C Factor—Patrick “Murf” Murphy

C FACTOR Distribution and Collection

Patrick “Murf” Murphy

President, FWPCOA

Ihope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving and was able to find a turkey for their dinners. I’ve heard a few times that there is a turkey shortage. I also wish everyone happy holidays; seems like this year was the fastest one ever.

Does Time Fly?

Can you believe it’s been 15 years already since mandatory certification for water distribution operators came into effect? After Oct. 15, 2007, completion of an approved water distribution course and passing of the state of Florida distribution examination were required to be eligible for licensure.

Sadly, at a short school 35 years ago I recall listening to the leaders of FWPCOA discussing and pushing for mandatory certification for distribution system and collection system operators. A motion was made and passed at the Aug. 24, 1986, board of directors meeting for the Systems Operator Committee to formulate a petition and resolution supporting mandatory certification for system operators. The Jan. 17, 1987, meeting brought a motion (made and failed) to accept the bill as written.

Because I was a member of Region 10 at that time, and Katie Kinloch was FWPCOA’s president in 1989 and 1990, I remember that she went to speak with the house and senate committees (scared, but “willing and able”) and with the Florida League of Cities, which was only worried about certification causing cities to pay their operators more. On Nov. 3, 1991, a motion passed that, despite the position of the Florida League of Cities on mandatory certification of system operators, FWPCOA would continue its activities in pursuing the mandatory certification for system operator personnel.

On June 6, 1992, the board of directors voted to change the name “field technicians” to “systems operators.” We had excellent FWPCOA presidents waging the mandatory certification fight for years. The federal Safe Drinking Water Act amendments, which passed Congress in August 1996, initiated the draft water/wastewater operator certification program transfer legislation. Provisions were proposed by FWPCOA; one was mandatory continuing education units (CEUs). Chapter 62-699, F.A.C., required that, beginning on May 1, 2011, suppliers of water shall employ only persons appropriately licensed under Chapter 62-602, F.A.C., to be in onsite charge of any water distribution system operation or maintenance activity that may affect water quality or quantity and that is listed in Footnote 1 under the tables in subparagraphs 62-699.310(2)(f)1 and 2, F.A.C.

The water distribution system categories for systems connected to Class A, B, or C water treatment plants were broken down as follows: S Level 1 serving 100,000 or more persons S Level 2 serving at least 10,000 persons and less than 100,000 persons S Level 3 serving at least 1,000 persons and less than 10,000 persons S Level 4 serving less than 1,000 persons

Rewriting the Song

In regard to this situation, the title of the song “How Long Has This Been Going On” should be changed to “How Long Will This Keep Going On.”

The association has been providing voluntary certification for collection system operators for as long as I can remember. Looking through the policy and