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CHAIR
Marcus Lehotay marcus.lehotay@fairbornoh.gov
VICE-CHAIR
Mike Giangiordano Michael.Giangiordano@jacobs.com
AT-LARGE TRUSTEE
Daryl Bowling daryl.bowling@usgwater.com
AT-LARGE TRUSTEE
Jason Adkins jadkins@indianhill.gov
NE DISTRICT TRUSTEE
Denita Bonhart denita_bonhart@clevelandwater.com
NW DISTRICT TRUSTEE
Scott Ballenger sjballenger@aquaamerica.com
SE DISTRICT TRUSTEE
Luke Murry lmurry@gpdgroup.com
SW DISTRICT TRUSTEE
Lance Livesay Lance.livesay@amwater.com
TREASURER
Valerie Copanic vcopanic@warren.org
SECRETARY
George Sendrey gsendrey@envdesigngroup.com
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
Glenn Marzluf gmarzluf@delcowater.com
PAST CHAIR
Sam W. Jacob swjacob@cityofelyria.org
AWWA DIRECTOR Tyler Converse tyler.converse@cantonohio.gov EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Emily Pierson emily@assnoffices.com
Good day, Ohio Section colleagues – the seeds planted in the early spring have sprung, and summer is upon us! If you drive down any interstate or backroad, you will see corn, wheat, and soybeans popping up in their rows. Farmers don’t have to be the only one planting seeds, but each of us can be planting seeds of AWWA membership. AWWA is the premier organization for standards used in our industry.
I’d like to take a moment to share some of the things we have been working on this year: we extended our contract with AOM for three years, continued working with OWEA on several One Water related topics (including the Joint Conference and Government and Regulatory Affairs Workshop), formed ad-hoc committees to look into updating our certification training and to address our strategic planning, had representation at the AWWA Winter Board Meeting, started a partnership with Kelman and Associates to publish this newsletter, represented the Ohio Section at ACE, and many other tasks.
With the official start of summer on June 21, I think it is a good time to look at what is on the docket for training opportunities this summer.
• NW District Meeting – July 27
• SW District Meeting – July 28
• Cincinnati Race for Global Water – August 5
• Diversity in Water Speaker Series – September 14
The One Water Conference is right around the corner, August 21–24, and we will be bringing more water professionals together than ever before! We are anticipating over 300 exhibitors and 2,000 attendees from around the region and country to learn and showcase the latest and greatest in the industry. We have over 60 sessions related to the drinking and wastewater industries, including updates
from the Ohio EPA. The Conference Co-Chairs have been working diligently to make this the best conference ever; I can’t wait!
Next, I would like to thank our four outgoing Board members for their hard work and dedication to the organization. Their terms will end during the Business Meeting on August 23. We couldn’t exist if it wasn’t for people like you who were always willing to step up to the plate regardless of what was asked of you.
• Sam Jacob, Past Chair
• Danella Pettinski, AWWA Director
• George Sendrey, Secretary
• Daryl Bowling, At-Large Trustee
Additionally, I would like to thank all the members and volunteers for the Ohio Section AWWA, past and present, for their hard work and dedication to our Section and for providing our communities with the world’s most precious resource. As my term as Chair comes to an end in just a couple of months, I’d like to thank each one of you for all your hard work and support. Working together, we have made Ohio one of the best Sections in AWWA. I am going to miss working with each of you but look forward to what the future holds for our Section. I know that it is in good hands with Mike Giangiordano taking the wheel as Chair.
Finally, it is with a heavy heart that I share our good friend and colleague, Larry Valentine, passed away on June 6th. Larry was a constant fixture in the Ohio Section. He will be greatly missed. Please make sure to read stories from those who knew him best on page 24.
Working together, we have made Ohio one of the best Sections in AWWA.
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Having just returned from AWWA ACE 23 in Toronto, where I officially begin my 3-year term as the Ohio Section Director, I would first and foremost like to thank outgoing Director Danella Pettenski for her diligent service. Her insights and professionalism are always appreciated, as well as her knack for looking after those around her. She’s affectionately known as “Mom” by some of her closest colleagues that continue to benefit from her guidance. Thank you, Danella!
ACE 23 was a sure sign that things were returning to a post-pandemic normal, with 10,000+ attendees from across the globe partaking in networking and learning opportunities. For governing board members, the events started two days prior to the conference. The first day was marked with updates on a number of key relevant, issues such as the USEPA’s inclusion of cybersecurity requirements in a state’s sanitary survey requirements, dealing with emerging contaminants such as PFAS, and a continued focus on Low Income Assistance programs. We also discussed the ever-present Lead Service Line replacement issue. The Association and Ohio Section leadership continue to monitor all of these important topics as new information becomes available. Once available the information can be quickly passed on to folks at the utility level. Both the Association and the Sections are also actively engaged with the legislative and regulatory branches of government, representing water industry needs and concerns while maintaining a focus on safe and abundant drinking water.
I have a passion for promoting the value of in-person learning and networking opportunities for the drinking water community. I will be following up on this subject, especially at the district levels, in the months to come. In the meantime, keep an eye out for local training opportunities near you and make the effort to get yourself and your colleagues out and engaged.
I have a passion for promoting the value of in-person learning and networking opportunities for the drinking water community.
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the NEW magazine of the Ohio Section AWWA
Your Ohio Section Governing Board is very excited to present the new official OAWWA publication, Waterfront. We strongly believe that providing our membership with messages straight from their board, fresh ideas, technical articles and information relevant to this Section and its activities, is vital for the ongoing health of the water industry in Ohio. The new Waterfront magazine is an exciting way to connect our members with their leadership and to the professionals and services that make the water industry what it is. We invite all our members to consider submitting technical content for publishing, and look forward to the collaborative effort to drive constant improvement and learning within our Section.
GOVERNING BOARD
Chair
Vice-Chair
At-Large Trustee
At-Large Trustee
NE District Trustee
NW District Trustee
SE District Trustee
SW District Trustee
Treasurer
NAME EMAIL
Marcus Lehotay marcus.lehotay@fairbornoh.gov
Mike Giangiordano michael.giangiordan@jacobs.com
Daryl Bowling daryl.bowling@usgwater.com
Jason Adkins jadkins@indianhill.gov
Denita Bonhart denita_bonhart@clevelandwater.com
Scott Ballenger sjballenger@aquaamerica.com
Luke Murry lmurry@gpdgroup.com
Lance Livesay lance.livesay@amwater.com
Valerie Copanic vcopanic@warren.org
Secretary George Sendrey gsendrey@envdesigngroup.com
Assistant Treasurer (vacant)
Assistant Secretary
Glenn Marzluf gmarzluf@delcowater.com
Past Chair Sam W. Jacob swjacob@cityofelyria.org
AWWA Director
Danella Pettenski dpettenski@msconsultants.com
Incoming AWWA Director (ACE23) Tyler Converse tyler.converse@cantonohio.gov
DISTRICTS CHAIR EMAIL
NW District Chair
NE District Chair
SE District Chair
SW District Chair
Chad Slagle chadmslagle@gmail.com
Dave Gilbert david.gilbert@lakewoodoh.net
Rob Shoaf rshoaf@shoafconsulting.com
Jennifer Webster jennifer.webster@arcadis.com
COMMITTEES/COUNCILS CHAIR
Asset Management
Awards
Charitable Outreach
Competitions
Conference Co-Chair
Conference Co-Chair
Customer Service
Distribution
Diversity
Education
Lake Erie Water Plant
MAC
Membership
Newsletter
Nominating
Ohio WARN
Research
Scholarship
Sourcewater Protection
Technical Program
Technology
Utility Management
Water Utility Council
Young Professionals
STAFF
Executive Director
Association Services Coordinator
Annette Mollet annette.mollet@cantonohio.gov
Cliff Shrive cshrive.cincinnati@gmail.com
Alyssa Ramsey alyssa.ramsey@jacobs.com
Jay Cermenaro jcermenaro@aymcdonald.com
Dick Lorenz richard.lorenz@westerville.org
Charles Moore clmoore@columbus.gov
Kim Spiert kaspiert@columbus.gov
Sandra Vozar sandra.vozar@lakewoodoh.net
Trish Harrison tricia.harrison@gcww.cincinnati-oh.gov
Steve Heimlich sheimlichalmu@gmail.com
Sam Jacob sjacob@cityofelyria.org
Tony Lococo tony@hlbaker.com
Megan Patterson megan.patterson@stantec.com
Gene Miller millerle@bv.com
Mike Giangiordano
Tim Truman tim.truman@daytonohio.gov
Rod Dunn rjdunn@columbus.gov
Jason Phillips jphillips@findlayohio.com
Bruce Whitteberry bruce.whitteberry@gcww.cincinnati-oh.gov
Becky Andrus becky_andrus@clevelandwater.com
Shawn Wagner swagner@newarkohio.net
Joe Crea jcrea@raftelis.com
Sarah Affrunti affruntis@swwater.org
Sarah Hayes sarah.hayes@stantec.com
NAME EMAIL
Emily Pierson emily@assnoffices.com
Madeline Swain madeline@assnoffices.com
2023 Nominations
OH Section Vice Chair
OH Section SE District Trustee
AWWA Director
Tyler Converse, City of Canton (term began at ACE 2023)
Incoming OH Section Chair
Michael Giangiordano, Jacobs (term as Chair begins August 2023)
Luke Murry, GPD Group
OH Section Secretary
Glenn Marzluf, Del–Co Water
OH Section Treasurer
Valerie Copanic, City of Warren (special term of one year)
Tyler York, Black & Veatch
OH Section SW District Trustee
Jennifer Webster, Arcadis
Tyler holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Akron, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Walsh University. He is also a Stark County Government Leadership Academy graduate, and a past board member of Leadership Stark County, which exists under the umbrella of the Canton Chamber of Commerce.
Tyler has 34 years of experience in the drinking water industry. He was appointed Superintendent of the Canton Water Department in 2009. There, he is responsible for the comprehensive management of the municipal drinking water system which includes three water treatment plants, 750 miles of water distribution system pipe, three storage water reservoirs, the utility billing department, and a staff of 105 drinking water professionals. Tyler focuses heavily
on implementing best business practices for utility management, including infrastructure replacement, as he and the staff work to position Canton’s public water system for long-term success and viability.
Tyler has been actively involved in Ohio AWWA for 27 years, having previously served as Chair of the Research Committee, Chair of the Northeast District, At-Large Trustee on the Ohio Section Governing Board, and Ohio Section Chair. He served a three-year term as Chair of the Ohio AWWA Water Utility Council and is the current President of the newly formed Association of Ohio Drinking Water Agencies, or AODWA. Both of these groups play active roles in representing Ohio’s drinking water utilities on regulatory and legislative issues.
Tyler’s been married to his high school sweetheart, Lucy, for 34 years. The pair have two sons and have been recently blessed with their first grandchild.
Converse, BSc, MBA OAWWA Section Governing BoardMike has five years of experience as an Ohio Section AWWA Governing Board member, and nearly ten years of experience as a chair and contributing members of the Section’s committees. His career started 15 years ago as a consulting engineer in Columbus, Ohio, with early assignments on projects with inspection and construction management services at drinking water plants. He was mentored by plant management, operations and maintenance personnel who accepted him as one of their own, and taught him valuable professional lessons. Mike is grateful when applying these experiences and contributions as a consultant and as a Section member.
Mike’s commitment to AWWA began early in his career when a co-worker asked him to sit in on a Young Professionals Committee meeting. Soon after, he found himself the Chair of the same committee. Mike has served as the Ohio Section At-Large-Trustee, Assistant Treasurer and Newsletter Committee Chair. He is an active contributor with the Technology Committee and the One Water Task Force. He looks forward to learning from those that have been in the position before him, and continuing to serve in the name of safe drinking water. At Jacobs, Mike is a project manager, engineer and group leader for several design-focused team members.
Luke is the Treatment and Distribution Lead for GPD Group. In this role, he leads the firm’s water and wastewater treatment and distribution engineering and associated services. Luke is also responsible for supporting and fostering water sector growth in Kentucky and Pennsylvania. Luke is committed to providing safe drinking water and sewage treatment to the public. He is passionate about working with municipalities of all sizes to provide lasting, cost-effective solutions
Luke is a registered professional engineer in the state of Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, and has been a member of AWWA since beginning his career in 2006. He has served as the Membership Committee Chair of the eighth largest section throughout all the AWWA for over five years, and is still very active in this committee. In that capacity, Luke genuinely enjoys promoting and serving our great section and members. Finally, Luke is the Southeast District Representative to the Governing Board.
In addition to AWWA, Luke is also the co-coordinator for the Central Ohio Children’s Water Festival. This festival brings together approximately 650 central Ohio fifth graders to teach them about water, our most important natural resource. The children participate in hands-on workshops covering topics such as water conservation, water-related science principles, utility maintenance, infrastructure design, and much more. Within his community, Luke serves as a member of the Utility Committee that privately manages their own water treatment, sewer treatment and distribution/ collections facilities. This involvement has created an even deeper respect for entities providing these services and a greater drive to promote impactful change from our organization’s extremely knowledgeable voice. Outside of work, Luke enjoys mediocre golfing, woodworking, and most importantly, spending time with his wife April and their eight-year-old twins, Gabe and Aggie, preferably outside, and any activity in and around water.
Luke Murry, PE
Glenn has been the General Manager/CEO for the Del–Co Water Company since 2012. He has over 25 years of experience working in the utility and public works industry. He was previously employed as the General Manager of Utilities for the City of Sarasota, Florida and as Operations-Engineer at the City of Hilliard.
Glenn is a Board Member of the Association of Regional Water Organizations, the Ohio American Water
Valerie is the Superintendent at the Water Filtration Plant for the City of Warren, where she has been overseeing treatment, laboratory and maintenance operations over the last 17 years. She holds a Class IV Water Supply license and Chemical and Microbiological Laboratory Certification
Tyler has ten years of experience in the water and wastewater industry, and has focused his career on treatment facilities planning, design, optimization, and residuals management. He has been with Black & Veatch since 2013, where he is currently a Project Manager in the Columbus office. Tyler is a graduate of The Ohio State University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. Tyler has
Jennifer has been working at Arcadis in the field of water distribution planning for over 20 years. She started her career doing distribution modeling and design after returning from the Peace Corps, and going back to school for her engineering degree. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Kentucky.
Works Association, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, the Ohio Association of Drinking Water Agencies, and Preservation Parks of Delaware County. He is a registered Professional Engineer and possesses both a Class 2 Water Distribution License and a Water University Utility Management Certification.
He is an Ohio native and a graduate of The Ohio State University. He was awarded the President’s Award in 2015 by the Ohio Rural Water Association. He resides with his wife Anne and thier family in Delaware, Ohio.
from the Ohio EPA. She graduated from Youngstown State University with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry.
She is active within AWWA, serving on the Technical Program Committee, and has recently held the position as Treasurer on the Governing Board.
Valerie enjoys cooking, gardening, music, and sports. She loves spending time with her entire family, including her two children, Olivia and Mason.
been a member of AWWA since 2011, and has previously served as Chair of the Ohio Section YP Committee. In this role, Tyler actively sought to expand the committee’s size and engagement across the state and promoted causes important to the success of our industry’s Young Professionals.
Tyler is an active outdoorsman: he enjoys frequent hiking and camping trips with friends and family. He is also an avid backyard gardener. Tyler and his wife, Jennifer, have three children: Jacob, age five, Joanna, age three, and Amelia, age one.
Jennifer is currently the office manager for the Cincinnati Arcadis office, and manages water projects throughout Ohio. She is also a technical advisor on planning projects throughout the U.S. and internationally. Helping clients find sustainable solutions and solving distribution issues is what she loves most. For the last 15 years, Jennifer has been actively involved in Ohio AWWA after joining the Distribution Committee and then spending five years on the committee board. In 2018, she was elected to the SW District board, and is currently serving as the SW District Chair.
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AWWA Press Release – March 22, 2023
More than 140 water leaders from throughout the United States gathered in Washington, D.C. today to advocate for smart water policy to members of Congress at the 21st AWWA Water Matters! Fly-In.
During the two-day event, delegates bring forth issues of interest from their home states and elevate four national issues on behalf of all water utilities, which include: Supporting water infrastructure funding, protecting utilities from liability concerns in cases of (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) PFAS contamination, considering the best approaches to cybersecurity oversight and funding source water protection work through the 2023 reauthorization of the U.S. Farm Bill.
The Wednesday morning briefing was also an occasion to recognize a significant victory accomplished through previous AWWA fly-ins. Staff from the EPA were on hand to celebrate the 100th loan from the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program, which was created by legislation crafted by AWWA and promoted by AWWA delegates over several years.
This year’s AWWA delegates at the Water Matters! Fly-In brought are bringing four national issues to the attention of Congress:
Support the ‘Polluter Pays’ Principle in PFAS Cleanup
• Support an explicit legislative exemption from liability under CERCLA (Superfund) for water systems acting in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations in the event of PFAS contamination.
Building cybersecurity resilience in the water sector
• Authorize a coregulatory model, similar to that of the energy sector, to provide a foundation for implementing minimum cybersecurity requirements, defined by the water sector, with oversight from EPA.
• Support capacity development programs to expand outreach for training programs – such as those offered by AWWA – through small systems grants provided by EPA and U.S. Department of Agriculture.
• Establish a dedicated funding program to expedite implementation of cybersecurity best practices in the water sector, funded at a level comparable to the Rural and Municipal Utility Advanced Cybersecurity Grant and Technical Assistance Program created for the energy sector. Support source water protection through the Farm Bill
• Protect the 10% set aside for source water protection in the upcoming Farm Bill.
• Ensure that the 10% set-aside applies only to conservation funds included in the Inflation Reduction Act by moving those funds into the Farm Bill baseline.
• Make improvements to Natural Resource Conservation Service programs and practices that will help continue to advance source water protection.
Invest in the nation’s water infrastructure
• Support full funding for Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and WIFIA at or above the authorized amount.
• Halt the practice of taking funding for earmarks out of the annual SRF appropriations.
• Restore the tax‐exempt benefits of advanced refunding of municipal bonds.
L to R: Jeff Swertfeger, Rob Munro, Cliff Shrive, Dave Weibrauch, Annette Mollet, Sarah Affrunti, Glenn Marzluf, Robin Rupe
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15.____ sand, 0.20 to 0.30 mm
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An estimated 10,000 water professionals from throughout the world gathered today at the Enercare Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to kick off the American Water Works Association’s Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE23) and collaborate on creating a sustainable and resilient future for the water community.
ACE23, June 11-14, featured 20 professional learning tracks and 126 sessions, including 29 sessions that were streamed virtually. The exposition showcased more than 450 water technology providers and innovators in more than 900 booths. The event also featured several competitions, including the Best of the Best Water Taste Test, in which regional tap water taste champions competed for the best tasting water in North America; and the Pipe Tapping competition, in which water utility teams raced against one another to swiftly drill into a water pipe and deliver water to a tap.
The packed Opening General Session featured a presentation by disruption strategist and best-selling author Shawn Kanungo, who spoke on the theme of Creating the Future Together by integrating concepts from AWWA’s Water 2050 initiative to explore how organizations and individuals can become more adaptable, experimental, and collaborative in navigating the future. The old adage that knowledge is power will shift to ‘boldness is power’ in the age of
artificial intelligence, he said, adding that “the most valuable job today is actually being a value creator, an innovator.”
This conference theme is ‘ACE23: The Future of Water is 2050,’ which
aligns with AWWA’s Water 2050 initiative seeking to establish a long-term vision for the future of water. This collaborative exploration is charting a course for a successful and sustainable water sector.
Columbus Tapping Team: Patrick Crumley, Chris Briggs, Daniel McClain, and Jimmy Roberts
Front (L to R): Denita Bonhart, Emily Pierson, Sierra McCreary, Danella Pettenski. Back row: Tyler Converse, Brian Haemmerle
Billy Fagan, Second Place winner of the Fresh Ideas Poster Competition
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By your very good friend and partner in crime, Tim Wolfe
Over the decades, I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of writing several articles for the Ohio AWWA Section Newsletter and delivering numerous presentations at Section and District functions. Never have I been so honored as being asked to share a few of Larry Valentine’s water industry innovations that made a significant difference in our Ohio Section.
Yes, Larry was well known and loved for his easy-going demeanor and friendship with so many in the water industry, but he was continually working to make our Section the best it could be. If you wanted something important and difficult done, give it to Larry. Pretty sure his middle name was either ‘relentless’ or ‘tenacious.’
I have been visiting Larry as often as possible these past few years as he battled with his illness – at his apartment in Little Italy when he was
receiving treatment at the Cleveland clinic, at Union Hospital in Dover when he was recovering from treatment, at the assisted-living facility in New Philadelphia where he passed, and at his home in New Philadelphia, on Buckeye Street, of course. Nick Pizzi often joined me, and Ron Schwarzwalder flew in from New Mexico a few times. I understand Jill Taptich was visiting with Larry as well. Larry and I were both born in Tuscarawas County at Twin Cities hospital in Dennison, Ohio (but not at the same time: we’ve been accused of being joined at the hip but we’re not twins.) Larry grew up there, and I in the neighboring town of Uhrichsville. We didn’t know each other growing up, but when we met professionally in the early 80s, we realized that we had many, many friends in common, and more importantly, a strong shared passion for making positive things happen in our water industry.
As most of you know, Larry and I bantered about the vertically-challenged issue in a good-natured manner. I won’t bore you with all the times I played that card, but I will share with you one of my favorites. I told many people over the years that Larry had a full-sized statue of himself on the Quad at OSU, but you could only see it after they cut the grass. One Water is approaching, and let’s share our favorite Larry Valentine stories when we run into each other. In the meantime, I’d like to share some of the innovative,
original things Larry did that have made a huge difference in our Section.
Larry’s early life led him to a career in water and wastewater treatment. While at St. Mary’s grade school, Larry met his future wife and the love of his life, Carol (affectionately known as Ms Wainwright). They were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Jen, who adored her father. Larry and Carol shared 52 years of marriage. No regrets! Larry was blessed to have Carol and Jen walk with him each step as he valiantly fought and ultimately lost the battle to his illness. Truly a wonderful family.
Larry graduated from St. Mary’s High School as the class valedictorian and a member of various sport teams.
He continued his formal education at The Ohio State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Civil Engineering and Master of Science. Larry enrolled in ROTC, and served two years as a Lieutenant in the Army Quartermaster Corps, for which he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal ( i.e., his over-achiever, ‘get things done’ status had already begun.)
Following his military service, Larry and Carol moved to Cuyahoga Falls, where they lived until 2016. Larry initially worked for the Ohio EPA for four years. Larry was very active in OTCO early in his professional career and served several years as trustee. Who still remembers completing the Class I online self-study course with Larry to get your first operator license?
Larry was a Professional Civil Engineer and held the highest Ohio Water and Wastewater licenses. He served as the Water Utilities Superintendent for the City of Cuyahoga Falls, retiring after 28 years of service. Several of us roasted Larry at his retirement party, surprise, surprise. People were taken aback when I ended
with a slide of Ted Burton showing that he and Larry were starting a snow-blowing business. Pretty sure four nuns fainted … you had to be there to understand.
After retirement from Cuyahoga Falls, Larry served three utilities: as Service Director for City of Monroe Falls, Marketing Director for Aqua Ohio and as Water Consultant for AEGIS Insurance Services from New Rutherford, NJ.
Larry received several prestigious awards while serving the water industry, including the George Warren Fuller Award, and National AWWA Honorary Member. He received numerous membership awards as he recruited roughly 200 new members, prompting the Ohio Section to name the Larry
When I first became involved with Ohio AWWA, Larry was one of the people that welcomed me and encouraged me to become a member. He made me feel like I had joined a really cool professional family. Attending the Annual Conference continues to be one of the highlights of my year because of all the amazing people involved in the water industry… and hanging out with Larry was always a highlight of that highlight! I looked forward to seeing Larry each year and joining him as a Water Taste Test judge! For as many years as I can remember, Larry and I served as judges at the State conference… We always had a fun time selecting the best tasting water in Ohio! Ever the photographer, Larry always tried to get a picture of us all tasting the water… and made sure to tell us to look serious! Larry was instrumental in my continued involvement with OAWWA, and I will always be grateful for the time we got to spend together at Section events.
– Gina Hayes
Ron Schwarzwalder, Tim Wolfe and Larry at a Cleveland State Conference: los tres amigos.
Larry’s St. Mary’s HS Basketball team: and no, he was not the center.
Larry was very instrumental in my career path and my journey with AWWA. He was a mentor, role model and certainly a hard act to follow: and not to mention, he had good taste by choosing me as his twin brother from another mother!
– Bob Davis
Valentine Recruitment Award in his honor. Who can remember Larry giving back the finder’s fee to the new member to encourage them to join Ohio AWWA?
He served as both Chair of the Governing Board and International Director for the Ohio Section AWWA. He also served as Editor of the Ohio Section Newsletter for over 20 years, bringing Section news and relevant technical articles to the membership, while simultaneously relentlessly soliciting annual ads to fund the Newsletter. Without Larry, there would have been years without a Section Newsletter.
Larry was as well connected and loved at the National AWWA level as he was in our Section. He easily could have been elected National President
commitment
(maybe even emperor), but working for a smaller town, the financial and timecommitment support needed wasn’t available to him. Realizing that having a National President was beneficial to a Section, Larry worked hard to assist Ron Schwarzwalder and then Marlay Price in their separate quests to become national AWWA President. Once they each had been elected, he organized every aspect of their inaugural parties and tirelessly solicited donations to fund the events.
they each on
Twenty-five years ago, consultants couldn’t serve on the Water Utility Council (WUC), and the Council was focused on discussing regulations with Ohio EPA that had been promulgated by US EPA. Innovative and high-rate treatment technologies could not be installed by Ohio PWSs since these technologies didn’t have design criteria in Ten-State standards. I approached Larry and Ron Schwarzwalder about establishing some kind of formal technical interaction between the Section and Ohio EPA. The Board eventually approved an Emerging Technology subcommittee under WUC; which became a separate Research & Technology Committee and now the Technology Committee. The Guidelines, white papers, etc. that have come from quarterly meetings of that Committee have been estimated to have saved Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus collectively over $0.5 B in capital costs. Numerous small and medium PWSs in Ohio have also benefited. All because I asked the right two people to do
Ohio AWWA crowd at DC ACE, where Ron Schwarzwalder became national AWWA President.
South Fork at Dallas ACE : theValentines, Tim Wolfe and Mike Caprella, with John Sadzewicz on the right.
something important but difficult – and because the Chief of drinking water at Ohio EPA happened to be an openminded, big-picture guy. A man named John Sadzewicz who Larry and others later had a hand in establishing an award honoring John.
Larry and other Section members attended the annual Water-tasting competition in West Virginia for a few years. Next thing you know, he had established one in our Section that has become a big deal.
You might think that is a lot for one person to do for Ohio AWWA. But there was more: from judging science fairs, reviewing Fresh Ideas submittals from the Young Professionals Group, and
waging his epic pool table battles with various Section members, there was much more that even I as his good friend could not keep up with.
Larry was equally active in his private life. He was heavily involved with the Catholic church in Cuyahoga Falls, and the Knights of Columbus. He was always willing to coach one of Jen’s sport teams and golf with Ms. Wainwright. It appears Larry bantered readily with folks outside of the water industry as well.
They say busy persons do twice as much as most people – Larry did 10-times as much as anyone.
Numerous women received kind, light-hearted cards from Larry each Valentine’s Day. It was harmless and
well received, and I can’t count the number of times women have come up to me and told me how special they felt. I, and your other male friends are finally willing to forgive you, Larry, for never sending us one. Rest in peace, our friend: you certainly earned it!
Larry and I were attending the annual Berkely Springs Water Tasting Contest in West Virginia, and we stayed together in a room there. After an evening of our usual eating, drinking, and playing pool, we got back to the hotel and went to sleep. In the middle of the night, I got up and walked directly into the corner of a small partial divider wall between our beds, and split my head wide open. Needless to say, our conversation the next morning was hilarious, and quite frankly, we laughed for months with associated jokes and photos of my face! Larry was such a great person, and his personality was one that attracted so many people and friendships. He loved his family and had a wonderful sense of humor to say the least. I was absolutely heartbroken when I heard of his passing and still, to this day, don’t feel that this is real. He will always have a place in my heart, and I will miss him forever.
– Scott Shellhammer
Larry’s 60th Birthday at his home in Cuyahoga Falls.
Greater Columbus Convention Center Columbus, OH
We are excited to have Donnell Duncan, PE, SE, join us at One Water 2023 as the keynote address. He is a speaker and author of eight books, with his most recent publication
A New Mindskin –Innovation, Creativity and Strategic Thinking for the Marketplace, released on January 1, 2022. He is a structural engineer, project manager and business development professional in the water/ wastewater industry. At the Water Environment Federation (WEF) he serves as the current Speaker of the House of Delegates (HOD) and Outreach Director of the Community Leadership Council (CLC). He is also past co-chair of the Board of Trustees DE&I Committee, past chair of the HOD DE&I Workgroup and past member of the Workforce D&I Task Force. At the American Water Works Association (AWWA), he is the incoming chair of the Diversity and Member Inclusion Committee, on which he has served multiple terms.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in applied physics from Morehouse College, as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering (structures) from Georgia Tech. He is a licensed Professional Engineer or Structural Engineer in 27 U.S. states, including California. He also earned ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace’ and ‘Ethical and Inclusive Leadership’ Certificates from the University of South Florida Muma College of Business. Working out of the Atlanta office of Arcadis, he serves as the Account Lead for several important Arcadis clients and leads the South Region of the Resilience (Water) Business Area Structural Engineering Group.
For the full technical schedule of events, please visit tinyurl.com/mtfthwt8
MONDAY, AUGUST 21
• Annual Golf Outing
• Plant Tour
• NEW! Community Outreach Event
• Ops Challenge
• Welcome Mixer
TUESDAY, AUGUST 22
• Kick-Off Breakfast
• Exhibit Hall
• Competitions
• Ops Challenge
• OWEA Awards Lunch
• Technical Sessions
• Tracks: Efficiency/Sustainability, Customer Service, Pretreatment, Sourcewater, Lab, Stormwater, Residuals/Recovery, DEI, Leadership & Workforce Development
• Exhibit Hall Mixer
• Meet & Greet
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23
• Technical Sessions
• Tracks: Treatment, Distribution, Collections, Utility Management, Asset Management, Operations & Maintenance, Regulatory
• Exhibit Hall
• OAWWA Member Appreciation Lunch
• Networking Happy Hour
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24
• Ohio EPA Updates
• Ethics
• Technical Sessions
• Tracks: Regulatory, Construction
An Assistant Administrator for the Columbus Division of Sewerage and Drainage (DOSD). I am responsible for overseeing the treatment staffing and operation for the Division, including the two Water Resource and Recovery Facilities, the Composting Facility, the Treatment Engineering group, the Laboratories, and the Industrial Pretreatment Group.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when I took on this role after the previous Assistant Administrator retired. I worked for the Columbus Division of Water for ten years as a Project Manager prior to taking this role, and I also worked with many of the DOSD staff. When I started work for the City back in 2011, it was a transition from the private design consulting industry into public utilities. At the time, I really did not know what it would be like on this side of the industry, but I now know that it was an excellent move. I love being some small part of the larger team that provides crucial utility services to the city that I live in, and seeing the bigger picture of how we impact the citizens of Columbus, the environment, and the industry in general, makes for such a proud and fulfilling career.
When I was on the Ohio AWWA Board, the D&I Committee was in need of a board liaison, so I got involved with the committee in order to represent the group. After I transitioned off the board, I decided to stay involved with the committee because it was such an important effort, and was spreading some great messages throughout the Association.
Diversity & Inclusion in the workforce is absolutely critical to a high-functioning, effective and desirable workplace. It is something that employers should be working toward, and employees should be embracing and promoting. If it is lacking in your workplace, speak up. If you have ideas for initiatives, offer them. If there are groups that support or recognize it, get involved. Your workplace, and our industry, will be better for it. And remember, diversity and inclusion involves everyone, and it takes an effort from everyone to ensure that it thrives in the workplace.
It means a work environment where everyone feels involved and represented, and no one feels marginalized or left out. In my career, I’ve seen a transformation of our industry that has made me feel more included, more empowered and more comfortable. I want everyone to be able to experience what I have, and to continue to see these improvements everywhere.
I can lead by example, and encourage awareness in others. I offer perspective, and challenge others to look for the unique perspectives of their colleagues. I have tough discussions and encourage openness and curiosity with my staff. I have been involved in many different Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives within and outside of my workplace, and have been able to implement discussion groups and disseminate information on this subject matter and its applicability in work and personal life. I also have a passion for advancing and supporting women in our industry. I have crossed paths with many others who have shown me this same encouragement, and I am able to pay it forward to continue that network of support.
All R.W. Sidley silica filter sands and gravels are washed, dried and screened at our Thompson, OH, plant. All silica filter sands meet AWWA specifications for granular filter media and are NSF Certified for Drinking Water System Components.
Filter Media Uses:
• Water well packing
• Potable drinking water treatment plants
• Wastewater treatment
• Commercial package plants
• Residential septic systems
• Rapid flow sand filters
• Sludge drying beds
• Industrial water treatment
R.W. Sidley, Inc. | Rob Sidley, VP Aggregate Sales 7123 Madison Road | PO Box 10 | Thompson, OH 44086 800.536.9343 | robsidley@rwsidley.com | www.rwsidley.com
OAWWA generously sponsors members of the YP Committee to attend the AWWA/WEF Young Professional’s Summit. This gathering aims to provide leadership training, spark inspiration, and facilitate networking opportunities for young professionals from across North America. Seven committee members attended this year’s event in Sacramento, California in March. We’d like to thank all OAWWA members (especially OAWWA’s Governing Board) for investing in our professional development.
From Sam Fuchs, OAWWA YPC Southeast District Representative:
I had a really positive experience at the YP Summit this year in Sacramento. The week really brought me closer to my fellow Ohio YPs, some of whom I was meeting for the first time. In that same vein, the summit was a great networking opportunity; I was able to meet a ton of great people from a range of careers, locations, and years of experience. The conference itself was inspiring. Hearing about the successes and failures of other chapters and learning from their experiences really brought me a new perspective and energy moving forward with the YP group. I would definitely attend future Summits! Almost 80% of people at this year’s summit were first time attendees, so there’s definitely value in attending annually and meeting new YPs!
A few words from the attendees:
From Elyse Bonner, OAWWA YPC University Liaison:
This was the first YP Summit I have ever attended, and the experience was invaluable. First, I was able to exchange information with YP Committees around the nation about events and recruitment that would be beneficial to bring to our committee. As a group, we were able to brainstorm innovative ideas for the future of the committee. In addition, it was transformative in enhancing my leadership abilities, such as making a personal marketing plan. As an engineering graduate student interested in policy, I found the talks about policy to be most valuable. They were informative about the state of our industry, and many of the talks helped enhance my future career direction. I even formed connections with YPs and UMC conference attendees working in water policy. I also enjoyed touring the Echo Water Project and learning about the Sacramento region’s water reuse initiatives. Lastly, the conference was a great opportunity to meet the OAWWA YPs I work closely with on the committee in person. Since we live in different state regions, it was great to connect personally and form greater relationships to further our mission on the YP Committee and in the water industry. I would love to attend next year’s YP Summit and look forward to it. I would absolutely recommend the summit to any YPs in the water industry!
Ohio’s Fresh Ideas delegate, Billy Fagan, traveled to Toronto, ON in June to compete in the national poster competition. We’re proud to announce that he placed second overall with his poster presentation titled ‘Kinetics and mechanism of ultrasonic defluorination of fluorotelomer sulfonates.’ Congratulations Billy and thank you for representing the Ohio AWWA Section so well!
The OAWWA YP committee organizes the state’s Fresh Ideas Competition each year at the One Water conference. This competition provides students and recent graduates an opportunity to present their drinking water-related research. Students present either a poster or technical oral presentation, competing for cash prizes and a sponsored trip to ACE, the national AWWA conference, to compete as Ohio’s delegate. This year at One Water, the poster presentations will take place at 10:30 AM on Tuesday near the OAWWA YPC booth. The three technical oral presentations are as follows:
• ‘Ultrasound as a Source Water Reservoir Management Strategy to Control Cyanobacteria Blooms’ on Tuesday at 2:30 PM by Mark Tischer from The Ohio State University
• ‘Identifying the Adsorption of Specific Natural Organic Matter Components to Powdered Activated Carbon’ on Wednesday at 8:45 AM by Yuzhou Huang from The Ohio State University
• ‘Optimizing Microorganism Inactivation, Repair Inhibition, and Electrical Efficiency of Multi-Wavelength and Alternative-Energy UV’ on Wednesday at 3:30 PM by Daniel Ma from The Ohio State University
Pictured (Left to Right): Sam Fuchs, Dane Elliott, Elyse Bonner, Sarah Hayes, Shannon Thayer, Gianna DiCarlo, Josh FuchsWarren County Career Day – May 2, 2023
YP committee member, Candice Taylor, held an event for Warren County Career Center juniors and seniors studying technology, electrical technicians, engineer mechanics, environmental science, and heavy machinery to spread the word about job opportunities within the water and wastewater industries. The students were very engaged and asked about water towers, reservoirs, field sampling, and main breaks. They also asked about specific types of job positions and potential job duties. Candice even had a heavy machinery student ask, “Do you guys even use heavy machinery?” She responded perfectly with, “I am pretty sure backhoes, bobcats, bulldozers, cranes, and even trench diggers are considered heavy machinery, but you tell me!”
The OAWWA Young Professionals Southwest District partnered with the American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA) to put on a webinar with contact hours. Attendees learned the basics of membrane treatment and technology. The speakers were John Tonner, the Executive Director of AMTA, and Samantha Black, a Water/Wastewater Engineer at HDR in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Westerville South AP Environmental Science Class Event –May 10, 2023
YP committee members, Erik Fulton and Sam Fuchs, gave a presentation about the AWWA and the variety of careers available in the water industry. The presentation covered employment with consultant engineering firms, regulatory agencies, utilities, etc. The around twenty students in attendance had a lot of good questions and were fairly engaged. Some students came up for further questions after the presentation. The teacher was happy with the event and wants OAWWA to return next year.
Congratulations to our State Science Day Winners
Grades 5 – 6
First – Wyatt Stephens from Martins Ferry, OH with ‘Does salinity affect the rate of evaporation?’
Second – Carter Julian from Bellbrook, OH with ‘The Best Drinking Water’
Grades 7 – 9
First – Lucas D’Cruz from Shaker Heights, OH with ‘Best Simple Filtration Method for Water’
Second – Samhita Paranthaman from Mason, OH with “Utilizing a cost-effective tool to identify Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) in a freshwater ecosystem”
Honorable Mention – Clare McCabe from Wadsworth, OH with “The Effects of Electronic Waste on Water”
Grades 10 – 12
First – Elizabeth Theobald from Archbold, OH with “Trihalomethane Occurrence and Formation within Water Distribution Systems Impacting Public Schools”
Second – Courtney Clark from Warren, OH with “Rain Water vs. Other Types of Water on Plant Growth”
Honorable Mention – Macy Ladd from Put-in-Bay, OH with “Wastewater’s Effect on the Dissolved Oxygen of Lake Water with Reference to the Hypoxia Threshold”
After a four year pause due to the COVID pandemic, the Central Ohio Children’s Water Festival is back and better than ever. Our YPC volunteers enjoyed sharing the excitement of the water industry with over 600 fifth graders at the event this past May. Thank you to the OAWWA for being an ‘Ocean’ level sponsor for the event, and for continuing to inspire the next generation of water industry experts!
Are you a college student interested in learning more about the water industry or do you know one? OAWWA has generously sponsored a limited number of student memberships FREE to students who reach out to Megan Patterson at mpatterson@brwncald.com. Signing up is easy! What are you waiting for?
Are you interested in becoming a part of the OAWWA YP Committee? YP members are encouraged to join monthly YP Committee calls before committing to a role. Please email Dane at dane.elliott@stantec.com to be added to the meeting invitation and get involved! Current open committee positions include:
• NW District Co-Representative
• NW District Early Education Ambassador
• NE District Co-Representative
• SW District Early Education Ambassador
• Secretary
• University Liaison
• YP/Membership Committee Liaison
Miranda, hello and welcome! Can you provide us some background on where you went to school and how you got started in the industry?
I went to Ohio State in 2013, and transferred into Environmental Engineering after taking a hydraulics class, where I fell in love with everything about it! In December 2017, I graduated with a B.S. in environmental engineering and accepted a full-time offer from AECOM after my internship in the Columbus office that summer.
What is your favorite part of being in the water/wastewater industry?
My favorite part is just how actively engaged, in a diverse number of ways, that the industry as a whole is. Even looking outside of being involved in AWWA, there’s professionals involved in OWEA, ASCE, STEM outreach, teaching, volunteering through Engineers without Borders and FLOW, etc.
What do you like about OAWWA?
I may be a little biased here, but my favorite events are the Race for Global Water 5Ks. I do also enjoy the variety of events that AWWA puts on and how wide a net they cast with multiple committees and roles you can take on within those.
What are some of your favorite things to do in your free time outside of work and OAWWA?
I have been enjoying slowly going to visit the National Parks and camping and backpacking those areas. I also try to spend as much time as possible boating, kayaking, or doing anything on the water! When the weather keeps me indoors, I enjoy doing puzzles and snuggling with my pup, Lucy.
Thank you, Miranda, for speaking to us about your experience in the industry and in OAWWA. And most importantly, thank you for your service to the Charitable Outreach Committee and water industry!
Industry. Transforming Your Experience.
Chloride (Cl-) is a naturally occurring ion that is present in all natural waters. While chloride is an essential nutrient for human health, increasing use of it associated with human activities contributes to the concentration in streams and groundwater. Effects of high chloride include unpleasant taste, corrosion of metal pipes and fixtures, and increased water treatment costs. U.S. EPA has established a secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL) of 250 mg/L Cl- in drinking water to manage aesthetic effects (i.e., taste and odor).
The Ohio EPA’s Ambient Groundwater Monitoring Program (AGWQMP) provides ground water quality data (raw, untreated water) to characterize source water quality from a network of over 200 public and private water wells across the state. Data from this network were used to characterize chloride concentrations in Ohio’s major aquifers and evaluate changes over time in groundwater quality.
Most unimpacted waters in Ohio contain chloride concentrations < 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L), with chloride concentrations in precipitation and in unimpacted streams typically < 1 mg/L (Mulaney, et al, 2009). Chloride concentrations > 20 mg/L in groundwater are considered by many researchers as an indicator of anthropogenic impact (Panno, et al, 2006; Mullaney, et al, 2009). The 20 mg/L limit was used to distinguish impacted vs. unimpacted wells for this study.
There are many sources of chloride in Ohio’s groundwater, both naturally occurring and anthropogenic. Naturally occurring sources include the dissolution of evaporite minerals found in Silurian carbonates in western and northwestern Ohio, mixing of groundwater with sequestered, connate brines in Devonian
and Pennsylvanian shales, and occasional upwelling of oil field brines from Paleozoic petroleum reservoirs into overlying aquifers (Drever, 1988; Hem, 1985; Panno, et al, 2006). Numerous anthropogenic sources also contribute to the chloride load in Ohio’s groundwater. Sodium chloride (road salt) is the most widely used highway deicing material on Ohio roads and is a primary source of chloride in groundwater (Kunze & Sroka, 2004). Wastewaters from municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities and private septic systems typically contain elevated chloride concentrations that, when discharged, mix with groundwater. Agricultural application of potash (potassium chloride) fertilizer is a common source of elevated chloride in groundwaters. Leakage of oil field brines through failed seals in oil or gas wells or infiltration from oil/gas well waste fluid holding basins are an uncommon, but documented source of chloride contamination to groundwater and drinking water wells in Ohio (Kell, 2011).
Chloride concentrations in Ohio’s groundwater
Ohio’s aquifers can be divided into three major types: unconsolidated sand and gravel, sandstone, and carbonate. Median chloride concentrations are highest in unconsolidated
aquifers, intermediate in sandstone aquifers and lowest in carbonate aquifers. Median chloride concentrations exceed the 20 mg/L indicator of impact in unconsolidated and sandstone aquifers and are just below 20 mg/L in carbonate aquifers. The higher chloride concentrations in unconsolidated aquifers reflect the fact that larger, public water systems (PWSs) tend to be in more populated, developed land use settings near more chloride contaminant sources, and tend to target unconsolidated aquifers to achieve the necessary, higher yields. Additionally, the higher yielding unconsolidated aquifers tend to have higher sensitivity (compared to sandstone, carbonate aquifers) to contamination from overlying development.
Dominant land uses near Ohio’s PWS wells in this study are characterized as developed, forested or agricultural. While median chloride concentrations in wells in developed, forested, and agricultural land use settings all exceed the 20 mg/L impact indicator, median chloride concentrations in wells in developed land use settings are higher at a statistically significant level compared to those in forest or agricultural land use settings. This is attributed to increased chloride sources in developed areas.
Chloride concentrations can also be related to well casing length/depth. Median chloride concentrations are highest in shallow (< 50 ft. deep) wells and decrease with depth down to approximately 125 ft below ground surface, at which point differences in chloride concentrations by depth become negligible. These results are consistent with other studies (Katz, et al, 2011 and Mullaney, et al, 2009) that conclude that shallow wells with shorter pathways from surficial chloride sources (i.e., road salt, failing septic systems) to well screens had higher chloride concentrations than deeper wells. Median chloride concentrations for all casing length ranges exceed the 20 mg/L impact indicator.
Chloride concentrations also varied temporally. A statistically significant increasing trend in chloride concentrations over time was detected in 57% of wells analyzed and of these wells, 78% have shallow well casings indicating a relation between increasing chloride and surficial sources of chloride. A statistically significant decreasing trend was detected in 10% of the wells, and no significant trend was detected in the remaining 33%.
Despite evidence of widespread and significant chloride contamination in groundwater, concentrations in most samples are still < 250 mg/L SMCL. However, as chloride concentrations continue to rise with increased use of chloride related anthropogenic activities, it is important to continue monitoring this issue.
For more information about the Ohio EPA AGWMP and to see more detailed information about water wells, please visit epa.ohio.gov/monitor-pollution/maps-and-advisories/ambientground-water-monitoring.
Phosphates are primarily used in water treatment to help control corrosion and scaling. All phosphates contain the element phosphorous. The term ‘phosphate’ is often used informally to describe any phosphate or phosphorous containing compound. However, ‘phosphate’ is defined as a salt or ester of phosphoric acid containing PO43-. Phosphates can be classified as orthophosphates, organically bound phosphates, or condensed phosphates (poly-phosphates).
Ortho-Phosphates:
Also known as reactive or inorganic phosphorus, ortho-phosphates are typically dosed as phosphoric acid (orthophosphoric acid) or one of its salts (e.g., zinc-ortho-phosphate). Reactive phosphorous is
the only form that is directly measured using colorimetric methods typically used for residual sampling and is the most important in forming insoluble minerals to control corrosion.
Condensed/Poly-phosphates:
This kind of phosphate is made of polymers of orthophosphate connected in linear or branched chains, and technically defined as containing two or more phosphate units. They include metaphosphate, pyrophosphate, and polyphosphate. In aqueous solution, they carry a large negative charge and sequester cations, thus their usage to prevent aesthetic concerns associated with reduced forms of iron, manganese, and calcium. Poly-phosphates are generally mixed with ortho-phosphate and come in different ratios, expressed as ortho/poly blend percent. Since ortho-phosphate is the only form that is directly measured using colorimetric methods, this makes analysis of poly-phosphates more involved than a simple test that can be run outside of the laboratory.
Analytical methods:
The colorimetric method commonly used to determine ortho-phosphate residual uses ammonium molybdate and ascorbic acid. These chemicals react only with phosphorous associated with an ortho- phosphate moiety. This is how the U.S. EPA-approved Standard Method 4500-PE, works. The output of the analysis can be changed to display two different chemical form units:
1. Ortho-phosphate, mg-PO4/L (ortho-phosphate as ortho-phosphate) or;
2. Ortho-phosphate, mg-P/L or PO4-P/L (Ortho-phosphate as phosphorous)
To express the concentration as phosphorous, multiply the ortho-phosphate reading by 0.33. 0.33 is derived from the atomic mass ratio of P in PO4 (i.e., neglecting the atomic mass of oxygen).
PO4=94.97 g/mol
O=15.99 g/mol
P=30.97 g/mol
P/PO4=30.97/94.97=0.326=0.33
Since only ortho-phosphate is measured in the colorimetric field assay, you cannot determine ‘total phosphorous’ by using this conversion factor for any solution containing condensed/ poly-phosphate. You can only express ortho-phosphate as
ortho-phosphate or ortho-phosphate in terms of phosphorous. These assay reagents will only react with the anionic ends of the poly-phosphate. Therefore, the ortho- concentration will be lower than the total phosphorous concentration.
The only way to get the true total phosphorous concentration for poly-phosphate (or blend) would be to perform acid digestion. This would break the ether bonds of the poly-phosphate, allowing detection of the hydrolyzed units to be read as ortho-phosphate, which would then be read analytically as total phosphorous (mg-P/L). One could also perform methods such as ICP-MS/AES to get a total phosphorus result.
For lead and copper rule compliance and reporting, it is critical to confirm which units for total and ortho-phosphate are being reported following laboratory analysis. If your water system has a Director Specified Optimal Water Quality Parameter set for a phosphate-based corrosion inhibitor, it is important to review the plan approval to ensure unit consistency. Per Ohio EPA’s MOR instruction document, total-phosphate should be reported as mg-P/L, whereas ortho-phosphate is to be reported as mg-PO 4 /L. Before applying any conversation factors, operators should contact their laboratory or check their handheld instrument to confirm the chemical form of ortho-phosphate (as PO 4 or as P) that is reported.
Waterfront is published three times a year and distributed to all Ohio Section members. Highlights include Association news and updates, regulatory updates from the Ohio EPA, timely technical articles, and so much more.
Currently accepting article reservations for:
• 2023 Fall issue
Deadline for technical content:
Fall issue: September 29
Article Requirements/Topics
Length:
• Maximum of 3,000 words or 6 pages including graphics, whichever is less
Graphics:
• Multiple graphics are encouraged
• Hi-res 300x300 dpi or greater
Format:
• Articles should be formatted in MS Word and include graphic and photo locations. All graphics should be submitted as separate files, in the highest resolution possible.
• The newsletter committee will review the articles and approve the content. Revisions may be requested.
Topics:
• Utility Projects
• Research
• Industry Events
• Industry News
• Technology
• Innovative Utility Member Solutions (think Opflow Gimmick & Gadgets)
How to submit articles: Send a request with synopsis of the article to oawwa@assnoffices.com
Technical articles should be submitted in a Word document file meeting the above criteria to oawwa@assnoffices.com.
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To reach water professionals through the Waterfront and their targeted readership, contact Jeff to discuss your company’s promotional plans.
