Texas H2O Fall '21

TEX Sh2o | Fall 2021 |

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The Official Newsletter of the Texas Section AWWA | Every Drop, Every Day, Everywhere©

TAWWA Awards 19 Scholarships

Amy Cain

Benjamin Fennell

Cynthia Castro

Gabriela Gantt

Monica Lange

Kasi Clay

Larah Gonzalez

Abigail Marler

Preston Davis

Neha Irrinki

Lilian McIntosh

Emily Epperson

Ramitha Irrinki

Shadaab Shirazi

Ryan Epperson

Kaylin Jackson

Jolie Starling

Gracie James

Taci Tatum

Celebrating 50 Years!

Partnership Programs Award Winners | 5 Under 35 | And More!

Joe Mann, assistant water system superintendent at the Holly Water Treatment Plants in Fort Worth, Texas.

Delivering clean water means long hours — even on the weekends

“Unprecedented.” “Flatten the curve.”

“CDC guidance says to wash your hands.”

2020 – and a global pandemic – brought an onslaught of new phrases, and a time when washing our hands felt more imperative than ever before. But while washing our hands has crossed our minds countless times over the past year, many of us haven’t stopped to consider where the clean water that flows from our faucets comes from. And how does it get there in the first place?

Thanks to the behind-the-scenes efforts of the water and wastewater operators in our communities, clean water continued to flow from our sinks during a time when we needed it most. To share and celebrate their dedication, Garver launched the

Behind-the-Scenes Operators initiative to provide a look at what it takes to bring safe water to our faucets.

We connected with eight operators from across the country and asked them about what it takes to keep our communities supplied with safe, reliable water amid a global pandemic Such operators include Joe Mann, an assistant water system superintendent for Holly Water Treatment Plants.

For Joe, the challenges and problem solving necessary to run a treatment plant are what he loves most as an operator, a passion that serves him and his team well as they continue to navigate the obstacles of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Not only has the team continually overcome the challenges of social distancing protocols, but they’ve done so while also navigating a rapidly growing distribution system as new tanks and pumps have been added to the system to meet rising demands throughout a fastgrowing community.

Joe and his team displayed an exemplary commitment to the City of Fort Worth, supplying clean, reliable water to over one million Texans during a time when they needed it most.

Such dedication often required working long hours, even on the weekends, to keep the water flowing. But these operators never wavered while working behind the scenes.

“Operators like Joe have gone above and beyond to support our communities during these uncertain times. It’s thanks to them that we continue to have access to such an essential resource.”

Tina Hanson, PE | Garver West Texas Water Team Leader

Thank an operator!

Join us in thanking the men and women who have worked around the clock to keep our taps running.

Share your gratitude on social media by using #ThankAWaterOperator or #ThankAWastewaterOperator!

For more stories of behind-the-scenes operators, visit GarverUSA.com/BTSO.

| scholarships |

TAWWA Awards 19 Scholarships to Students

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n its continued effort to support higher education, Texas Section has awarded 19 scholarships for the 2021-2022 academic year. The TAWWA Scholarship Committee selected 17 students to receive a $2,000 TAWWA scholarship.

TAWWA, in cooperation with Plummer Associates, Inc., also named Lilian McIntosh, of Abilene, as the recipient of the $3,000 Plummer Associates, Inc./ TAWWA Environmental Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to a student studying to become an engineer or scientist in the water environmental field.

Kasi Clay, of Austin, was also named the recipient of the One AWWA Operator Scholarship. This scholarship award can be used for certification/licensure, two-year

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water related associate degree, technical school program, professional training program, books and manuals and operator-related conferences.

You can help TAWWA fund more scholarships for students next year by purchasing the TAWWA water conservation license plate or donating online at www.tawwa.org/page/scholarships.

Abigail Marler was awarded a scholarship from funds raised by the Water Conservation License Plate.

Thank you to our Scholarship Committee, co-chaired

by Mica Garza, Capital Area Chapter, and Yongki Shim, Southeast Chapter, for their hard work in selecting the scholarship recipients: Ajia Fielden, Coastal Bend Chapter; Aide Fuentes, Desert Mountain Chapter; Jes Johnson, Capital Area Chapter; Justin Kirchdoerfer, North Central Texas Chapter; Jaime Kypuros, Jr., South Texas Chapter, Ann Peche, South Texas Chapter; Jessica Salinas, Rio Grande Chapter; and Lizzie Wilson, Capital Area Chapter.

The 2021-2022 scholarship recipients are: AMY CAIN University of Texas at Austin | Computation Biology Amy Cain is currently attending the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in computation biology with a concentration in water science and minors in computer science and engineering. She has interned with Maestas & Associates in San Antonio for the past five years and has designed and carried out the construction of a pipeline underneath one of the city’s largest highways. Cain also serves as President of Women in Engineering ATX, President of the American Association of Women in STEM and is involved with the Dell Medical School Pre-Health and Diversity Scholars.

She has been a member of AWWA since 2017.

CONTINUED PAGE 14 | scholarships

www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o FALL 2021 | 3 |

| letter from the texas section chair |

What Mentorship Means to Me Texas Section American Water Works Association P.O. Box 80150 Austin, Texas 78708 www.tawwa.org Andrew Molly, Chair 832-395-3785 Amy Middleton, Chair-Elect 210-510-0888 Vacant, Vice-Chair Melissa Bryant, Imm. Past Chair 210-302-3611 Mike Howe Executive Director/Secretary-Treasurer 512-238-9292 Fax: 512-238-0496 mikehowe@tawwa.org This publication is distributed bi-monthly to the more than 3,500 members and friends of the Texas Section – American Water Works Association.

Contributing writers can contact the editor: Cliff Avery GCP Association Services, LLC PO Box 676 Pflugerville, TX 78691 512-251-8101 Fax: 512-251-8152 texwater@texas.net The publication name, TexasH2O: © 1996-2021 Texas Section – American Water Works Association, Inc. © 2021 Texas Section – American Water Works Association, Inc.

FOLLOW TAWWA ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER!

Texas AWWA

@txawwa

BY THERESA PEDRAZAS texas section chair

“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction” – John C. Crosby

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reetings all! At the time we sent our last issue of TEXASh2o, we were elated to be able to invite you all to the 2022 Texas Water conference IN PERSON! We are highly optimistic that in-person conference attendance will be achievable, although in the interim it THERESA PEDRAZAS seems the spread of the highly contagious Delta 512-338-2850 variant of SARS-CoV-2 has thrown us a bit of a theresa.pedrazas@tetratech.com curve ball and requires our continued vigilance for a bit longer. On the upside, for people who are eligible to be vaccinated and are now interested in getting the jab, it’s never been easier or more convenient with many options across the state.

As I’ve reflected over the past years of involvement in Texas AWWA, one of the most valuable experiences that stands out for me has been getting a first-hand view of the value of mentorship in our industry. I served as the Mentorship Committee Chair for several years and was thrilled to continue the committee’s vision and grow the number of mentor/mentee connections across the state. The Committee is now led by John Logan and is a joint effort with our counterparts at WEAT, and we celebrate the continued success of the program!

I personally have benefited from a number of mentors so far in my career, and it is my hope that other young professionals in our industry— particularly young women—have the opportunity to learn from mentor(s) who have been in their shoes and can share their experience and lessons learned. During the annual open registration for mentors and mentees, we consistently found that the number of young women was roughly equal to young men seeking a mentor, and when given the choice, many of the young women requested a female mentor. This certainly tracks with my own experience in seeking out women who lived their values in a way that I hoped to emulate, both in their management and leadership style as well as their ability to juggle that elusive work-life balance.

One piece of advice I would give to young professionals who are CONTINUED PAGE 34 | letter from the texas section chair

| 4 | FALL 2021 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org

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| executive director report |

What are you Doing the Rest of Your Life?

BY MIKE HOWE tawwa executive director

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hat are you Doing the Rest of Your Life?

Do you remember that song? It’s from the 1970s but is one of those "earworm" songs.

But, if you ask the question, I want to ask "what are you doing that makes a difference for the rest of your life"’?

I have the answer.

If you have college-age family members, this will come as no surprise to you.

Education expenses have shot through the roof and are still climbing. This will date me, but when I attended UT Austin, tuition was—I hope you're sitting down—$50 per semester plus books. Now, depending on where you are attending, tuition is in the thousands per semester, plus books, plus room and board, etc.

My wife and I put three students through school for their bachelor degrees, and with some help, we were able to avoid leaving our children with massive debt.

Our one daughter did have to borrow to complete her advanced degree but has finally paid it off.

But, for our best of the best students, nearly all of them need our help. Many of you know that we have an active scholarship program, currently providing Texas H20 Ad_2.pdf 1 to 4/25/2019 3:59:00 PM students this year. $2,000 scholarships seventeen In addition, with our partners at Plummer and

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AWWA, we are able to fund two scholarships for specific applicants. And, when you add in the help of our Chapters and from what we earn from our scholarship investments, we work very hard to raise as much and award as many MIKE HOWE scholarships as we can.

512-238-9292 mikehowe@tawwa.org This issue of TEXASh2o features our most recent scholarship awardees. We wanted to award more, but the funds were not available. We need your help. Our quest is to fund $5,000 scholarships to deserving students next year. Do the math. Seventeen times $5,000. That equals $85,000.

Are you in? What are you doing for the future water leaders? What legacy are you leaving?

I don’t have to tell you how important education is to the future of our industry and, frankly, our society.

I am asking you to step up and help us. We have made it very easy for you to donate small, medium or large amounts one time or on a sustaining basis to our Scholarship Program. You can do it online right now at www.tawwa.org/page/scholarships and the best part is that you can donate just about any amount you can afford or want. Small amounts add up, and you can also donate small amounts each month. Your donation is tax deductible and I promise you, this is a donation that is multiplied many times as we support more students in higher education.

This is a smart move on your part, and YOU will make a difference. Donate today: www.tawwa.org/ page/scholarships.

www.tawwa.org

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| construction |

How Houston’s Construction Companies Continued to Deliver Water and Wastewater Projects During COVID-19 and Their Take on the Future of Construction

BY VALETTA SALDANHA hdr

I

n the year 2020, the coronavirus pandemic stirred the globe. A year later in 2021, the world has realized that this pandemic and its attendance effects are deeper and longer than anticipated. Amidst the pandemic, safety, sanitization and personal protective equipment (PPE) became common language among the masses and popular hashtags on social media. The world recognized essential and nonessential services.

The construction industry was deemed as one of the essential services. Fortunately, this meant that millions of jobs stayed secured but like many other essential services, construction services were challenged with: • workforce safety, since both work from home and social distancing are a challenge • an instantaneous need for communicating the necessity for return to service but not having enough information to make good decisions • workforce reduction in productivity • supply chain disruptions • difficulty in funding and uncertainty in payments • dynamic tax, trade and immigration reforms • cybersecurity risks To find out more about what challenged Houston’s contractors working on water- and wastewater-related projects, I surveyed six of them and documented the findings in this paper. This publication discusses about how some of Houston’s water and wastewater construction contractors continued to deliver projects successfully during the coronavirus pandemic. So, what worked, what did not and what does the future look like?

Findings From Interviews and Survey For the survey format, I created and developed a Microsoft Word based survey form and emailed it to the contractors that had a project(s) in construction before and/or during the pandemic. The questions in the survey form are listed below.

1. Are you a construction contractor in the water and wastewater industry?

Yes  No  2. Did you have a project in construction during the pandemic in 2020? (This project will be the reference for “project” below.)

Yes  No  If Yes, please provide a brief description of the size of the project in $ and number of crew and days needed to deliver the project.

If No, did you project stall or was shelved during the pandemic?

Yes  No  3. Why was this project needed?

Critical in delivering water, wastewater and related services to the community  Routine infrastructure repairs and upgrades  Weatherization  Disaster repairs  Add additional drivers here: CONTINUED PAGE 28 | construction

www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o FALL 2021 | 9 |

| partnership programs awards |

AWWA 2021 Partnership Programs Award Winners

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artnership Programs celebrate award-winning utilities for their long-term commitment to optimizing operations, achieving outstanding performance, and protecting the environment and public health. Congrats to our Texas winners!

Five Year Presidents Award for Water Treatment Austin Water Albert H. Ullrich WTP

Phase III 2021 First Year Directors Award for Water Treatment City of Houston Northeast Water Purification Plant Phase III Five Year Directors Award for Distribution System Operations San Jacinto River Authority Woodlands Division

Phase III 20 Year Directors Award for Water Treatment City of Houston East Water Purification Plant #3

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| 10 | FALL 2021 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org

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| 5 under 35 |

John Logan Recognized as AWWA's "5 Under 35"

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ongratulations to John Logan, a Texas AWWA member who was recently inducted into AWWA's "5 Under 35" inaugural class. The award recognizes and honors young professional members of AWWA who have demonstrated outstanding service to their Section or Association through leadership and active participation.

The recipients were selected for the new award from 23 nominees by a committee of AWWA and Section leaders. Logan will be recognized in an AWWA virtual ceremony scheduled for December.

John Logan • Engineering Manager, Plant Operations, City of Fort Worth • Chair of the Texas Section’s YP Committee • B.S. Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University and M.S. Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington • “For the future of the water sector, I think it’s important that we utilize the ideas and skills of each member of our diverse water community.”

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| scholarships |

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 | scholarships CYNTHIA CASTRO University of Houston | Environmental Engineering Cynthia Castro is pursuing a Ph.D. in environmental engineering at the University of Houston. Her proposed research involves a cross-disciplinary approach to flooding modeling using geographic data, remote sensing, water resources and environmental engineering for improved storm preparedness. Castro plans to complete her dissertation by the summer of 2022 and pursue a postdoctoral position at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, having been recently awarded the National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellowship upon graduation. She is a student member of AWWA through the University of Houston.

KASI CLAY Austin Water Kasi Clay works for Austin Water as a water quality manager and is the recipient of the One AWWA Operator Scholarship. She will be using the scholarship to attend the Water Technology course through the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service to better prepare herself for the TCEQ Class A water exam. Her ultimate goal is to become a leader for Austin Water and in the water industry. Clay is currently pursuing a Class A water operator license and also plans to obtain wastewater licenses to become a licensed A operator in both water and wastewater.

CONTINUED PAGE 17 | scholarships

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| scholarships |

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 | scholarships PRESTON DAVIS University of Texas at Austin | Mechanical Engineering Preston Davis graduated from Keller High School and is currently attending the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in mechanical engineering. In high school, he was part of the varsity marching band, National Honor Society, student council, Spanish club and an Eagle Scout with Boy Scouts of America. Davis is participating in the University of Texas Sustainability Living Learning Community, which aims to address subjects such as zero-waste and social equity. Upon graduation, he intends to use his engineering skills to improve the availability and cost of renewable energy. His AWWA family member is Alan Davis, principal at Plummer Associates, Inc.

EMILY EPPERSON University of Notre Dame | Pre-Professional Studies/Biology Emily Epperson is attending the University of Notre Dame, majoring in pre-professional studies/biology with a minor in environmental science. She is part of the Glynn Academic Honors Program and serves on the Sustainability Committee in Student Government.

She would like to serve her community by working in the public sector and plans on pursuing a career in either environmental science and wastewater management or public medicine. She is exploring both fields to determine which path best suits her skills and talents and recently completed her Texas Phlebotomy Certification. Her AWWA family member is Trent Epperson, assistant city manager for the City of Pearland.

CONTINUED PAGE 18 | scholarships

Visit www.tawwa.org to see events happening near you! www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o FALL 2021 | 17 |

| scholarships |

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 | scholarships RYAN EPPERSON University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | Doctor of Dental Surgery Ryan Epperson graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Business-Finance and is currently attending the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, working to become a doctor of dental surgery. While in College Station, he started a small moped rental business to help with school expenses and discovered he both enjoyed running his own business as well as serving others’ needs. Epperson has served his community as a member of Safe School Ambassadors, a counselor for the Peer Assistance & Leadership (PALS) program and a coach of the Friendswood Junior High football team. His AWWA family member is Trent Epperson, assistant city manager for the City of Pearland.

BENJAMIN FENNELL Texas A&M University | Civil & Environmental Engineering Benjamin Fennell is pursuing a Ph.D. in civil and environmental engineering from Texas A&M University. He works as a graduate research assistant, leading laboratory experiments focused on the removal and degradation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water using ultraviolet advanced reduction processes. He also serves as a mentor to engineering undergraduate students as well as works as an ASCE National Civil Professional Engineering Exam Course Instructor and develops and teaches curriculum aimed at preparing engineers-in-training to pass the Civil Professional Engineering exam. Fennell’s long-term goal is to train future leaders by serving as a tenured university professor and conduct research focusing on water treatment. He is a student member of AWWA through Texas A&M University.

CONTINUED PAGE 20 | scholarships

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| scholarships |

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 | scholarships GABRIELA GANTT University of Texas at Austin | Psychology Gabriela Gantt is currently attending the University of Texas at Austin, pursuing a degree in psychology with a minor in communication studies. She achieved university honors for two semesters while dealing with the challenges of learning virtually and is a student ambassador for the Fearless Leadership Institute and a member of the Black Health Professions Organization.

This past summer, she worked as a mission intern with Livestrong, gaining insight and knowledge within the nonprofit health field and also volunteered with the Tarrant County Food Bank within the community garden. Her AWWA family member is W. Craig Gantt, assistant director of utilities/operations for Arlington Water Utilities.

LARAH GONZALEZ University of Texas at Austin | Computer Science Larah Gonzalez is currently attending the University of Texas at Austin, working toward a degree in computer science. Her introduction to the world of technology began with robotics club, where her team designed and built a robot to plant and water tree seeds, even competing at state with their invention. In high school, Gonzalez was involved with the Technology Student Association, served on Student Council, was her class treasurer and was part of the National Honor Society.

She has also volunteered for TX Votes, helping register people to vote. Her AWWA family member is Carlos Gonzalez, utility engineer for McAllen Public Utility.

CONTINUED PAGE 23 | scholarships

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20 | scholarships NEHA IRRINKI University of Texas at Austin | Marketing Neha Irrinki is attending the University of Texas at Austin, pursuing a degree marketing with minors in entrepreneurship and sustainability. She is involved with the Hindu Students Association, serving as president for three years, and is a Community Advisor at UT, developing creative programs and activities that create an inclusive community with opportunities for student involvement. She would like to work in the food and beverage industry, making a difference in how these companies operate environmentally.

This past summer, Irrinki interned with Keurig Dr Pepper and learned how to integrate recycling and sustainability efforts into a large company. Her AWWA family member is Sam Irrinki, principal at Weston Solutions.

RAMITHA IRRINKI Angelo State University | Animal Science and Psychology Ramitha Irrinki recently graduated from Round Rock High School and is currently attending Angelo State University, majoring in animal science and psychology with a minor in environmental science. In high school, she was involved with band, the tennis team, Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honor Society), the National Honor Society, the Youth Environmental Club and PAL (Peer Assistance Leadership). This past summer, she interned at a care farm, which is a model of therapeutic methods integrated with practical farming techniques.

She would like to combine psychology with her love of animals to create a safe environment for individuals to thrive in and help patients cope with their problems.

Her AWWA family member is Sam Irrinki, principal at Weston Solutions.

CONTINUED PAGE 24 | scholarships

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www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o FALL 2021 | 23 |

| scholarships |

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 | scholarships KAYLIN JACKSON Baylor University | Pre-Nursing Kaylin Jackson recently graduated from Grapevine High School and is currently attending Baylor University, majoring in pre-nursing. In high school, she was involved with the National Honors Society, National Technical Honors Society, Best Buddies, Student Council and volleyball. She would like to one day become a nurse and during her senior year, she enrolled in the health science Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) course. At the end of the year, she was given the opportunity to take the exam to become a CNA and Jackson passed her exam this past May and is now a registered Certificated Nursing Assistant in Texas. Her AWWA family member is David Jackson, vice president at Freese and Nichols.

GRACIE JAMES Tarleton State University | Education Gracie James is currently attending Tarleton State University, majoring in English with an Education Certification and a minor in food and nutrition.

Despite the challenges of entering college during the middle of a global pandemic, she made the President’s List and was a member of the Honors College both semesters of her first year at Tarleton. James was also involved in intramural basketball and softball and with her local youth ministry and a Bible study group. Her AWWA family member is Jeff James, principal at Kimley-Horn and Associates.

CONTINUED PAGE 26 | scholarships

Check www.tawwa.org for events happening near you! | 24 | FALL 2021 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org

| scholarships |

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 | scholarships MONICA LANGE Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center | Speech Language Hearing Sciences Monica Lange is attending Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, majoring in speech language hearing sciences with a minor in audiology. She has been involved with the Pre-Speech Language Pathology Club, participating in talks and events. Lange is also involved with Raider Catholic and Raider Awakening Leadership, which organizes a retreat for students. She would one day like to have a career as a speech language pathologist.

Her AWWA family member is Donald Lange, project manager at BGE. ABIGAIL MARLER University of Texas at Austin | Math Abigail Marler recently graduated from Austin High School and is currently attending the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in Math. In high school, she served as editor-in-chief of her school’s

If your utility would like to be featured in future newsletters/social media please contact Karen Menard at karen.menard@dallascityhall.com.

yearbook and was also elected to be on the Secretariat her sophomore year, undertaking in the preparation of three Model United Nations conferences. Marler was also part of Texas Youth and Government, a co-founder of the Future Scientists Club and part of National Honor Society, serving as treasurer her senior year. Her AWWA family member is John Marler, associate at HDR. Her scholarship is awarded from Water Conservation License Plate funds.

LILIAN MCINTOSH Abilene Christian University | Civil Engineering Lilian McIntosh is the recipient of the Plummer Associates, Inc./TAWWA Environmental Scholarship for 2021.

She is attending Abilene Christian University, working toward a Bachelor’s of Science in civil engineering concentration. She would like to use her passion for water and wastewater engineering to help provide clean and easily accessible water to communities lacking this resource, especially so women and children are able to pursue education instead of spending their time collecting water. McIntosh has been on the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s List every semester and received the Outstanding Junior Engineer Award her junior year of college. She has also interned with Kimley-Horn and Associates on the water and wastewater utility team.

SHADAAB SHIRAZI Texas A&M University | Biomedical Engineering Shadaab Shirazi is attending Texas A&M University, working toward a degree in biomedical engineering with a minor in electrical engineering. He became interested in biomedical engineering as it was the optimal field to pursue his objective of aiding others with medicine while employing the inventive nature of engineering to help progress medicine and biomedical technology. One of his biggest accomplishments to date has been creating a program to detect Melanoma.

Shirazi is a member of the Texas A&M Wind Symphony, the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, the Engineering Mentorship Council and the Biomedical

| 26 | FALL 2021 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org

| scholarships |

Engineering Society. His AWWA family member is Saqib Shirazi, project manager at San Antonio Water System.

JOLIE STARLING University of North Texas Health Science Center | Public Health and Epidemiology Jolie Starling graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in forensic and investigative science and is attending the University of North Texas Health Science Center for a master's degree in public health with a concentration in epidemiology. She is working as both a teaching assistant at the graduate level and as a graduate research assistant for the community relations department and FitWorth, a health community initiative. She has also worked in the molecular genomics lab at the Insect Control and Cotton Disease branch of the USDA. Her AWWA family member is Donna Starling, water programs manager at the City of Irving Water Utilities.

TACI TATUM Schreiner University | Exercise Science Taci Tatum is attending Schreiner University, majoring in exercise science with the hope of pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy to help athletes rehab from injuries.

She plays softball for Schreiner University and also serves as a tutor. In high school, she was involved with varsity softball, National Honor Society, received the 2019 Citizenship Award, volunteered with Meals on Wheels and was a Most Outstanding Math Student. Her AWWA family member is Jenifer Tatum, vice president at Kimley-Horn.

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www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o FALL 2021 | 27 |

| construction |

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 | construction 4. Did you have to mobilize and start construction on the project in the middle of the pandemic?

Yes  No  5. Do you think you were able to effectively able to deliver that construction project?

Yes  No  6. What challenges did your company and crew experience in delivering the project? (Select all that apply.)

Workforce safety  Communication challenges  Workforce tension/reduction in productivity  Supply change/equipment delivery delays  Weather related delays  Difficulty in funding and uncertainty in payments  Dynamic tax, trade and immigration reforms  Cybersecurity risks  Add additional challenges here:

7. What were the drivers for success of the project?

(Select all that apply.)

Effective leadership and leading by example  Communication (Clear and timely communication)  Fostered safety culture  Reinforcing preparedness and standard operating procedures during other force majeure occurrences  Technology (tablets, cell phone, wearables, drones, etc.)  Add additional drivers here: 8. What factors listed below will be important to the future of construction?

Bolstering preparation, communication, and safety with an agile attitude.  Reinforcement on worker safety.  Realizing that construction projects will potentially take longer to complete and that is a scheduling reality of the construction and its related industries.  Re-sourcing supply chains and recalibrating them due to impaired movement of goods and services. 

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| 28 | FALL 2021 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org

| construction |

Adapting and expanding the use of technology.  Acclimatizing to the dynamic environment and finding solutions to work in it will help the workforce deliver in a constantly changing world.  Add additional factors here: 9. How does your workload look for the next 2 years?

67%

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Findings All six contractors had a project that was actively in construction during COVID-19 or that mobilized during COVID-19. The projects involved installing new pipelines and constructing a new distribution system, to rehabilitating an existing

WHY WER E THES E PR OJEC TS N EED ED ?

83%

10. What concerns you, your peers and your company about the future of construction?

surface water treatment plant and constructing a new membrane water plant. See Figure 1. These projects ranged from $0.5 million to $135 million in construction with a schedule of six months to three years; with some projects still in construction. The criticality of delivering water and wastewater services to the community was the main reason for the need to

C ri t i cal i n d el i veri ng R out i ne wat er, was t ewat er i nfras t ruct ure repai rs and rel at ed s ervi ces and upgrades t o t he co m m uni t y

Di s as t er repai rs

Weat heri zat i o n

Figure 1. Need For Construction Projects

CONTINUED PAGE 30 | construction

www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o FALL 2021 | 29 |

| construction |

not been contemplated before. It was not feasible to construct anything while maintaining a six foot distance. For some contractors, this meant dividing

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29 | construction

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mobilize or continue construction on these projects.

The major challenges to these projects included workforce safety, supply chain WHAT C HA LLEN GES D I D Y OU R C OMPA N Y A N D C R EW uncertainties, equipment EX PER I EN C E I N D ELI V ER I N G THE PR OJEC T? delivery delays and weather related delays. See Figure 2.

The combination of COVID-19 and global politics and catastrophic weather events are hard to discern. The construction industry has taken the challenges by phases. Early in the pandemic the major challenge was fear as it relates to persons.

Development of strategies to both keep people safe as well as give them the perception of safety meant implementing new ways of working that had Figure 2. Challenges To The Project Delivery

| 30 | FALL 2021 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org

| construction |

• Vulnerability of material deliveries due to unforeseen conditions. Contractors price project bids at the current rates. Some owners will not accept price increases for any reason. This puts stress on suppliers, and the contractor’s availability to hold bid pricing and project scheduling for clients.

In turn, this puts the clients (utilities) in stress as they are burdened with additional construction costs.

• Concern that in the immediate future only emergency projects will be released for bidding and other substantial projects will be delayed until material pricing drops or at least stabilizes for the long term. Additionally, there are also more and more small companies entering the market place and cutting pricing. Award of contracts to inexperienced and poorly funded companies is becoming more prevalent.

• Difficulties and unforeseen situations that cannot be predicted but that we know will come such as the ones that we cannot control or have an immediate impact over the economy. Construction opportunities are always more plentiful when the economy is thriving.

work zones and crews to minimum sizes so that interaction was decreased to a select, consistent few.

This crew would normally get to work, work, break and return home as a unit. The downside was that when one crew member was suspect (usually from offsite activity), then the whole crew had to be sent home.

Later in the pandemic the major challenge grew into frustration as the cumbersome processes and lack of true interaction took a toll. Moral became the next factor negatively controlling efficiencies. Despite the challenges, the contractors felt that they were able to mobilize and boost their crew and deliver a safe and successful project. The top drivers for the success of the projects included effective leadership and leading by example, clear and timely communication to the crews and a fostered safety culture. See Figure 3.

The Future of Construction Most of the respondents indicated that they expect to have a promising backlog but they expressed concern about the future of construction in terms of a lack of skilled labor, labor shortages, market volatility, supply chain issues and short and long term economic growth.

Some of their concerns included:

83%

83%

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100%

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Construction and engineering will continue to be • Finding good, qualified people to do the skilled labor that it takes to complete a good project. The vital to an effective and rapid post-pandemic recovery of communities and economies. The coronavirus workforce is also changing, it is getting more and pandemic and its attendances, severe weather more difficult to find construction workers willing to work for current industry average labor rates.

CONTINUED PAGE 32 | construction • Stabilization of pricing and supply of materials WHAT WER E THE D R I V ER S FOR S U C C ES S OF THE due to the pandemic PR OJEC T? and getting public sector employees back to work so projects will continue to bid and receive proper management.

• Global material supply chain disruption conEffect i v e C o m m u n i cat i o n F o s t ered s afet y R ei n fo rci n g Tech n o l o g y tinues to be of great l ead ers h i p an d (C l ear an d t i m el y cu l t u re p rep ared n es s an d (t ab l et s , cel l l ead i n g b y co m m u n i cat i o n ) s t an d ard o p erat i n g p h o n e, wearab l es , concern. Availability ex am p l e p ro ced u res d u ri n g d ro n es , et c. ) o t h er fo rce and cost of construcm aj eu re tion materials is very o ccu rren ces unpredictable.

Figure 3. Drivers For Success

www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o FALL 2021 | 31 |

| construction |

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31 | construction conditions and foreseen/unforeseen impacts of climate change maybe the key problems now, but calamities like these could evolve and change in the future. With that, there will be an amplified need for preparedness, but with agility and resiliency. The key takeaways include: • Bolstering preparation, communication, and safety with an agile attitude. Clear and timely communication between leadership, clients, construction managers, superintendents and safety managers is as imperative as communication between superintendents and workers.

• Reinforcement on worker safety. The companies that already had a strong safety culture in place with an emphasis on safety trainings, daily safety briefings and a requirement for PPE were able to transition into work during the pandemic with fewer issues.

• Realizing that construction projects will potentially take longer to complete and that is a schedul-

ing reality of the construction and its related industries.

• Re-sourcing supply chains and recalibrating them due to impaired movement of goods and services.

• Adapting and expanding the use of technology.

The use of tablets, cell phones and wearables allowed for long distance and virtual communication. Online conference applications allowed for large groups across the globe to communicate removing the limitation of in-person meetings.

The use of drones was used to track progress of the job in one instance, count the number of solar panels in another and identify flooded lots of land in yet another. These technologies were already being used; it was a matter of creatively using them to expand their application. There are technologies like wearable devices to track worker’s location, environment and biometric conditions to minimize worker risks on construction sites.

Wearables can also provide audible or vibration alarms to warn employees in proximity to moving equipment or alert emergency personnel when a

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| 32 | FALL 2021 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org

| construction |

worker is trapped or injured.

• Acclimatizing to the dynamic environment and finding solutions to work in it will help the workforce deliver in a constantly changing world.

Acknowledgements I am thankful to all my colleagues at HDR namely Leisa Nelson, John Peterson, Efrain Him, Joseph Moore, Ryan Nokelby and Javier Vasquez and my peers in the water and wastewater industry David Munn, Vishakha Kaushik and Vinoth Manoharan for introducing me to their contacts in the contracting industry.

The survey respondents were the key members without whom this research project would not have been possible. I am thankful to the survey respondents listed below for responding to the survey questionnaire and going above and beyond by providing additional thoughts and comments that were helpful in the preparation of this paper.

1. Raul A. Chapa (RAC Industries, LLC) 2. Brian Conrad (Conrad Construction Co., LTD) 3. George M. Scoular (Scohil Construction Services, LLC) 4. Michael Haynes (Industrial TX Corp.)

5. Todd Fisher (PLW Waterworks, LLC) 6. John Boatman (TLC Construction Contract Services, Inc.)

Author Bio Valetta Saldanha is a licensed Professional Engineer in Texas. She currently serves as a Project Manager designing water and wastewater treatment plants, storage and conveyance facilities, water quality, condition assessment and asset management projects in the Greater Houston Area. She is actively involved in the Southeast Chapter of Water Environment Association of Texas (WEAT), currently serving as the Vice-President of the Houston Chapter. She has a Master’s in Environmental Engineering from the University of Southern California and Bachelor’s in Biotechnology from Manipal University, India. She was selected to represent the State of Texas at the 2020 Water Environment Federation’s Young Professionals Summit. She has been awarded the Engineering News Record (ENR) Texas & Louisiana 2021 Top 20 Young Professionals Under 40 and the 2017 Young Engineer of the Year Award for WEAT. Her technical presentations and publications have been featured at Texas Water, Water Environment Research, Manipal University and the Indian Institute of Science. She has made STEM, career development and mentorship presentations to Girl Scouts of Houston and International Women's Day panels at AECOM.

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www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o FALL 2021 | 33 |

| letter from the texas section chair |

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 | letter from the texas section chair interested in being a part of the TAWWA Mentorship Program would be to keep an open mind! The brief resumes that are provided during the mentor matching process are just a small window into the depth of experience and wisdom that your prospective mentor could offer. Speaking as someone who has now been on the other side of the mentor-mentee coin, I always recommend that the mentee (young professional) take a proactive role in reaching out to their mentor to set expectations for how often you’ll meet, whether the meeting will be virtual or in person, and what times work best for you both—and then follow through with initiating meetings. Both mentor and mentee can have an incredibly rewarding experience when both parties come to the table with open minds and respect for one another’s time and experience. It has been a joy to see the mentors say they’ve learned just as much from the experience as the mentees, and I’m forever grateful to TAWWA for the opportunity to champion the program.

Editor's Note: As this edition of TEXASh2o was going to press, Section Chair Theresa Pedrazas announced she would be stepping back from her volunteer duties as Chair of the Texas Section AWWA. In accordance with the Bylaws and Governing Documents of the Section, the Executive Committee asked Chair-Elect Drew Molly to assume the position of Chair, and he accepted. This step is expected to be formalized at the Oct. 29 Board meeting.

The Section thanks Theresa for her leadership and long-term commitment to the purposes and goals of Texas AWWA and looks forward to her participation in future endeavors.

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| 34 | FALL 2021 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org

| board meeting |

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| new members |

TAWWA Welcomes New Members Joining July 16–Sept. 30, 2021 Mitchell Anderson Houston, TX

Partha Chinnasamy Houston, TX

Jennifer Franklin Grapevine, TX

Chris Johnson Odessa, TX

Karly Nocera Addison, TX

Kellynn Sembera Sugar Land, TX

Joshua Andrews Houston, TX

Yun Cho Austin, TX

Isabella Garrone Canyon Lake, TX

Haley Johnson San Marcos, TX

James Norcross Carrollton, TX

Mira Sharma Pearland, TX

Danielle Angert Austin, TX

Justin Clowers Sweetwater, TX

Alejandro Gonzalez Wharton, TX

Emily Jones Deer Park, TX

Patrick O'Connell Houston, TX

Brent Sheets Fritch, TX

Cosima Balletti-Thomas Austin, TX

Matt Corley Montgomery, TX

Simone Guidry Austin, TX

Nicholas Kallmyer Katy, TX

Rudy Olivarez Dilley, TX

Satish Shewale Houston, TX

Joshua Bell Bryan, TX

Jason Dalenberg Houston, TX

Ahsan Habib El Paso, TX

Eric Keller San Antonio, TX

Yash Patel Houston, TX

Keith Spaulding Houston, TX

Jack Booker Houston, TX

Cynthia Diaz De Leon El Paso, TX

Carol Haddock Houston, TX

Behnaz Khakbaz Houston, TX

Harshada Pednekar Dallas, TX

Harrison Steed Houston, TX

Dan Brennan Brookshire, TX

Rich Driscoll Bellaire, TX

Lundyn Harrelson Austin, TX

Paul Kite San Marcos, TX

Salvatore Pellittieri Austin, TX

Cara Tackett San Antonio, TX

Billy Burgan Gainesville, TX

Julie Faure Austin, TX

Tyler Hjorth San Marcos, TX

Jade Komolaputr Houston, TX

Royce Phillips Sugar Land, TX

Amanda Tague College Station, TX

Luis Cardona San Antonio, TX

Greg Filipowicz Houston, TX

Xiaochuan Huang Houston, TX

Andrew Lewis Houston, TX

Calvin Pugel Houston, TX

William Tartaglia Fort Worth, TX

William Causey Fort Worth, TX

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Brittney Huff Hudson Oaks, TX

Jing Ling Austin, TX

Dennis Querry Arlington, TX

TechStar Deer Park, TX

Judith Ibarra-Bianchetta San Antonio, TX

LJA Engineering Katy, TX

Parker Randall Houston, TX

Carlos Torres El Paso, TX

David Longar Westlake, TX

Jay Rao Dallas, TX

Serge Trudel Houston, TX

Justin Macmanus Fort Worth, TX

Jeff Reiser Deer Park, TX

Christi Upton Denton, TX

John Marez Kingsville, TX

Bill Rider Bulverde, TX

Manohar Venuturupalli Houston, TX

Mark Mathis Austin, TX

Jason Salas Houston, TX

Peter Veum Houston, TX

James McDonald Arlington, TX

Elexander Salinas Houston, TX

Delma Villasana Dallas, TX

Mathieu Medina Austin, TX

Zack Saucier Katy, TX

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| 36 | FALL 2021 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org

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| 38 | FALL 2021 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org

| | calendar calendar |

What’s Happening Across Texas DATE

ACTIVITY

OCT 29

Texas AWWA Annual Board Meeting

NOV 11

SE Annual Larry Kelm Memorial Golf Tournament

DEC 9

South Texas Scholarship Dinner

APR 4-7

Texas WaterTM 2022

TIME

LOCATION

INFORMATION

10 am-1 pm

Virtual

Request link: board@tawwa.org

Tour 18 Golf Course Humble, TX

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Mays Family Center and Zachry Family Acequia Garden, San Antonio

www.tawwa.org

Henry B. González Convention Center, San Antonio

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Henry B. González Convention Center, San Antonio

https://www. awwa.org/ace/

7 am 6 pm

JUN 12-15 ACE22

Want to share your event with the Texas water community?

Contact Mike Howe, 512-238-9292, or mikehowe@tawwa.org.

Check the Section’s website, www.tawwa.org, for the latest information on Section activities.

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