A PUBLICATION
OF THE
RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION
OF
UTAH
Northern Conference Preview 2010 Utah State Legislation Results Source Water Protection
SUMMER 2010
Pump Sales & Service? Skip the sales pitches and come to the source. For over 85 years Nickerson Company has been providing complete, in house, sales, repairs and field services for pump users in the Intermountain West. It’s a fact, that no other pump company in the area has our experience, or offers our full range of products and in house services. When it comes to pumping equipment save time and money, skip the big talkers and come to source. • New pump sales, horizontal or vertical applications, any metallurgy, any horse power • Complete mechanical repair shop • Complete machine shop • Complete fabrication shop • Deep well pump removal & installation crews • Deep well video inspections and rehabilitation
Nickerson Company Inc.
www.nicopumps.com PH: (801) 973-8888
Supply Co.
Salt Lake City / Showroom 184 West 3300 South Salt Lake City, Utah 84115 (801) 484-8885 F (801) 484-6954
Orem / Showroom 1505 West 130 South Orem, Utah 84058 (801) 224-6050 F (801) 224-6058
Richfield / Showroom 2140 South Red Hills Dr. Richfield, Utah 84701 (435) 896-9606 F (435) 896-9607
Layton / Showroon 1435 West Hillfield Road Layton, Utah 84041 (801) 544-3027 F (801) 544-3813
Roosevelt / Showroom 1810 West Highway 40 Roosevelt, Utah 84066 (435) 725-0019 F (435) 725-0057
St. George / Showroom 631 East Commerce Drive St. George, Utah 84790 (435) 627-9510 F (435) 627-9501
Pleasant View 2714 North 1600 West Pleasant View, Utah 84404 (801) 544-3027 F (801) 544-3813
Agricultural / Turf Division 89 South 1500 West Orem, Utah 84058 (801) 224-6050 F (801) 224-6058
Monticello — Coming Soon Michael Francom (435) 459-9990
West Jordan 8152 South Welby Park Drive West Jordan, Utah 84088 (801) 613-3200 F (801) 613-3229
GOT PIPE? METERING SYSTEMS FORD METER BOX
All Proudly Supporting Rural Water
w w w.mt ncom.net
RWAU
Summer 2010
The Connector is the official publication of the Rural Water Association of Utah, and is published quarterly for distribution to all member rural and municipal water and wastewater systems, individual and associate members, legislators, water-related agencies, and other friends and supporters. In addition, the January issue, which contains information about our February annual conference, is sent to every waterworks person in the state whether a member or not. The Rural Water Association of Utah (RWAU), an affiliate of the National Rural Water Association, is a non-profit trade organization of small water and wastewater utilities.
Table of Contents President’s Message
7
Executive Director’s Comments
8
Letters From Readers
9
Legislative Update
10
Rural Water News
11
Advanced Distribution, Chuck Jeffs
13
Why Adequate Revenues Are So GOSH DARN IMPORTANT, Curtis Ludvigson
17
Something to Make Your Day, Dave Pugsley
19
Source Water Protection, Mike Osborn
20
My Engineer Charges How Much?! Nathan Hall
21
Critical Data Backup, Terry Smith
23
Where in Utah?
25
Index of Advertisers
26
Rural Water Association of Utah 76 Red Pine Drive Alpine, UT 84004 Phone: 801-756-5123 Fax: 801-756-5036 Email: rwau@rwau.net Web: www.rwau.net
Published by
EDITOR Sean Garrity
Naylor, LLC 5950 NW 1st Place Gainesville, Fl 32607 800-369-6220 www.naylor.com
PROJECT MANAGER Drew Jasinski
PUBLISHER Kathleen Gardner
MARKETING & RESEARCH ASSOCIATE Holly Straut PUBLICATION DIRECTOR Shane Holt
ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES Shirley Lustan, Marjorie Pedrick, Jason Ruppert, Vicki Sherman, Eric Singer, Chris Vermeulen, Jason Zawada DESIGN & LAYOUT Catharine Snell
©2010 Naylor, LLC. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher. PUBLISHED JUNE 2010/ NRU-Q0310/4337
ADVERTISING ART Aaron Harper
5
The Connector
Summer 2010
RWAU
A Pipe For Every Purpose. OGDEN, UT • 801.394.6621• 800.748.4130
SALT LAKE CITY, UT • 801.282.4400 • 800.748.4103
www.oldcastleprecast.com
382958_WR.indd 1
5/15/08 7:34:54 PM
www.sunrise-eng.com
Planning, Design, and Construction Services
for Local Communities Since 1978
• • • • • • • • • •
Culinary Water Wastewater Storm Water Secondary Water Transportation Survey Geotechnical Environmental Water Resources Electrical Design
• Construction Management • Geographic Information Systems • Natural Gas Engineering • Natural Gas Training • Plan Review • Building & Safety Inspections • Funding Acquisition • Water Rights
OFFICE LOCATIONS 25 EAST 500 NORTH • FILLMORE, UTAH 84631 • TEL 800.560.5161 • FAX 435.743.7900 • fillmore@sunrise-eng.com 12227 SOUTH BUSINESS PARK DRIVE, SUITE 220 • DRAPER, UTAH 84020 • TEL 888.523.2221 • FAX 801.523.0990 • slc@sunrise-eng.com 11 NORTH 300 WEST • WASHINGTON, UTAH 84780 • TEL 435.652.8450 • FAX 435.652.8416 • washington@sunrise-eng.com 26 SOUTH MAIN STREET • SMITHFIELD, UTAH 84335 • TEL 435.563.3734 • FAX 435.563.6097 • cachevalley@sunrise-eng.com
30 Years of Engineering Excellence
The Connector 369408_Sunrise.indd 1
6
3/1/08 2:24:23 AM 464917_Nolte.indd 1
2/1/10 2:34:40 PM
RWAU
Summer 2010
President’s Message Bill Mickelson, RWAU President
A
Some time ago a citizen burst into my office at about 8:15 a.m. with a citizen complaint. He wanted to know what our electrical department was doing at Top Stop getting cokes and donuts at 8:00 a.m. when the normal work day had just begun. “Is the first thing city employees do is go on break when they start the day?” he asked. When he calmed down enough for me to speak, I told him I would look into it and get back to him. Needless to say, I called the power superintendent who advised me that, yes, they had been at Top Stop getting donuts and cokes at 800 a.m…. They had also been out on a downed power line since a little after 4:00 a.m. because someone had run into a power pole and taken out the electricity to a service area. When I contacted the citizen who had made the complaint and told him what had happened, his comment was not “I made a mistake.” It was “oh, I didn’t know, so I guess it’s okay.” End of story. It is important for each of us to try to establish honest, timely and accurate information exchange with other individuals in our circle of service to avoid confusion and misunderstandings. Whether it is a system operator handling the day-to-day operation of water or sewer systems, the regulatory agencies fulfilling the requirements of the law, the elected official or administrator with multiple priorities or your customers who expect service, communication must be established. This usually means doing more listening than talking. The use of the term “circle of service” is not an accidental term. It more appropriately describes where things are in our world. The relationship between the three entities and our customers is not a hierarchy, but rather one where we can get along better with each other when honest, timely and open communication occur. Developing a working relationship (partnership) with the others in the circle of service makes sure everybody is in the information loop. By all means, discard any concept of others in the circle being “the enemy.” We are not in a competition, and partnership can lead to success for everyone involved. Best wishes, and again my personal thanks to the staff of the Association for another outstanding Annual Conference.
special thanks to each of you for the success of the Rural Water Association Annual Conference. Whether an attendee, presenter, visitor or assisting with the operations, your presence made it successful. Elsewhere in The Connector you will find a report on the Conference, legislative activities and other very important elements of what we do as Rural Water. I urge you to peruse those articles carefully for the valuable information they present to each of us. This column is a continuation of previous comments wherein the priorities of different entities and their impact on water and wastewater systems were addressed. The three areas focused on were . . . 1. Operations – system operators and superintendent. 2. Administrative Oversight – elected and appointed officials. 3. Regulatory Agencies – rules, regs and reporting. All of the above were noted to be on parallel paths, each of them impacting water and wastewater within their own function as dictated by law or by necessity. Often these three areas are viewed as mutually exclusive with exchange of information or communication initiated almost solely within the frame of reference of their own responsibilities. This is not unusual, and each of us, regardless of our position, tends to operate in that same mind set about our various jobs (possible cases of tunnel vision?). If you are not inclined to believe that, just think of your relationship with your spouse when it comes to the division of labor. For instance, you have been at your job all day working hard and drag home dead tired, and your spouse has also been working all day long and is dead tired. When the subject of doing the dishes comes up at dinner that evening, odds are that somewhere in the conversation will be the phrase “I am so worn out from working hard all day, and what have you been doing”? This may even come out in a somewhat accusatory tone of voice. This outburst is a result of not being able to see your spouse at work. Equate that to your interaction with entities such as regulatory agencies, the operational elements, and administrative or elected person or with our customers. I can testify from personal experience that perception (or assumption) in the absence of information will trump the facts almost every time. 7
The Connector
Summer 2010
RWAU
Executive Director’s Comments
Dale Pierson, RWAU Executive Director
T > Industry leading accuracy in metering > Proven reliability in meter reading technologies > Unsurpassed leak detection capabilities ...ask for Itron. To know more, start here: www.itron.com or call 1-866-374-8766
470579_Itron.indd 1
3/9/10 4:21:09 PM
! " # $
%$$
, - & . ')) ) ,) / * 0 ++ ! " +$# &+% +
& $ '( ) * $ ! " # %$++
The Connector 425184_hansen.indd 1
8 3/31/09 8:25:20 AM
he Rural Water Association of Utah (RWAU) offers many educational opportunities to those who work for and administrate water and wastewater systems. Training types include free, day- long classes for operators, fee-based classes focused on specific issues and items that concern everyone in the industry, security trainings and tabletop exercises, multiple-day operator certification training, oneon-one training performed for systems that need assistance and conferences that attract system personnel from across the state. Conferences offer a unique opportunity with their multifaceted subject matter, multiple-day immersion in the training process, specialized speakers, exhibitors to learn from and visit with, and the chance to meet, interact and network with peers in the industry. Conferences also usually have an element of fun and entertainment that a one-day training probably won’t include. Our Association’s Annual Conference held in St. George in late February or early March has become known as the “place to be� for the state’s system personnel, elected and appointed officials, exhibitors from across the nation, and representatives from state agencies that work with Utah’s water and wastewater industry. We try to offer classes at the Annual Conference for all aspects of the industry. The Annual Conference is also an opportunity to conduct the business of the Association as well as to recognize the work done by systems in service to their customers. We also hold another conference in the fall of each year. Held at the Davis Conference Center in Layton, Utah, the RWAU Northern Conference offers a more intimate setting in a smaller venue and yet still provides the variety of subjects for which RWAU is noted. The Conference also features the RWAU Operator Rodeo where system operators can show their stuff in friendly competition. The city of Layton and its surrounding area offers a number of great restaurants, entertainment, and recreation opportunities for evening diversions. If you haven’t yet joined us in Layton for our Northern Conference, come give it a try this September 14th, 15th and 16th. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. If you’ve attended the conference before – I hope to see you again. It’s always great to see old friends and to make new ones!
RWAU
Summer 2010
Letters From Readers
PIPELINE SERVICES
To Whom It May Concern: On behalf of the Hinckley Town Council, I would like to express my gratitude to the Rural Water Association for your assistance in resolving serious issues with our water testing, arsenic removal system, and our water distribution system. Due to lack of oversight, required water testing was not performed nor was our new water treatment facility maintained in a sufficient manner to ensure proper operation. As a consequence, Hinckley Town was in violation of Utah Division of Drinking Water requirements. These violations were also reported to the Environmental Protection Agency. We were faced with fines that could total millions of dollars, and Chuck Jeffs acted as a mediator between the Town and the Division of Drinking Water. He also helped our community get our water back on schedule. Chuck developed spreadsheets, researched our treatment facility guidelines and chemical requirements, and made frequent trips to our community to educate our newly hired employees on water testing and distribution system maintenance. He even spent three days in our community studying our water treatment system with Tom Jadach, an arsenic removal system professional in Ohio. Chuck’s service to Hinckley Town was, and continues to be, invaluable. Hinckley Town, Inc. truly appreciates our membership in the Rural Water Association. We value the help of your highly qualified employees. We feel this organization is an asset to not only our community, but all of rural Utah. Sincerely, Christie Tolbert Mayor, Hinckley Town
INSPECTION
Dear Mr. Pierson, The Mutton Hollow Improvement District provides storage and distribution of culinary water to residences in a small unincorporated area of Davis County situated between the cities of Kaysville and Layton. Our District found it necessary to increase our water rates to cover our accelerating operating cost and a possible loan payment to fund a water project. We contacted the Rural Water Association of Utah (RWAU) for assistance, suggestions and recommendations. We were put in contact with Mr. Curt Ludvigson ,and he quickly and willingly responded to help us. After many phone calls and emails, we furnished Mr. Ludvigson with data on our income, expenses and cost estimates for our water project. With the data furnished, Mr. Ludvigson, with the assistance of Mr. Vern Steel, provided us with detail reports. The reports included water rate structure and six new water rate increase scenarios. The reports and information provided us has been invaluable in finalizing our new rate increase proposal. On another occasion we asked RWAU to assist us in determining fire flow readings on some of our fire hydrants. Again your organization quickly and willingly responded. Mr. Terry Smith came to our District and performed fire flow tests on five of our fire hydrants. The information furnished was very helpful for us to assess the operation of our water system and to ensure that we were proving adequate pressure and fire protection to our users. All members of the RWAU, the clerical, those conducting training sessions, those who work in the field, and those in leadership positions have constantly demonstrated a willing-to-serve attitude. Your service to this small water district is sincerely appreciated. Respectfully, Frank Ferrante Chairman, Board of Trustees Mutton Hollow Improvement District
High Definition Digital Video 1,350 LF of video cable 2” to 200” pipe
TESTING Low Air Pressure Pipe Testing High / Low Hydrostatic Pressure Pipe Testing Hydrostatic Manhole Negative Pressure (vacuum) MH Testing
CLEANING Vacon Jetter Truck (800 LF of hose and up to 80 GPM) Liquid Vac Trucks Air Handler Steam Cleaning High Pressure Washing
1515 W. 2200 S. SALT LAKE CITY / UT 84119 OFFICE: 801.972.2727 FAX: 801.972.0707
pipelineservices@pacwestllc.com
9
468098_Pacific.indd 1
The2/25/10 Connector 11:56:24 AM
Summer 2010
RWAU
Legislative Update Scott Anderson, Legislative Chair Addresses safety and management of water conveyance systems, requires a management plan for the facility. Does not change liability issues
W
ith the 2010 Utah State Legislative session complete, this report is a summary of some of the bills that were passed and sent to the governor for his signature during the session. HB 33 Groundwater Recharge and Recovery Sponsor: Representative M. Noel Amends the current groundwater recharge and recovery act. Requires a certificate on a recharge and recovery project from state engineer if requirements are met. HB 34 Water Storage Projects Sponsor: Rep. M. Noel Amends Title 73, Water and Irrigation, to address proof and certification of water storage projects. HB 54 Property Tax Exemption for Water Facilities Sponsor: Rep. P. Painter Modifies revenue and taxation relating to property tax. Presently private water systems serving domestic water use can be taxed for infrastructure. This modifies the tax exemption on domestic water and water infrastructure. This bill must pass with at least 50 House votes and 20 Senate votes for it to be placed on the November ballot for a citizen vote on a state constitutional change. HB 60 Water Conveyance Facilities Safety Act Sponsor: Rep. F. Hunsaker
The Connector
HB 171 Water Rights Revisions Sponsor: Rep. K. Gibson Allows the state engineer to limit an approval of water rights change from the original right to a smaller amount based on history of use but limits the nonuse from forfeiture HB 189 Closed Meeting Amendments Rep. P. Painter Clarifies that a water right is real property. The discussion to sell, purchase, or lease of a water right can be discussed in a closed meeting. HB 226 Well Drillers License – Pump Installation Sponsor: Rep. P. Painter Addresses that a well driller’s license is needed for pump installation and repair or registration for pump installation and repair if performed by own self on own property. HB 229 Water Right General Adjudication Sponsor: Rep. P. Painter Addresses general adjudication of water rights. Would provide for a petition to expedite a hearing concerning an objection to a determination of water right. Allows a claimant to file a petition seeking to compel the state engineer to issue a proposed determination in a limited portion of a general adjudication area. HB 231 Water Rights Priorities in Times of Shortage Sponsor: Rep. K. Gibson 10
Addresses the priority of water right during times of water shortage. Defines temporary water shortage emergency, water for drinking, sanitation, and fire suppression has a preferential right. Provides for compensation to whose right is interrupted and allows prioritized rights determined by date to be used before an earlier dated right in certain times. HB 314 Water Rights Addendum to Deed Sponsor: Rep. B. Ferry A recording deed can be used to convey title to water rights being conveyed in transaction. The county recorder then would submit that information to the state engineer. HJR 2 Joint Resolution on Property Tax Exemption for Water Facilities Sponsor: Rep. P. Painter In conjunction with HB 54, this legislation will amend the Utah Constitution to enact a property tax exemption related to certain property associated with water. It would allow a nonprofit entity (private water system) that provides domestic water be exempt on certain infrastructure and land that support infrastructure. This resolution now will be on the November ballot for the approval of voters. SB 20 Local Districts Amendments Sponsor: Senator D. Stowell Allows the creation of local districts to develop and execute a groundwater management plan. Would give a local district authority to create a groundwater management plan and include water banking of water rights.
SB 32 Rainwater Harvesting Sponsor: Senator S. Jenkins Provides for the collection of precipitation without a water right. It would allow a person to capture in an underground container up to 2500 gallons or in covered areas 55 gallon containers for use on the property where water is captured. The following bills did not pass the House or Senate and will be studied in interim committees through the year: HB 84 Water Banking Sponsor: Rep. J. Draxler Allows banking of water rights administered by a local district. State groundwater management plan is required for use of the water banking. Water banks hold unused water rights and provide a use, lease, or sale to address forfeiture provisions. SB 99 Water Companies and Water Rights Sponsor: Senator J. Valentine Addresses the process for changing of water rights. Allows a shareholder in a water company to file a change application with specific parameters. Our appreciation to all in the water community for their efforts to enhance, improve and provide the laws and direction for the water issues in the state. At times, the different users of water may not agree on various points, but the issues of water are still, and will be, important to all the people of the state in its use of water. Thank you SENATORS and REPRESENTATIVES who have taken time and interest in understanding the water needs of the state.
RWAU
Summer 2010
Rural Water News 2010 Rural Water Northern Conference: A Tool for Turbulent Times
RWAU Board 2nd Quarter Meeting The Rural Water Association of Utah (RWAU) Board of Directors met May 7th at the Association Office in Alpine, Utah. President Bill Mickelson conducted the meeting during which the following items were discussed: • Plans for RWAU Board Member training and Long-Range Planning Session • Approval of the USDA FSA Source Water Program and RWAU’s Fee-Based Training Program for 2010 and 2011 • 2010 Annual Conference report • 2010 Northern Conference and Conference marketing strategies report • Procedures for selecting Utah’s representative to the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) Board of Directors • Nomination of Paul Fulgham to continue as Utah’s Director on the NRWA Board • Assignment of President Bill Mickelson and former President Danny Fleming to represent RWAU as delegates to the 2010 NRWA Annual Meeting. (Vice President Gary Larsen and Board Member Boyd Workman alternates) • Reassignments of Standing Committee Chair positions left open by the resignation of Ken Orton • 2009 Audit • Standing Committee Reports
We are eager to bring you a fun-filled agenda for our Northern Conference again this year! The conference will be slightly later in the year in an attempt to avoid the busy times of summer in the water world. The 2010 Northern Conference dates are: Monday, September 13—Thursday, September 16, 2010 at the Davis Convention Center in Layton, Utah. We are excited to bring you another great Operator Rodeo in conjunction with the conference sessions on Wednesday the 15th. We have a new rodeo event to offer this year in addition to the Backhoe Obstacle Course, Meter Installation and Pipe Tapping events: the GPS Confidence Course. Come give these events a try and maybe even walk away with some prize money! (All registered conference attendees are automatically eligible to participate in all rodeo events.) Both outdoor and indoor exhibits will be held in conjunction with the rodeo and training on Wednesday, September 15th. We will again be offering Water Operator Certification at the Conference this year. The Operator Certification classes will begin on Monday, September 13 at 8:30 am. The classroom training will continue through Wednesday, September 15th with the test being held on Thursday, September 16th from 9:00 – 12:00. You will need to register to attend the operator certification review classes using the registration form in the conference booklet or online at www.rwau.net. YOU WILL ALSO NEED TO CONTACT DIANA WAITE at the Rural Water Office (801-756-5123) by August 31, 2010 to register to take the exam. In addition to training tracks for Water, Wastewater and Management we have added a new training track this year designed to meet the needs of Large Systems. Hopefully this addition will help provide sessions on the agenda that address issues of systems of all sizes. This brief conference overview is just a glimpse at what will be available at this year’s Northern Conference—watch your mailbox for your Northern Conference booklet coming soon (if you haven’t gotten it already) to get more information on the agenda. And, as always, please feel free to call the RWAU office with any questions or concerns (801-756-5123). We look forward to seeing you in Layton!
EarthFax Engineering, Inc. Designing solutions to develop, preserve, and distribute water since 1982.
CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS HYDROLOGISTS AND GEOLOGISTS
The next RWAU Board meeting will be held September 13, 2010, at the Davis Conference Center in Layton, Utah, in conjunction with the Northern Conference.
7324 Union Park Ave. #100 Midvale, Utah 84047 (801) 561-1555 w w w. e a r t h f a x . c o m
419576_earthfax.indd 1
11
The2/19/09 Connector 11:34:56 AM
Summer 2010
RWAU
RWAU Newest Board Member
471406_Utah.indd 1
3/16/10 7:14:23 PM
Water Works Brass and Pipeline Products
THE FORD METER BOX COMPANY, INC. 260-563-3171 • FAX: 800-826-3487 http://www.fordmeterbox.com The Connector 421291_fordmeter.indd 1
12
2/26/09 3:02:34 PM
David A. Gardner of WaterPro (Draper Irrigation) is the newest member of the Rural Water Association of Utah Board of Directors. David has been involved in water since he was a boy helping his father irrigate their Idaho farm. He started part-time with Draper Irrigation Company in 1972 and became the company’s second full-time employee in 1977. As the company grew he performed just about every job, from reading meters to water treatment to strategic planning and overseeing large construction projects. David was even the Watermaster in the early days when irrigation was the company’s primary business. He has been with Draper Irrigation as it has grown from flood irrigation to pressure irrigation, from a rural community to a bedroom community, and from a conventional water treatment plant to a state-of-the art membrane ultrafiltration plant. David credits Rural Water for helping to educate him and keep him upto-date with all of the changes over the years. David has been attending Rural Water Conferences and training for almost 30 years. In recent years, he has served on RWAU’s Private Water Systems Committee and the Legislative Committee. After David’s 32 years in the water business, he is excited to serve in a capacity where he can contribute to the industry as a whole and looks forward to many years of using his experience to help the Rural Water Association of Utah reach its goals. David was elected to the Board of Directors at the 2010 Annual Conference in St. George, Utah this March. He replaced long-time Rural Water fixture Ken Orton as a Board Member representing District 2. Also officially elected at that meeting were Director Rick Wixom in District 6 and Director Alan Riding in District 4. Both Director Wixom and Director Riding had been serving temporary terms on the Board until their official appointments at the Conference.
RWAU
Summer 2010
Advanced Distribution Chuck Jeffs, Compliance Circuit Rider
Different Types of Pump Head
Q: What is the defi nition of Total Static Head? A: Pressure and Head If the discharge of a centrifugal pump is pointed straight up into the air, the fluid will be pumped to a certain height–or head–called the shut-off head. This maximum head is mainly determined by the outside diameter of the pump’s impeller and the speed of the rotating shaft. The head will change as the capacity of the pump is altered. The kinetic energy of a liquid coming out of an impeller is obstructed by creating a resistance in the flow. The first resistance is created by the pump casing, which catches the liquid and slows it down. When the liquid slows down, the kinetic energy is converted to pressure energy. • It is the resistance to the pump’s flow that is read on a pressure gauge attached to the discharge line • A pump does not create pressure; it only creates flow. Pressure is a measurement of the resistance to flow. In Newtonian fluids (nonviscous liquids like water or gasoline), the term head is used to measure the kinetic energy which a pump creates. Head is a measurement of the height of the liquid column the pump creates from the kinetic energy the pump gives to the liquid. • The main reason for using head instead of pressure to measure a centrifugal pump’s energy is that the pressure from a pump will change if the specific gravity (weight) of the liquid changes, but the head will not. The pump’s performance on any Newtonian fluid can always be described by using the term head.
• Total Static Head - Total head when the pump is not running • Total Dynamic Head (Total System Head) - Total head when the pump is running • Static Suction Head - Head on the suction side, with pump off, if the head is higher than the pump impeller • Static Suction Lift - Head on the suction side, with pump off, if the head is lower than the pump impeller • Static Discharge Head - Head on discharge side of pump with the pump off • Dynamic Suction Head/Lift - Head on suction side of pump with pump on • Dynamic Discharge Head - Head on discharge side of pump with pump on. The head is measured in either feet or meters and can be converted to common units for pressure as psi or bar. It is important to understand that the pump will pump all fluids to the same height if the shaft is turning at the same rpm. The only difference between the fluids is the amount of power it takes to get the shaft to the proper rpm. The higher the specific gravity of the fluid, the more power is required. • Centrifugal Pumps are “constant head machines” Note: The latter is not a constant pressure machine, since pressure is a function of head and density. The head is constant, even if the density (and therefore pressure) changes. HEAD: The pressure at any point in a liquid can be thought of as being caused by a vertical column of the liquid whose weight exerts a pressure equal to the pressure at the point in question. The height of this column is called the “static head” and is given in terms of feet of liquid. The static head corresponding to any specific pressure depends on the weight of the liquid according to the formula: Head in Feet = Pressure in psi x 2.31/ Specific Gravity The energy imparted to a liquid as the pump impeller rotates is transformed into pressure energy as the liquid leaves the pump. Therefore, the head developed is approximately equal to the velocity 13
energy at the periphery of the impeller. This relationship is expressed by the formula: Head = v2/2g Note: Head and pressure are interchangeable terms, provided they are expressed in the appropriate units. The pressure head developed (in psi) will be directly proportional to the specific gravity of the fluid being pumped. TOTAL HEAD: The total head – also called total dynamic head (TDH) – for a specific system is equal to the total discharge head (hd) minus the total suction head (hs). It is recommended that total head calculations for the suction side be listed separately from those for the discharge side to help avoid the possibility of overlooking a troublesome suction condition. SUCTION HEAD: Suction head exists when the liquid supply level is above the pump centerline. The total suction head is equal to the static height or submergence in feet that the liquid supply level is above the pump centerline, less all suction line losses. Suction line losses include entrance loss plus any pressure existing at the suction supply source. Note: Even when the liquid supply level is above the pump centerline, the equivalent of a lift will exist if the total suction line losses exceed the positive static suction head. This condition can cause problems, particularly when handling volatile or viscous liquids. For an existing installation, the total suction head would be the gauge reading at the suction flange converted to feet or meters of liquid, corrected to the pump centerline elevation, plus the velocity head at the point of gauge attachment. SUCTION LIFT: Suction lift exists when the liquid supply level or suction source is below the pump centerline. Total suction lift is equal to the static lift in feet plus all friction losses in the suction line including entrance loss. When the liquid supply level or suction source is above the pump centerline and under a vacuum, the equivalent of a suction lift will exist. Its value will be The Connector
Summer 2010
RWAU
equal to the vacuum effect less the net submergence. On an existing installation, the total OWNER suction lift is the reading of a mercury PHONE column or vacuum gauge at the suction (435) 734-9598 flange converted to feet of liquid and corrected to the pump centerline eleMOBILE vation minus the velocity head at the (435) 720-0237 VAL KOTTER & SONS, INC. point of gauge attachment. FAX TOTAL DISCHARGE HEAD: Total (435) 734-9870 discharge head is the sum of: static discharge head, all piping and friction Sewer Cleaning (6"-24") - Cleaning (24" & Up) No Bypass Pumping Required losses on the discharge side, includSpecialized Equipment • TV Inspection • NASSCO PACP Certified ing straight runs of pipe, losses at all • Leak Sealing (8"-36") Manhole Leak Repair valves, fittings, strainers, etc., pressure Link Pipe Spot Repair • Ultraliner (PVC Alloy Pipeliner 6"- 30") in the discharge chamber (if a closed • Trolining (36"- 120") vessel), losses at sudden enlargements, • Permacast MH Lining (w/Con Shield) • BackhoeWork • Dump Truck exit loss at discharge velocity (usually 1035 WEST FOREST, BRIGHAM CITY, UTAH 84302 assumed to be equal to one velocity Website: www.valkotterandsons.com • Email: pearl@valkotterandsons.com head at discharge velocity), and any other loss factors that should ideally be taken into account. 467155_val.indd 1 2/11/10 11:10:15 AM On an existing installation, the total discharge head would be the reading of the pressure gauge at the discharge flange converted to feet or meters of liquid and corrected to the pump cenWhy Aquastore® Tanks? terline elevation, plus the velocity head at the point of gauge attachment. NO PAINTING FOR THE LIFE OF THE TANK • Corrosion resistant VELOCITY HEAD: Velocity head • Low maintenance • Over 30 years of proven experience represents the kinetic energy in a mov• NSF approved tank for potable water ing liquid at a given point in the system. • The environmentally safe choice PORCELAIN ENAMEL CHEMICALLY It is equal to the vertical distance the BONDED TO STEEL mass of liquid would have to fall (in a • Mechanically and chemically bonded at temperatures above 1500˚ F vacuum) to acquire the velocity (V). The • Graffiti removal does not damage the coating • Tank does not need to be taken out of service velocity head is used in system head for repainting calculations to help calculate entrance WARRANTY • 10-year factory extended performance losses (L) in valves and fittings, at other • Total low life cycle cost sudden enlargements, and exit losses. In system head calculations for high head pumps, the velocity head will be 6706 North Franklin Ave. • Loveland, CO 80538 • Ph: 970-962-9400 • www.eaiwest.com a small part of the total head and is not
VAL KOTTER
MIC
449807_Engineering.indd 1
10/26/09 6:05:43 PM
We perform: • Live Valve Cut-in • Hot Taps • Wet Taps • Line Stops Team Industrial Services 800-782-7365 www.teamindustrialservices.com
The Connector 396714_Rain.indd 1
14 8/25/08 11:18:19 478166_Team.indd PM 1
5/7/10 12:27:09 PM
RWAU significant. But in low head pumps, it can be a substantial percentage and must be taken into account. VAPOR PRESSURE: This pressure comes from the vapor formed by a liquid above its free surface. High values of vapor pressure can lead to serious reductions in Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH), which can in turn lead to pump cavitation. NET POSITIVE SUCTION HEAD: Low pressure at the suction side of a pump can encounter the fluid to start boiling with • reduced efficiency • cavitation • damage of the pump as a result. Boiling starts when the pressure in the liquid is reduced to the vapor pressure of the fluid at the actual temperature.
Available NPSH - NPSHa - The Net Positive Suction Head made available the suction system for the pump is often named NPSHa. The NPSHa can be determined during design and construction or determined experimentally from the actual physical system. Available NPSHa – The Pump is Above the Tank - If the pump is positioned above the tank, the elevation - he - is positive and the NPSHa decreases
Summer 2010 when the elevation of the pump increases. • At some level the NPSHa will be reduced to zero and the fluid starts to evaporate. Available NPSHa – The Pump is Below the Tank - If the pump is positioned below the tank, the elevation - he - is negative and the NPSHa increases when the elevation of the pump decreases (lowering the pump). • It’s always possible to increase the NPSHa by lowering the pump (as long as the major and minor head loss, due to a longer pipe, don’t increase it more). This is important, and it is common to lower the pump when pumping fluids close to evaporation temperature. Required NPSH - NPSHr – The NPSHr, called as the Net Suction Head, is required by the pump in order to prevent cavitation for safe and reliable operation of the pump. • The required NPSHr for a particular pump is in general determined experimentally by the pump manufacturer and a part of the documentation of the pump. The available NPSHa of the system should always exceed the required NPSHr of the pump to avoid vaporization and cavitation of the impellers eye. The available NPSHa should in general be significantly higher than the required NPSHr. To avoid that head loss in the suction pipe and in the pump casing, local velocity accelerations, and pressure decreases, start boiling the fluid on the impeller surface. Note that the required NPSHr increases with the square capacity. Pumps with doublesuction impellers has lower NPSHr than pumps with single-suction impellers. A pump with a double-suction impeller is considered hydraulically balanced but is susceptible to an uneven flow on both sides with improper pipe work.
PIPELINE SERVICES
LINING / REPAIR CIPP Lining 6” to 48” Epoxy Impregnated Lining Slip Lining Top Hat Reinstatement Laterals Pipe Bursting Trenchless Pipe Jacking Open Cut Pipe Installation (all pipe all sizes)
ENVIRONMENTAL Emergency Response for: Rocky Mountain Power Union Pacific Railroad Level A, B, and C Hazardous Clean-up Petroleum Contaminated Soils (“PCS”) Recycling All Workers 40 Hr Hazwoper CertifiedHigh Pressure Washing
1515 W. 2200 S. SALT LAKE CITY / UT 84119 OFFICE: 801.972.2727 FAX: 801.972.0707
pipelineservices@pacwestllc.com
15
468102_Pacific.indd 1
The 2/25/10 Connector 1:28:19 PM
Summer 2010
RWAU
Looking For The Correct Access Product For Your Water Tank or Underground Vault? •
> Proven reliability in meter reading technologies
• • • •
> Unsurpassed leak detection capabilities
•
> Industry leading accuracy in metering
Aluminum Access Hatches Steel Access Hatches Aluminum Ladders Manhole Covers Highway Drainage Inlet Frames and Grates Sump Frames and Grate
...ask for Itron. To know more, start here: www.itron.com or call 1-866-374-8766
470397_Itron.indd 1
CONSULT THE EXPERTS AT SYRACUSE CASTINGS Tel: 801-544-5728 Fax: 801-544-9571 Tooele, UT www.syrcast.com
3/6/10 4:50:45425962_Syracuse.indd PM 1
4/13/09 11:06:14 PM
TO M A K E WAV E S I N WAT E R …
… YO U N E E D TO S W I M A H E A D O F T H E PAC K .
1265 E. Fort Union Boulevard, Suite 200 Salt Lake City, UT 84047-1815 P: 801.233.2500 F: 801.233.2501
1.800.523.5822 | carollo.com
The Connector 467624_Carollo.indd 1
16 2/18/10 8:09:27 AM 449392_SJE.indd 1
11/16/09 2:05:32 PM
RWAU
Summer 2010
Why Adequate Revenues Are So GOSH DARN IMPORTANT Curtis Ludvigson, Management Technician
I
know it is a most BORING subject. I also know I’ve written and talked about this a lot in the past. But I’m going to do it again. Most of you have already prepared and adopted your budgets for the year, but if you need to amend it, DO IT! I am constantly amazed at how many of our communities are operating in the RED. I do a lot of water and sewer rates work for our members, and one of the things I must know is, “What are your system expenses and revenues?” I need this information in order to know how much revenue they need to bring in. I usually shoot for at least 10% above anticipated expenses in order for the system to have some money in reserves. As I said, so many of our communities are operating in the red. One city I’m currently working with has water system revenues of approximately $480,000 and expenses of $520,000. That leaves them $40,000 in the RED. Luckily they have some savings built up which they have been robbing from, but they have come to the realization that they can’t continue to do that. Another city I am working with is going in the hole in their sewer fund by approximately $20,000 per year, and they are barely breaking even in their water fund. In that case, there really aren’t any funds to rob from. This “robbing-Peter-topay-Paul” theory has got to stop! Let me just say a word about reserves. This is a must! As I have mentioned, I suggest at least 10% on top of budgeted expenses. This
money needs to be set aside for unexpected expenses. The “folks” might gripe some about having higher rates, but they will gripe more if the well goes out and you don’t have any way to pay for it! One other thing: Be sure you don’t let yourself be led astray by those who would have you think that it’s illegal to have money in the bank, a savings, reserve, capital improvements fund, or whatever you call it. There is nothing illegal about having money set aside in our enterprise funds (water & sewer). Also, don’t confuse this with impact fees. Impact fees are a completely separate matter!! Another question that comes up occasionally regarding rates is whether or not to make special deals (lower rates) for certain people or groups. “Should we charge the church for their water?” “What if we don’t charge the schools as much?” “Can we make a special, lower rate for farmers and particularly dairies?” “Should we charge a certain section of town a lower rate because they don’t have irrigation water available?” The answer to each of these questions and other similar questions is simple. You must charge everyone equally! The only exceptions to this would be if you are providing services to folks who live outside your boundaries; you can (and probably should) charge them a higher rate. Also, if it costs the system more money to provide services to a certain area, you can charge more to cover those costs. 17
This would be something like higher pumping costs to get the water to higher elevations, etc. But with these types of exceptions, I know of no situation which would justify not charging everyone equally. And by equally, I mean following the adopted rate structure which usually consists of a base rate with usage or overage rates based on the amounts of water used. Consider where you stand legally if you choose to sell water at a lower rate to some without very real and legal justification. One other issue which needs to be addressed is the lack of enforcement of ordinances and resolutions regarding those who don’t pay their bills. Again, I think you have a lawsuit waiting to happen. How long will the citizens who are paying stand by and watch you not collect from those who don’t pay? I imagine every city or town has an ordinance, every district has a resolution, and every water company has a bylaw which not only allows but demands that you collect payment from each customer. The document will also give the exact procedure you should follow with regard to such things as, shut-off notices, deadlines, etc. I am aware of one community who has an apartment complex which owes approximately $40,000 in back water and sewer bills, and the community really isn’t doing much to collect it. I have recently worked on a rate study for another community who, based on their rates, usage, etc., should be The Connector
Summer 2010
RWAU bringing in approximately $300,000 per year but are only collecting about $270,000 into their water fund. As near as we can tell, this shortfall is due to people owing but not paying! I hope this gives you something to think about. How are you doing regarding these matters? Your revenues are your foundation. Without the money, you really can’t do much. You can’t continue to rob one fund to pay another. Everyone needs to pay, and don’t make exceptions that could get you into legal trouble. Our water and sewer systems are businesses, and we need to treat them as such! Let me know if I can help, and as always… Happy Trails
PITTSBURG TANK & TOWER MAINTENANCE CO., INC.
SAVE! We have a crew in YOUR AREA! Inspections Repair New & Used Tanks Wet Clean Relocation Elevated Dry Paint Erectors Underground ROV Insulation Dismantles Ground Storage (Robotic) API Mixing System
ROV inspections can be viewed on TV console during inspection & DVD provided. All inspections include bound reports, recommendations and cost estimates.
www.watertank.com 270-826-9000 Ext. 253 421618_SCHOLZEN.indd 1
3/3/09 10:20:07 449194_Pittsburg.indd AM 1
10/2/09 7:39:26 AM
Gardner Engineering CIVIL ENGINEERING * LAND SURVEYING LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE * ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
5875 South Adams Ave. Parkway, Suite 200 * Ogden, UT 84405 Phone (801) 476-0202 * Fax (801) 476-0066 www.GardnerEngineering.net
The Connector 464736_Forsgren.indd 1
18 1/27/10 12:00:37 PM 472602_Gardner.indd 1
5/17/10 10:30:18 AM
RWAU
Summer 2010
Something to Make Your Day Dave Pugsley, Groundwater Technician
I
often tell Susie, the boss (my better half), that I find times in my life that I would like to be a little boy again…somewhere between the ages of 4 to 10. She just rolls her eyes, turns her head and gives me “the look” which most of the times means “you are a crazy man.” In the never-ending hustle and busyness of our everyday lives, we sometime get headed in the wrong direction. It can seem like everything we do is done at a hurried and relentless spinning-your-wheels pace. If you’re ever feeling down, depressed, or in dire despair and want a quick fix, just slow down. And after you have shifted down a gear, the next step is to come to a complete stop. Then when you realize that you are really breathing again at a normal pace, your nostrils have quit flaring out, your eyes have returned to their normal position, and your brain can finally focus on just one thing. When your emotions and thoughts haven’t the desire to ruin someone else’s day and you have all your bodily functions working normally, go and find a group of children at play. Then take some precious time and just observe what they are doing while they are playing and going about their daily duties. Then, and only then, will you find the proper way to go about your business and job functions. These kids really make my day. They have it all figured out. Their smile and eyes tell it all. If we all could function this way, wouldn’t this world be a great place? They are the hope of this state, country and world. Recently Mike Osborn and I had the privilege of being called on to provide source protection training to the 4th grade students at water fairs in different locations throughout the state. The training was sponsored and provided by water conservation districts, public works departments, cities, etc. The water fair organizer’s main objective was to familiarize and educate these students on the proper way to protect our water resources and give them some knowledge and understanding on different subjects about water-related issues. This was accomplished by transporting the students and teachers from their schools to a central location where booths or teaching stations were located. The students were moved from one station to another at 20 to 30 minute intervals and educated about water-related topics. I can finally get a small understanding of how these teachers get satisfaction and enjoyment from teaching all of these noisy, full-of-energy elementary students. The look of gratitude and love on these teacher’s faces told it all. The student’s willingness to learn and their interest levels were amazing. Also, the teachers get the satisfaction of hearing what comes out of these kid’s mouths when they are asking and answering questions. Talk
about being SMART, and what a hoot!!!! It was a great experience and one I will not soon forget. Now let’s move into the world of adults and talk about preventing contamination in our drinking water sources and avoiding health risks. Preventing contamination of drinking water supplies should result in reduced risk to human health from both acute and chronic ailments. Overall, Utah is doing a good job delivering safe drinking water to the public. But challenges remain and may increase as new waterborne disease agents and chemicals are found in water supplies. Although most people experience only mild illnesses from waterborne microbes, pathogenic organisms, such as cryptosporidium and some strains of e-coli, can be transmitted to people through drinking water and cause serious illness or even death. In addition to threats posted by microbial contaminants, other substances can contaminate water supplies. Metals, volatile organic carbons, synthetic organic chemicals, and pesticides can cause serious health problems for individuals exposed to them over long periods of time at levels exceeding health-based drinking water standards. Potential health effects of long-term exposure to these pollutants include cancer, birth defects, organ and nervous system problems and blood damage. The healthrelated costs of contamination can include lost wages, hospital and doctor bills, and, in extreme cases, death. The State of Utah’s Division of Drinking Water has an excellent Source Water Protection Program in place. This assures us that when we follow this program, we are doing our very best to protect our drinking water from contamination through proper Continued on page 20
19
The Connector
Summer 2010
RWAU
Source Water Protection Mike Osborn, Source Water Technician
A
s I travel the state conducting source water protection training sessions, one of the things I have tried to convey to the operators in attendance is that they are on the front line of source water protection. The reason for this is that THEY, in most cases, know the water system better than their supervisors, and THEY see things out there in the work place that could have a possible affect on the water system. The main problem I’m hearing is that the everyday operator (and I am saying this after talking to many operators out there) doesn’t usually have access or is privy to the system’s source protection plan information. Most don’t even know that they have a source protection plan or what it contains. It has been made clear to me that there seems to be a disconnect between the operators and supervisors concerning source water protection in not all systems but a very large amount of systems throughout the state.
Over 60 Years Experience
BUSH & GUDGELL, INC. Engineers • Planners • Surveyors
• WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT • MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING • WATER TREATMENT • WATER SYSTEMS • SURVEYING
655 East 4500 South, Suite #100 Salt Lake City, Utah 84107 (801) 364-1212 • Fax (801) 364-1225 www.bushandgudgell.com
205 East Tabernacle #4
St. George, Utah 84770 (435) 673-2337 • Fax (435) 673-3161
The Connector 461824_bush.indd 1
1/18/10 1:51:10 20 PM
Please note: I’m not saying this to chastise any one system or make it sound like we are completely broken here. I’ve been an operator and also a supervisor, and I can speak from personal experience that this same scenario was in fact the case in my situation. My focus and intent is to hopefully bring to light a concern and an awareness that source water protection for any water system throughout the state is a critical component to supplying the customers we serve with clean, pure, safe drinking water. I would also like to get operators interested in source water protection and encourage supervisors to share with their operators on the front lines of source protection the contents of their system’s source water protection plans. This will not only make enforcing the plans more effective, but as the supervisors discuss these plans with their system operators, they can hopefully get some input from them as to ideas the operators might have and things that they might see in their daily activities that could have an impact on their water sources. It has been a pleasure getting to know so many new people through my association with all of you at trainings and conferences, and I look forward to making many more friendships and contacts in the future. I would be more than happy to come to any system and discuss source water protection with your crew. Hopefully I can leave you with some insight that would be helpful to you and boost your ability to provide the valuable resource we all live with every day, WATER. Remember, WATER IS LIFE. Michael B. Osborn, Source Water Technician mosborn@rwau.net, 801-367-6780
Something to Make Your Day Continued from page 19
management procedures. Every public drinking water system should have an approved, updated drinking water source protection plan for all their water sources. They are on file at your water systems office. If you would like to view it, just contact your systems designated person, and they will provide it to you for your viewing. If you spend a few minutes observing the kids, you will want to do all you can do to prevent any contamination to the drinking water system you’re involved with. They are depending on you.
RWAU
Summer 2010
My Engineer Charges How Much?! Nathan Hall, ARRA Circuit Rider
I
f you have been involved in the design or construction of a water, wastewater or irrigation water project in recent years, you know that a Civil Engineer is generally needed to provide stamped construction plans for the project. If you have applied for funding from a state or federal funding agency for the project, then you also know that a competent engineer’s involvement from the beginning of the funding application process is critical. And if the costs associated with retaining an engineer have been more than you expected, then you are not alone. As I work with systems throughout the state, I find that most have had the experience of the engineer’s bill being more than they think it should be. In this article I will discuss the basic costs associated with operating an engineering company and give an example of the cost of preparing a Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) that is part of the submission of a funding application to Rural Development. First, let’s talk about payroll, or the actual income that employees of an engineering firm are paid to work 40 or more hours a week—some of which is on your project. Obviously this amount varies greatly depending on the size of the company, the type of work, the experience of the individual, and where in Utah the company is located. For the purposes of this article, let’s create a small engineering company located in rural Utah (nonWasatch front) employing the following 25 individuals: • 3 owners: Professional Engineer, Professional Land Surveyor, Geologist • 4 project managers: also Professional Engineers • 8 AutoCAD technicians/designers/drafters: half are Engineers in Training, or EITs
• 4 administration staff: public relations, receptionist, someone typing reports, doing payroll, bills, etc. • 6 surveyors: two crew chiefs and four rodmen For simplicity, we will only discuss the wages of those directly involved with the preparation of a PER to accompany a funding application to Rural Development. One of the 4 project managers will oversee the process and review/stamp the PER, with an income of $70,000 a year, or $33 an hour. Under the direction of the Project Manager, a senior EIT or entry level engineer will do most of the design and descriptive writing of the report, with an income of $55,000 a year, or $26 an hour. A drafting technician will prepare the preliminary engineering drawings and other maps and exhibits needed for the report, with an income of $45,000 a year, or $22 an hour. One of the administration staff will work on formatting the report, proofreading the engineers writing and copy/bind the report, with an income of $35,000 a year, or $17 an hour. Next let’s discuss overhead costs, which are all the other costs associated with running a company. The following list is not all-inclusive but gives an idea about the types of overhead costs an engineering company pays to stay in business. • Building Rent/Mortgage Payment • Utilities (power, gas, phone, employee cell phones) • Software Purchase/Renewal (AutoCAD, MS Office, Acrobat, Flowmaster, Accounting etc.) • Workers Compensation Insurance • Unemployment • Retirement/401k Matching • Taxes • Medical Insurance • Liability Insurance • Fleet Expenses (auto insurance, fuel, maintenance) • Building Maintenance 21
• IT services (computer, printer, network fixes) • Accounting Services • Office Supplies (paper, ink, pens, surveying equipment and supplies) • PE and PLS License Renewals and Certification Classes Finally, as with any private organization, an engineering company needs to be profitable to stay in business. These three costs: payroll, overhead and profit, are combined into one number we’ll call a billing rate, which is the rate the company charges for their services. As a general rule, this billing rate is about three times the individual’s wage. So in our hypothetical company the billing rate for the project manager is about $100 an hour, the EIT’s is $78 an hour, the drafter’s is $66, and the administration’s is $51 an hour. These are the billing rates we will use to show the costs to prepare the PER. The Preliminary Engineering Report is explained fully in USDA RUS Bulletin 1780, which can be downloaded from http:// www.usda.gov/rus/water/regs-bulletins. htm. The first sentence of the bulletin explains that, “A Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) should clearly describe the owner’s present situation, analyze alternatives, and propose a specific course of action from an engineering perspective.” The alternatives are analyzed using a financial procedure called a present worth analysis. This analysis determines the most economic alternative in today’s dollars, including differing construction costs, O&M, and salvage values for the different alternatives. Preliminary Engineering is required for each alternative to determine the cost of each. Once an alternative is found to be the most economical, it is chosen as the “recommended alternative,” and the preliminary engineering is expanded for that option to provide a more detailed cost estimate. Finally, a financial analysis The Connector
Summer 2010
RWAU
Table 1
is conducted and a rate structure is prepared to show how the payments on the loan portion of the funding will be made. Total Cost Hours 20 60 30 15 This overview gives you a general idea of Billing Rate $100 $78 $66 $51 what is included in the PER; however, the actual report is somewhat more complex Cost $2,000 $4,680 $1,980 $765 $9,425 (see the link above for further details if you are interested). Let’s assume our hypothetical company is asked to provide an estimate to prepare the PER for a fairly simple projMeasurement systems for water quality, level, & flow ect: a new tank with half a mile of new water line and new auto-read meters. Table 1 summarizes the hours I estimate each employee would spend on the report, including the associated billing rate and final cost. The Project Manager’s time is mostly training the EIT in any areas he needs, reviewing the final document and ensuring the report meets RD criteria prior to stamping the report with his Professional Engineering seal. The EIT will spend the better part of a couple of weeks researching and obtaining quotes for alternatives, researching the history of the system, and writing the majority of the report. In some cases the EIT will also spend time preparing exhibits and Campbell Scientific’s automated monitoring and control maps in AutoCAD, since his knowledge instrumentation simplifies management of rural water systems. With 35 years of experience, our systems provide of the project might offset his higher billrugged reliability and versatile sensor and communication ing rate. Finally, the Admin time is spent options, including DNP3 proofreading and formatting the report and Modbus support. Learn more at: and performing any research the EIT 435.750.9514 or www.campbellsci.com/rural delegates, in addition to the copying and binding of the report. Different engineering companies will 473592_Campbell.indd 1 3/30/10 8:10:20 AM have different methods of calculating cost estimates, and they will likely vary significantly from each other and from what I have presented in this article. I was hesitant to include an actual cost estimate since each project is unique and has its own challenges, and consequently has varying costs for seemingly similar projects. However, I found as I finished this article that including an estimate seemed to fit. Therefore I ask that you use the entire article, including the estimate, as it is intended: to more fully understand the costs that engineering companies have and hopefully gain a better understanding of why engineering fees can sometimes be higher than you expected. PM
EIT
Drafting
Admin
Automated Monitoring & Control
35
The Connector 471805_Jones.indd 1
22
TH
ANNIVERSARY
3/18/10 4:42:50 PM
RWAU
Summer 2010
Critical Data Backup Terry Smith, Circuit Rider
B
ack in the early 80s, when computers were just starting to make their appearance amongst us common folk, I remember hearing some experts talk about how we were headed toward a paperless society, that soon all information would be stored electronically, and there would be no need to have it on paper in filing cabinets anymore. Well, here we are, about thirty years later. How’s that going for ya? Seen that big reduction in paperwork yet? While computers do have the potential to reduce paperwork, they also make storing information so much easier that we tend to store more than we ever could have thirty plus years ago. And while storing that huge increase of data, we still need to keep a certain amount of it on paper (sometimes referred to as “hard copies”) just in case of a failure that could erase that critical information stored on the computer hard drive. Thus the two sort of offset each other. We may print less on paper relative to the amount of data we store, but we store volumes more than we once did. Which brings me to the point of this article. Recently while visiting one of our water system members, I was told a tale of woe concerning the loss of their hard drive on their billing computer. Now as I’m sure you can guess, losing all of the data on a billing computer rates right up there with taping a ballgame over your wedding video— it’s a disaster! Anyway, you can picture having to rebuild each account by hand by typing in the relevant information. A task that could easily take days or even weeks of labor! Google, the predominate Internet search company who probably has more hard drives in service than any other company in the world, has done some fairly extensive studies concerning hard drive failure. In their report they found that about 3% of hard drives fail in the first three months. Then, after the initial break-in period, the failure rate drops to just below 2% at both the six-month and one-year mark. At the two year old mark and beyond, the annualized failure rate is around 7%. How old is your billing computer? If like most local governments, always trying to stretch tax dollars as far as they will go, many computers are probably four or more years old. If so, it may be working on borrowed time. So what can you do to avoid the loss of critical data? There are a variety of options that are available in today’s world. I’ll outline some that I’ve become familiar with:
1. Online backup services are becoming more and more commonplace. They are fairly low cost and have the advantage of having the backup located off site (a BIG advantage should you ever lose your computer through a fire or theft, etc.) To utilize one of these services, you visit their website, set up an account and download the required software. Then, over the course of the next few days or weeks, depending upon the speed of your Internet connection, your data is copied over to the service’s drives. Security is handled by encrypting the data at your computer before transferring. Most services use at least 128-bit encryption then beef up the encryption even higher once it’s on their drives. 128-bit encryption is the same level that banks and other such services use when doing business with them on line. Once it’s encrypted, it’s almost bullet-proof, even to the point that the backup service cannot unencrypt it. After all of your data is copied over, the program keeps track of any files that are added or changed, then transfers them while running in the background, usually while the computer is idle, such as during the night. Some services even offer a professional level of backup that allows more than one computer to be backed up at a reduce cost. If you think you might be interested in this option, more information can be found at the various web sites. Some of the wellknown sites are: Mozy.com, Carbonite.com, Ibackup.com, 23
The Connector
Summer 2010
RWAU
Pumps & Equipment, Inc www.dewcopumps.com pumps control systems pH/ORP systems
flow/level systems disinfection/ultraviolet conductivity/resistivity
Refer to this ad for 10% off list price 1841-A Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood, CO 80214 phone (303) 232-6861 fax (303) 232-3472
379037_dewco.indd 1
4/28/08 11:52:49 AM
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
• Pipe Cleaning / Vacuuming • Video Inspection / Locating • Tap Cutting / Root Removal
Co-owners: Mark & Dave Denny
• “Link Pipe” Spot Repairs • Hydro Excavation • Rotational Maintenance Plans
Phone: (801) 771-3038 Fax: (801) 771-3040 www.twind.net Toll Free: 1-866-337-9263
367519_twin.indd 1
3038 N. 750 E. Layton, UT 84041
3/17/08 11:53:06 AM
415646_Loughlin.indd 1
1/19/09 9:35:43 AM
Ph: 801.417.5733 Fax: 801.417.5790 www.ectsales.com ELECTRICAL CONTROL TECHNIQUES ECT SALES AND SERVICE 4653 W. Skyhawk Dr., West Jordan, UT 84084
Specializing in all aspects of the Water and Wastewater Industry - visit our Web Site for more information VFO’s, Solid State Starters, MCC’s, Custom Controls, Motors, Transformers, Switchgear and MORE!
The Connector 456375_Electrical.indd 1
11/26/09 1:26:21 24 PM
and Sosonlinebackup.com. All four have similar price plans with varying other offerings. 2. Another option is through the use of USB portable drives. These can be purchased at about any computer or office supply store. I recently purchased one to backup my laptop for about $50. At 250 GB in size, it is actual larger than my laptop drive. This allows me to not only backup my data, but I have the option of creating a mirror image of the entire drive if I so chose. This will not only backup my data, but the operating system and all the other programs I have installed also. If you chose to go with the USB drive option, I would recommend that you purchase two drives and rotate the backups, keeping one drive off site when the other is in use. Windows 7 has a new backup program that has been reported to be very usable. But earlier versions have received low ratings for their backup software. One free program that I have had good luck with is “synctoy.” While not an official offering of Microsoft, it was created by some of their programmers as a pet project and seems to work very well. To achieve the longest life, USB drives should not be left plugged in when not in use. They do not have the internal cooling system necessary for extended periods of use. Advantages: Low cost. Easy to implement. Software is included with Windows 7 or is available on line for free. Relatively fast backup and recovery. Disadvantages: Depending upon how you implement your plan, backup may not be automatic and require that you remember to run the backup at timely intervals. Also, the backup is stored on site, and you must protect the drive(s) from unauthorized persons and use. 3. A third option is known as a Network Attached Storage (NAS). This is simply a box containing one or more hard drives that is attached to your router. After installation, it is configured using an internet browser on one of the computers on the network. If the NAS has more than two drives, it is usually configured to share data among the other drives in such a fashion that if one drive dies, the other drives contain redundant copies of the same data so that nothing is lost. It quite often has indicators on the front of the box showing available drive space and status of each drive. Depending upon the model, drives can be “hot-swappable” allowing a drive to be replaced while the unit is still in place and operating. Advantages: Automatic backups. Built-in redundancy option. Fast backup and recovery. Can be used by more than one computer station. Huge storage options. Disadvantages: More technical to set up, on-site storage, susceptible to theft/ vandalism, higher cost that USB drives. So, there are three options that you might want to consider. As one of the founders of our country, Ben Frankin, said; “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This especially holds true when it comes to the cost of replacing or re-entering years of information contained upon a hard drive that just died.
RWAU
Summer 2010
Where in Utah is This? Look Familiar? Let us know!
Be The First ONE‌ to correctly identify the location where this picture was taken and receive a free
RURAL WATER HAT! If you know where this scene is located, email your answer to the Rural Water Association of Utah at rwau@rwau.net and claim your new Rural Water gear!!!
0 G 201 SPRIN O: PHOT ark in p u blic The p le, Utah. a Teasd
Congratulations to Fred Finlinson of Saratoga Springs for being the first one to correctly identify the Spring Where in Utah photo of the bench in the public park in Teasdale, Utah.
Enjoy your Rural Water gear! 25
The Connector
Summer 2010
RWAU
Index of Advertisers CASTINGS/MANHOLES/GRATES Syracuse Castings .............................16 www.syrcast.com CIVIL ENGINEERING Forsgren Associates ..........................18 www.forsgren.com CONTROL PANELS SJE-Rhombus Controls......................16 www.sjerhombus.com CORROSION CONTROL Farwest Corrosion Control Company ...................................... 26 www.farwestcorrosion.com
ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS Forsgren Associates ..........................18 www.forsgren.com Jones & DeMille Engineering............. 22 www.jonesanddemille.com Loughlin Water Associates .................24 www.loughlinwater.com Nolte Associates................................. 6 www.nolte.com ENGINEERS/PLANNERS Earthfax Engineering .........................11 www.earthfax.com Sunrise Engineering, Inc. .................... 6 www.sunrise-eng.com
DATA ACQUISITION/DATALOGGERS Campbell Scientific, Inc. ................... 22 www.campbellsci.com/rural
ENGINEERS/SURVEYORS Bush & Gudgell, Inc. ......................... 20 www.bushandgudgell.com Jones & DeMille Engineering............. 22 www.jonesanddemille.com
DEMOLITION Pittsburg Tank & Tower Maintenance Company, Inc. ............18 www.watertank.com
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP Pacific West LLC ...........................9, 15
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT Electrical Control Techniques .............24 www.etcsales.com ENGINEERING & CONSULTING Gardner Engineering ..........................18 www.gardnerengineering.net Hansen Allen & Luce Inc. .................... 8 www.hansenallenluce.com
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS & SERVICES Carollo Engineers ..............................16 www.carollo.com ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS Jones & DeMille Engineering............. 22 www.jonesanddemille.com
COMPLETE C!4(/$)# PROTECTION FARWEST CORROSION CONTROL COMPANY
888-532-7937
$QRGHV ,QVWUXPHQWDWLRQ & 3 3RZHU 6XSSOLHV &DEOH $FFHVVRULHV 7HVW 6WDWLRQV (QJLQHHULQJ 6HUYLFHV ,QVWDOODWLRQ 6HUYLFHV 5HPRWH 0RQLWRULQJ H0DLO VDOHV#IDUZHVWFRUURVLRQ FRP
www.farwestcorrosion.com
PIPELINE MATERIALS $PSSPTJPO $POUSPM 1SPEVDUT $PNQBOZ
800-421-2623 &RDWLQJV ,QVWUXPHQWV &DVLQJ 6SDFHUV ,VRODWLRQ 0DWHULDOV 3LSHOLQH 3LJV $FFHVVRULHV H0DLO VDOHV#FFSFR FRP
www.ccpco.com
'ARDENA #! s "AKERSFIELD #! s (AYWARD #! $ENVER #/ s 4ULSA /+ s %VERETT 7! The Connector 390930_Farwest.indd 1
7/10/08 11:28:42 26 AM
FIRE HYDRANTS Mountain Contractors Group ............... 4 www.mtncom.net Oldcastle Precast ............................... 6 www.oldcastleprecast.com FLOOD & FIRE MITIGATION & RESTORATION Utah Disaster Kleenup .......................12 www.udksolutions.com HDPE PIPE & FITTINGS Mountain Contractors Group ............... 4 www.mtncom.net Oldcastle Precast ............................... 6 www.oldcastleprecast.com INSPECTION SERVICES DW Inspection Systems ..................Inside Back Cover www.rockymtnunderground.com LINE STOPPING EQUIPMENT SALES & SERVICE Team Industrial Services ....................14 www.teaminc.com METER READING SYSTEMS Itron ..............................................8, 16 www.itron.com METERS Mountain Contractors Group ............... 4 www.mtncom.net Neptune Technology Group, Inc. ........... Outside Back Cover www.neptunetg.com PIPE & FITTINGS Mountain Contractors Group ............... 4 www.mtncom.net Oldcastle Precast ............................... 6 www.oldcastleprecast.com PIPELINE INSPECTION/TESTING Pacific West LLC ...........................9, 15 PIPELINE LINING/REPAIR Pacific West LLC ...........................9, 15 PUMPING EQUIPMENT - SALES/ SERVICE/REPAIRS Nickerson Company, Inc. ........ Inside Front Cover www.nicopumps.com PUMPS Dewco Pumps & Equipment ...............24 www.dewcopumps.com Rain for Rent .....................................14 www.rainforrent.com
SEWER/STORM DRAIN CLEANING & VIDEO INSPECTION Pro-Pipe ....................Inside Back Cover www.pro-pipe.com Twin D, Inc. .......................................24 www.twind.net Val Kotter & Sons ..............................14 www.valkotterandsons.com STORAGE TANK SYSTEMS Engineering America .........................14 www.eaiwest.com TANK INSPECTION Pittsburg Tank & Tower Maintenance Company, Inc. ............18 www.watertank.com TANKS Pittsburg Tank & Tower Maintenance Company, Inc. ............18 www.watertank.com TANKS - ELEVATED STEEL WATER STORAGE Pittsburg Tank & Tower Maintenance Company, Inc. ............18 www.watertank.com VALVES Oldcastle Precast ............................... 6 www.oldcastleprecast.com WATER & WASTEWATER ENGINEERING & CONSULTING Forsgren Associates ..........................18 www.forsgren.com Hansen Allen & Luce Inc. .................... 8 www.hansenallenluce.com Jones & DeMille Engineering............. 22 www.jonesanddemille.com WATER & WASTEWATER EQUIPMENT Scholzen Products Company ..............18 www.scholzenproducts.com WATER RESOURCES Hansen Allen & Luce Inc. .................... 8 www.hansenallenluce.com WATER TANK CLEANING & REPAIR Pittsburg Tank & Tower Maintenance Company, Inc. ............18 www.watertank.com WATER TOWER DEMOLITION Pittsburg Tank & Tower Maintenance Company, Inc. ............18 www.watertank.com
SCADA/TELEMETRY E&M Services..................................... 3 www.simplifiedscadasystems.com
WATER TREATMENT Forsgren Associates ..........................18 www.forsgren.com Jones & DeMille Engineering............. 22 www.jonesanddemille.com
SEWER REHABILITATION Pro-Pipe ....................Inside Back Cover www.pro-pipe.com
WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT Dewco Pumps & Equipment ...............24 www.dewcopumps.com WATER WORKS BRASS, PIPELINE PRODUCTS & PIPE RESTRAINTS Ford Meter Box Company, Inc. ...........12 www.fordmeterbox.com
I N D U S T R I E S
477272_DW.indd 1
440954_Propipe.indd 1
4/27/10 8:20:15 AM
8/5/09 6:57:27 PM
More reliable than you dared to hope. less painful than pulling your hair out. It’s like Neptune took all your wildest dreams and distilled them into one perfect product: the E-Coder)R900i ™. Wireless automated meter reading; accurate information; and leak, tamper, and reverse flow detection – all in one easy-to-install device.
ARB® UTILITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ™ WATER | GAS | ELECTRIC
TAKE CONTROL.
1600 Alabama Highway 229, Tallassee, AL 36078 334.283.6555 • 1.800.633.8754 ext. 246 neptunetg.com