On Good Authority January 2023

2022 in Review

ON GOOD AUTHORITY

By the Numbers

76

more than...

19.6 Million Average gallons of drinking water treated per day

New hires

270,457

Utility bill assistance provided to our customers

73,763 Customer Service calls answered

Total customers Approximately 6,000 new customers in 2022

1,838,695

32.9 Million Average gallons of sanitary sewer treated per day

70,000

0

miles driven by Authority Employees

Lead service lines found

25,768 total public laterals and 25,684 customer laterals inspected for pipe material

1,308

miles of water mains

2,306

students reached through in-class programs and field trips

Have an interesting fact to share? Contact Public Relations!

$26,328,123

Invested in Capital Projects

2,248 IT tickets submitted

Upcoming Dates Jan. 16 - MLK Day Holiday Jan. 26 - Service Awards Luncheon Feb. 15 - Leadership Academy Kick Off

2022 In Review: Top 5 some of our favorite highlights from last year

Town of Vinton Utility Transfer

The Town of Vinton officially joined the Water Authority in July of 2022, which added more than 5,000 customers to our service area. Our staff has been instrumental to make this transition a success and we thank them for their hard work during this transfer.

Roanoke Gas Partnership and Digester Project

“By working together, we create a stronger utility system that benefits all our customers and economic development opportunities.”

Mike McEvoy, Executive Director

Job Fair at Field Ops On June 23, 2022, we hosted a job fair at Field Operations. We had 54 people attend our event where we had games, food, and on-site interviews. We marketed the event with yard signs, vehicle magnets, radio advertising, and word of mouth.

Each division was represented with a table display and interactive component for applicants to explore. We were blown away by the success of this event, with 42 applications received and 18 offers made.

We are thrilled with the talent we have gained from this event, and we are excited to be planning the next job fair!

Roanoke River Sewer Line Crossing Project In August, WVWA contracted with E.C. Pace to remove a 1930s 16" sewer line crossing the Roanoke River near Piedmont Park. The new line was installed using a cofferdam system to create a dry space to work while preventing soils from washing into the river. The fish in the project area were collected and returned to the river, so no fish were harmed in the process!

JANUARY 2023

Roanoke Gas and WVWA broke ground on May 17, 2022 on a first of its kind in Virginia project to produce commercial quality renewable natural gas from biogas at the Roanoke Regional Water Pollution Control Plant. We've made great progress on the digesters with several pieces of new equipment, the addition of digester mixers and a new concrete roof. Construction is scheduled to be complete in 2023.

The renewable natural gas will be processed in a state-of-the-art conditioning system and then distributed through pipes to provide heat for up to 500 Roanoke area homes a day.

United Way Campaign

The 2022 United Way Campaign broke records, raising a total of $30,156. We had great participation for each event, including the Golf Tournament in August, the Employee Luncheon in September, and the raffles and payroll deductions that took place through the end of October. By hitting our goal, 50 lucky employees received 8 hours of PTO! We were excited to beat the previous year's numbers by $2,000 and look forward to what we can accomplish in 2023.

a newsletter for the employees and families of the WVWA

BENEFITS & TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Health Savings Account (HSA) Contributions High Deductible Health Plan (Anthem 2800) Participants

Know the Benefits

Everything you need to know about

Leadership Academy 2023 Are you looking for a way to develop your leadership, communication and conflict resolution skills? The Leadership Academy is open for enrollment!

HSA dollars are yours to keep.

Unlike flexible spending accounts, you never lose your HSA dollars. Money in this account rolls over year-afteryear, even if you change health plans or employers.

Spend smarter.

HSAs cover thousands of qualified medical expenses, including doctor visits and over-the-counter medications.

See a full list: HealthEquity.com/QME Tax advantage 1. Make pre-tax contributions 2. Grow tax-free earnings 3. Enjoy tax-free distribution

Q: When does it start?

A: Kick off is February 15, 2023 Q: Who is eligible?

Maximize Your Savings Are you contributing to receive the WVWA match?

You may change your HSA contributions up to once a month.

Are you maxing out your allowed contributions?

A: This opportunity is available for anyone in a current leadership role or considering moving into a leadership role (and have talked with their leader about it).

Q: Where are the sessions held?

A: Sessions will be held in the training room at Field Operations.

Q: What's the time commitment?

A: The Academy meets once a month, but there are pre-work and post-work assignments for participants to complete.

Q: How do I sign up?

A: Contact Robyn Tuck (x 8261) robyn.tuck@westernvawater.org

I gained very useful tools to improve my communication skills, conflict resolution, and understanding of others. For existing leaders and for up-and-coming leaders, Robyn’s training will improve the entire organization.

JANUARY 2023

Erin Varner Utility Billing Supervisor

a newsletter for the employees and families of the WVWA

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Jan 16

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday which celebrates the life and achievements of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Known for his "I have a dream" speech, he advocated for the importance of respect and equal treatment for everyone. These ideals are fundamental to the mission our our IDEA Team.

Our IDEA Team Mission: We are passionate about building a pipeline of diverse talents and opportunities in an environment that reflects our IDEAs - Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Action - by connecting with our employees, customers and community.

DEI Survey

Get Moving in 2023 Discounted Gym Memberships The Water Authority will contribute $25 per month for single and $35 per month for family memberships to the YMCA, Green Ridge Rec Center or Carilion Wellness. Please reach out to HR for the Payroll Deduction Authorization Form.

Group Sports Group sports are offered to employees for a way to exercise and bond with coworkers.

Our volleyball team recently won the championship for the Fall 2022 league! To learn more, please contact Neil Norris (x 2957)

Survey took place in November 2022 157 employees responded Based on the demographic section, we had good representation across all divisions Overall, results were very positive and more details will be shared in future communications From the survey, we have room for improvement including:

Objectivity in hiring and promoting

More training opportunities and DEI education

We have already started taking steps to move forward and meet this challenge by offering more training for our employees.

The IDEA team is meeting monthly. To get involved, please reach out to Neil Norris (x 2957)

Civility and Respect Training During Civility and Respect training with Robyn, we learned that part of showing respect to each other is making sure we don’t squirt the toothpaste – once, the toothpaste is out the tube it is impossible to put it back and have the tube look the same – the same thing happens with our words.

The value for Jan/Feb is: The Core Values of the Western Virginia Water Authority are STAIRS that guide and direct the organization and culture.

Definition of Respect

"Words are like toothpaste, once they're out you can't put them back"

Remaining Training Sessions:

Treat others as we desire to be treated; be considerate, appreciative and treated; be considerate, appreciative and accepting of others’ opinions, needs and beliefs.

JANUARY 2023

Wastewater Thurs, January 12 7:00-8:00 AM

Crystal Spring Wed, January 11 7:30-8:30 AM

a newsletter for the employees and families of the WVWA