Ubits July / August 2017
The power of hydro
Aug. 7-18 School Supplies Drive
Footprint? What footprint? TPU focuses on reducing carbon When Tacoma voters decided in 1909 to invest $2 million to build a hydroelectric dam on the Nisqually River, they set what might be considered Tacoma Public Utilities’ greatest legacy. Building its own hydroelectric plant transitioned Tacoma from purchasing power from a private company (which would ultimately become Puget Sound Energy) to a municipal utility that generated its own resources. It took a few years to build, but with the startup of the Nisqually Hydroelectric Project in 1912, Tacoma became an official public power provider. Continuing the legacy established in the early 1900s, Tacoma Power now owns seven hydroelectric dams that provide about 45 percent of customers’ needs.
Their environmental value alone is immeasurable.
Clean, green, generating machines Hydropower is one the cleanest forms of electricity. Nearly all of the power supplied to the utility’s customers comes from carbon-free hydroelectricity. In fact, when looking at data reported to the Washington Department of Commerce, Tacoma Power’s electricity produces about 90 percent less carbon than the average utility’s in the state. A great responsibility comes with owning hydroelectric dams: protecting and investing in fish and wildlife. Tacoma Power spends about $10 million each year on fish alone. The utility owns four hatcheries on two rivers, and builds and Continued on page 7
In this issue
Page 2
New Government Relations team
Page 4-5
Award winners
Page 6
Lead in H2O
New Public Affairs team enhances TPU’s ability to advocate for customers With watchdogs now at every level of government, TPU is better positioned to champion policies benefitting its customers. Clark Mather, Marian Dacca, LaTasha Wortham and Erika Tucci comprise Public Affairs and Communications’ new Community and Government Relations team. They monitor the pulse of external constituents and work with internal stakeholders to understand TPU’s complex policy interests and stances on issues. The team also works to provide greater presence and influence over the policies and laws affecting TPU, while working with leadership to determine policy positions. Clark heads the team helping position TPU at the local, state, and federal levels of government and in local communities. As TPU’s newly appointed Community and Government Relations Manager, Clark spends much of his time understanding the impacts of utility issues on the community, advising executives on policies and laws, and working with trade associations at the federal level to analyze legislation and coordinate advocacy on national issues. Clark says his team’s job is to build on the legacy of thoughtful advocacy that has been TPU’s hallmark for decades. “Lobbying is mysterious to people. My job, and the job of our team, is really about listening. It’s about being present,
Pg. 2
gathering, understanding and sharing good information that allows us to build credibility and relationships with key decision makers,” he said. “Our predecessors built a foundation of credibility with elected officials. That foundation, plus the fact that we advocate for our customers, helps our team make a compelling case with whomever we talk with.” When the Washington State Legislature is in session, TPU’s new State Government Affairs Manager, Marian, spends a lot of her time in Olympia keeping a pulse on bills from the floor that can impact the utility. She came to TPU with expertise in policy and community outreach after working as the government affairs manager for a trade association, and previously for a county council and state senator. “Working for TPU is very intellectually stimulating,” Marian said. “We have very different business units each with a unique set of policy issues. I also really love connecting with people.” LaTasha seconds that as TPU’s new regional relations manager. A Tacoma native who worked for congressmen and in the community for more than 12 years, LaTasha came to TPU with instant credibility. Her former work with constituents helps TPU with current outreach, maintaining existing relationships with Native American tribes,
Government Relations team
local governments and elected officials throughout the utility’s service area. “I’ve worked in the community and throughout the region in the political arena for a very long time. I know a lot of people and have built great relationships,” said LaTasha. “That really puts TPU in a good place because a great deal of trust and credibility has already been built. I absolutely love what I do.” Some of Erika’s long-time work in the community remains tied to corporate social responsibility through Community Connection, TPU’s employee volunteer program. That work also positions her well as TPU’s new community affairs manager. She makes personal connections with neighborhood councils and provides a presence for TPU to communicate complex issues such as rates. “Attending the neighborhood council meetings helps us better identify public concerns,” Erika said. “We’re able to create more effective relationships when we understand their positions on utility issues.” Erika is also TPU’s liaison to the Sustainable Tacoma Commission. Similarly, Clark says his team calls on TPU staff, “some of the smartest people in our industry,” for help understanding complex issues. This also allows TPU to advocate for customers far more effectively.
Community Connection
THE ULTIMATE GIFT
One big happy home makeover from helpful hands
A springtime tradition of community service recently brought 70 TPU employees together on their day off to work in partnership with Rebuilding Together South Sound. The result of their labor this year made life a little better for one woman in Tacoma, who is elderly and disabled. Employees donated time, brought tools from home, and even bought some materials before getting to work. They tackled electrical and plumbing issues, made safety and wheelchair accessibility upgrades, and put a fresh coat of clean on everything. The task was no small feat, but a special one. “It’s an opportunity for everyone to give back, show camaraderie and show how they care about people in the community,” said Tacoma Power Utility Services Representative Lynette Mason. The homeowner also qualified for Tacoma Power’s low-income assistance programs, which paid for replacement windows and a new ductless heat pump. Leading up to, and on volunteer day, materials and more than 750 hours of work added up to about $29,000 in time and donations. “This is the biggest volunteer event for the utility as far as people and scope,” said Erika Tucci, Community
Connection program manager. “We’re the general contractor on an extreme home makeover for this project.” Helping a neighbor feel good about her surroundings again by adding comfort and improving her safety is what keeps TPU volunteers signing up for Rebuilding Together year after year.
Home owner
Community Connection receives national award for community service Tacoma Public Utilities’ corporate social responsibility program, Community Connection, received the American Public Power Association’s 2017 Community Service Award last month recognizing the utility and its employees for their “good neighbor” activities that demonstrate commitment to the community. The team organizes more than 40 events per year.
“Our program is one of the most unique corporate social responsibility programs in the country – public or private sector,” said Public Affairs Government Relations Analyst Erika Tucci, who coordinates the program. “The volume we’re able to manage and the level of success we’re able to reach is due in large part to the dedication and willing characteristics
of members on Community Connection’s Leadership Team.” Erika has witnessed new skills and successes of each leadership team member over the years. She says the employees use the skills they gain by participating in Community Connection to support their work groups. The 2017 team members include: Sherry Berreth, Jon Fields, Roland Jones, Dan Knouff, Christine Lewis, Tracey Messana, Lyndsey Michels, Vall Pearson, Keith Wawrin, Jessie Wells, Kristi Williams and Rebekah Wotton. This is the third time Community Connection has won APPA’s Community Service Award.
Erika Tucci, TPU Board Member Monique Trudnowski and representatives from the American Public Power Association.
Pg. 3
HOW WE ROLL
TPU a Best Place for Commuters
Award Winner
Tacoma Public Utilities is one of 10 organizations in Washington state named a Best Workplace for Commuters in 2017. The utility’s bus, bike, carpool and vanpool riders and walkers saved over 16,000 gallons of gas and more than 327,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions in 2016 through its Consider Alternative Transportation program. Like to bike? In May, 35 TPU employees said goodbye to their normal commute for a two-wheeled ride to work during National Bike Month. Together, they logged more than 3,000 miles. TPU’s vanpool program currently runs 32 vans, compared to four in 1996. Employees may use a $255 transit subsidy that makes riding the bus, taking the train, or vanpooling free. In contrast, Pierce County employees get a $50 subsidy.
Energy Conservation’s video program earns two time success Tacoma Power’s video chat inspection program is a recipient of the American Public Power Association’s 2017 Energy Innovation Award. This is the program’s second award in the past year. Jordan Whitely and Sara Bowles created the program, which allows field inspectors to use Facetime or Skype to conduct real-time inspections of energy efficiency projects instead of making actual on-site visits. Using the technology increases efficiency by eliminating travel time and reducing scheduling burdens on customers. The program also won the Leadership In Energy Efficiency Award from the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance last December.
Back to front: Erika Tucci and Jordan Whiteley take a seat with a respective twin-like win for Community Connection (pg. 3) and Energy Conservation’s video inspection program.
Pg. 4
W Tacoma Water earns a “W” for infrastructure planning With new insight into its 1,200 miles of water mains, Tacoma Water found a way to squeeze more life out of its infrastructure. For that work, the utility’s project team – Ryan Flynn, Matt Hubbard, Erik Carlson, Andy Simpson, Michael Creamer and Seth Doull – was recognized with the 2017 Excellence in Engineering Best Planning Project award from the Pacific Northwest Section of the American Water Works Association. With the overarching goal of replacing the right water mains at the right time, Tacoma Water spent a few years developing a model that determines the likelihood of a water main’s failure based on age, material, presence of corrosive soils and other factors. The project also assesses the impact of a main failure in a particular location. If there could be a major impact, that water main now has a good chance of being replaced sooner rather than later.
rs’ Circle Employee honors three patriots for her freedom to serve
Like many military service members, Lisa Henderson knows the meaning of selflessness. That became more clear when she recently sought to honor Tacoma Public Utilities for its support of her commitment to serve. A 10-year member of the U.S. Air National Guard, and now a staff sergeant in Security Forces and a combat arms instructor, Lisa began temporary work at TPU in 2013 as a customer service representative in the utility’s call center. Military deployments led her away from TPU for about a year between 2013 and 2015. Lisa began full-time work at TPU in January 2015 and she’s had intermittent deployments since. Despite her time away, Lisa’s commitment to her work at TPU landed her a promotion to a full-time customer services representative technician in May.
“I’ve had jobs where it was very stressful to deploy because I couldn’t count on the support of my employer,” Lisa said. “I haven’t had to worry about getting support from TPU when called for emergency response to wildfires, or when my service was extended last minute.” That support from TPU led Lisa to nominate Customer Account Supervisor Lynn Bucher, Customer Services Assistant Manager John Hoffman and Customer Services Manager Steve Hatcher for the Patriot Award from the Employer Support for Guard and Reserve. They won the award, honoring TPU’s commitment to supporting service through through flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployments and granting necessary leaves of absence. When Lisa completes each deployment, her job awaits her and the walls of
EVERYBODY’S SHOVELING!
Utility line locating team gets the Golden Shovel It’s no small feat to accurately locate and mark utility service lines before customers dig. Over the past two years, Tacoma Water’s locating team responded to 30,000 requests in the utility’s service area to identify utility lines for design, construction and emergency services. The Pierce County Utility Coordinating Council took notice. The team – Kendall Funk, Tim Burleigh, Ed Vaughn, Mike McCaffrey, Mike Graeber and Chris Webster –won
ESGR Patriot Award
TPU embrace her return. “It’s a win-win for TPU,” John said. “Military employees like Lisa develop important skills while serving, such as teamwork, leadership, and accountability. They then bring those invaluable skills back into the workplace.” Lynn shares that sentiment. “Lisa dedicates herself to her work, is conscious of her tasks and responsibilities, and is fast and accurate in her job functions. She’s a great employee.”
OH WORTHY!
the coordinating council’s 2017 Golden Shovel Award in June for exemplifying Tacoma Water’s customer service philosophy and diligently working with contractors, excavators, and designers to accurately identify and mark Tacoma Water’s utility lines in a timely and professional manner. Over 99 percent of the locates were completed within a two-day window under normal operating conditions.
Pg. 5
Getting rid of lead in the water system
How do you solve a problem like a lead pipe? Planning and follow through – and a bit of detective work. Last year, Tacoma Water identified about 1,200 short pieces of lead pipe that may still exist in its water system. Called lead goosenecks, the pipes connect the water main to a pipe that leads to the water meter at customers’ homes. Tacoma Water generally has very little lead pipe in its system, and conducts effective corrosion control of its water sources to reduce the amount of lead in the water to levels well below EPA standards. That said, the utility is committed to removing all lead goosenecks from the water system because it’s the right thing to do. Tacoma Water’s highest priority is providing clean and reliable water.
Find and replace
Some of Tacoma’s water system is old – so old that the installation of some service connections wasn’t even recorded at the
time. That makes it challenging to find the lead goosenecks, but the utility is on the case. Tacoma Water employees are working to narrow the possibilities by searching for additional records in the office and by digging for actual pipes in the street to verify the type of pipe material. If they strike a lead gooseneck, they remove and replace it. “Our crews have already started and are ramping up for this major undertaking,” said Distribution Engineering Manager Tony Lindgren. “We look forward to getting the goosenecks out of our system and think we have a strong plan to do it.” The utility expects to remove all of the lead goosenecks, an estimated 1,200, by the end of 2020.
Caring for the system
The most effective way to keep lead out of the water is by preventing pipe corrosion through a practice called corrosion control, which ensures water doesn’t degrade the piping material it flows through. It’s an essential element to the quality of our water, and that of most water systems. Tacoma Water takes great care with its corrosion control program and has used it for 20 years on water from the Green River, the utility’s primary water source.
In addition to replacing the lead goosenecks, the utility continues to offer all Tacoma Water customers free water testing by providing materials and delivering the water samples an independent lab. They can order their free kit at TacomaWater.com/TestKit. Tacoma Water recommends people flush their pipes – running the water for a couple of minutes – after the water is shut off at the meter. It’s also a good idea to flush pipes after prolonged periods without use, like after a vacation.
Who owns what? Tacoma Water owns the pipe from the water main to the water meter, so when the utility replaces a service, it’s done up to the water meter. The pipe from the meter to the home is owned by the property owner. Since the pipes on the homeowner’s side are usually the same age as the services the utility replaces, they may not be in great condition. As a result, Tacoma Water recommends that the pipe be inspected by a plumbing professional if there’s concern about its condition.
MyAccount 2.0 slated to improve customer experience More than 117,000 customers use TPU’s online account management tool – MyAccount – to pay their utility bills and manage accounts. Its web pages get more than 80,000 visits each month and nearly 40 percent of those come from mobile devices. In an effort to better serve customers, the utility made some enhancements to the web tool including: • Improved mobile experience (adjusts to multiple screen sizes) • Streamlined payment process • Summary billing for business customers and customers with multiple accounts • Enhanced communication such as info banners on the login and account pages Existing MyAccount users will automatically receive the upgrades. Customers can still use other payment options such as paperless billing, auto-payment, Pay Box and TPU’s automated phone system.
Pg. 6
Who’s new around here
Andrea Berry Management Analyst II Tacoma Power
Adam Coleman Management Analyst III Tacoma Water
Andrea Kaperick Management Analyst II Tacoma Rail
David Kim Management Analyst II Tacoma Rail
Julie DeYoung Management Analyst II Tacoma Power
Mackenzie Odell Anne Schnurman Customer Service Representative Media Specialist Customer Services Public Affairs & Communications
Hydroelectric continued from page 1 maintains habitat to help ensure the completion of the lifecycle for salmon and trout. The utility also owns thousands of acres of lands to support elk, deer, duck and other wildlife near its hydroelectric projects.
Getting even greener
Although its power supply is already about as green as it can be, Tacoma Power supports development of other renewable resources. Most visible is the community solar project on the warehouse building installed last year. Customers purchased solar units to earn state incentives, while also sending a message about the importance of renewable energy. TPU will soon launch a program to offer grants for nonprofit and government agencies to install small solar projects on their facilities. Tacoma Power incentivizes people to use less of its product for a reason: it plans to meet its customers’ needs for many years to come through conservation.
Driving down carbon emissions TPU has transitioned many of its fleet vehicles from traditional gasoline-only to hybrid and electric, which significantly reduces carbon emissions.
Jordan Friedberg Project Manager Tacoma Power
On average, driving an electric vehicle reduces carbon consumption by the equivalent of about 1,300 gallons of gas per year. You are helping, too. Employees who participate in TPU’s alternative transport ation program avoided more than 300,000 pounds of carbon emissions in 2016.
Continuing the legacy
The visionaries who encouraged Tacoma to pursue hydropower most likely didn’t have carbon in mind. Their leadership has enabled Tacoma Power to consistently offer the lowest electric rates of the large utilities in the area. It positioned the utility to rely on its own resources to meet customers’ needs. It built a strong argument that still stands today that public power is an ideal model. What they may not have realized, however, is their thinking and actions would create a utility that operates in an admirable environmentally responsible manner. Today, we can thank them by committing to continuing the important legacy they have established.
Winfred Holmes Supervisor of Operations Tacoma Rail
Christopher Weber Analyst Tacoma Power
Who’s ready to relax Oliver Barry, Tacoma Water, watershed inspector, retired after 33 years of service. Kenneth Dewey, Tacoma Power hydro assistant project manager, retired after 16 years of service. Steven Fischer, Tacoma Power assistant section manager II, retired after 40 years of service. Franklin Singletary, Tacoma Water utility service specialist, retired after 38 years of service. Gregory Starr, Tacoma Power heavy equipment mechanic, retired after 33 years of service.
Pg. 7
Tacoma Public Utilities PO Box 11007 • Tacoma WA 98411
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID TACOMA WA PERMIT NO 2
TPU launches first women’s resource group
Ubits is a publication for Tacoma Public Utilities’ employees and is provided as a courtesy to retirees. Sonja Bert, editor cms@cityoftacoma.org • (253) 502-8223
Nearly half of the women who work for Tacoma Public Utilities gathered mid-June to participate in a new employee resource group set up to support women in the workplace. Just over a quarter Tacoma Public Utilities’ employees are female. The group, called Women’s LINC (lead, inspire, connect), aims to help women who work for the utility build their skills, find opportunities for career growth, support, and network with other professionals. Ideally, the group will also help attract more women to the organization and the industry. TPU’s workforce is about 27 percent female, reflecting the traditionally maledominated roles needed in the organization, such as line electrician, construction worker, engineer and other STEM-related fields. “Our industry has struggled with finding ways to increase the number of females who choose utility-related careers,” said Tacoma Public Utilities Director Bill Gaines. “When I was approached by these employees with their idea, it was immediately clear that we needed to nurture and support their efforts.” A panel of three female leaders led the group’s kick off event to answer questions
about best practices, offer advice and share thoughts on mentoring. Emergency Food Network Executive Director Helen McGovern-Pilant reminded women to be voracious readers, set goals, listen to podcasts, rely on other people for advice, reach out to others and to look for you’re their allies. Dolores Stegeman, section manager for Tacoma Power, shared wise advice from her parents. “My mom always told me to be myself. My dad said to work hard. Listen to your boss and use your unique style – we don’t always have to get to the end the same as long as we get there.” Women were advised by the Pierce County Auditor, Julie Anderson, not to be afraid of risk because it’s important to show people they have skin in the game. She also emphasized the best thing women can bring to the table is the best of themselves.
The Women’s LINC Kick Off event gathers 150 women at TPU for its leadership panel’s advice about career growth and work-life balance.