March 2011

Texas Water Utilities

JOURNAL

VOLUME 21

MARCH 2011

TWUA UPCOMING REGIONAL SCHOOLS: PANHANDLE REGIONAL SCHOOL SOUTHEAST TEXAS REGIONAL SCHOOL CENTRAL WEST TEXAS SCHOOL NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL SCHOOL

NUMBER 3

E

2011 TWUA REGIONAL SCHOOL SCHEDULE Feb. 28-March 2nd TWUA Annual School

David Moore (512) 459-3124

Norma Clark, (432)528-1608

Feb. 1-3

Far West Texas Regional School Pecos County Civic Center Ft. Stockton, Texas

Norma Clark (432) 528-1608

Tom Ezell, (432) 553-1196

April 12-14

Panhandle Regional School Amarillo Civic Center Amarillo, Texas

Jessie Flores (806)378-3019

Ruben Arias (806)378-3019

April 26-28

Southeast Regional School Holiday Inn Centre Beaumont, Texas

Pat Bell (979)265-3619

Rob Starr, (409) 755-1559

May 3-5

Central West Texas Regional School Abilene Civic Center Abilene, Texas

Rodney Taylor (325) 676-6452

Mickey Chaney (325) 548-2237

May 16-19

North Central Texas Regional School Univ. of Texas Arlington Arlington, Texas

Chad Jameson (972)466-3470

Selena Jackson (972)237-8377

June 21-23

Central Texas Regional School Killeen Civic Center Killeen, Texas

Craig McCoy (512)846-2948

Damon Boniface, (254) 986-2949

July 11-13

Southwest Texas Regional School American Bank Center Corpus Christi, Texas

Foster Crowell (361)826-1801

James Smith, (210) 658-6243

August 2-4

Permian Basin Regional School MCM Grande Hotel Odessa, Texas

Norma Clark (432)528-1608

Norma Clark, (432) 528-1608

August 22-25

East Texas Regional School Harvey Hall & R.T.D.C. Tyler, Texas

Mike Norris (903)939-8278

Mike Norris (903)939-8278

Nov. 1-3

West Texas Regional School Lubbock Civic Center Lubbock, Texas

Mike Lowe (806)675-0636

Russ Ropes (806)775-3237

Please contact the person listed above or T.W.U.A. Central Office at (888)367-8982 (Fax: (512)459-7124 or write to T.W.U.A. 1106 Clayton Lane, Suite 112 West., Austin, Texas 78723-1093 for additional information, visit www. twua.org. Thank you for your support!

TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL 3

Inside Articles:

ARTICLES S TRAINING LISTINGS S EMPLOYMENT

President's Perspective..................................................................6

by CeCe White, T.W.U.A. President TWUA Executive Director News:....................................................8

by Russell Hamilton, ED TCEQ News: Groundwater & Distribution System Operations.......................12

by TCEQ Representative EPA News: Mercury Information...................................................................18

by EPA Representative CSR News: How to Handle the Foreign Accent...............................................20

by Nancy Friedman, The Telephone Doctor PES News: Industry User Inspection Process................................................24

by Yilma Zerihun, City of Dallas Pretreatment Program

Advertisers: Classified Ads.....................................................................................30 Ana-Lab.............................................................................................26 East Jordan Iron Works.......................................................................26 Global Treat, Inc............................................................................... 25 Hardin & Associates Consulting, LLC.................................................... 17 Layne-Texas.......................................................................................29 Professional Cards..............................................................................26 Magna Flow......................................................................................... 3 Moody Bros., Inc................................................................................17 Samco Leak Detection........................................................................17 Scoop Sludge Hog..............................................................................29 Smith Pump Company, Inc........................................ Inside Back Cover

Training Opportunities:

.T.W.U.A. Training Schedule.......................................................................14-16 T.W.U.A. Panhandle Regional School Registration...............................................5

T.W.U.A. Southeast Texas Regional School Registration.....................................10

T.W.U.A. Central West Texas Regional School Information.................................13 T.W.U.A. North Central Texas Regional School Registration...............................22 TEEX Training Schedule.................................................................................27

Front Cover Photo Courtesy of Ted Merz, City of Thorndale, Texas

TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL (ISSN 1051-709X) is published monthly by the Texas Water Utilities Association, located at 1106 Clayton Lane, Suite 112 West, Austin, Texas 78723-1093, for engineers, operators, managers, laboratory technicians, customer service personnel, and other professionals employed in, or interested in, the water and/or wastewater industry. Five dollars of each annual membership dues payment to the Texas Water Utilities Association pays for a subscription. Non-Member subscription price: USA $50 per year; $4.20 per single copy; $60 per year outside USA. Periodicals Postage Paid at Austin, TX. The Texas Water Utilities Association is wholly independent, and is not affiliated with the American Water Works Association, the Water Environment Federation, or any other National organization.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL, 1106 Clayton Lane, Suite 112 W., Austin, TX 78723-1093. TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL is not responsible for facts and/or opinions expressed by contributors or in advertisements herein. Editorials and comments do not necessarily represent the official policy of the Texas Water Utilities Association. All inquiries should be directed to: Texas Water Utilities Association, 1106 Clayton Lane, Suite 112 W, Austin, TX 78723-1093, phone 512/459-3124. Any material accepted for publication is subject to revision and editing at the discretion of the publisher. All advertising in the TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL is subject to approval of the publisher. Learn more about T.W.U.A. at our Web site: www.twua.org

4 TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

March 2011

33rd ANNUAL SCHOOL - TWUA PANHANDLE REGION April 12-14, 2011 Held at the Amarillo Civic Center, 401 S. Buchanan Amarillo, Texas WATER COURSES

Basic Water *Surface Water Production I Ground Water Production Water Distribution

WASTEWATER COURSES

WATER/WASTEWATER/OTHER COURSES

Basic Wastewater Wastewater Treatment Wastewater Collection Wastewater Laboratory

Management Valve & Hydrant CSI / CCC *Customer Service/Utility Relations Safety Utility Calculations

*Customer Service Utility Relations Class for Professional Development; you will not receive TCEQ credit hours!

*Surface Water Production I is 24 hours so class begins on Monday April 11, 2011 All other classes will begin Tuesday April 12th at 8:00 am HEADQUARTERS HOTEL

Ashmore Inn & Suites, 2301 I-40 East, Exit 72-A – TWUA Special Discount Rate if reservations made by phone $59.00 / night For Reservations call 877-374-3344 Make sure to mention that you will be attending the TWUA Regional School to receive the special discount rate.

TESTING INFORMATION Class “A” exams will be given on Wednesday and must be arranged with TCEQ at least 6 weeks prior to school.

All other Exams will be given on Thursday April 14th, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

Upon request TWUA Central Office will provide handouts that contain sample questions to help with the exam. *Photo ID Required for all exams*

Checks or money orders for exam fees must be made out to TCEQ! FOR REGISTRATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE

For Golf Tournament information please see panhandleregion.com Customer Service/Utility Relations class is open to general public, limited seating available so register today!

Customer Service Utility Relations…………………..…………………………………………………………………..$150.00 All Other Classes TWUA Member Non-Member Pre-Registration (postmarked by 4/1/11) .............................................................................. $200.00......................... $260.00 Late / On-Site Registration (after 4/1/11) .......................................................................... $250.00......................... $310.00 .

PROOF OF TWUA MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED!

We prefer you register through our website at panhandleregion.com, but if you would like to register by mail please fill this out and send to the address below.

Payment must accompany registration. No refunds will be made. Substitutions are allowed. Make Check Payable to TWUA Panhandle Region. Please complete registration form and fax to 806-342-1563 or mail to TWUA Panhandle Region P.O. BOX 1324 Amarillo, TX 79105. On-Site Registration at the door will begin at 7:00am Tuesday, April 12th 2011. Pre-Registered students can pickup their information packets from the registration booth. Registration fee includes, training manuals, donuts, coffee, refreshments and noon meals.

For registration information visit our website at www.panhandleregion.com for other inquiries call or fax Jesse Flores, Ruben Arias or Cindy Proffitt Telephone (806) 378-3019, Fax (806) 342-1563. Emergency contact # at the regional school 806-680-8028.

March 2011

TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

TWUA PRESIDENT: Introduction Message CeCe White, President

TWUA Members: First and foremost, I would like to introduce myself as your new TWUA President. I am honored to have been given this opportunity to serve with such a great organization, and look forward to the exciting and challenging year ahead.

To say that it is a humbling experience would be an understatement. Becoming a member of the Management Committee two years ago created a sharp rise in my learning curve. That coupled with a number of professional changes in the past couple of years has made me realize that you CAN teach an old dog new tricks – it just takes more time and patience! (And Heaven help the teacher).

Before I get too far into my “article”, I would like to share a little about myself. My husband, Merle, and I have been married 19 years. I am the mother of 5, grandmother of 1, and I love both roles. Merle and I currently have 3 little “girls”; two cocker spaniels and a “what’s-it”, that keep us laughing at their antics. I like to travel, read, do genealogy, needlework and crafts, and I truly enjoy my work in the water utility industry.

Looking back to my first Regional School in Tyler I never would have dreamed that I would have become as active a member of TWUA as I have. In my time serving the organization locally, regionally and on a state level I have learned many valuable lessons. Many are lessons in professional growth but there are an equal number that have enhanced my personal growth as well.

Think for a moment back to when you were a small child and someone asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up. What was your answer? Some of the answers I have heard from my own children and others were: policeman, fireman, teacher, principal, Superman, soldier, Wal-Mart worker, baseball player (or other sport), movie star, President, and the list goes on. Then when you got to be in middle school or high school the question changed a little to “What career plans do you have?” and the answers may have changed slightly to include doctor, lawyer, engineer, airline pilot, rock star, as well as many of the same answers you gave as a small child.

What made the difference? Did it have anything to do with the way the questions were asked or who asked them? Sometimes the difference was a result of a better understanding of the education required or possible financial benefits. Sometimes it was an acknowledgement of your own likes or dislikes; strengths or weaknesses. How many of you actually answered the questions with the 6 TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

answer “I want to be a water plant operator” or “I want to construct sewer lines”? I am sure many of you, like me, came into this industry by accepting a job that you felt you could do when you were looking for work.

Webster’ Dictionary defines a “job” as a specific piece of work undertaken for a fixed price. A “career”, according to Webster, is a profession or other calling demanding special preparation and undertaken as a life's work. And, lastly, “profession” is the occupation to which one devotes oneself.

While many of us came into the water utility industry by accepting a job, it has become a career for us. The “job” of treating water or sewer, from reading the meters, to laying the lines, to working in the plant, takes special preparation and devotion to the job and devotion to the citizens we serve. What I have learned over the past 17 years or so is that to work in the water utilities industry is not just to have a job – it is to have a profession and a career. I hope you all feel that way about your own position in the water utilities field.

My overall goal as President is to continue along the path established by the men and women who have come before me. They have worked to build this organization into one that provides the best training available for our field, one that is known for its ethics and professionalism.

More specifically, I want to continue to move forward with preparing our own training manuals and expand into the realm of distant learning (computer-based training).

These are not goals that can be met by any one President or any one committee, they are goals that began a long time ago and are continued by those in Management, by those in the Central Office and by each and every operator and member who participates in this organization.

At the beginning of this article I stated that becoming President of this organization was humbling. It was and is – to know that I represent and work for a large group of men and women who have dedicated their lives to making life better, safer and healthier for their fellow citizens. To watch you all attend schools, learn, teach and prepare to do a better job tomorrow than you did today is amazing. I hope you all realize that you are following a career path, have a profession of high importance and I am honored to be a small part of it. To that end, I aim to be as accessible as possible. Please do not hesitate to contact anyone on our Board of Directors. I hope I will get to know many of you in the upcoming year, and I look forward to your participation in continuing to make this association one of the best of its kind. S March 2011

TWUA NEWS:

Behold........A Change Is Coming!

By Russell Hamilton, TWUA ED

One of the issues that TWUA has been wrestling with for the past few years is related to tracking members by using social security numbers. The association, management and staff have shared your concerns as they relate to Identity Theft.

Up until recently the database that TWUA was using would not handle the addition of another data field such as for TCEQ Operator License numbers This database limitation is about to be resolved with a conversion to another database.

Within the next couple of months TWUA will be converting all social security numbers to TCEQ Operator License numbers. This will mean that operators will need to memorize another number or have access to this information when they register for TWUA Training; however, this should provide one more level of security.

Our goal is to report hours from all TWUA functions using this operator licensing information. The state will continue to accept social security information as a means of reporting and if you as an operator are not concerned about identity theft related issues and want to continue to provide your social security number - -

TWUA will continue to use that information; however, we are discouraging this practice.

For new hires that do not hold a state operator license you will have to provide your social security number until such time as you are issued a TCEQ Operators License number.

From the TCEQ perspective if you have multiple operator licenses, it does not matter which license number you provide. All training reported under your specific license number will be credited. In other words, if you are a dual license holder and provide a water license number but attend a wastewater training event – the training credit will be credited appropriately using the one license number.

TWUA will in all likelihood, continue to maintain a data

field with social security numbers so that we will have a second way to confirm someone’s identity but this information would only be used inside Central Office and not released to any Region or District. We thank you for your patience and understanding and we hope to resolve this concern in the very near future. S

IN MEMORY OF:

THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE YOU WILL TRULY BE MISSED!

Mr. Keith Wayne Thompson Yantis,Texas 2010 March 2011

Mr. Dennis King Rockport,Texas 2011 TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NEWS: Russell Hamilton, TWUA ED " Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness"

Greetings to all, hope this finds everyone doing well. To all those who participated in and supported the 2nd Annual TWUA District Officer Training held in Austin – Thank You. District meetings are a significant part of TWUA and with TCEQ raising the expectations regarding what is considered approved training at District Meeting; it was refreshing and encouraging to see members participating, gathering information, asking questions, displaying concern, and desire to comply.

For this officer training we were able to enlist input from Linda Saladino of TCEQ. She spoke on the subjects of meeting compliance, RG-373, exams, and answered questions. It is always good to place names with faces and we appreciate the opportunity to ask Linda questions and hear directly from her regarding expectations and what is considered acceptable operator training.

On behalf of TWUA, I would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to TCEQ, Allan Vargas, Terry Thompson, and Joe Hildenbrand (Linda’s bosses) for making time in Linda’s schedule and contributing to the success of our District Officer Training.

I would like to provide an update on the idea of Computer Based Training. While TWUA Management has not made the final decision it appears from the comments and feedback received, this is an area that most support. We have been working with a technology provider and have discussed our proposal with TCEQ to make sure it will comply with state rules and requirements for approved operator training credit.

load training for their district meetings.

We are thinking the digital library would have both one hour segments and thirty minute segments allowing each district the capability to download and have on hand 90 minutes of training. Those who want to download presentations and use them in lieu of speakers you would definitely have that option. Those who want to continue to use speakers and presentations would still have that option. This electronic training would simply be another resource.

We feel there will always be a need for live training events such as Regional Schools and specific 20-hour classes. Regardless of what the electronic options provide TWUA is committed to supporting, encouraging, and providing operator training.

On a different subject - For operators who rely on the Amarillo school for training, please remember the school dates have changed to April 12-14, 2011. The school dates will change but the month of April will remain the same for the Panhandle Region.

The Regional Board would like to thank the loyal participants and encourage anyone who might be in need of training to consider the Panhandle Regional School. For any clarifications or questions please give Ruben Arias or Jesse Flores a call at 806-378-3019.

Creative Problem Solving – The superintendant of a school was notified by the head custodian of a persistent problem in the ladies restroom. Actually more of annoyance than a problem. It seemed the female students were leaving lipstick kisses on the mirrors.

This will be a significant financial obligation for the association and, I can assure you, the decision to proceed will be carefully evaluated.

The custodians had left very nice notes asking the girls to please refrain from leaving the lipstick kisses on the mirror; but to no avail, regardless of how many times throughout the day the janitorial staff would wipe and clean the mirrors – the kisses would return.

One of the justifications for pursuing the computer training venue is directly related to District Meetings. As an added resource for the districts, we envision taking the camera equipment into TCEQ approved training events such as Special Topics at Annual School, and recording the various presentations. We would then build an electronic library of approved training so any district could access and down-

When custodial staff left notes asking that this practice stop, it only seemed to fuel the ladies and more kisses would be found on the mirrors. Staff was very diligent in assuring that Kleenex was available at each lavatory but it did not correct the issue. It was becoming more of a game, and janitorial staff was unable to obtain voluntary

8 TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

March 2011

compliance so eventually the problem was referred to the school superintendant.

asked the janitorial staff to come in and demonstrate the cleaning procedures.

This superintendant was known for her creative approach to problem solving. The next day she selected five girl representatives from each class and the president of the student body (who was also girl) and asked that the superintendent said they meet with her in a designated ladies restroom.

The janitor, with bucket, sponge, and squeegee in hand went into one of the toilet cubicles, dipped a sponge into the toilet bowl, and stepped to the mirror with the most kisses and began cleaning the lipstick.

Thank you for coming, with a smile on her face and a very casual demeanor; said the Superintendent, “Ladies at my request, these mirrors were cleaned by our janitorial staff this morning and as you can see we already have several kisses left on the mirrors.” Now this is not a major problem and, while I can see the humor in a harmless game understand we would like to maintain our facilities and reassign staff to more pressing duties.”

Some of the young ladies giggled and grinned.

The superintendant went on to say “Modern lipstick is designed to stay on the lips and it is not easy to clean from the mirrors. Therefore, the janitorial staff has developed a special cleaning regime and my hope is that when you see the effort involved you will help spread the word and encourage those responsible for the kisses to use tissue paper instead of the mirrors in the future.”

At this point the superintendant opened the door and

The janitor smiled, the girls watched in awe and, the superintendent excused the girls back to class. No words were spoken; but there were no more lipstick kisses on the mirrors.

In our industry we are called on to solve many problems.

Some of the current treatment methods in use today are the result of operators who identified a problem and went about finding an effective method or solution to correct or refine a process.

This is one reason we feel District Meetings are beneficial. Operators are able to share knowledge and assist other operators in solving problems. Hope this encourages you to think outside the box and share your findings.

S

Remember – We do not need all the operators of Texas to be members of TWUA

Life

Protecting at the

Capitol

2011 State Legislative Session

March 2011

TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

54th SOUTHEAST

REGIONAL SCHOOL APRIL 26 – APRIL 28, 2011

HOLIDAY INN – BEAUMONT PLAZA 3950 I-10 South

Monday, April 25 Tuesday, April 26

10:00 am 8-10 am 10-11 am 11-12 noon 12-12:30 12:30-5 pm Wednesday, April 27 8-12 noon 9-3:30 pm 12-1 pm 1-5 pm Thursday, April 28 8-12 noon 12-1 pm 1-5 pm 5-7 pm Friday, April 29 8-12 noon

Golf tournament, Tyrrell Park On-site registration General Session VIP, Instructors, and Staff Luncheon Proctor training, General Session Room Classes in Session Classes in Session Exhibits open Luncheon Classes in Session Classes in Session Luncheon Classes in Session Tutoring Session Testing: Water-Wastewater

TWUA Southeast Region 20th Annual Golf Tournament

The Southeast Region of TWUA is hosting a golf tournament on April 25, 2011 at The Tyrrell Park Golf Course.

Sponsors are needed to raise money to support the tournament and to fund scholarships.

Cost: $60 / player $100.00 hole sponsorship (printed sign with sponsors names) Any $50.00 donation will go toward the following Proximity and Long drive prizes.

First Place $100.00 per person plus trophies 4 closest to the pin prizes awarded 4 longest drive prizes awarded Please make all checks payable to TWUA Southeast Region and mail to: LMUD, PO Box 8065, Lumberton, TX 77657 If you have any questions, please contact Robb Starr, TWUA golf tournament director, at (409)-755-1559. *HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS – HOLIDAY INN – BEAUMONT PLAZA (409) 842-5995 before April 18, 2011 for Reservations and mention Group Code: 2 TWU KING OR DOUBLE ROOM $85.00 PER NIGHT

10 TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

March 2011

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL SCHOOL OFFERINGS Water Courses Basic Water Works Operation Ground Water Production Water Distribution Surface Water Production II

Wastewater Courses Basic Wastewater Wastewater Collection Wastewater Treatment

Water & Wastewater **Utility Safety Utility Relations Utility Management Special Topics CCC/CSI

CLASSES START 4-26-2011

Class Times: Tues. 12:30 P.M.- 5:00 P.M. Wed. & Thurs. 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. ** Utility Safety to be held at Beaumont Water Utility Service Center Pre-registration (by mail postmark 4/11/11) On site registration 4/26/11 Registration by Purchase Order or Credit Card is available.

PRE-REGISTRATION TWUA Member $160.00 Non Member $210.00

ON SITE REGISTRATION TWUA Member $170.00 Non Member $220.00

Pre-Registration Packets can be picked up from 8:00 – 10:00 A.M., in the Lobby 4/26/11 General Session – 10:00 A.M. All Students are required to attend. Two Luncheons are included.

PRE-REGISTRATION (POSTMARK BY 4/11/11) PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY OR TYPE: FIRST NAME

M.I.

MAILING ADRESS

CITY

WORK PHONE: AREA CODE AND NUMBER

TWUA MEMBER?

LAST NAME STATE

ZIP

EMPLOYER

Yes ______If Yes, What District, Chapter or At-Large Membership? No____

Class Attending:__________________________________________________ Social Security # or License # ______________________________________

CREDIT CARD by 4/11/2011|

Send Copy of Purchase Order with Registration

Credit Card #_____________________________ MC / VISA / DISCOVER / AMER EXP Exp. Date__________ Name on Card ____________________________________ Signature____________________________________

*Make Checks Payable To: TWUA S.E. Region, Mail to: 1350 Langham Rd. Beaumont Texas 77707

Any questions concerning registration, please contact: Karin Warren @ 409-785-3006 Fax 409-861-4836 March 2011

TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

TCEQ NEWS:

Job Analysis for Groundwater & Distribution System Operations

By TCEQ,

To: Licensed Groundwater or Distribution Water Plant Operators Texas Commission on Environment Quality (TCEQ) is calling on all licensed Groundwater or Distribution Water System Operators to help complete an updated job analysis of groundwater treatment and distribution system operations. The TCEQ plans to use analysis results to assess if changes are needed to the operator licensing program including licensing requirements, examinations, and training.

The survey will be available online throughout April this year beginning April 1, 2011. Successful completion of the survey will earn operators 2 hours of training credit toward renewal of their license.

Operators can access the survey at the following site: http://GW-DISTSURVEY.questionpro.com

Texas State University (TSU) at San Marcos is the TCEQ contractor responsible for distributing, and analyzing responses to the job survey. All responses are confidential and individual responses will not be identified. You may contact John Fenoglio with TSU by email at synergysolutionsinc@yahoo. com or by phone at (512) 415-6801 if you have questions.

TSU will collect the completed surveys and evaluate the responses. The evaluation will involve statistically determining which tasks are most important in operator daily activities.

From the survey results, a group of critical tasks for each level of water operator license will evolve. In addition, from each level of critical tasks, training requirements and license examination questions will be created.

As training and testing are integral to ensuring the competency of the licensed operator community, the importance of operator participation is vital to ensuring the validity of the data collected.

The site requires a user name and password in order to participate. The username is the operator’s last name as shown on the license and the password is the nine character license number, complete with the alpha characters in capital letters.

Accurate survey results are critical in the development of relevant training and licensing examinations to ensure the competency of licensed operators and the quality of the drinking water produced. Please participate if you are a groundwater or distribution operator and ask those operators in your plant to participant in this important activity.

A critical part of the job analysis is this online survey of operators currently performing groundwater production or distribution system operations.

The TCEQ contact on the project is Training Specialist, Linda Saladino in the Occupational Licensing section of the Permitting & Registrations Support Division.

We are asking your assistance by encouraging you and every operator in your ground water or distribution system, including operators performing treatment of groundwater under the influence of surface water, to complete the job survey.

If you need to visit with her regarding the survey or have comments regarding specific tasks, you can contact Linda by email at Linda.Saladino@tceq.texas.gov or by phone at (512) 239-0178. If you encounter any problems accessing the survey please contact TSU’s John Fenoglio by email at synergysolutionsinc@yahoo.com or by phone at (512) 4156801 with your questions.

The task statements contained in the survey were compiled from previous job task analyses and have been thoroughly reviewed by a select group of Subject Matter Experts (experienced operators and training providers, as well as, licensing & regulatory professionals).

From the previous 2001 list, numerous job task statements were removed, new job task statements were added, and other job task statements were modified to better reflect our current understanding of the water utility industry.

12 TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

Copy the survey address for future reference: http://GW-DISTSURVEY.questionpro.com The TCEQ wants to thank you for your attention to this matter and participation in the job analysis process. S

March 2011

TEXAS WATER UTILITIES ASSOCIATION

43 ANNUAL CENTRAL WEST TEXAS REGIONAL SCHOOL rd

MAY 3, 4, AND 5, 2011 – ABILENE CIVIC CENTER – ABILENE, TEXAS

ACADEMIC OFFERINGS WATER

Basic Water Water Distribution Groundwater Production *Water Laboratory **Surface Water Production I (24hr) Surface Water Production II

WASTEWATER

Basic Wastewater Wastewater Treatment Wastewater Collection *Wastewater Laboratory

WATER/WASTEWATER Utilities Safety Special Topics Cross Connect Control & Customer Service Inspection

*Pre-Registration Required by April 06, 2011 – Class Size Limited to 12. **Surface Water I - Start 1:00 pm, Monday, May 2nd – Pre-Registration - Class Size limited to 20 All other courses are 20 hrs. In Length & Start 8:00 am, Tues. May 3rd.

There WILL NOT be an opening session on Tuesday morning. All classes go until 5:30pm each day.

REGISTRATION FEES TEXAS WATER UTILITIES ASSOCIATION MEMBERS ONLY Pre-Registration Until 4-15-11 Pre-Registration by Credit Card On-Site Registration Water/Wastewater Courses………………………$160.00…………………………………..$165.00…………………………$170.00 Laboratory Courses…………………………..……$175.00…………………………………..$180.00……………………………N/A

NON-MEMBERS OF TEXAS WATER UTILITIES ASSOCIATION

Water/Wastewater Courses……………………$210.00……………….…………………..$215.00…………………………..$220.00 Laboratory Courses……………………………$225.00……………………..……………$ 230.00……………………………..N/A Registration fees include luncheons on May 3, 4 and 5. Extra luncheon tickets may be purchased for $15.00 each.

BEST TASTING WATER CONTEST

There will be a Best Tasting Water Contest with winners in two categories: systems serving less than 10,000 persons and systems serving over 10,000 persons.

THIS CONTEST IS OPEN TO ALL SYSTEMS WHICH TREAT THEIR WATER – BOTH GROUND AND SURFACE SUPPLIERS. Those interested should contact Mike Michaud at 325/676-6041.

GOLF TOURNAMENT

A Golf Tournament will be held at 12-noon, Monday, May 2, 2011. The fee of $65.00 includes green and cart fees, lunch, and refreshments.

Those interested should contact Michelle Martinez at 325/676-6419.

A raffle for a TaylorMade 2009 Rescue TP w/ Graphite Shaft Driver is being held with all monies going to the CWTRS V.M. Elhers’ Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $10.00 each, to purchase contact Morris (Jake) Jacobsen or Mike Homan at (325) 676-6042.

HOTELS

List of Abilene hotels is available at 325/676-6419 or mickey.chaney@abilenetx.com

PRE-REGISTRATION FORM CENTRAL WEST TEXAS REGIONAL SCHOOL

Pre-Registration Deadline is April 15, 2011. Pre-Registration for Lab& Surface Water required by April 06, 2011.

PLEASE USE ONE FORM PER PERSON – COPY AS REQUIRED PRINT CLEARLY

Name: __________________________________________ Badge Name (Nickname)_____________________________________________ Social Security #: ______________________________________ E-Mail : ______________________________________________________ Course Selection: ________________________________ Day Phone/Fax: ( _____ ) _____________________________________________ Address:_________________________________________ City: ___________________ State: _____ Zip: _______________ Representing:___________________________________ T.W.U.A. District/Chapter: ______________________________________________ Bill my (Visa)(MasterCard)#: ______________________ Exp. Date: ____________ MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO CENTRAL WEST TEXAS REGIONAL SCHOOL (CWTRS) REFUND REQUEST MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE REGISTRAR MICKEY CHANEY BY MAY 2, 2011.

MAIL FORM WITH PAYMENT TO: MICKEY CHANEY – P.O. BOX 60, ABILENE, TX 79604 MasterCard/Visa for pre-registration thru the TWUA Central Office Only at (888) 367-8982 or Fax (512) 459-7124.

For more information contact: Mickey Chaney at 325/548-2237 or Fax 325/676-6458 or email: mickey.chaney@abilenetx.com

March 2011

TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

TO REGISTER FOR ANY OF THESE CLASSES, GO TO WWW.TWUA.ORG/TRAINING.HTM

TWUA TRAIN To register for any T.W.U.A. classes – simply complete the registration form and fax to (512)459-7124 or contact T.W.U.A. @ 888-367-8982 for additional details. The name following the address is the scheduled instructor. The contact name, or last name listed after each class, is for information related to directions, training site or questions involving the host city. ***NOTICE: Due To Recent Increases For Training Materials – Class Costs Have Increased. ***Pre-Registration Is Defined To Mean 14 Days Prior To Any Scheduled Event. All registrations received after the pre-registration cutoff date must pay on-site registration fee. We strongly encourage everyone to please pre-register by fax, e-mail, or calling on site registrations are welcome but not preferred.

Date

Location

Course

Address

Hours

Credit

Mar 15-17 Oct 10-12

Longview Corpus

Activated Sludge Activated Sludge

100 Grand Blvd 2726 Holly

20 20

WW WW

Mar 8-10 Mar 8-10 Mar 15-17 June 21-23

Gatesville Waco Carrollton Victoria

Basic Wastewater Basic Wastewater Basic Wastewater Basic Wastewater

110 N 8th 200 Colcord 4750 Josey Lane 2902 Bluff

20 20 20 20

WW WW WW WW

April 19-21

Victoria

WW Treatment

2902 Bluff

20

WW

Mar 9-11 Mar 22-24 April 12-14 Sept 20-22 Oct 11-13 Nov 7-9 Nov 15-17

Corpus Mineola Carrollton Victoria Waco Corpus San Marcos

WW Collection WW Collection WW Collection WW Collection WW Collection WW Collection WW Collection

2726 Holly 300 Greenville HWY 4750 Josey Lane 2902 Bluff 200 Colcord 2726 Holly Activities Center

20 20 20 20 20 20 20

WW WW WW WW WW WW WW

Mar 22-24

Victoria

WW Lab

923 US HWY 59 S

20

WW

Mar 28-30 Mar 28-30 May 17-19 Sept 13-15

Laredo McAllen Victoria Waco

Basic Water Basic Water Basic Water Basic Water

5512 Thomas Ave 2501 W Expressway 83 2902 Bluff 200 Colcord

20 20 20 20

W W W W

Aug 8-10

Corpus

Ground Water Prod

13101 Leopard

20

W

April 12-14 Aug 30-Sept 1

Greenville Waco

SWP I SWP I

5501 Hwy 69 S 200 Colcord

24 24

W W

Mar 14-16 Sept 27-29

Corpus Waco

SWP II SWP II

13101 Leopard 200 Colcord

20 20

W W

Mar 16-18 April 12-14 May 10-12 May 17-19 Oct 18-20 Dec 13-15

Corpus Waco Greenville Longview Victoria Waco

Distribution Distribution Distribution Distribution Distribution Distribution

13101 Leopard 200 Colcord 5501 Hwy 69 S 100 Grand Blvd 2902 Bluff 200 Colcord

20 20 20 20 20 20

W W W W W W

Mar 22-24

Waco

Water Lab

200 Colcord

20

W

5501 Hwy 69 S 13101 Leopard Activities Center 100 Grand Blvd 13101 Leopard 4750 Josey Lane 13101 Leopard

20 20 20 20 20 20 20

W/WW W/WW W/WW W/WW W/WW W/WW W/WW March 2011

200 Colcord 100 Grand

24 24

W/WW W/WW

Mar 15-17 Greenville Management April 11-13 Corpus Management April 19-21 San Marcos Management April 19-21 Longview Management June 20-22 Corpus Management July 18-20 Carrollton Management Sept 14-16 Corpus Management 14 TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org April 5-7 Waco Pump and Pumping June 1-3 Longview Pump and Pumping

NING SCHEDULE 20 HOUR CLASSES : (PRE-REGISTRATION) $180 MEMBER $230 NON-MEMBER (ON-SITE ) $230 MEMBER $280 NON-MEMBER 24 HOUR CLASSES: (PRE-REGISTRATION) $240 MEMBER $ 290 NON-MEMBER (ON-SITE) $290 MEMBER $340 NON-MEMBER

Course

Mar 22-24

Date

Location

Waco

Water Lab

200 Colcord

Address

Hours

20

Credit

Mar 15-17 April 11-13 April 19-21 April 19-21 June 20-22 July 18-20 Sept 14-16

Greenville Corpus San Marcos Longview Corpus Carrollton Corpus

Management Management Management Management Management Management Management

5501 Hwy 69 S 13101 Leopard Activities Center 100 Grand Blvd 13101 Leopard 4750 Josey Lane 13101 Leopard

20 20 20 20 20 20 20

W/WW W/WW W/WW W/WW W/WW W/WW W/WW

April 5-7 June 1-3 Aug 9-11 Aug 15-17 Nov 8-10

Waco Longview Carrollton Corpus Gatesville

Pump and Pumping Pump and Pumping Pump and Pumping Pump and Pumping Pump and Pumping

200 Colcord 100 Grand 4750 Josey Lane 2726 Holly 110 N 8th

24 24 24 24 24

W/WW W/WW W/WW W/WW W/WW

April 13-15 May 17-19 Aug 9-11 Aug 16-18 Sept 12-14

Corpus Gatesville Waco Victoria Corpus

Safety Safety Safety Safety Safety

2726 Holly 110 N 8th 200 Colcord 2902 Bluff 13101 Leopard

20 20 20 20 20

W/WW W/WW W/WW W/WW W/WW

Apr 12-14 Apr 18-20 Nov 15-17

White Oak Corpus Victoria

Valve and Hydrant Valve and Hydrant Valve and Hydrant

100 Church St 13101 Leopard 2902 Bluff

20 20 20

W/WW W/WW W/WW

Mar 7-9 Mar 30-Apr 1 June 14-16 July 19-21 Sept 13-15 Sept 19-21

Corpus Laredo Greenville Gatesville Carrollton Corpus

Calculations Calculations Calculations Calculations Calculations Calculations

2726 Holly 5512 Thomas Ave 5501 Hwy 69 S 110 N 8th 4750 Josey Lane 2726 Holly

20 20 20 20 20 20

W/WW W/WW W/WW W/WW W/WW W/WW

April 20-22 Sept 20-22

Corpus Gatesville

Chlorinator Maint Chlorinator Maint

13101 Leopard 110 N 8th

20 20

W/WW W/WW

Mar 29-31 Dec 13-15

Lindale San Marcos

CSI/CCC CSI/CCC

124 Commerce Activities Center

20 20

W/WW/CSI/BPAT W/WW/CSI/BPAT

W

24 hours) *(24 Students Max)

Pre-registration $245 Member, $295 Non-Member On-site Registration $295 Member, $345 Non-Member 8 hr Mod I: TCEQ Training credit for: 8 hrs BPAT, CSI, LI, W/WW & WTS Licenses 8 hr Mod II: TCEQ Training credit for: 8 hrs BPAT, CSI, LI, W/WW & WTS Licenses 8 hr BPAT PRACTICAL SKILLS REFRESHER: TCEQ Training credit for: 8 hrs BPAT ONLY License

March 2011

TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

Continued on next page



T.W.U.A. COURSE REGISTRATION FORM (Note: Please Print Legibly)

TO REGISTER FOR ANY OF THESE CLASSES, GO TO WWW.TWUA.ORG/TRAINING.HTM

Name:____________________________ E-Mail Address:____________________________________ Course Name: ______________________________ Date:__________________________________ Location:___________________________________________ Fee: ___________________________ Home Address:____________________________ City:_____________State:_____ Zip:___________ Day Time Phone #:______________________ SS# or W/WW License number#:_________________ Company Name:____________________________ TWUA Member/Non-Member_________________ Visa/MC Acct. #:__________________ ___________________Expire Date: _____________________ Cardholder: __________________________________________________________________________ For credit cards please fax this form to 512/459-7124 Checks or money orders mail completed registration form along with payment to: Texas Water Utilities Association · 1106 Clayton Lane, Suite 112 West · Austin, TX 78723-1093, Phone: 512/459-3124 or 888/367-8982, FAX: 512/459-7124, Register on-line at www.twua.org To obtain TCEQ License Number: http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/nav/data/licensed_data.html

PLEASE CALL TO CONFIRM**

TRANSFERS: If you cannot attend a class, you may contact T.W.U.A. 48 hours in advance and transfer to a future class or you can transfer your registration to another person. A registrant may transfer twice without a service charge. Any additional transfers will be subject to a $25 transfer fee.

CANCELLATIONS: If you must cancel attendance at a T.W.U.A. course, T.W.U.A. will provide a full refund if the cancellation is received 14 calendar days before the start of the class. Cancellations received less than 14 calendar days are subject to an administration fee of $25 if the class is less than 40 hours in length. Classes that are 40 hours in length are subject to an administration fee equal to 10% of the cost of the class.

NO SHOWS: REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS WHO DO NOT CANCEL AND DO NOT ATTEND THEIR SCHEDULED CLASS ARE LIABLE FOR THE ENTIRE CLASS FEE.

Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester Course: (40 Hours) * (20 Students Max)

Pre-registration $460 Member, $510 Non-Member On-site Registration $510 Member, $560 Non-Member TCEQ Credit Hours: 12 hrs W/WW License - 12 hrs CSI - 12 hrs WTS - 12 hrs LI - 40 hrs BPAT 100 hours to an applicant for a Plumbing Inspector license (through TSBPE)

Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester REFRESHER: (24 hours) *(24 Students Max)

Pre-registration $245 Member, $295 Non-Member On-site Registration $295 Member, $345 Non-Member 8 hr Mod I: TCEQ Training credit for: 8 hrs BPAT, CSI, LI, W/WW & WTS Licenses 8 hr Mod II: TCEQ Training credit for: 8 hrs BPAT, CSI, LI, W/WW & WTS Licenses 8 hr BPAT PRACTICAL SKILLS REFRESHER: TCEQ Training credit for: 8 hrs BPAT ONLY License

Contact TWUA Central Office to schedule your next Backflow Training Course. (512)-459-3124

16 TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

March 2011

IMAGINE A PROGRAM T H AT H E L P S U S S A V E W A T E R T O D AY. S O T H E Y ’ L L H AV E I T

Your Strategic Compliance Partner

T O M O R R O W.

Hardin & Associates Consulting, LLC Consulting Services Business Solutions Operational Effectiveness Cost Saving Solutions Compliance Consulting

Backflow Management Services Regulatory Compliance Third Party Inspections Ordinance Development and Implementation

Training Services TCEQ Approved Courses and Instructors Hands-on-Training State of the Art Training Equipment

EPA is proud to introduce WaterSense, a program that sets performance and water-efficiency specifications for products and services. Local utilities can use WaterSense to help residents save water. Together, we can build an ethic of water efficiency and

Proudly serving local governments, water industry professionals and the private sector throughout Texas.

protect this resource for future generations. Learn more at

www.hactexas.com

www.epa.gov/watersense.

Byron R. Hardin, CPM, President 5005 W. Royal Lane, Suite 170|Irving, Texas 75063

March 2011

TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

EPA NEWS:

Mercury Information EPA

General Information From EPA Regarding Mercury EPA’s Report (July 2006) - This report highlights mercury sources and uses, describes the Agency’s progress in addressing mercury issues domestically and internationally, and outlines EPA’s major ongoing and planned actions to reduce risks associated with mercury.

Batteries Most batteries made in the U.S. do not contain added mercury. The two exceptions are mercuric oxide batteries and button cell batteries. Mercuric oxide batteries are produced for specialized use in military and medical equipment \where a stable current and long service life is essential.

Button cell batteries are miniature batteries in the shape of a coin or button that are used to provide power for a large variety of small portable electronic devices.

The use and disposal of mercury-added button cells are unregulated at the federal level. They do not have to be labeled it is legal to dispose of them in the household trash and they rarely are collected for recycling in most U.S. jurisdictions. Some states are now considering whether the disposal of button cell batteries should be regulated or whether recycling should be encouraged. Because button batteries currently are not widely targeted for recycling, almost all of this mercury presumably ends up in the municipal solid waste stream where it is either incinerated or landfilled.

Human Exposure Mercury exists in various forms and people are exposed to each in different ways.

Methylmercury Exposure - The most common way that people in the U.S. are exposed to mercury is by eating fish and shellfish that contain methylmercury.

Elemental Mercury Exposure - A less common source of exposure is when liquid elemental mercury is spilled or a device or product containing elemental mercury breaks, thus allowing the mercury to evaporate and become an invisible, odorless toxic vapor.

Health Effects Mercury exists in three chemical forms: methlymercury, elemental mercury, and other mercury compounds. Each chemical form of mercury has its own specific effects on human health.

18 TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

Whether an exposure to the various forms of mercury will harm a person’s health depends on a number of factors: the dose the age of the person exposed (the fetus and young children are most susceptible) the duration of exposure; the route of exposure inhalation, ingestion, dermal contact, etc.; and the health of the person exposed.

Almost all people have at least trace amounts of methylmercury in their tissues, reflecting methylmercury’s widespread presence in the environment and people’s exposure through the consumption of fish and shellfish.

Fish Consumption Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet.

Fish and shellfish contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty acids. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute to heart health and children’s proper growth and development.

However, nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of methylmercury. For most people, the risk from exposure to methylmercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a significant health concern. Yet some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child’s developing nervous system. The risks from methlymercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount of fish and shellfish eaten and the levels of methylmercury in the fish. Federal, state and local governments issue fish advisories when the fish are unsafe to eat.

Mercury-Containing Products Elemental mercury has properties that have led to its use in many different products and industrial sectors.

While some manufacturers have reduced or eliminated their use of mercury in products, there are still many consumer items in the marketplace that contain mercury.

EPA encourages individuals, organizations and businesses to use non-mercury alternatives and to recycle used mercury-containing products whenever possible.

Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL’s) and Other Fluorescent Light Bulbs The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced June 18, 2010 that starting in mid-2011, packaging for CFLs, LED bulbs and traditional incandescent bulbs will include March 2011

new labels designed to help consumers select the most efficient bulbs that best fit their lighting needs. Both the labels and the bulbs themselves will include disclosures for bulbs containing mercury.

ways to help prevent mercury releases to the environment by keeping these products out of landfills and incinerators.

Connections between Mercury and CFLs

Many states and local agencies have developed collection/exchange programs for mercury-containing devices, such as thermometers, manometers, and thermostats, and recycling programs for fluorescent light bulbs. Some counties and cities also have household hazardous waste collection programs. For information about these programs, contact your local collection program to find out whether you can drop your old thermometers off any time or whether you should wait for the next collection effort in your area. You can also use earth911.com to find collection programs in your area -- just type in “thermometer” or “mercury” and your zip code to get a list of programs that accept mercury-containing thermometers.

CFL reduces the amount of mercury released into the environment Mercury is found in many rocks including coal. When coal is burned at a utility power plant to produce electricity, mercury is released into the environment.

•

Coal-burning power plants are the largest manmade source of mercury emissions to the air in the United States, accounting for about half of all domestic human-caused mercury emissions (source: 2005 National Emissions Inventory).

•

Using energy-efficient CFLs reduces demand for power, which in turn reduces the amount of mercury released into the environment by coal-burning power plants.

CFLs contain very small amounts of mercury Mercury is an essential part of CFLs; it allows the bulb to be an efficient light source.

Spills and Cleanup Mercury is used in a variety of consumer products such as thermometers and fluorescent bulbs. If you accidentally break a mercury-containing product during use, or improperly dispose of such products, they will release mercury vapors that are harmful to human and ecological health. S

•

On average, CFLs contain about 4 milligrams of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. By comparison, older thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury – an amount equal to the mercury in over 100 CFLs.

•

Manufacturers of fluorescent lighting products are working to reduce the amount of mercury content in CFLs.

Request a complimentary site risk

No mercury is released when the bulbs are intact (i.e., not broken) or in use, but CFLs release mercury vapor when broken.

www.moodybros.com/twua 713 462 8544

•

assessment of your preexisting chemical feed system:

Why use CFLs if they contain mercury?

Small amounts of mercury can be released into the environment when CFLs break, or if they are improperly disposed of at the end of their useful lives. The total amount of mercury that could be released into the environment through breakage and improper disposal, however, is small compared to the amount of mercury that does not get released into the environment because Americans are choosing energy-efficient CFLs, reducing demand for electricity.

Thimerosal in Vaccines Some consumers are concerned about the use of thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative, in vaccines. Since 2001, with the exception of some influenza (flu) vaccines, thimerosal is not used as a preservative in routinely recommended childhood vaccines.

Recycling and Disposal EPA encourages the recycling of mercury-containing products rather than disposing of them in regular household trash.

Recycling of mercury-containing products is one of the best March 2011

“Not all water is treated equal”

{

Full Service

- Chemical Feed System Design, Installation & Evaluation - Customized Maintenance & Risk Management Programs - EPA Chlorination Compliance - Stocking Distributor, Training, On Call 24/7

www.moodybros.com/twua TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

CSR NEWS:

How to Handle the Foreign Accent

By Nancy Friedman, The Telephone Doctor

It’s more and more common to talk with people whose native language isn’t our own. These accents can be both international and domestic. How many times have you talked with someone just from a different region of the USA and not understood him or her? Miscommunication is easy with anyone who’s not talking as we’re used to hearing. Today, with more and more business going global, it’s key to be ready to know how to deal with a foreign accent. Don’t forget, sometimes it’s us that has the foreign accent to others. To those from another country - we are the ones that have the foreign accent. So these tips will go both ways, and they’re effective both on the phone and in person.

all. Rushing threatens the best of us...let alone someone who is not able to express themselves in our own style. Slow down. Not to excess of course, but if you find yourself constantly saying “uh huh,” over and over in rapid succession, you’re probably rushing the customer.

3. Don’t Shout. They are NOT hard of hearing. We usually get a little laugh on this one. Many a time we subconsciously speak louder - or repeat the same word over and over, thinking that will help.

It doesn’t. People with accents normally hear very well. It’s insulting to shout at them. Keep that smile on your face - it’ll show that you have the patience to help - and keep trying to let them know “you are there to help.” It might take time, but it will help.

Taken from our popular video of the same name, How to Handle the Foreign Accent, here are the 5 key points to know to help you at your job (and in your personal life too) when working with someone who is difficult to understand - accent or not.

4. Don’t Be Rude. No one really thinks they’re rude. But if you’ve ever said: “Hey, I can’t understand you” or even a short, terse, “HUH?” - You’re considered rude. Again, go back to # 1 and explain you’re having a little difficulty understanding. They’ll often repeat it for you. If the situation is hopeless and you simply aren’t getting anywhere, don’t be embarrassed or afraid to call for help. Perhaps another person can better understand what the customer is saying. But remember, being shuffled from one person to another is frustrating to anyone - accent or not.

1. Don’t Pretend to Understand. It’s OK to gently explain you are having a little difficulty understanding them. Let’s face it, if you have an accent - you know it. So it’s not a surprise. One of the least effective things one could do when not understanding someone is to PRETEND they do. Some folks nod or say, “OK” just to move the conversation along. That’s not doing anyone any good. It’s perfectly OK to simply and gently say, “I apologize. I am having a little difficulty understanding you. If you could slow down ...just a little bit... I’ll be able to get it all correct for you.”

That’s the most important thing to the person with the accent; knowing you WANT to help and get it right. They’re aware you might be having difficulty. And if you nod yes or pretend you understand, it won’t help the situation at all. Your tone of voice is international; universal. So keep it at a light, slower pace - and yes, smiling is also universal. They’ll hear your smile in any language.

The phrase I mention above is most effective and a key phrase to learn. I know for a fact, it is accepted very warmly. I’ve had many a person from another country come up and thank me for sharing that technique with the audience. It apologies, acknowledges, empathizes and creates credibility. It shows you want to help.

2. Don’t RUSH. Rushing threatens callers. Often there’s a tendency to want to really rush someone who speaks with an accent. Not a good idea at 20 TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

5. Do Keep a JOB Aid Available. Most often, we hear that 80% of the calls are from a certain area with the same accent. Be it all Hispanic, or all Asian, or all European. If your job has you working with a large percentage of one accent, keep a few simple phrases in that language near you.

Short phrases that would let the customer know you’re trying. If you’re in an Hispanic environment, phrases like, “Un momento por favor” (One moment please.) will help. Even if we mispronounce it, they’ll understand. Hopefully, there is someone in your area that is either fluent or well spoken in one particular language who can help you formulate and effective work aid.

And remember what we said earlier - your smile is universal. Use it early and often, no matter who you’re talking to!

S

March 2011

TEXAS WATER UTILITIES ASSOCIATION 3rd WEST TEXAS MINI SCHOOL JUNE 7 - JUNE 9, 2011

Academic Offerings WASTEWATER

WATER

WATER/WASTEWATER

Wastewater Collection

Basic Water Water Distribution

Water Utilities Safety

Course schedule Tuesday 8:00 to12:00 and 1:00 to 5:00 Wednesday 8:00 to 12:00 and 1:00 to 5:00 Thursday 8:00 to 12:00 Lunch Tue, Wed, 12:00 to 1:00

Class locations: Municipal Hill Address: I 27 and Municipal Hill **TCEQ Testing will be Provided (Alternate Payment Required)**

Registration and Fees Pre-Registration Until May 27, 2011 Internet Pre-Registration (Credit Card Only) Mail Pre-Registration (Check or Money Order) On-Site Registration (No Credit Cards Accepted) (Check, Money Order, or Cash)

TWUA Member Price $ 200 $ 195 $ 220 with Proof of TWUA Membership

Non-Member Price $ 255 $ 250 $ 270

Pre-registration via Mail or Internet (preferred) www.TWUA.org with Master Card or Visa.

All students are provided study manuals, necessary class room supplies, a quality buffet lunch daily, and refreshments.

Hotel Information Holiday Inn Civic Center (Host Hotel), 801 Ave Q, Lubbock, TX 79401. (806) 763-1200 Group rate $72.00.

✄

✄ Pre-Registration Form 3rd WTRWUS School

✄

Name: ___________________________________________ SS# or TCEQ Operator License#____________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip: _______________________________________________Home Phone:________________________________ Work Phone:_______________________________ Course Selection: _______________________________________________ Representing (Organization): _____________________________________Job Title:___________________________________ TWUA District/Chapter: ____________________________________________________________________________________ Email Address:____________________________________________________________________________________________ Make checks payable to WTRWUS. No purchase orders accepted. No refunds after May 22, 2011.

Please mail Pre-Registration Form and payment to: Attn: Secretary / Treasurer, P.O. Box 5068, Lubbock TX 79408 If you have any questions, please call Candy McCarthy at (806) 775-3221 or Fax (806) 775-3246 March 2011

TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

64TH ANNUAL TWUA NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL SCHOOL Instructions:

MAY 16-20, 2011 AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON

Check the box next to the course you wish to take. Complete the student information section at the bottom of the page. Include a check or money order made payable to TWUA-NCT Regional School. Mail this registration page along with your payment to: TWUA-NCT Regional School Registration, P. O. Box 985 Arlington, Texas 76004. Please note: Your registration is not complete until payment has been received. If payment is not received prior to the May 1st registration deadline, you will be charged the late registration fee. No Purchase Orders are accepted. To pay with a credit card, please register online at: www.nctrs.com.

Physically challenged attendees requiring special assistance, or those with special dietary needs should call 972-237-8411.

Standard Courses

Water Courses

Wastewater Courses

 Basic Water  Groundwater Production  Water Distribution  CSI / Cross Connection Control

 Basic Wastewater  Wastewater Treatment  Wastewater Collection  Activated Sludge Special Courses

 Surface Water I (24 hour Class - Starts Mon, 1:00)  Surface Water II

Water/Wastewater Courses

 Utilities Calculations  Utilities Management  Water Utilities Safety  Pump & Motor Maintenance  Valve & Hydrant Maintenance  Special Topics

 Basic Water Laboratory  Wastewater Laboratory

***NEW COURSE THIS YEAR*** Instructor Development Course

 Effective Instructional Techniques (40 hour course – Starts Monday 8:00 am) Standard Courses

Pricing

The Regional School will no longer be accepting coupons/vouchers from the Texas Small Public Water System.

Registrations Received or Postmarked before 05/01/2011 Late Registrations: Received or postmarked on/after 05/01/2011

Each student is required to bring a laptop to this course.

Special Courses

Member

NonMember

Member

NonMember

$175 $200

$225 $250

$205 $230

$255 $280

Instructor Dev Course Member

NonMember

$500 $550

$550 $600

Student Information - Please Print Legibly Name:

Title:

Utility/City/Organization: Address:

City, State Zip:

Phone:

Email:

TWUA Membership Dist:

Membership Number:

Cancellation Policy: A full refund will be given for cancellations received by May 1, 2011. Cancellations from May 2 through May 9 will be assessed a 25% fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations received after May 9, 2011. Personnel substitutions will be allowed. An additional $15.00 fee will be charged for any other change including class substitutions. Registration includes lunch on May 17 and May 18.

TWUA - NCTRS  P. O. Box 985  Arlington, Texas 76004

www.nctrs.com

22 TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

March 2011

64TH ANNUAL TWUA NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL SCHOOL MAY 16-20, 2011 AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON

Schedule of Events Monday May 16, 2011

8:00 am – 5:00 pm 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Effective Instructional Techniques On-Site Registration & Pre-Registration Packet Pick- Up: Nedderman 100 Surface Water I

6:30 am – 8:00 am 8:00 am – 11:30 am

1:00 pm – 5:30 pm

On-Site Registration & Pre-Registration Packet Pick- Up: Nedderman 100 All classes in session General Assembly Meeting & Luncheon (Attendance required for full course credit): Bluebonnet Ballroom in the EH Hereford University Center All classes in session

6:45 am - 7:45 am 8:00 am – 5:00 pm 8:00 am – 12:00 pm 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

AWWA/WEAT Breakfast ($10/person): EH Hereford University Center TCEQ “A” License Certification Exams: Nedderman 601 All classes in session Lunch: Nedderman Hall Atrium All classes in session

8:00 am – 12:00 pm 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

All classes in session TCEQ Certification Exams – Pre-registration with TCEQ is required – NO WALK INS

8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Effective Instructional Techniques

11:30 am – 1:00 pm

Tuesday May 17, 2011

Wednesday May 18, 2011

Thursday May 19, 2011 Friday May 20, 2011

Information

Registration: On-Site Registration and Pre-Registration Packet Pick-Up will be in Nedderman Hall room 100, Monday, th

May 16 , from 12:00pm - 6:00pm and Tuesday, May 17, from 6:30am to 8:00am. Students that have pre-registered will be able to pick up their registration packets and students who have not pre-registered will need to arrive early enough to complete all registration forms and provide payment. Nedderman Hall is located at 406 Yates Street on the UTA Campus in Arlington, TX.     o  o   

Course Times:

Effective Instructional Techniques is a 40 hour course and will begin Monday - Friday at 8:00 am.

Surface Water I is a 24 hour course and will begin on Monday, May 16th at 1:00 pm.

All other classes will begin on Tuesday, May 17th at 8:00 am.

Examinations:

Application forms for all examinations, except for A license exams, will be tentatively approved on-site by TCEQ personnel on Tuesday and Wednesday until 3:00 pm in Nedderman Hall room 100.

Applications for Class A exams must be approved through the TCEQ in Austin 30-60 days prior to the Regional School. To obtain an A application, call TCEQ: Water - (512) 239-6133; Wastewater - (512) 239– 0176 Exams for Classes B, C, and D, Classes I, II and III, water and wastewater licenses, as well as for Laboratory Analysts will be given Thursday, May 19, 2011, at 1:00 pm in Nedderman Hall.

Applications for the Lab Analysts exams must be submitted to TWUA prior to the school.

Class A examinations will be offered Wednesday, May 18, 2011, at 8:00 AM in Nedderman Hall.

Checks for examinations may be made payable to TCEQ-OCP. No cash will be accepted.

No one will be admitted to the exams without prior submittal and approval of application, payment and positive state issued identification. NO WALK-INS will be allowed.

Water Contest: Entries for the Best Tasting Water Contest, sponsored by the North Texas Laboratory Analysts’ Chapter must be submitted at the information desk in Nedderman Hall Tuesday, May 17th before 9:00 am The winner will be announced at the luncheon on Tuesday, May 17th. The winner of this contest will be eligible to compete in the statewide contest held at the TWUA Annual School the following March.

General Assembly: The General Assembly will be held in conjunction with the Banquet Luncheon on Tuesday in the Bluebonnet Room in the EH Hereford University Center from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm.

TWUA - NCTRS  P. O. Box 985  Arlington, Texas 76004

www.nctrs.com

March 2011

TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

PES NEWS:

Industry User Inspection Process

By Yilma Zerihun, City of Dallas Pretreatment Program

In the course of training pretreatment professionals, I have noted the various challenges they face on the job.

Although the pretreatment program has matured over the last two decades, it still appears to be complex to professionals who join the field without much prior experience.

Some of the knowledge that is related to industrial pretreatment is usually not acquired through formal education.

Talk to almost anyone in the pretreatment field they will tell you that most of their knowledge comes from an actual on the job experience. In the following paragraphs, I discuss pretreatment inspection and the challenges new pretreatment professionals face.

Pretreatment is a very broad field which involves identifying industrial users, permitting, inspecting, compliance sampling, sample data management, reporting, and enforcement action. All of these processes are mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which in turn may delegate the authority to the States to manage the program.

The General Pretreatment Regulations lay down all the basic requirements of pretreatment through 40 CFR 403 by defining the various authorities, listing the various responsibilities of the industrial user on the one hand and the controlling authorities on the other hand. It specifies who implements the general and specific prohibitions, categorical discharge standards, and local limits.

As I have indicated earlier, the inspection process is one of the very initial processes. Without inspection, you can hardly proceed with the program implementation. You will not be able to write a permit, select pollutant parameters or take enforcement action.

403.8 (v) states that the POTW “Carry out all inspection, surveillance and monitoring procedures necessary to determine, independent of information supplied by Industrial Users, compliance or noncompliance with applicable Pretreatment Standards and Requirements by Industrial Users.

Representatives of the POTW shall be authorized to enter any premises of any Industrial User in which a Discharge source or treatment system is located or in which records are required to be kept under §403.12(o) to assure compliance with Pretreatment Standards. Such authority shall be at least as extensive as the authority provided under section 308 of the Act;”

24 TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

In general, there are two types of inspections – scheduled (full inspection) and unscheduled. Scheduled inspections are those intended to gather information thoroughly and may take several hours to a few days - depending on the complexity and/or the size of the facility. These types of inspection will be productive if scheduled in advance (days or in some cases weeks) to allow facility personnel to gather the necessary information such as facility blue prints and list of chemicals for the specialist.

Unscheduled or unannounced inspection is mainly intended to check compliance with applicable regulations and permit conditions. The negative side of these unannounced inspections is the interruption it imposes on the facility personnel in many ways. First, the pretreatment specialist causes unwanted disruption on their normal flow of work routine. Secondly, the facility personnel may become defensive, as they are not prepared to address certain compliance issue; and the facility may not be prepared to produce paperwork or information in such short notice. Most of all, they may have very little time to rectify compliance issues. In unscheduled inspection, it is obviously hard to spend more than 30 minutes at a time.

What type of information is gathered during a short or unannounced inspection? It is usually updates to verify whether the permit signatory is still on site, whether they are familiar with their wastewater discharge permit or their compliance history, their general housekeeping, sample site conditions and discharge characteristics of parameters such as pH. The full inspection on the other hand can be multiple pages as it covers an extensive amount of information.

The main purpose of the full inspection is to identify and verify facility information, verifying the basic information about the facility. Through questions and inspection, we identify and verify the facility’s process operations including the list of products manufactured or produced, the general description of processes, and to verify monitoring points and whether self monitoring data are representative of the facility discharges. During inspection, it is important to have the process flow diagram to check what is actually produced at the facility.

Documenting the process tanks by identifying them with a site code, description of content, capacity or flow rate, method and frequency of disposal is critical for the inMarch 2011

spection process. Process tanks are different from chemical storage tanks. List of chemicals and the chemical storage area must be well documented, as it is helpful reference during noncompliance.

Pretreatment description is also another area that must be well documented. These may include neutralization, filtration, metals precipitation, electrolytic recovery, activated carbon, interceptor/trap system, evaporative recovery, ion exchange, reverse osmosis, dissolved air floatation, just to name a few. Some pretreatment processes are continuous while others are batch and it makes a difference during compliance sampling.

Slug discharge evaluation should also be done during the annual inspection. At the minimum, every facility should have a spill prevention plan where the company representative will notify the POTW in the case of spill. A spill prevention plan may include employee training and a procedure to handle small spills using kits as they occur.

Ask and discuss with the industry representative about pollution prevention and best management practices during inspection process. Encourage the industry to discuss and document pollution prevention success stories, best management practices such as waste minimization, recycling, and water conservation related activities.

Waste management information is usually available either for the hazardous chemicals or non hazardous type wastes.

Documenting hazardous waste classification is done by identifying whether the facility is a conditionally exempt

March 2011

small quantity generator (<220 pounds), small quantity generator, (between 220 and 2200 pounds), or large quantity generator (>2200 pounds) per month. For categorical facilities subject to the Total Toxic Organics (TTO) limit, a Toxic Organics Management Plan (TOMP) must be examined if the facility had chosen TOMP in lieu of sampling.

Throughout the inspection process, a facility layout along with a detailed plumbing diagram is essential.

Identifying and documenting all drains with a particular focus on the process area is necessary in order to accurately evaluate compliance. This is helpful in determining the flow percentages if the facility discharges through more than one outfall. Flow percentage through all the outfalls must add up to 100% and this percentage breakdown is utilized in computing surcharge for parameters such as Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS).

Identifying drain lines and wastestreams accurately will be essential for calculating alternate limits for categorical facilities that must account for unregulated wastestreams in their regulated discharges.

Finally, it is necessary to inspect their documents and make sure that they are familiar with their discharge permits and sample monitoring results. At the end of the inspection process, providing feedback to the company representatives is essential. S

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26 TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

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March 2011

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TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

LICENSES ISSUED: DECEMBER 2010 GROUND (W) LOWE, JONATHAN D TREATMENT MARTINEZ, JORGE D CLASS A MARTINEZ, RAMIRO MARTINEZ, SERGIO D JR CLASS B GARCIA, JOEL V MATLOCK, TOMMY G HUKILL, KEVIN L MCCOLLOUGH, GERALD R EILAND, EDWARD J MINYARD, KENDAL R FRANCIS, DONALD R JR MCDONALD, JAMES B REESE, PAUL E MESKIMEN, WILLIAM E SR MCLEAN, MICHAEL W SR ROBLES, JESSE MIILLER, KIRBY A MINYARD, RILEY C CLASS D CLASS C MORENO, ANTONIO III ACKER, MATTHEW R MORGAN, KYLE T BRANIGAN, MICHAEL S II ALLEN, DAVID R MOSQUEDA, ROLANDO R BRIDGES, THOMAS C ANGEL, JUSTIN W OFENSTEIN, MICHAEL R BYRD, JAMES M JR ARELLANO, REYNALDO CISNEROS, RICARDO BAILEY, TROY A OGLE, BRANDON E CORTEZ, PEDRO JR BARRERA, DANNY R OLIVER, ROBERT S CUNNINGHAM, DAN M BLACK, JERRY M PARRISH, JUSTYN M FREDRICKS, DOUGLAS D BLAKE, HOMER C PEAKE, HERBERT A GIRTON, MARK T BLAKE, SUSANA PEER, LARRY L GONZALEZ, MIGUEL A JR BOLSINGER, KENT R PEREZ, NANCY G BULLINGER, JOHN P HUGHEY, BYRON J PFEFFER, HARRY L JR BUSH, DAVID N HUHN, STEVEN M PIETZSCH, FRANZ J BUTLER, GREGORY V JOHNS, JOE E II CAMACHO, FELIPE MENDEZ, MANUEL C PRYOR, BOGIE P CARA, WILLIAM W RAMIREZ, GERARDO JR REYES, ALEX N CARVER, JOHN P SR SORRELS, GLEN D RAMOS, JOSE A CLOSE, WILLIAM J TINGLE, CLATON S REBBER, JOHN M COLES, JASON R WILSON, MICHAEL S REID, CODY L COOMBS, RANDALL K WINKLER, CALLAHAN P REYNOLDS, BARBARA A CRESS, BRIAN K SR RHODES, ALYSON N CRUZ, LUIS A SURFACE WATER ROBERSON, JERRY P DAVIS, ADRIAN D TREATMENT DAY, JAMES C JR ROJAS, JOHN DAVID T DICKISON, CHRISTOPHE R E ROUNTREE, EDGAR L CLASS B DOJAHN, DEREK W RUDLOFF, MARK A DORLEY, LEROY C SAENZ, OMAR JR EKSTRAND, DANNY L BOWIE, TREVOR S SAUNDERS, PAUL R ELLIS, ROBERT W HAYWOOD, RONNIE E II SEBASTIAN, WILLIAM B LOWE, PERRY Y EPPLER, KYLE K SIMS, IRIS J EXINIA, CARLOS JR QUINTERO, HUGO A RONQUILLO, JOSE L FARR, ANDREW P SOLIS, JAVIER SCHREIBER, SEAN S FEATHERSTON, MICHAEL L SOLSBERY, ALAN L WIED, MONTY W FRANCO, JESUS SR STANLEY, JAMES R GARRETT, TRAVIS R TEJEDA, JUAN C GARVIN, JAMES E TICE, JUDY A CLASS C GAST, PAUL M TRIMUAR, DUSTIN H GIDDENS, CODY R CISNEROS, JESUS GONZALES, ALFREDO G III TURNER, JERRY D CROCKETT, DAVID W VARGAS, TEDDY P GONZALES, JOE L DAWSON, JUSTIN D HAGOOD, BRAD D VAUGHN, RONNIE E DAWSON, LARRY W HALL, DENNIS E SR VIZCARRA, JOSHUA G GALLOWAY, MATTHEW R HARRISON, MARCUS D WAHL, RAYJOY G JR GRAHAM, PAUL E HERNANDEZ, STEPHEN A WALLACE, TONY HAVLAK, RANDY W HOCH, JEFFREY W WARREN, TIM B KISSACK, CHARLES D HOWELL, TIM D WHITE, BRANDON S LOGAN, ANDREW D HUDZIETZ, RALEIGH E MOODY, STEVEN D WHITE, CHAD D HURST, ROLAND D NAJERA, REYNALDO JOHNSON, CHUCK WILKES, PAUL A II PARISH, DANIEL W KIRBY, MICHAEL W JR WILLIS, GREGORY V PRIVITT, JONATHAN B KNOTT, DANIEL J WRIGHT, DUSTIN L WILDER, LAURA F KUYKENDALL, JUSTIN B WRIGHT, TOMMMY J JR WILLIAMS, KEVIN B LEE, ZACH T YBARRA, RENE D WATER OPERATOR

28 TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

WATER DISTRIBUTION CLASS B FORD, DAVID L HOLLIS, BOBBY W OWENS, DALE R STONE, SAMUEL J CLASS C ARAIZA, DAVID T BAILON, JESUS A BALIOS, JOHN C BODE, MICHAEL D BURDETT, JIMMY K CHILDRESS, GREGORY J CLARK, JASON D DURAN, RODOLFO FISHER, MICHELLE M GARCIA, FRANKIE GARIBAY, ARMANDO GUERRA, JOE A HARRIS, MICHAEL D HENDERSON, TODD W HERNANDEZ, JULIO G HOLDER, JASON D IMPSON, KEVIN S KOPPENHAVER, AUSTIN W IV LANE, TY D LEWIS, CHRISTOPHER D MADRIGAL, CARLOS A MARTINEZ, GABRIEL L MARTINEZ, JOHN O MCCARVER, ROBERT F MOORE, HUNTER T PERRY, JARET L PINEDO, MANUEL SR POWELL, JOSHUA R RATCLIFF, MICHAEL L JR REYES, GUSTAVO M ROBLES, JOSE L SALAZAR, CARLOS SLATHAR, HOWARD G STAMPS, RONNIE D TIJERINA, RENE TURNER SR, CHRISTOPHER L WHALEY, HOWARD W III YATES, JERRY L JR

WASTEWATER COLLECTION CLASS I ANDERSON, CHRISTOPHER A BOOKOUT, NICHOLAS A CORTEZ, CARLOS G GARCIA, ROY L HERNANDEZ, PASCUAL MARTINEZ, RAYMOND C OLVERA, JOE L JR ROJAS, JOHN DAVID T SANDERS, JEFFERSON S SHARMA, SANJAYA VAUGHAN, BRETT R VERRET, SCOTT D WALKER, MATHEW D YBARRA, RENE D

VAUGHAN, BRETT R VERRET, SCOTT D WALKER, MATHEW D YBARRA, RENE D CLASS II AMAYA, JUAN J JR BLAN, BRAD R BRISCOE, STACEY M BUCHANAN, ROY M CAPEHART, RYAN L CROSSWHITE, ROYCE N ENRIQUEZ, CHRIS L ESTRADA, JOSE A GARCIA, JOE M GARCIA, REMIGIO Z GRABBE, JOSH R HATCH, BRADLEY W KIRKHAM, JONATHAN D MARTINEZ, MARCO A PHILLIPS, MICHAEL T RATCLIFF, MICHAEL L JR RIVERA, ERIC SLOAN, JOSEPH S SOLIS, FRANCISCO J CLASS III DELEON, JULIAN MARQUEZ, STEVE J MARTINEZ, ALEJANDRO J PEREZ, JOSE L RODRIGUEZ, JULIAN

WASTEWATER TREATMENT CLASS B AREVALO, GUADALUPE Y BARBEE, MAYBURN W CAFFEE, DAVID D EARLS, DAVID J ELLINGTON, SHUN L KUEHNEN, THOMAS MCKINNEY, JOHN M REBHAN, BRADLEY S SMITH, ERIC M STEVENS, JARROD M WHITTLE, KRISTOPHER A CLASS C ADAMS, JODY B BENFORD, DARIN E BENNETT, DANIEL J BRATTON, EDDIE D BRIDGES, DAVID D BURK, HOWARD J CARTER, RAYMOND B CASEY, TROY D CHANEY, LENDON J COKER, MELVIN L DE LEON, LELAND M March J2011 DODD, DAVID DUNLAP, MARK D ENGLE, JASON M

COKER, MELVIN L DE LEON, LELAND M DODD, DAVID J DUNLAP, MARK D ENGLE, JASON M FAY, FLOYD FOLEY, BILLY J FONVILLE, PHILLIP R FRISHE, DOUGLAS R GILBREATH, GARY J JR GREENLEE, KENNY M HANCOCK, JAMES W JR HICKEY, KENNETH N HOLLIDAY, CECIL B INGRAM, CHRIS D ITZ, MARK W JANSMA, WADE E JOYNER, BRIAN D KARR, JAMES M KROSNICKI, LEO J LANDRY, ADRIAN D LAZALDE, MAURICIO LEON, ANGEL N LUNA, ABELINO R JR MANDEL, JEREMY A MARTINEZ, DOLORES M MARTINEZ, RENE J MARX, SCOTT E MCBRIDE, LEROY MILLER, RUSSELL W PEREZ, LUIS R PERRY, GARY A READY, OWEN A RIVAS, GUS A ROBINSON, JUSTIN M SALAZAR, ROLAND G SEIBER, MICHELLE E SKAGGS, BRENDAN P SMITH, CLIFTON W SMITH, GERALD W SWEET, JOHN M VINCENT, JAMES A WALKER, WILLIAM G

MCFARLAND, NICHOLAS D MITCHELL, BRANDON S MOSES, RUSSEL W NEECE, BRANDON D NEWBERRY, AARON J ORTIZ, PAUL ANTHONY F REPLOGLE, NATHAN S

SARGENT, BRANDON E YARBROUGH, EDDIE L STRICKLAND, CODY L ZARAGOZA, SAMUEL G TAVERA, EDGAR R TAYLOR, MICHAEL D TIDWELL, JERRY N TORRES, DANIEL WIGGINS, NICK L YARBROUGH, EDDIE L ZARAGOZA, SAMUEL G

CLASS D ADAMS, MICHAEL L BARRY, THEODORE C III CRAVEN, LESLIE G JR DAVIS, DARREL W EDMONSON, FREDERICK S FRANCLEMONT, ALEX E GARZA, NOE J GENTRY, NICKY W HERNANDEZ, MARCO A HOLBERT, DALE S HOLLAND, ROBERT H III JOHNSTON, TANYA A JONES, NICHOLAS S LINDSEY, LANCE R LOPEZ, DAVID LOPEZ, JOHN P MANGIS, TOMMY O MCBETH, JAMES K MCFARLAND, NICHOLAS D MITCHELL, BRANDON S March 2011 MOSES, RUSSEL W NEECE, BRANDON D NEWBERRY, AARON J

TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

TWUA Employment Classified ADS: CREW LEADER - WATER UTILITIES DIVISION Alamo Heights, Texas Supervises the provision of all aspects of utility maintenance and repair; responds to utility system emercencies; maintains system facilities, equipment and tools, including well sites; provides line locater service for other companies doing work in the city; coordinates with Utilities Billing Coordinator on customer complaints, questions and meter readings; enforces safety rules and promotes safe working conditions; evaluates equipneeds of the division. Ability to work well with people and communicate effectively both orally and in writing; proficiency with computers utilizing Microsoft Word and Excel; ability to work with minimal supervision. High school diploma or GED certificate; experience in safety, training and operation of equipment; minimum of 5 years experience in water and/ or waste water operations with at least 2 years of supervisory experience. A valid Class C Texas driver’s license is required; a Class B CDL required within 6 months of employment. A class C Ground Water certification and a Class I or Class II Wastewater Collection certification are also required. Salary: Commensurate with education, skills and experience. City of Alamo Heights, Judie Surratt, 210-882-1503, Fax resume and salary requirements to: 210-882-1517 Email resume and salary requirements to: jsurratt@alamoheightstx.gov WW PLANT OPERATOR I Canyon Operation, maintenance and repair of wastewater treatment equipment, facilities, pump/motors and lift stations under direction of foreman.

Class B, CDL Tx DL or ability to obtain in 6 mo, TCEQ Class C Wastewater or ability to obtain in 1 yr. HS Diploma or GED- Salary: 28,440-38,244.

City of Canyon Misti Wilcox, HR mwilcox@canyontx.com Applications may be acquired at www.canyontx.com

ASSISTANT SUPERIN TENDENT PRETREAT MENT COORDINATOR Conroe, Texas Assists with supervision and operation of Wastewater Treatment plants. Details and application online at www. cityofconroe.org. Minimum 5 yr experience or Bachelor Degree in related field; TCEQ Class “B” Wastewater license. Salary: $53,320$55,986. City of Conroe, Linda Hernandez, 936-522-3150 Fax resume and salary requirements to: 936-522-3155 Email resume and salary requirements to: HR@cityofconroe. org

UTILITY OPERATOR Lake Jackson, Texas Utility Operator - City of Lake Jackson. Must be at least 18 years of age. Hours are rotating shifts, and incumbent may maintain a 24 hour oncall work schedule. 2 years full-time experience as an operator, operator apprentice or crew leader in a related field. High school diploma or GED, Class C Groundwater and Wastewater Certifications Class C Groundwater and Wastewater Certifications.

Salary $14.13/hr. City of Lake Jackson, Virginia Taroni,979 415 2440 Fax resume and salary requirements to: 979 415 2480 Email resume and salary requirements to: vtaroni@ lakejacksontx.gov

OPERATOR II Austin, D/FW,Tyler, Houston and their surrounding areas SouthWest Water Company is looking for licensed water and wastewater operators in the Lake Livingston and Baytown, Texas areas. Competitive pay and excellent benefits including vision, dental and 401k.

Must be familiar with all required testing including CL2, DO, pH, TSS, TDS, Alk. Must be detail oriented, organized

30 TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL www.twua.org

and have the ability to communicate effectively. Must be familiar with Microsoft Office Suite programs (Word, Excel, etc.). High School grad/GED. Minimum “C” Groundwater and “C” Wastewater required.

SouthWest Water Company, David Ortiz, 832-209-5081, Fax resume and salary requirements to: 832-209-5381 Email resume and salary requirements to: dortiz@swwc.com WATER SUPERINTENDENT Houston Manages water production, water distribution, sewage collection, and storm sewer systems. Class A Water or B Surface or Ground Water license and prefer at least a Class C Wastewater license.

Minimum of 3 years experience as Water Superintendent or Assistant. Must have knowledge of SCADA systems, Microsoft Word, and Excel.

Valid Class C Texas Driver’s License with a clean driving record is required. High School Diploma Applications available at www. clcwa.org. Salary: 54,000-60,000 Clear Lake City Water Authority Nikki Jacks, 281-488-1164, Fax resume and salary requirements to: 281-488-6644 Email resume and salary requirements to: njacks@clcwa.org

SUPERINTENDENT-WATER & WASTEWATER Midland, Texas Responsible for the administration, operation and maintenance of water distribution and wastewater collection lines and lift stations for the City of Midland. Manages day-today operations of the Water and Wastewater Division.

Submit Resume www. midlandtexas.gov. Salary DOQ City of Midland, Mary Woodruff, 432-685-7252 Fax resume and salary requirements to: 432685-7925 Email resume and salary requirements to: mwoodruff@midlandtexas.gov

SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR OR SWTP OPERATOR TRAINEE Full-time, Salary – $11.69 to $15.03 DOQ Shift Work – 12 hour, rotating shifts Helps ensure that the finished product complies with all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) rules and regulations. High school diploma or GED required. Valid Texas Class C driver’s license with driving record that meets City guidelines required. Experience in handling/using chlorine and other caustic, toxic, and corrosive supplies and chemicals preferred. Current experience in surface water treatment plant operations preferred. Applicants for the SWTP Operator should possess a Grade C Surface Water Operator’s License issued by the TCEQ. The SWTPO Trainee should possess a Grade D Water Operator’s License and will be required to obtain a C Surface Water Operator’s License within one year of becoming eligible. Applicants possessing a Grade “C” Surface Water Operator’s License will be the preferred choice for the position.

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT DAY OPERATOR Full-time, Salary – $13.79 hr The Wastewater Treatment Plant Day Operator is responsible performing technical and analytical work providing data on the various stages of the wastewater treatment process and ensures that the final effluent complies with all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) rules and regulations. High School diploma or GED required. Grade “C” Wastewater Operators Certification issued by the TCEQ is required. Valid Texas Class B Commercial driver’s license with air brake and tanker endorsements and a driving record that meets City guidelines.

Normal work schedule: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Emergency rotating shift coverage will periodically be required.

Ability to perform chemical analysis on wastewater samples, interpret results and make proper adjustments to the treatment processes. Applicant with proficient laboratory experience will be the preferred choice for this position.

Positions May Close Without Prior Notice.

Application may be completed on-line by visiting: https://victoriatx.peopleadmin. com or you may complete an on-line application by visiting the Human Resources Department Kiosk @ 700 N. Main, Suite 101.

EOE

March 2011

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