived at voluntarily.
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From the Executive Director Randy Norden, MRWA Executive Director
Fix This First! Join the movement!
(A public service announcement from Missouri Rural Water Association.) I am happy to announce a movement to work towards common sense! In this case, I am speaking about wastewater. Yes, the forlorn side of the water industry that is both more scientifically interesting than drinking water and holds the most opportunity to bite you in the ankles, regulatorily speaking. When we see communities being faced with a million-dollar answer that could be answered with a thousand dollars, we shout, “Fix this first!” What I’m speaking of is addressing the collection system FIRST before dumping money into treatment. Too often we see project planning jumping right into treatment when the collection system has not even been looked at or, if it has, it is not been taken seriously. If you’re reading this and are not sure what I speak of, it is this. In a drinking water system, you don’t want water to get out. That is called water loss. It comes in the form of leaks, bad math, or unaccounted for usage. In a wastewater system, you don’t want water to get IN. That is called inflow and infiltration, or I&I, and it causes major issues at the treatment facility or lagoon, whichever the system has. Therefore, just like a drinking water system should have a meter change out program, repair leaks, and calculate water loss regularly, a wastewater system should regularly evaluate how much water is getting into the pipes that collect the wastewater. Cracks, breaks, flooding into manholes, tying stormwater into wastewater...these are examples that put too much water into the treatment process and can cause problems with treatment. However, instead of addressing the collection system, we see far too many projects dumping all the effort into upgrading the treatment system...a treatment system that is far too expensive for a community to absorb and the community ends up with an overkill treatment facility. Instead, control your inflow and infiltration and, then, evaluate treatment. This can save a community thousands...nay, millions…of dollars over time!
Therefore, • engineers, • regulatory agencies, • funding agencies, • local decision-makers, • and operations specialists,
identify your inflow and infiltration problems and FIX THIS FIRST! If you need help with identifying inflow and infiltration, smoke testing, and developing a maintenance plan, contact MRWA Wastewater Technicians Donald Jones at djones@moruralwater.org or at 573-359-8801 or Gary Webber at gwebber@moruralwater.org or at 660-626-6140.
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What’s in Your Spec? – A Tracer Wire Spec Guide Brad Rayburn, MRWA Circuit Rider In my ten years with Missouri Rural Water Association (MRWA), I have had the great opportunity to provide technical assistance to water systems throughout Missouri. This assistance has included locating water leaks, valves, and water lines, in addition to assistance with water quality issues, rate studies, flushing and flow testing methods and much more. One technical assistance call I frequently receive is for locating water lines. Fortunately, MRWA has equipped me with a line tracer, a thumper, a traceable cable that can be inserted inside the water line, and witching sticks, or as I like to call them, “Wishing Sticks.” The line tracer is designed to be connected to a tracer wire and then a signal is sent through a transmitter so the line can be located. The thumper is a spring-loaded valve that can be connected to a meter setter or a fire hydrant. When the water is turned on, it causes back pressure on the line, thus causing a continuous thump in the line so the noise of the thump can be traced by using a listening device to hear the thump through the soil. This method of locating water lines works sometimes, since it is contingent on the type of soil and the amount of water pressure available at that location. The traceable cable is inserted in the line and then the cable is located with the line tracer, this works 100% of the time. The Wishing Sticks are one or two rods or limbs, that turn or cross when they move over any underground utility or overhead utilities. I have also seen people stomp on the ground to tell how deep the line is with this method. My preferred method for locating water lines is utilizing tracer wire to locate the line. Unfortunately, I have learned that this method largely depends on the type of tracer wire and how it was installed. Along with many other water specialists and contractors, I have been guilty of installing unlocatable tracer wire. Before I was hired with MRWA, I installed several miles of tracer wire at the 12
water systems I was employed with. I had no training on the installation of tracer wire, I simply taped the line to the pipe and tied one end to the valve or saddle and the other end to the meter or flush hydrant and backfilled. Since my time with MRWA, I have had the opportunity to attend training on proper installation of tracer wire and wanted to share what I’ve learned in the following article provided by our friends from another MRWA Minnesota Rural Water Association. If you have any questions regarding tracer wire, contact one of your Missouri Rural Water Association’s circuit riders for assistance. When a municipality or utility modifies, updates or adopts a new section to a traditional standard specification for construction, there are a few key components in the process that are vital to ensure success. These key components — the design engineer, the construction inspector and the contractor — all need to understand what’s changing, proper implementation of the change, and the benefit of the required outcome. The successful outcome results in accurate and efficient positive identification locates performed by utility operators, to prevent damage and limit liability to the utility, its customers, and the environment.
The Tracer Wire Specification – The New Solution to An Old Problem This explanation is specific to the nationally recognized Minnesota Rural Water Association (MRWA) Tracer Wire Specification, for the purpose of locating underground water and wastewater utilities for the entire lifecycle of the utility. The MRWA Tracer Wire Specification was published for public use and distribution in March 2014, and is now recognized as the new standard by numerous municipalities and utilities across the country and outside of the U.S. If any tenured design engineer, construction inspector or contractor was told, that for many years, they have been installing tracer wire on water and wastewater projects that doesn’t work, some disagreement is likely to ensue. But this is in fact the case, and now that
the problem and a solution have been identified, it is imperative to get all involved parties on the same page and up to speed as quickly as possible. While there certainly are exceptions, it does seem fair to say that most engineers, inspectors and contractors have limited expertise in utility line locating. To understand the proper workings of a complete tracer wire system, it is necessary to also understand a few basic principles of underground utility line locating and the equipment used.
The Basics of Underground Utility Line Locating For the purpose of locating properly installed tracer wire, the required locating equipment includes the following: • transmitter with connective leads (red & black) • temporary ground probe for the transmitter • hand-held receiver used to locate the transmitted signal Most typical utility line locating equipment will offer a low frequency 512Hz signal, which will travel the greatest distance and have the least likelihood of bleed-off onto other adjacent utilities. The 512Hz frequency is not well suited for tolerating or negotiating poor conductivity but is well suited for traveling desired distances on a perfect conductor such as tracer wire. The loss of a locatable signal, using 512Hz frequency during a verification locate is a very likely indication of a wire damaged during installation. These are a few of the main reasons why the specification requires that verification testing be performed using only the 512Hz frequency. The theory of locating requires a utility locator to complete a circuit, through a traceable system, and back to the transmitter for a locatable signal to exist. (Figure 1) Simply put, when a complete circuit exists, the chosen frequency is traveling out of the transmitter through the red connective lead and returning back into the transmitter through the black connective lead, by way of
Figure 1
the chosen conductor or tracer wire, and moist conductive soils. It is not feasible to connect each of the transmitter’s connective leads to opposite ends of the chosen conductor, so moist soils provide the return path for the signal to re-enter the transmitter through the black connective lead, via a temporary grounding probe placed into the ground at the transmitter connection point. If the chosen conductor does not go to ground in the earth, the alternating current (AC) locating signal will not follow the conductor and this return path will not be achievable; a locatable signal will not exist. One of the main reasons that utility locators cannot locate previously installed tracer wires is because the tracer wire improperly terminates without going to ground. For example, at a hydrant or in a valve box or manhole, if the tracer wire is not properly grounded, the AC current will not follow the tracer wire, and will not have a return path back to the transmitter. A complete circuit does not exist; thus, a locatable signal cannot exist.
The New Tracer Wire Specification Details The Minnesota Rural Water Association (MnRWA) Tracer Wire Specification was published only after extensive research, including field testing and verification. For a tracer wire system to meet expectations, it must not only be locatable, but continue to be locatable for the full lifecycle of the utility with which it is being installed. Like many utilities, once a tracer wire system is installed, the greatest threat to its integrity and longevity is corrosion. For a tracer wire system to be corrosion-proof it must also be completely waterproof. The specification covers the entire tracer wire system, including wire, connectors, termination/access, grounding, procedures for installation, and testing. All components specified are readily available from water and wastewater utility/contractor supply distributors. Tracer wire: • Type shall be Copper Clad Steel (CCS), introduced to the market in 2004. CCS cost less than solid copper and has twice the strength. A perfect combination of strength and conductivity designed
Figure 2
(continued on page 16) 13
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(continued from page 13)
specifically for line tracing purposes. All CCS wires are not created equally, thus only high strength, domestically manufactured wire shall be specified. • Size shall be 12 gauge (AWG), specified for strength to endure construction/installation. The size of the conductor does not have bearing on the conductivity or locatability. Damage during installation is the leading cause of failure. Tracer wire specification includes installation methods; open trench/direct bury, directional boring and pipe bursting. • Insulation/jacket shall be High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), designed for direct burial. Color coding shall follow American Public Works Association (APWA) Standards for each applicable utility. • Installation shall be by Figure 3 method of strapping to the lower half of the pipe only. Installation on upper half of pipe significantly contributes to likelihood of breakage/damage during backfilling and compacting. Figure 4 Connectors: • Shall be moisture/ corrosion displacement connectors and include only those approved as mainlineto-lateral lug connectors Figure 5 and 3-way connectors. • Methods of twisting wires together and wrapping or use of wire-nut style connectors are forbidden in the specification, as any exposure of the conductor will result in the loss of a locatable signal. Grounding: • Shall be provided using magnesium drivable grounding rods only, driven into the soil Figure 6 (preferably virgin soils) at or below the elevation of the utility being installed. 16
• Where the beginning or end of an installation will occur within a roadway, the magnesium grounding rod wire shall be connected directly to the tracer wire, using a 3-way connector. • Where wires terminate outside of a roadway, at the edge of a roadway, or within the road right-of-way, magnesium grounding rod wire shall terminate in a grade-level or above-grade access box. • A tracer wire shall never be grounded/attached to an existing conductive utility pipe, hydrant, valve, valve box, corporation, curb stop, fitting, etc. Termination/Access:
Figure 7
Figure 8
• Shall be provided using grade level access boxes or above grade access boxes as specified by location. Both the tracer wire and magnesium grounding rod wire shall terminate in each box and shall be linked together to properly ground each dead-end wire installation. Testing: • Shall be provided by means of a physical locate, performed both at the time of rough grade, prior to final acceptance of the project, and witnessed by the owner, engineer and contractor. As previously mentioned, all verification locates shall be performed using only 512Hz frequency equipment. Continuity/ conductivity testing is not allowed on tracer wire systems, because it does not prove locatability of the system. Locating accuracy and efficiency begins with a highquality CCS tracer wire conductor. Beyond the tracer wire, the system is only as good as the sum of its parts, including connectors, grounding rods, access boxes and quality workmanship. “It’s really that simple”.
For More Information You may find the tracer wire specification guide at: http://mrwa.com/PDF/ TracerWireSpecGuideFinalweb7.pdf
to be links back to the original on the MnRWA website, so all references will be properly updated if any modifications are made to the original specification in the future.
The MnRWA Tracer Wire Specification is intended to only reside on the Minnesota Rural Water Association website at www.mrwa.com. All other electronic references to the MnRWA Tracer Wire Specification are intended
This article was prepared by Joe Rubbelke, Director, Copperhead Innovations, in conjunction with MRWA Circuit Riders Brad Rayburn and Billy Everett.
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Shifting the Burden of Non-Point Pollution Eric Fuchs, MRWA Source Water Protection Specialist As your source water protection specialist, I interact with farmers, and at times get involved in Agricultural policy. Recently, a new provision was put in the farm bill that requires a minimum of 10% of all conservation funds be used for source water protection in watersheds that directly provide water for consumption (drinking water). This initiative was led by the American Water Works Association (AWWA). Established in 1881, the AWWA is made up of over 50,000 members worldwide. This is huge when it comes to protection of these watershed areas and gives our urban neighbors a say in how the farm bill affects them.
Pictured is the “burning” Cuyahoga River. Photo credit: Cleveland State University Library
In the era of burning rivers and smog-choked cities, the Safe Drinking Water Act was made law in 1974. During that time, 85% of pollution came from what was called “point pollution” (areas that could be easily identified) with the remaining 15% coming from “non-point” sources (lessidentifiable locations such as agricultural runoff ). We did a good job cleaning up the obvious things that were causing the pollution of our waterways but now the percentages have switched, such that 85% of our pollution comes from non-point sources and 15% comes from point sources. I work with both water and wastewater systems. There are numerous small communities around the state who are being put in a financial strain to meet requirements of EPA regulations on wastewater, with ammonia and phosphorus being two of the most tightly regulated. Nitrogen, in the form of ammonia, and phosphorus are the main culprits 18
in harmful algal blooms such as those occurring in Florida, Lake Erie, and the “dead zone” in the Gulf. It is interesting how these small communities are being held accountable for regulating such large amounts of these nutrients while their effluent contributions are minimal compared with the large amounts that come from conventionally farmed agricultural lands. I have examples of small communities in our state with populations of 400 or less paying thousands of dollars per every man, woman, and child in their community for a lesser amount of ammonia released by the entire town than is put out by one acre of conventionally raised corn. Curiously, there are instances where permits written for wastewater plants are so stringent -- based on current pollution levels of streams from non-point sources -- that their wastewater treatment discharge is actually needed to improve the quality of the entire stream. I do not write this to place blame or try to belittle agricultural producers. Instead, I make note of it to help people understand that the non-point areas have a target on their head. Standards placed on one group are vastly different than what is placed on another, along with the burden of payment. In fact, this was the very premise of the Des Moines Water Works lawsuit; taking the burden of payment off the non-polluter. As I said, the emphasis of this article is not to pick on farmers or conventional agriculture, but it is to point out what I believe lies in wait for us over the horizon. Communities aren’t going to continue to bear the burden of these regulations without pushback. Looking at Toledo, Ohio and Lake Erie as examples, I feel we will see more overreaching laws passed and lawsuits brought to the table. Ultimately, my goal is to get the target off non-point pollution by following the simple soil health practices of no-till and cover crops. It is also important for you, the operator of systems both big and small, to get involved in these efforts. Stay informed with MRWA lobbying efforts. Stay up to date on permitting procedures and get actively involved when possible. It is up to each of us to help shift the burden of non-point pollution faced by our small and large communities around the state back to its origin.
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www.moruralwater.org/conferences/
October 29 & 30, 2019
LODGE OF FOUR SEASONS LAKE OF THE OZARKS October 31 & November 1, 2019
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The Perception of “Small Systems” Randy Norden, MRWA Executive Director In this Summer issue, you will find two very interesting articles. One by the CEO of National Rural Water Association, Sam Wade, discusses the judgement of reducing the number of systems. The other, by the President of Missouri Rural Water Association, David Waller, discusses consolidations and partnerships. I go into hearings or meetings and all too often hear, people feeling quite comfortable in making claims about “small systems” that seem to be based more on desired perception than reality. I hear comments about small systems being “siloed”, “unsustainable”, and “struggling” with a perception that the small systems are just not capable of taking care of themselves. I would proclaim that just like large systems there are a few that don’t do the best job, but the majority do their job quite well, especially given the numbers of them. What baffles me is that larger systems have these exact same issues and don’t deal with them any better. The higher question should be, “What makes these issues become problematic?” This “small system” perception is not new; it’s just being played up more right now. What’s different? Consolidation and privatization. When the 2018 America’s Water Infrastructure Act was passed in Washington, D.C., the draft proposed “mandatory consolidation” be part of implementation. Ultimately, reason has brought about that consolidation can be considered as an option instead of being forced. A centralistic viewpoint is not good when making decisions that should be made at the local level. There is a place for consolidation, but I see regulatory agencies wanting to use consolidation as some sort of a problem-remover and
perhaps to simply reduce the number of regulated entities. Regardless, there is still a perception that “bigger struggles less”. Personally, I think the perception is fed by the capability of a larger system to “kick the can down the road” a bit further and go unnoticed. This past legislative season I saw attempts at changing statute that are brought on by privatization interests. Privatization has its place and should be held as a viable option for local decision-makers and consumers. However, I don’t understand why private companies spend so much energy in attempting to undermine the existing fabric when they could rather present themselves as a forward-thinking and positive business offering an option. Their proposals presented that these (smaller) systems were not performing up to par, again, struggling and drowning in a lack of resources. So, small systems, we have a perception problem. I come back to the question I raise above, “For the systems, of any size, having problems...why are they?” I ask this because, in reality, size doesn’t matter. What does? Competence. May I suggest five concepts for all water and wastewater systems of any size to perpetuate or adopt: 1. As an industry, we need to get in front of the public more. I encourage you to do more than just send out a bill. Get the “utilities” involved with local public events. Allow the staff to talk to people; be seen; be heard. Newsletters! Make the water and wastewater the subject of positive conversations...not just negative banter when a problem arises. We need to do better in explaining why it costs what it does to bring water and take away the wastewater. I’ll never fathom why someone will not balk at a $150 satellite or cellular bill, but have a fit at a $30 water bill. Talk with MRWA to help you get involved! (continued on page 22)
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(continued from page 20)
2. Decision-makers...become aware. The systems that I can think of that have serious problems are the ones where the decision-makers are not really knowledgeable of what they are making decisions about. There is a good point that managers should be explaining to the decision-makers better, but too often, the decision-makers are striving to be the managers and suppressing the managers. 3. Operators… be worth your salt. Appear competent; be competent. Seek training, not “hours”. Your rewards will increase. Trust me on this. 4. Set your rates where they need to be in order to take care of the system including infrastructure, salaries, and training. Somehow, the thought that water and wastewater is a “provided service” that must be free, or nearly free, is ludicrous. Think in terms that the water is free…it’s getting it to the customer (or in the case of wastewater, taking it away) that costs money. Talk with MRWA about performing a rate evaluation. Along with having sustainable rates, keep your meters accurate and read them. You wouldn’t expect a gas station to give you five gallons of gas and charge you for three, would you? Why do you do it with your water? 5. Asset management. In time, you will need to replace components of your utility, especially the ones you don’t “see”. Today’s planning, and rates, should consider that replacement. 6. Nope, I am not going to mention the Apprenticeship Program from MRWA to you. That would come across like an advertisement. I also will not mention that, right now, regular certification is no longer good enough...you can be a Water or Wastewater Journeyman via a U.S. Department of Labor approved apprenticeship who has demonstrated competence and not just passed a test. Why would a system want an employee that had experience and a well-rounded knowledge who could actually do the work when they could have someone who went to class for 8 days and passed a test but can’t actually do much? I don’t know, why would they? I propose these ideas because these are the basis for sustainability. Small systems are sustainable; small systems are competent; small systems have an excellent compliance record, especially given the number of them 22
that exist. Focusing now on drinking water, allow me to close by demonstrating just how many of these systems exist in Missouri. In Missouri: There are 2,747 public drinking water systems. Of these 2,747 systems, 1,430 are community systems and 1,317 are non-community systems. A community system serves water year-round while a non-community system serves water at least 6 months out of the year. Municipalities, water districts, subdivisions, and mobile home parks are examples of community systems. Campgrounds, restaurants, convenience stores, and parks are examples of non-community systems. (At this point, note that 48% of all public drinking water systems in Missouri are non-community, some of which are not required to even have a certified operator.) Of the 1,430 community systems in Missouri: • 580 are municipalities, of which, 53 serve a population of 10,000 or more. • 271 are rural water districts, of which, 15 serve a population of 10,000 or more. • 579 are subdivisions/mobile home parks/ institutions, of which, none serve a population of 10,000 or more. Therefore, 98% of all public drinking water systems in Missouri are “small systems”. In the United States, 97% of all public drinking water systems serve populations of 500 or less. Given the track record, small systems are doing well. I would point out that, despite a hyper-focus on compliance with regulations, one simply does not find much in the way of water-borne illness or, especially, death. If there are complaints, it is more of a supply issue. This is usually most keenly felt during droughts. Let us keep the movement. We shall not rest on our laurels. Smaller systems, you DO have resources, and one of your best is Missouri Rural Water Association. Be a member and make sure you USE us. As an example, I
received the following letter from the City of Fremont Hills, a competent, sustainable small system that serves citizens and visitors. Here is their website address, check them out: https://fremonthillscity.com
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City of California, Missouri
City of Excelsior Springs, Missouri
City of Kansas City, Missouri
$1,125,600 Combined Waterworks and Sewerage System Revenue Bonds Proceeds were used to construct, furnish, and equip improvements to the City’s sewerage collection system. April 2018
$1,500,000 Certificates of Participation Proceeds were used to acquire, construct, and equip a new municipal golf course club house.
$83,770,000 General Obligation Refunding and Improvement Bonds
March 2018
March 2018
City of Louisiana, Missouri
City of Bolivar, Missouri
City of Silex, Missouri
$4,523,318 Certificates of Participation Proceeds were used to fund improvements and extensions to the City’s combined waterworks and sewerage system, storm water system and streets.
$1,231,162 Lease Purchase Agreement
$1,111,000 Waterworks System Revenue Bonds, MoDNR SRF Proceeds were used to construct a water storage tank and make distribution improvements.
$277,000
Sewerage System Revenue Bonds, MoDNR SRF
Proceeds were used to fund improvements to the City’s wastewater collection and treatment system.
Proceeds were used to fund construction, expansion, and improvements to the wastewater treatment system.
February 2018
February 2018
City of Campbell, Missouri
City of Unionville, Missouri
Combined Waterworks and Sewerage System Revenue Bonds, MoDNR SRF
$625,000
$777,000 Combined Waterworks and Sewerage System Revenue Bonds, MoDNR SRF
Proceeds were used to make improvements to the City’s water storage tanks as well as the water supply and distribution system.
Proceeds were used to make improvements to the City’s wastewater collection and treatment system.
February 2018
PWSD No. 1 of Osage County, Missouri
Proceeds were used to refinance the Series 2007A and 2008A; and street, sidewalk, bridge, and flood control projects.
October 2017
October 2017
C-PWSD No. 1 of Scotland County, Missouri
PWSD No. 13 of Jackson County, Missouri
$2,193,000 Waterworks System Revenue Bonds, MoDNR SRF Proceeds were used to fund upgrades to water mains and installation of a remote read meter system.
$3,000,000 Waterworks System Revenue Bonds, MoDNR SRF Proceeds were used to fund replacement and upgrading of water mains.
November 2017
City of Sedalia, Missouri $5,695,000 Certificates of Participation Proceeds were used to acquire, construct, furnish, and equip a Police and Law Enforcement facility. September 2017
September 2017
July 2017
Don’t just roll the dice… Go to the ones you know.
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City of Ashland, Missouri
City of Gallatin, Missouri
Village of DeKalb, Missouri
$6,408,000
$958,000 Electric System Refunding Certificates of Participation
$101,350 Waterworks Revenue Bonds
Proceeds were used to make improvements to the City’s wastewater treatment system.
Proceeds were used to refinance the Series 2010 Certificates of Participation.
Combined Waterworks and Sewerage System Revenue Bonds, MoDNR SRF
Proceeds were used to finance the extension and improvement of the waterworks system.
March 2018
March 2018
City of King City, Missouri
City of Union, Missouri
City of Perry, Missouri
$759,000 Equipment Lease Purchase Agreement
$2,659,600 Combined Waterworks and Sewerage System Refunding Revenue Bonds
$183,000 Sewerage System Revenue Bonds, MoDNR SRF
March 2018
Proceeds were used to refinance the outstanding balance of the Series 2009 Certificates of Participation. December 2017
PWSD No. 3 of Osage County, Missouri $598,000 Waterworks System Revenue Bonds, MoDNR SRF
Proceeds were used to refinance the Combined Waterworks and Sewerage System Revenue Bonds, Series 2010B. December 2017
Proceeds were used to conduct a sanitary sewer evaluation study to develop a facility plan for improvements. November 2017
City of Troy, Missouri
Camden County, Missouri
$2,108,300 Refunding Certificates of Participation
$4,118,198 Equipment Lease Purchase Agreement
Proceeds were used to refinance the City’s outstanding Certificates of Participation, Series 2011.
October 2017
September 2017
Proceeds were used to fund improvements to the Justice Center, including energy savings upgrades, roofing, and masonry repairs. September 2017
City of Branson, Missouri
City of Trenton, Missouri
City of Oak Grove, Missouri
$12,000,000 Equipment Lease Purchase Agreement Proceeds were used to fund costs of improvements to the Highway 76 corridor; and improvements to the wastewater and sewerage systems.
$1,600,000 Equipment Lease Purchase Agreement
$5,005,000 Certificates of Participation
Proceeds were used to fund improvements to the waterworks system and the rehabilitation of two water towers.
Proceeds were used to fund wastewater system improvements for the City.
Proceeds were used to make improvements to the District’s water storage tanks and distribution system..
June 2017
June 2017
May 2017
ommunities and Districts 800 West 47th Street, Suite 512, Kansas City, Missouri 64112 1-800-206-0634 25
2019-2020 MRWA College Scholarship Recipients Andy Bowman, MRWA Marketing Coordinator Each academic year, the Missouri Rural Water Association Scholarship Committee awards four (4) college scholarships; two are awarded to graduating high school seniors and two are awarded to enrolled college students. This year, a tie created an exception, with a total of (5) college scholarships being awarded. Two scholarships are being awarded to enrolled college students and three scholarships are being awarded to graduating high school seniors.
MRWA is proud to announce this year’s scholarship award winners. Destiny Switzer High School Graduate – Higbee R-VIII High School Parent – Ricky Switzer, Public Works Director, City of Higbee Notable Accomplishments – 2016 Higbee HS Shotput Record, 2016 Higbee HS Discus Record, Sportsmanship Award (Track & Field), Most Improved Player (Softball), Class President, National Honor Society President, A+ Scholarship Program, FFA President, FFA Chapter and State Degrees With a heart for agriculture, Destiny plans on majoring in Agriculture Education at Northwest Missouri State University in Maysville. Upon graduation, she hopes to remain in Missouri and teach agriculture at the high school level, giving her the opportunity to mentor future generations.
Faith Fassler High School Graduate – Tipton R-VI High School Parent – Aaron Fassler, Maintenance, City of Tipton Notable Accomplishments – National Honor Society, High School Honor Roll, Drum Line Section Leader As a high school graduate, Faith has a great “design” for her college education. With plans of completing her first two years of higher education at State Fair Community College, she is aiming to continue her pursuit of a Bachelor of Arts in the graphic design field at the University of Central Missouri/Warrensburg.
Scholarship applications are available each year in early spring. You may visit our website at www.moruralwater.org and go to our What We Offer page for application.
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Gavin Garrett High School Graduate – North Harrison R-III High School Parent – Randy L. Garrett – District Manager, Harrison County PWSD # 2 Notable Accomplishments – National Honor Society Treasurer, A+ Scholarship Program, Artist of the Year (Grid Drawing)-2017, Varsity Band Letter, Varsity Basketball Letter, Varsity Football Letter, Varsity Track Letter, 2018 School Record Men’s Javelin Gavin will be going out of state to study architecture in Kansas State University’s five-year master’s program. This program of study will allow him to study abroad in Italy between his fourth and final year in the program. Following college graduation, Gavin plans on beginning his career in a metropolitan area to gain experience and establish himself in the field. Afterwards, he hopes to take his knowledge and skills back to his rural roots and give back to the community and people who gave so much to him.
John Winter College – University of Central Missouri/Warrensburg transferring to University of Missouri/Columbia Parent – Tammie Winter – General Manager, C-PWSD # 2 of Lafayette, Johnson, & Saline Co. Field of Study – Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Notable Accomplishments – Dean’s List with Highest Honors 4.0 GPA, NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge, Member of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Formula Car Racing Team After graduation in 2022, John plans on beginning his career under a certified engineer for four years and then take his Principles and Practice of Engineering Examination. His engineering interests cover a broad range including the mechanical workings of vehicles, alternative energy, water treatment plants, sewer treatment plants, and booster pump stations.
Jordan Fuchs College – Three Rivers College – Completed AA Degree, Three Rivers College Parent – Eric Fuchs, MRWA Source Water Protection Specialist Field of Study – Registered Nursing Program Notable Accomplishments – Dean’s List Fall 2017/Spring 2018/Summer 2018/Fall 2018, AA in General Education/summa cum laude, Three Rivers College Rodeo Team. Finishing her 2-year AA degree in a year and a half, Jordan has been on the fast track to finishing her education. Since beginning her educational quest, her interests have shifted from specializing in equine care, to pipeline welding, and now to nursing. After finishing the RN program at Three Rivers College, Jordan hopes to finish her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree online through Southeast Missouri State University.
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The Loss of Community Water Supply: Good or Bad? Sam Wade, CEO, National Rural Water Association An incremental decrease of community water supply systems supports the effectiveness of local-decision making as environmental and financial landscapes change over the course of time. According to the US EPA Echo database, there has been a reduction of 336 systems in the last year from the 50,067 in 2018 to the latest inventory number of 49,731. This is a continued trend from the 2000 inventory number of 54,064 community water supplies. This reduction can be attributed to two primary reasons: urbanization and consolidations within the industry.
Urbanization According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a place is “urban” if it’s a big, modest or even small collection of people living near each other. This definition includes Houston, with its 4.9 million people, and Bellevue, Iowa, with its 2,543. The U.S. Census Bureau statistic shows the degree of urbanization in the United States from 2000 to 2050. In 2015, about 82.7 percent of the total population in the United States lived in urban areas. Projections estimate that the corresponding figure in 2050 will be 87.4 percent. It can be summarized that expansion of population centers into what used to be considered rural areas fuels local decision-making for consolidation of small systems such as mobile home parks and individual development owned systems; thus, reducing the number of community water supplies in the inventory.
of partnership from fully collapsing the smaller system into the district to a number of other options. These entities tend to consolidate to leverage available resources and expertise to benefit both parties and continue a high quality of service to the users. In a recent blind survey of utilities with 3,073 respondents, 67% of the nonmunicipal respondents such as the districts and 47% of the municipal respondents indicated they either receive or provide services to other entities.
The loss of community water supplies: good or bad? The largest reduction in community water supply systems is in the smaller population served category, serving 500 or less. The reality is that smaller systems face the biggest challenges due to lower economies of scale to meet the same standards as large metropolitan systems. Congress recognized this in establishing technical assistance programs for rural and small communities within the Safe Drinking Water Act and providing assistance through the USDA Rural Development Water and Waste Programs. This assistance provides a pool of expertise these smaller systems cannot afford individually.
District Consolidation Consolidation of smaller systems is occurring continuously. Regardless of the consolidator’s name, whether it is water district, regional water system, special utility district, co-op or authority, these types of systems often encompass large service areas with multiple county service areas. As these systems have grown and expanded, smaller systems within the service areas often connect onto the district or larger system. These interconnections take on various types 28
The reduction in the inventory is being accomplished through local decision-making without legislation or regulatory interference. Local governing officials and their families drink the water that is produced and make these decisions in the best interest of the customers and citizens they serve.
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Sales Engineer
MELLEN & ASSOCIATES INC. 4224 S. Hocker Drive Bldg. 11, Ste. 102 Independence, Missouri 64055 www.melleninc.com ken@melleninc.com
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Waterdrop Awards for Excellence
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2019 Wastewater System of the Year City of Brookfield
2019 Source Water Protection System of the Year North Central Missouri Regional Water Commission
2019 Water System of the Year Johnson County PWSD #3
2019 Associate Member of the Year Flynn Drilling Company
Congratulations to all the winners! Rural Water – Hard working people bringing you Quality on Tap.
MRWA Executive Director Randy Norden recognizes MRWA staff for 10, 20, and 30 years of service to the association.
Circuit Rider I Billy Everett – 30 Years
Resource Conservation Circuit Rider Wayne Roderman – 20 Years
GIS Mapping Specialist Howard Baker – 10 Years
Apprenticeship Coordinator Jim Enterline – 10 Years
Office Manager Crystal Cooper – 20 Years
Circuit Rider III Brad Rayburn – 10 Years 31
Contact Liz Grove at: (573) 231-6797 or egrove@moruralwater.org
Small Utility Billing Software
The newest offerings from MRWA Contact Jim Enterline at: (573) 996-6096 or jenterline@moruralwater.org
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System Profile: And the Winner Is... Andy Bowman, MRWA Marketing Coordinator In case you missed it, MRWA held its Show-Me Tap Water Round-Up, the association’s newly renamed leg of the Great American Water Taste Test. This competition, held annually to spotlight the importance of healthy drinking water, gives systems from across Missouri the opportunity to compete for a chance to see if their system’s water has what it takes to be named the best tasting water in the state. Altogether, there were 25 systems who submitted samples for this year’s contest. Those samples were judged and narrowed down to a field of 4 finalists. The finals of this year’s competition were held during the MRWA Show-Me Rural Water Rally (formerly known as Jeff City Day) April 25, 2019, on the 3rd-floor rotunda of the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City.
And the winner is…
CONSOLIDATED PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY # 1 OF BOONE COUNTY, MISSOURI (Boone Co. C-PWSD #1) At this point, you may be forming questions; So, what? Who cares? How are they different than previous winners? To answer those questions, I made a quick comparison of all previous winners since MRWA’s first contest back in 2005, and found two notable differences that sets Boone Co. C-PWSD #1 apart from the previous 14 winners: 1. Size – The district serves approximately 24,000 people at 9,400 service connections. That is more than double the number connections of the next largest winning system. This also puts the district as 1 of only 15 PWSD’s in the state serving a population of 10,000 or more (refer to Randy Norden’s article The Perception of Small Systems.) 2. Consolidation – Boone Co. C-PWSD #1 is the ONLY winner to date that is a consolidated system. To check into the history of the district, one can read the district’s summarized history on their website: Consolidated Public Water Supply District No. 1 of Boone County, Mo. was formed in 1975 from the consolidation of three existing water districts: Boone County PWSD #5, #6 and #8. This consolidation marked the first of its kind in the State of Missouri. In 2000, the District consolidated with PWSD #7 of Boone County and that was followed in 2007 by addition of PWSD #3 of Boone County, the City of Rocheport, and in 2018, the Village of Harrisburg. The District’s service area encompasses primarily the southern half and west central portions of Boone County, the southeast corner of Howard County and a small portion of southwestern Callaway County. Today, Consolidated Water serves approximately 383 square miles. To further illustrate its history, let us go back to the beginning. The newly formed consolidation occurred with 3 districts; Boone Co. PWSD # 5, Boone Co. PWSD # 6, and Boone Co. PWSD # 8. Of the 3 districts, “# 6 was the strongest district… the nucleus of the consolidation,” according to Bill Robinson, former Boone Co. C-PWSD #1 district clerk, who served the district in that position from 1975 until his retirement in 2007. Photo and caption from MRWA WaterLines Magazine Summer (continued on page 34)
1975- highlighting the formation of Missouri’s 1st Consolidated District.
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(continued from page 33)
That kind of longevity of service resounds regarding the Board of Directors and District Managers, as well. Over its 44-year history, there have been a small total of 15 board members and 5 district managers. The first manager of the district was the Board President of the original Boone Co. PWSD # 6. Once consolidation occurred, the newly consolidated district hired him as district manager. You may be familiar with the district’s first manager, W. A. “Dell” Cornell. He was one of the founding fathers, and served as President of the Board, of the Water District Association of Missouri (WDAM), or, what we refer to today as, the Missouri Rural Water Association. Today, Boone Co. C-PWSD #1 would be unrecognizable by comparison to its beginnings. Here’s the stuff for the #’s people: • 9400 service connections • 383 square-mile service area • Service in 3 counties: Boone, Callaway, Howard • 17 communities served including Columbia, Ashland, Harrisburg, Hartsburg, Rocheport • 3 schools served • 12 storage facilities ranging from 1,000,000 gallons to 35,200 gallons totaling 5.6 million gallons • 14 Wells • 1 additive/treatment – Cl2 • 4 Office Staff • 3 Engineering Staff • 3 Operations Staff • 13 Maintenance/Construction Staff Now, back to Boone Co. C-PWSD #1 winning the Show-Me Tap Water Round-Up. The size of the district is roughly 9x the average size of all the other taste test winners. It must be noted here that since the contest began in 2005, the smallest winning system served a population of 33 and the largest winning system (other than the current winner) served a population of 12,000. 34
So, how does such a large system achieve the best tasting water in the state? When asked this question, Boone Co. C-PWSD #1 Business Office Manager Janet Sears replied, “I think MRWA Exec. Director Randy Norden and Boone Co. I would attribute it to our C-PWSD #1 General Manager staff, who make it their Bob Leonard at the MRWA mission each day to ensure Open House. our customers have safe, clean drinking water.” When asked what challenges the district deals with, Boone Co. C-PWSD #1 General Manager, Bob Leonard answered, “The biggest MRWA Exec. Director Randy challenge that we face Norden presents the winning trophy is straddling the rural to Boone Co. C-PWSD #1’s Chad system along with an Henry and Janet Sears at the 2019 Show-Me Tap Water Round-Up. urbanizing area and trying to effectively operate in both worlds.” Anything else? Leonard added along with Sears, “A great Board of Directors.” The district will move on to compete at the national level in the Great American Water Taste Test in Washington, D. C. in February 2020 during the National Rural Water Association’s Rural Water Rally. By comparison, Boone Co. C-PWSD #1 is one of the largest member systems of MRWA. But, if you peel back the layers of facilities and years of growth and look at the heart of the district, you’ll find rural water; hard working people with dedication to those served with quality, on tap.
Note from the author: I’d like to thank Boone Co. C-PWSD #1 General Manager Bob Leonard, Business Office Manager Janet Sears, and former district clerk and MRWA Board Member Bill Robinson for their time and information shared for the writing of this article.
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Protecting Your Storage Tank from Lightning Strikes Erin Schmitt, Media Director, Pittsburg Tank & Tower Group Storage tanks and towers stand tall, subjecting them to lightning strikes. These tanks and towers are also often made of metal – making them good conductors of electricity. There are about 1.4 billion lightning strikes every year globally, according to the Met Office, the United Kingdom’s national weather service. Depending on the convection levels and presence of moisture-laden air masses, some areas of the world are more prone to lightning than others. Six regions in the world – The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Northwestern South America, The Himalayan Forelands, Central Florida, the Pampas of Argentina, and Indonesia – have intense lightning activity. The Central Florida region, roughly between Tampa and Orlando, has been called “lightning alley” due to the frequency of lightning strikes. Between 2007-2011, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 301 fires at outside storage tanks, according to the NFPA. These fires caused an annual average of one civilian injury and cost $3 million in direct property damage. Storms, or specifically lightning, attributed to 1/3 of all storage fires. Nearly half – 46 percent - of fires at outside storage tanks occurred from May to August. July and August are the months with the most lightning strikes in the United States. Installing some form of lightning protection for water tanks has often been overlooked in the past. After all, there is nothing to burn on a steel water tank. However, many of these same steel towers and tanks are equipped with cell phone and/or 911 communication antennas. This sensitive equipment is vulnerable to lightning strikes. If lightning strikes the antennas, emergency and/ or cell phone communication could fail, leading to some potentially dire situations. Tanks are also equipped with SCADA – Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition – which tracks how much water is in the tank, among other measures. If lightning strikes the system, it could be down for quite a while. All water storage tanks, whether they are specifically designed for fire protection or potable water, help provide 36
water when there’s a fire. A potable water tank is still fire protection in the sense that it provides water to hydrants that are then hooked up to firehoses. In a disaster, potable water tanks are also needed for drinking water. However, if the system is compromised, everyone has to boil water to make it useable. Providing adequate grounding is where lightning protection starts. “Tanks shall be grounded to conduct away the current of direct strikes and the buildup and potential that causes sparks to ground,” according to NFPA 780. One of the simplest solutions is to place a grounding rod in the ground. Grounding rods help prevent damage to a tank. Cables are run from the tank to the grounding rod so that, in the event of a lightning strike, the electricity is discharged safely through the ground.
Ground rods shall not be less than a ½ inch in diameter and 8 feet long, according to NFPA 4.13.2.1. The rods shall also be free of paint or other nonconductive coatings, according to 4.13.2.2. In accordance with NFPA 780 7.3.7.2, A metal tank shall be grounded by one of the following methods: 1. A tank shall be connected without insulated joints to a grounded metallic piping system. 2. A vertical cylindrical tank shall rest on earth or concrete and shall be at least 20 feet (6 m) in diameter or shall rest on bituminous pavement and shall be at least 50 feet (15 m) in diameter. (continued on page 38)
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AllianceWater.com
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(continued from page 36)
3. A tank shall be grounded through a minimum of two grounding electrodes, as described in Section 4.13, at maximum 100 feet (30 m) intervals along the perimeter of the tank. 4. A tank installation using an insulating membrane beneath for environmental or other reasons shall be grounded as 7.3.7.2(3). Before any grounding rods are placed, soil samples should be collected from near the tank to test what level of pH is present. The pH scale is used to rate watersolutions on an acidic to basic scale. Acidic solutions have a lower pH – 0 to 6.9 - while alkaline solutions have a higher pH – 7.1 to 14. A pH scale of 7 is truly neutral. It’s important to know what the pH of the soil is before putting in any grounding rods. Grounding rods are designed and placed based on the results of the soil tests. The soil tests identify what type of soil is present, the pH level, what is needed to transfer the current into the ground and how many ground mats are necessary. In sandy soil conditions, as per 4.13.8.2, “because sandy or gravelly soil conditions are characterized by high soil resistivity, multiple grounding electrodes shall be used to augment the lightning grounding electrode system.” Properly grounding a tank can save owners money in the long run. Direct lightning strikes cause more than $200 million in fire damage each year, according to the Lightning Protection Institute. This translates into insurance companies paying out billions for claims that are directly or indirectly associated with lightning. Even though ground storage tanks are lower to the ground than elevated towers, they should also be grounded and protected from lightning strikes. Lightning
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struck a Virginia hospital’s storage tank and fried the equipment. The tank could not be drained or taken out of service to make repairs. It took the hospital a year before everything was up and running properly again – though part of the delay was waiting for a grant to be approved that would allow them to replace the damaged equipment. Tank owners should hire a contractor who will be thorough and not overlook any issues that are fixable within the scope of the work. Problems and noncompliance problems should be fixed safely and quickly. Tank owners can also have a lightning rod installed on top of their water tanks. This can be done by the owners or by hiring contractors to do the work. Lightning protection systems, which factor in a tank’s diameter and the product stored, among other things, should be installed by a qualified professional. “Lightning protection systems, where provided, should be inspected, tested, and maintained in accordance with NFPA 780,” according to NFPA 780 9.2.4.1.
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What are you investing into the future of the water industry? Jim Enterline - MRWA Apprenticeship Coordinator What is our most important natural resource? Water and air always run a close race, but we say water because we are involved in it and more than anyone, we have the best opportunity to protect and preserve the water industry. To go with the title of this article, what are you investing into the future of the water industry? There are several ways to invest in the future of water. This article will cover 2 of those.
-LOCAL EDUCATION You could invest time promoting safe drinking water to our younger generation. (Have you seen the MRWA source water module for classrooms?) Have you offered your system up as a “learning experience” to your local school system for a school field trip? Someone will have to replace you at some point and time; how about participating in a local career day or career fair? How about writing an article for your local newspaper about water and the steps it takes to make it safe? How about participating in drug take-back events? These are a few ways to make a lasting, positive impression locally.
Source Water Protection Specialist Eric Fuchs interacts with 3rd graders at Doniphan Elementary School.
-BUDGET MONEY FOR TRAINING Decision-makers need training. Most do not realize the actual knowledge base they need about water and wastewater to make informed decisions. Decision-makers can make or break a water or wastewater system. Additionally, clerks and office professionals need training. After all, they are the face of your system and deal with issues directly and indirectly, both good and bad, each and every day. And, according to regulation, Systems Specialists (Operators) must have certification training to make command decisions for their systems. Surely, you’d want them to be the best in their field, why not invest in a higher level of training for them? The MRWA Apprenticeship Program does just that, it trains the operations specialist to the highest level of training offered and goes far beyond regular certification training. Soon, Journeyman Systems Operations Specialists certified through the Department of Labor will become the standard for most systems because of the vast knowledge they learn. Shouldn’t your operations specialists understand the full gamut of water and/or wastewater? Limit your system liability by training them for more than just the required “hours” it takes to be certified. Forward thinking systems are already investing in their future leaders by investing in them and enrolling them in the MRWA Apprenticeship Program. Even industries outside of water and wastewater systems are investing in the future of the water industry with extra training: • CoBank recently invested into National Rural Water Association Apprenticeship Program to assist in getting it started. Thanks for investing in the future! • Core and Main donated several thousand dollars’ worth of items for use in our MRWA Apprenticeship Program for hands on training. Thanks for investing in the future! 40
Sherry Johnson, CoBank Sr. Mgr. of Corporate Social Responsibility, interviews, Brenden Smith, Jim Enterline and Roger Ballew.
• Midwest Meter also donated several thousand dollars’ worth of items for the MRWA Apprenticeship program for hands on training. Thanks for investing in the future!
Core and Main donated valves, clamps, and fittings to be used as training aids for MRWA Apprentices.
With water being our most important resource, we all have an obligation to somehow or someway, invest in its longevity. My kids, grandkids and great grandkids … and yours … will be relying on our drinking water to remain safe. Let’s invest in the future of water and wastewater to keep it that way!
Midwest Meter donated an M&H Valve cutaway fire hydrant to be used for training by MRWA Apprentices.
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Beware of Little Expenses. A Small Leak will Sink a Great Ship Wayne Roderman, MRWA Resource Conservation Circuit Rider Recently, I heard someone say that water might soon become a human right, and that you would not be able to shut off someone’s water if they failed to pay for it. Thinking back over the years I have been in the water business, I remember the times someone has said to me, “Water is a God given right” or, “Water comes out of the sky, it should be free”. I have always replied, “Water is free, get a bucket and go down to the creek, you can have all you want! You’re not paying for the water; you’re paying for the service.” If you wonder what the service is, it’s the convenience of going to the kitchen sink in the morning, turning on the faucet and running water in a container to make your morning coffee. And the pleasure of taking a hot shower after a hard day at the office. The comfort of not having to haul buckets of water to the house after that hard day at work. The peace of mind to realize the water coming out of your tap is safe to drink, and even the relief of flushing the stool to know that business is gone out of your house! I agree. Water is a God given right! However, we (and I’m including myself ) have taken it for granted far too long. While nearly 70% of the world is covered by water, only 2.5% of it is fresh, and only .007% of the planet’s water is available for its 7.7 billion people. Of all the water on Earth, more than 99% of Earth’s water is unusable by humans and with this realization comes a recognition that we need to utilize this resource very wisely. As a water operator, this makes me wonder if we have fallen short of educating the public concerning this resource. I know that Missouri Rural Water Association is getting more involved with “Career Days” at schools and our new “Apprenticeship Program”, but maybe each water system should spend a day at a school educating our children about how important water is to life. Maybe they will carry that home to their parents, and they will determine 42
to make a difference. You may ask, how can I make a difference? You might start by repairing a dripping faucet, or, replacing the worn flapper in the toilet. Now I know you’re thinking ol’ Wayne’s getting addlepated in his old age, but seriously, each of us can make a difference if we try. You might think what you do won’t make a drop in the bucket, but every little bit helps. If we all do our part, it will start to make a difference. I have even been trying to teach my grandkids not to run the water while brushing their teeth, or, not to turn the shower on five minutes before they are ready to get in it. While with MRWA over the last several years, I have assisted water systems with water loss issues, located water leaks, and educated systems on conservation practices. One thing that always seems to amaze folks is sharing that a ¼ inch hole in a water pipe at 60 psi will lose close to 15,000 gallons per day, and if it leaks 30 days, that amounts to 450,000 gallons. A common reply I hear, “If it was leaking like that, we would have a lake around here somewhere!” Well, that is not necessarily true. As a matter of fact, a lot of times, a leak like that will never surface. Another fact is, the national average electrical cost to pump water is $.50/1000 gallons pumped, or $500.00/million gallons pumped. With that, a ¼ inch hole in a water line would cost approximately $225.00 a month in electrical costs to pump the water that lost water. I don’t know about you, but any amount of money off my electric bill interests me! I have had some people say, “The water leak is not large enough to mess with… it costs more to repair than it’s worth.” I refer to the old adage, “Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.” Want some assistance with water loss? Contact Wayne Roderman @ 573-776-5115.
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Around the State Capitol Harry Hill, MRWA Lobbyist Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, explorers and adventurers, always seemed to be in the right place in 1804 as they made their way across our vast continent. So, it is with a bit of irony that the undaunted pair were in the “wrong” place for many years in the Missouri Capitol. Today, they’re to be found on 3-foot-tall stone pedestals in separate 3rd floor alcoves which face the Grand Staircase. They were installed in 1928, just a few years after the building was completed. They stood there quietly, without question, for 23 years. But, in 1951, two state representatives, Richard Webster and A. Clifford Jones, insisted things were not right with the statues and the pedestals on which they were mounted. They believed Meriwether Lewis was on the base bearing Clark’s name and vice versa. They apparently based their theory on descriptions of the two; Clark as the journal keeper, surveyor and mapmaker – Lewis as a “virile, peerless leader with rifle, powder horn and authentic costume.” Representatives Webster and Jones were successful in getting state funds appropriated to correct the situation. Apparently, those who were charged with making things right didn’t comprehend the task at hand. Their solution was to simply switch the two statues, attached to the same base, to opposite alcoves.
Lewis 44
Jones, some years later, is alleged to have said, “Now the names are wrong and they’re in the wrong place.” In 1975, two murals painted by Wilber Phillips, “Clark Stops for Repairs,” and “Lewis Joins His Hunting Party,” were installed near the statues. However, the Clark mural was installed above the statue presumed to be Lewis and the Lewis mural above the Clark alcove. In the early 1980’s, former Congressman Wendell Bailey suggested to Representative Francis “Bud” Barnes that the statues were probably incorrectly identified by their pedestals. Barnes, himself an historian, researched the matter with the help of a University of Missouri anthropology professor. Barnes was skeptical at first but eventually declared, “the boys are in the wrong corner.” There was more bureaucratic foot-dragging but finally, in September 1986, Lewis and Clark were placed in the proper alcoves on what is believed to be pedestals with accurate identification. ADDENDUM – On a pedestrian path not far downriver from the capitol, an interpretative sign offers the following: “The Lewis and Clark expedition passed this location on June 4, 1804, on the first leg of a 17-mile journey that day. The previous evening, the expedition had camped at the mouth of Moreau Creek where William Clark heard a bird singing all night. The next day, Clark named the first creek he came to ‘Nightingale Creek’ (probably Wear’s Creek) in honor of this bird, whose identity remains a mystery since there is no true nightingale in Missouri.”
Clark
Get Your Healthy Beneets Get Your Healthy Beneets explores the details, nooks and crannies of the Healthy Beneets Program created speciically for members, vendors and affiliates of the National Rural Water Association (NRWA). We know that as a beneets administrator you are busy wearing many hats, and we are here to help. We’ve done all the research, and are here to simplify aspects of available offerings, give in-depth digestible explanations of program beneets and explore your FAQs concerning this revolutionary healthcare solution.
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www.HealthyBeneetsNRWA.com 45
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Establishing Base Lines Tom Hyatt, Water Training Specialist A familiar old saying states, “Hindsight is 20/20.” This phrase suggests that we could have made a more informed decision at some moment in the past had we known then what we know now. There is, however, another way to interpret this saying: An established standard from the past provides us with a more perfect vision today as we assess current conditions. Maintenance records, for instance, are extremely valuable for a number of reasons. One of the most important uses of these documents is to determine if water quality parameters or physical component functions are within acceptable ranges. Of course, there are other reasons for documenting historical data. These records are sometimes kept purely to fulfill the records retention obligation: three years for all public notifications; five years for bacteriological records and any related treatment technique actions, cross connection control inspection reports, and finished water storage tank inspection reports; 10 years for chemical test results, sanitary survey inspection reports, and any documentation of corrective actions cited as needed in these reports; 12 years for lead and copper results; etc. When the Missouri Department of Natural Resources field staff does an inspection at your water system, the inspector will ask to see a lot of records: valve exercising, line flushing, disinfection residuals, and inspection reports for water storage tanks and cross connection control devices. This list represents a small fraction of all records reviewed by the DNR. The primary purpose for looking through these files is to ensure that the water specialist has conducted routine maintenance and fulfilled regulatory obligations. Another advantage of good records is that they provide historical information for future generations. If the water specialist or administrative staff is no longer working at the facility, others can learn when storage tanks were built, wells drilled, well pumps replaced, lines repaired, and other significant events occurred. For the current water system employee, though, nothing offers assurance that systems are working properly like an established base line. A base line is simply a reference to prior performance or standards. Written records of past observations and maintenance indicate what “normal” is, which establishes a point of reference
when judging current conditions. An example is when the water specialist records the low and high pressures in the well house. Let’s say that the well pump activates when the system pressure drops to 40 psi and fills the adjoining water tower until the pressure rises to 75 psi. Once the pressure reaches this upper limit, the tower is full; and the well pump deactivates. This information can be used to periodically check control switches by observing if pump activation and deactivation occur as expected. While the pump might still function, it is possible that it has lost calibration with the pressure sensor and doesn’t shut off when it should or kicks on-off repeatedly in a destructive short-cycling pattern. Discovering pump operations that are consistent with previous records reassures the water specialist that pump operations are normal. The same is true with valve exercising. If a particular gate valve seems to close completely after 12 full turns, the specialist can determine if the valve is fully closed by reviewing the previous exercise record for this valve. If the base line indicates that this valve required 14 full turns last year for closure, the specialist knows that today the valve is not closed all of the way. The device might need to re-open and close to release any debris lodged in the valve’s way, or it might need repair. If red water flowed 15 minutes continuously from a hydrant six months ago and it has the same problem today, this likely indicates the need to flush this hydrant more frequently. Using this example, the specialist reviews notes from the previous flush and decides to increase the flushing frequency to three months. Once this threemonth period arrives, red water from that hydrant flows only five minutes before clearing. The specialist raises the frequency again to a two-month period and discovers only a trace of discoloration at that interval. In this instance, previous records serve as a reminder of problematic conditions rather than a base line. Nonetheless, such documentation allows for informed adjustments to schedules to promote improved water quality results. Checking and recording disinfectant residuals throughout the distribution system is another example. (continued on page 50) 49
(continued from page 49)
Where little water turnover occurs, water can stagnate and cause residuals to fall. A record of these residuals indicates low and high values through time. This information can be used to decide necessary action when residuals are on the low side of the range, which might be to boost the original disinfectant dose or flush lines to turn over older water. Regular documentation of residuals, corrective actions, and subsequent residuals can help the water specialist determine necessary action to improve water quality throughout the system.   Regardless of the event, documentation helps inform the water specialist’s future decisions. Records can
include observations of level or pressure sensors, pump run times and discharge rates, maintenance histories for critical components, water quality parameters, and even unacceptable circumstances. Recording these events involves logging lots of details through time, but keeping good records isn’t something that is done just because it is a requirement of the job. If these records are never looked at again except when an inspector asks to see them, they have little value. On the other hand, using recorded information to better assess current operations makes such records a valuable tool in the water specialist’s daily routines. This documentation provides a clearer picture of how today’s conditions are on the basis of past standards.
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Manufacturers who are our partners and for which Midwest Meter Inc. is a leading distributor: Clow Valve Company, Ionware, Kennedy Valve, M&H Valve, Badger Meter, Ford Meter Box, Clow Water Systems, Regal Gas Chlorinators, and Tyler Pipe. Midwest Meter specializes in meter repair and testing both sonic and conventional.
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MRWA Calendar of Events July
October
11 thru Aug 13 10-Day Drinking Water Treatment & Distribution Certification Course 17
MRWA Board of Directors Meeting
Perryville Ashland
17 & 18 Apprentice Training
Ashland
18
Office Professionals’ Training – Grants & Loans
Bolivar
24
Office Professionals’ Training – Grants & Loans
Urich
August 5 & 6
Apprentice Training
19
Board & Council Training
Ashland Poplar Bluff
20 & 21 MRWA Bootheel Expo
Poplar Bluff
20
Poplar Bluff
BHE Office Professionals’ Seminar – Grants & Loans
2
Drinking Water Regulations Update – One-Day Training
14
Office Closed for Columbus Day Holiday
23 & 24 Apprentice Training
Ashland
29
MRWA Board of Directors Meeting
Lake Ozark
24
MRWA Legislative Planning Meeting Lake Ozark
29 & 30 Office Professionals’ Seminar
Lake Ozark
30
Legislative Planning
Lake Ozark
31 & Nov 1
Fall Operations & Maintenance Symposium
Lake Ozark
31
Happy Halloween!!
November 3
Daylight Saving Time Ends
11 Office Closed for Veterans’ Day (Observed) 13 & 14 Apprentice Training Ashland
September
19
2
Office Closed for Labor Day Holiday
4
Distribution Components & Concepts – One-Day Training
4 thru Oct 9
Entry-Level Wastewater Certification Course
9 - 11
NRWA WaterPro Conference
Vienna
18 thru Oct 24 10-Day Drinking Water Treatment & Distribution Certification Course
Distribution Components & Concepts – One-Day Training
Laurie
28 & 29 Office Closed for Thanksgiving
December Stockton
Nashville, TN
18 & 19 Apprentice Training
Ashland
Licking
4
Drinking Water Regulations Update – One-Day Training
Hollister
5
Distribution Components & Concepts – One-Day Training
Hollister
10
Drinking Water Regulations Update – One-Day Training
Sikeston
11
Distribution Components & Concepts – One-Day Training
Sikeston
18 & 19 Apprentice Training 24 & 25 Office Closed for Christmas
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Piedmont
Ashland
59
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE
PAID
901 Richardson Drive Ashland, Missouri 65010 “your resource for water quality.”
ATTENTION: WATER DEPT.
When finished reading, please route to n Operators/Managers n Clerk/Treasurer n Board/Council/Commission
Columbia, MO Permit No. 286