CWEA 2017 Annual Conference – Call for Proposals

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Play a part in the upcoming 2017 CWEA Annual Conference to be held in Palm Springs from Tuesday, April 25 – Friday, April 28, 2017 by submitting an educational session proposal. The 2017 CWEA Annual Conference Education Program Team looks forward to working with you to design and develop meaningful sessions where participants can engage, connect and learn.ac17challenge-infographicv1

Over 1,000 professionals in the water and wastewater profession attend this highly regarded annual conference and individual sessions generally attract 40-100 people.  As a presenter, you will be able to share ideas to help our industry succeed and establish yourself as a thought leader in the water industry.

There is no limit to the number of sessions proposals that may be submitted by an individual, company, organization or institution. Please do consider partnering with others to submit one or more proposals – a collaborative approach to developing sessions is encouraged.

Since session proposals are collected using an electronic survey system, we suggest that you first collect your thoughts by reviewing this PDF of the proposal form.  Sample proposals are available to help get you started. Check out additional conference information and process details at Proposal Requirements.  All proposals must be submitted online by midnight PST on Friday, October 14, 2016.

For questions, please contact Monica Myhill, CWEA Director of Education, by phone: 510.382.7800 x 103 or email: mmyhill@cwea.org.

Once you have your ideas together, simply click on the “Submit a proposal” button below to begin.

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CWEA Leader in Water Research to Speak at 2016 Clarke Prize Conference

Focus is on Innovations in Water Quality Assessment and Sustainable Water Supply Practices

Water quality and resource experts from across the nation are coming to Southern California to talk about the most groundbreaking research and activities in urban water sustainability during the 2016 Clarke Prize Conference, to be held on Friday, November 4, 2016, in Newport Beach, California, by the National Water Research Institute (NWRI).

Register now to attend this distinguished event, which will include sessions focused on emerging issues in urban water quality, new methods to assess water quality, and addressing challenges to urban water sustainability.  CWEA member Ryan Reinke of Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts will be presenting on “Antibiotics … Resistance is Futile: Presence, Impact, and Treatment and Removal of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria in Water” with Walter Jakubowski, WaltJay Consulting.

Other confirmed speakers include:

  • Joan Rose, Michigan State U., on “Legionella and the Revolution in Water Distribution Microbiology”
  • Channah Rock, U. Arizona, on “Advances in Methods to Assess Microbial Water Quality”
  • David Sedlak, UC Berkeley, on “The Fifth Water Revolution”
  • Pedro Alvarez, Rice U., on “Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment: A Vision to Enable Decentralized Water Treatment and Reuse”
  • Sybil Sharvelle, Colorado State U., on “Public Health Guidance on Implementing Decentralized Non-Potable Water Systems”

NWRI also will honor public health microbiologist Mark Sobsey as the twenty-third recipient of the NWRI Athalie Richardson Irvine Clarke Prize for excellence in water research.  Sobsey is the Kenan Distinguished Professor of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He will be presented with a medallion and $50,000 award during the Clarke Prize Award Ceremony and Dinner on November 3, 2016.  More information about the conference and dinner, including sponsorship opportunities, can be found at www.clarkeprize.com.

CWEA Comments on ELAP Regulations Development and Laboratory Standard

In response to community requests, including CWEA’s comment letter, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) has extended the comment period for the October 6thpublic workshop regarding the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) regulations development and preliminary recommendation for a laboratory accreditation standard to Thursday, October 20, 2016, by 12:00 noon.

On September 1, 2016 the ELAP informed the Environmental Laboratory Technical Advisory Committee (ELTAC) that ELAP will recommend to the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) the adoption of the 2016 (The) NELAC Institute Standard (TNI 2016). This standard would be used to certify all wastewater labs in California to analyze their regulatory required samples. By recommending adoption of this standard, ELAP set aside the ELTAC recommendation to adopt a Quality Management System (QMS) building on the USEPA Quality Management System guidelines and adding in elements that the agency partners desired, referred to as “California Plus.”

On September 6, 2016 the State Water Board sent a notice of opportunity for public comment and notice of public workshop for October 6, 2016 regarding ELAP regulations development and preliminary staff recommendation for laboratory standard. The deadline to submit California State Water Resource Control Board Members was 9/15/16.

CWEA submitted a comment letter to the State Water Board requesting a comment period of at least 30 days to allow sufficient time to obtain and review this newly published document.

CWEA also addressed the lack of technical certification recognition in the TNI document. Technical certifications are a critical component in any standard for wastewater labs the state adopts to ensure that lab staff have the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities in the very specific field of wastewater analysis.

CWEA also feels that the existence of more labs, not fewer, is better for the environment. The TNI standard is overly complex for California’s hundreds of small labs. CWEA feels the adoption of this standard will force the closure of labs due to increased (unattainable) staffing needs, as has been documented in the few states that have adopted TNI standards without exception for non‐ commercial municipal laboratories. This is a major reason why the ELTAC recommended the “California Plus” option to ELAP at the August 24th ELTAC meeting and rejected the TNI standard.

View CWEA’s comment letter here. Continue reading →

P3S Facility of the Year Awards

From Casey Fitzgerald, P3S Awards Co-Chair

Do you know an industrial user that should be recognized for their efforts and performance in process wastewater pretreatment technology, material recycling, waste minimization, pollution prevention practices, or stormwater runoff control programs? Here is your chance to provide them the recognition they deserve.

The CWEA Pretreatment, Pollution Prevention, and Stormwater (P3S) Committee is currently soliciting nominations for the 2016 Facility of the Year (FOTY) Awards. The FOTY Awards are intended to recognize industrial user sites for their outstanding and innovative solutions in multimedia waste management.

Nominations may be submitted online through the CWEA Awards website. Hard copy nominations are also accepted; the nomination package is available on the P3S website. Please review the criteria listed in the nomination package to determine the industrial users in your service area that you believe qualify to be nominated. Also, please include all supplemental materials and information which will assist the FOTY Awards Subcommittees in the proper review of your nominations.

Nominations are requested to be submitted by Friday, November 18, 2016 online to the CWEA Awards website or mailed to the addresses shown in the nomination package.  Please contact the FOTY Awards Subcommittee Chairperson of your State area if you have any questions about the FOTY Awards process. Your nominations for the FOTY Awards are greatly appreciated and are essential for the P3S Committee to continue recognizing the accomplishments and compliance of our regulated industries.

 

 

Sanitation Districts’ Wastewater Heroes

Sanitation Districts’ Wastewater Heroes: LA Wrecking Crew
screen-shot-2016-09-19-at-11-34-54-amThe Sanitation Districts’ LA Wrecking Crew recently showed their skills in the Operations Challenge demonstration at the Joint Administration Office. The demonstration simulated how the Districts’ operation and maintenance staff respond to emergencies such as piping failures or flooding. The event revealed the skill, athleticism and determination needed to win at both the state and national levels.

 

The Sanitation Districts’ Wrecking Crew has won 6 national titles and placed in the top 2 a total of 13 times over the last 24 years. The event has grown over the years with each participating State sending their best to compete. Celebrating its 28th year, the Operations Challenge has expanded from an original 22-team event to its current two-division format with more than 40 teams (44 in 2015).

 

The event started in 1988 as a way to bring professionals together from varying disciplines in an interactive forum. The Challenge is an opportunity to “professionalize” the role of the unsung water professional heroes who protect our valuable water assets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The interaction is key, each team consists of four members who collaborate on five events (Process, Laboratory, Collection Systems, Pump Maintenance, and Safety) that require different skills and highlight the complexity of the profession. Teamwork serves as their key to success both within the competition and on the job.

Continue reading →

Are We Ready for Climate Change?

October 13 | West Coast Technical Conference – Are We Ready for Climate Change?

The symposium will bring together regional experts to consider environmental challenges, approaches, and successes. Go to http://bit.ly/2016WestCoastEvent for more information and to register today. Focus on strategies implemented by proactive utilities.

The American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES) invites you to attend a panel discussion at Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) on Thursday, October 13, 2016.

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View the flyer for details.