TEX Sh2o | Summer 2022 |
The Official Newsletter of the Texas Section AWWA | Every Drop, Every Day, Everywhere©
ACE22 Highlights Page 8
TAWWA Introduces SETH Program El Paso Water GROWS
Page 3
Page 10
Celebrating 50 Years!
NTMWD Completes Project | Water 2050 Launches | And More!
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| SETH |
TAWWA's SETH Training Program Begins Promotion at Annual Texas FFA State Convention BY DANIEL NIX tawwa agricultural water committee chair
A
s the July summer heat baked the Texas countryside, 11,000 FFA students in their signature blue corduroy jackets descended upon Fort Worth for their 94th Annual Texas FFA State Convention, and TAWWA was there with them promoting the soon-to-be-released SETH (Science, Engineering, Technology and Health) training program. Through the SETH program, high school students can complete the Basic Water training course to pass the TCEQ test to become a Class D Certified Water Operator. Members of the TAWWA Education and Agriculture Divisions manned an exhibit booth for two and a half days and attracted the attention of more than 131 FFA Chapters from A (Academy of Ag Sciences) to Z (well, Y – Yantis) across the State. The Ag Advisors were told about the new training program in Basic Water Operations that TAWWA will release this fall. The biggest selling point for the Ag Advisors was the fact that TAWWA had worked with TCEQ to develop the ability for the high school students to take their Water
Daniel Nix, City of Wichita Falls, and Donna Starling, City of Irving, man the TAWWA booth at the Annual Texas FFA State Convention in Fort Worth to promote the new SETH training program.
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Operator licensing exam before the age of 18. The Ag Advisors fell in love with the new ability for their students to have a "bearer bond" if they passed the State Certification exam that could then be redeemed with the TCEQ once the student turned 18 and possessed a high school diploma. The Ag Advisors were sent back to their FFA Chapters with a ceramic coin that had the TAWWA logo on one side and a QR code to the SETH website (https://www.tawwa.org/page/SETH) on the other. The coins were a big hit, and the Ag Advisors appreciated the QR code on the back of the coin. They said that it would make it easier for them to access the SETH site in September. In fact, the SETH website was already getting hits the first day of TAWWA being on the exhibit hall floor. It wasn’t just Ag Advisors that stopped by the booth; several groups of FFA students would stop to listen to the spiel. All in all, it was a very successful exhibit for TAWWA and the SETH program. SETH representatives also attended the Vocational Ag Teachers SETH project team member Dean Sharp and Convention Crystal Ybanez of Corpus Christi Water (and a in Corpus SETH project presenter) connected with AG Christi in teachers at their annual conference in Corpus late July. Christi in late July.
TEXASh2o SUMMER 2022 | 3 |
| letter from the texas section chair |
Texas Section American Water Works Association P.O. Box 80150 Austin, Texas 78708 www.tawwa.org Drew Molly, Chair 832-395-3785 Amy Middleton, Chair-Elect 210-510-0888 Karen Menard, Vice-Chair 214-670-5887 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 -30GCP Association Services, LLC PO Box 676 Pflugerville, TX 78691 512-251-8101 Fax: 512-251-8152 TXh20@tawwa.org The publication name, TexasH2O: © 1996-2022 Texas Section – American Water Works Association, Inc. © 2022 Texas Section – American Water Works Association, Inc.
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Small, Struggling Texas Water Systems BY DREW MOLLY texas section chair
T
he Texas Summer has arrived, and to our dismay, not only is it hotter than normal, but as of July 11, the Drought Monitor Report published by the Texas Water Development Board shows that 87 percent of the State is experiencing some category of drought. Houston has already issued a Stage 1 Water Shortage as a result of higher-than-normal water demands—requiring voluntary water DREW MOLLY restrictions—something we have not done since 832-395-3785 the summer of 2011. On one hand, our surface andrew.molly@houstontx.gov water reservoirs are mostly full, but on the other hand, Houston is experiencing more than the average number of water main breaks due to excessive soil movement as a result of our predominantly clay soils, which tend to contract or expand when the soil moisture dramatically changes. Normally Houston experiences a work-order backlog of about 100 outstanding repairs, however, as a result of the drought, we are now dealing with a backlog of nearly 450 repairs and climbing. These are repairs that have been called into the 311-call system and have been confirmed by an inspector to indeed be on the public side of the meter. To add more challenges, materials and parts required for water main repairs can be more difficult to locate and purchase as a result of the current supply-chain issues. So, when I received a call from Brian Butscher (Public Works Director for the City of Sugar Land) a week ago suggesting that we work together with other regional water providers in the Houston area to share resources, and help one another, it was a wonderful proposal. Houston is not the only utility in Texas who helps others in need, and certainly understands we are stronger and more resilient when working collectively together with our regional partners. We are lucky to have strong leadership in the southeast region, with folks like Eric Wilson (Gulf Coast Water Authority), Frank Simoneaux (Baytown), Robert Upton (Pearland), Jody Hooks (League City) and John Warnement (City of CONTINUED PAGE 24 | letter from the texas section chair
| 4 | SUMMER 2022 TEXASh2o
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| executive director report |
Making Utilities Better BY MIKE HOWE tawwa executive director
O
ver the years, my 96-year-old father-in-law has asked me about what I do for a living. I have explained that, as Executive Director of the Texas Section, I represent the largest number of water professionals in Texas who are committed to protecting our water supplies and delivering safe water to millions of Texans. He is OK with this explanation until he digs deeper. By the way, at his age, he remains sharp as a tack and his questions are always on point. Once, I added to my explanation that we are a scientific and education nonprofit with a commitment to training and I used a phrase that I like: "help make utilities better at what they do." He likes that one. (So do I). Recently, I told him about our latest education endeavor, the SETH Project. SETH© stands for Science, Engineering, Technology and Health. While these terms are all singularly important to the water community, together, this is the name of the most unique education program we have ever started. As you know, most of our public water systems in the State of Texas are considered small systems that often find it hard to employ and retain certified
operators. Recognizing this need, we have moved forward to create a training program for high school students that allows them to complete the Basic Water training course to satisfactorily pass the TCEQ test to become a Class D MIKE HOWE Certified Water Operator. 512-238-9292 mikehowe@tawwa.org Uniquely, TCEQ has agreed that students who complete the SETH training before they reach age 18 will be able to take the TCEQ Class D test, and if successful, be able to receive their TCEQ Class D license when they reach the age of 18. Utilizing funding provided by the Texas Department of Agriculture and TAWWA funds, and with a unique licensing agreement with Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), we have embarked on developing training videos utilizing the industry standard for water operator training, the TEEX Basic Water training program. As we developed the project, we learned that the Texas Education Agency Career Technology Education (CTE) Programs of Study already includes the Class D Water Operator Certification in the TEA approved list of Industry Based Certifications for Public School Accountability. Production of the training modules is ongoing, utilizing a diverse group of TCEQ accredited and approved instructors from across the state. We continue to work closely with the TCEQ to expedite the full approval of the SETH Project to meet our goal of a Fall 2022 launch. We have secured the commitment CONTINUED PAGE 34 | executive director report
| 6 | SUMMER 2022 TEXASh2o
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9001:2015
The Texas Section at ACE22 » » » » »
TAWWA Small Systems Division Chair Steve Walden receives his Honorary Member Award at ACE22 alongside AWWA incoming President Joe Jacangelo and President Chi Ho Sham.
This year's Fuller Award winners Sally Wright and Melissa Bryant (at center) with other Texas Section leaders, including last year's Fuller Award winners Brent Locke and Elston Johnson.
Texas Section SETH Project Team Members Mike Howe, Elston Johnson, Daniel Nix and Dean Sharp receive AWWA Education Award joined by AWWA President Chi Ho Sham, Texas Section Chair Drew Molly and Incoming AWWA President Joe Jacangelo.
Daniel Nix and Karen Menard speak with ACE keynote Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA's associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate.
Katie McCain and Rhonda Harris were honored at ACE22 for their ongoing support of the AWWA's World Water Cup Committee.
Two of Dallas’ Water Treatment Plants—East Side and Bachman —both received the Partnership for Safe Water 20-Year Director’s Award at ACE22.
Texas Section AWWA Executive Director Mike Howe announces awards at the ACE22 Opening General Session and the Water Industry Lunch.
More than 8,000 water professionals gathered at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio on June12-15 for the American Water Works Association’s Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE22) and Texas AWWA was well represented.
Benjamin Kuhnel received the Abel Wolman Award of Excellence at ACE22, which recognizes those whose careers in the water works industry exemplify vision, creativity, and excellent professional performance characteristic of Abel Wolman's long and productive career.
Ashley Evans Kent was recognized with a 5 Under 35 Award at ACE22. This award honors young professionals who go above and beyond in their service to AWWA.
Greg Wukash received the Distinguished Public Service Award at ACE22. This award recognizes a member of distinguished public service outside the line of duty.
Introduced in 1986, AWWA's Pipe Tapping Competition is the longest standing competition held annually at ACE. Top utility teams from Section-level contests from across North America and Europe compete by drilling into a pressurized ductile iron pipe and installing taps in the shortest period of time. Texas AWWA would like to congratulate the winners of the ACE22 Tapping Competition: City of Dallas Water Utilities Big D Lady Tappers! This is their 3rd consecutive championship! AWWA will provide funding for Big D Lady Tappers to travel and defend their title at ACE23 in Toronto. This year's event had a total of 26 teams, with four from the Texas Section AWWA.
TAWWA Past Chair Melissa Bryant gives a presentation on the History of the Riverwalk at ACE22.
The Fort Worth Lady Bandits placed 2nd and the San Antonio Water Systems Alamo Drillers Men’s team won 3rd in their division.
| el paso water |
EPWater, Master Gardeners Teach Dry can be Vibrant BY MARTHA C. KOESTER lead public affairs coordinator, el paso water
E
l Paso Water and El Paso Master Gardeners have joined to teach area enthusiasts that dry gardens can be beautiful. Gardeners in the Chihuahuan Desert are learning through a series of free workshops around El Paso that they can create lush, colorful landscapes using native, water-wise plants. (Gardening Resources Outreach Workshops and Seminars) GROWS "Colorful and attractive plants don’t have to take hundreds of gallons of water a month to keep alive," said Water Conservation Technician Alex Fashing, who
serves as project liaison. "Landscape irrigation accounts for 1/3 of all domestic water use in the United States. Irrigation conservation is a very important conversation to be having." Alison Wells, Water Conservation Coordinator for El Paso Master Gardeners, said the water conservation series targets working adults looking to maximize their gardening hobby. Workshops will be offered throughout the year on evenings and weekends, and future events around El Paso may be tracked via https:// www.tech2o.org/ or https://txmg.org/elpaso/. CONTINUED PAGE 20 | el paso water
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| water 2050 |
A Path to Water 2050 Launched at ACE22
A
t ACE22 in June, AWWA launched a multi-year initiative to visualize the future of water and chart a course for sustainability and success. AWWA's Water 2050 initiative seeks to establish a long-term vision of the future of water. This collaborative exploration will chart a course for a successful and sustainable water sector. Ultimately, Water 2050’s influence will extend beyond the water community, fostering partnerships and cross-sector collaboration for mutual and global benefit. Starting in 2022 and working through the end of 2023, Water 2050 will: • Engage in meaningful conversations. Thought leaders from within and outside the water sector will gather at intimate "think tanks" to examine
the future of water through the prism of five key drivers. • Enlist strategic partners. Collaboration among water utilities, service providers, academia, watersector organizations, and nontraditional partners will be essential. We’ll also reach beyond the water sector to engage corporate water users, nonprofit organizations and other stakeholder groups for fresh insights. • Foster intergenerational responsibility. Today's and tomorrow’s water professionals and leaders must work together to create a successful future. The voices of young and emerging professionals CONTINUED PAGE 23 | water 2050
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TEXASh2o SUMMER 2022 | 13 |
| abstracts |
Texas WaterTM 2023 Abstract Submittal is Open! Share your knowledge with the Texas Water community! Submit your abstract by
September 20, 2022
www.txwater.org/abstract_submission_2023.cfm And Save the Date! Texas WaterTM 2023 April 11-14, 2023 George R. Brown Convention Center » Houston, TX
| 14 | SUMMER 2022 TEXASh2o
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Planning Pflugerville’s Pfuture Through innovative planning, Pflugerville is laying the pfoundation of their pfuture through great infrastructure and careers.
To meet growing population demands, the City of Pflugerville, Texas, is expanding water and wastewater treatment capacity and increasing its source water supply – all at the same time. The City is experiencing a legacy moment, building projects and careers for City Engineering, Public Works staff, and the consultants it relies on, including Garver. Pflugerville is undertaking three key projects: expanding its WTP to 30 MGD, building a greenfield WWTP, and taking a multi-layered, innovative approach to expanding and diversifying its raw water supply portfolio. With such complex projects, City staff knew they needed a consultant they could rely on to serve their best interests. So, the City collaborated with Garver to provide key roles associated with each project from owner’s representative to design to water rights acquisition.
The WTP expansion involved taking a direct filtration membrane facility and retrofitting new membranes, all within the existing footprint to gain 30 MGD. By expanding and not constructing a new facility, the City was able to save millions in capital costs. Additionally, with the east side of Pflugerville opening to development, a new greenfield WWTP was needed in the area. It’s being designed for a 24-MGD build-out with enhanced biological nutrient removal to meet anticipated regulatory limits. In addition to the plant projects, the City knew its water supply would also need expanding. So, the City is looking to diversify its portfolio with nontraditional water sources, such as potable reuse, aquifer storage and recovery, and other cutting-edge, drought-resilient water supplies. With Garver’s support, the City recently
doubled its water supply contract from the Lower Colorado River Authority to cover water supply needs through 2038. “Garver’s relationship with the City at this moment in their history has been a unique opportunity. We prioritize the trust placed in us by City staff by matching our best technical experts with the unique challenges each project presents, to do what’s best for the residents of Pflugerville,” said Garver Project Manager Ian Toohey, PE. These projects, which will drive infrastructure in Pflugerville and the surrounding area for the next 30 years, are what build careers and develop the foundation for a community’s future. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?
“
Now, more than ever, is a pivotal time to join Pflugerville while we undergo exponential growth, and the future is incredibly bright for City staff. I couldn’t be more excited about the ways the City’s water and wastewater utility is progressing into the future. Brandon Pritchett | Public Utility Director of Pflugerville
Looking to further your career or get involved? If you’re looking to become involved in innovative, career-changing projects or wanting to build a career in operations, both Pflugerville and Garver are hiring for key positions. Go to pflugervilletx.gov/jobs or GarverUSA.com/careers/job-listings to check out what opportunities are available.
”
| ntmwd |
NTMWD Completes One of Nation’s Largest Environmental Restoration Projects
N
orth Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD), in collaboration with Resource Environmental Solutions (RES), is celebrating the completion of one of the largest environmental restoration projects of its kind in the U.S. After four years of dedicated efforts, North Texas is now home to a new and growing forest of 6.3 million trees, thousands of acres of enhanced wetlands and grasslands and 70 miles of improved streams. This thriving, renewed ecosystem was completed as part of the Bois d’Arc Lake project, the first major reservoir built in Texas in 30 years. NTMWD provides drinking water to more than 2 million people, and the new lake is necessary to meet needs for one of the fastest growing regions in the
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country. The lake is currently filling, with water delivery scheduled for Spring 2023. In addition to providing this critical water supply, the lake will offer recreation and economic benefits. The environmental improvements help offset, or mitigate, the loss of local natural habitat associated with construction of Bois d’Arc Lake. They cover approximately 17,000 acres and will have a legacy that extends for generations to come. NTMWD purchased the Upper Bois d’Arc Creek Mitigation Site and approximately 15,000 acres located along the Red River north of Monkstown, Texas, formerly known as Riverby Ranch. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Permit CONTINUED PAGE 30 | ntmwd
TEXASh2o SUMMER 2022 | 17 |
| drinking water seminar |
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| el paso water |
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 | el paso water "This is public education on how people can embrace conserving water in our region and introduce these practices into their own yards and landscapes," Wells said. "Through this exciting partnership with El Paso Water, our Master Gardener educators offer researchbased information to equip other gardeners with the tools and resources to conserve water." In appreciation Attendee Rose Cole said she has attended all three so far and would recommend the workshops. "I find these rewarding and have learned so many things," she said, adding she keeps track of the workshops so she and husband Lewis Cole, a Master Gardener, can attend. Ultimately, Fashing hopes that gardeners can appreciate that a water-wise yard can be
| 20 | SUMMER 2022 TEXASh2o
more aesthetically pleasing than the classic green lawn, adding that native landscaping keeps desert pollinators healthy. "Water conservation is one of the most important things we can do to ensure our future water supply," Fashing said. "Incorporating conservation techniques into gardening and landscaping is something that beginners and advanced gardeners alike can accomplish easily."
Water Conservation Technician Alex Fashing (far right) answers questions about El Paso Water's portfolio of water resources during a workshop.
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| water 2050 |
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 | water 2050 will be key throughout the initiative. • Capture collective knowledge. AWWA will report on insights from each think tank and publish additional guidance to support the water community in realizing the Water 2050 vision.
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| letter from the texas section chair |
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 | letter from the texas section chair Webster), just to name a few. I highly recommend that you, as a manager of your water/wastewater system, reach out to your surrounding utilities to see how you can collaborate and share resources during this era of supply chain uncertainty. It could be a win-win. As the heat takes hold of Texas, it’s even more important that people have access to safe and reliable water. So, when I received an email from our TAWWA Small Systems Chair, Steve Walden, several weeks ago asking if Houston could assist a small community just outside of Houston’s city limits and service area that had no water, I was a bit in shock. I was more astounded when I learned that this community had not had access to safe, reliable water for over three months. Sadly, the owner of this system had decided to walk away from its public water system—leaving the customers literally high and dry. Many of us take for granted that we have safe, reliable access to public drinking water every day. If water service is temporarily interrupted during a water
main repair, we count with frustration the hours that it takes for water service to return. It is easy to forget that in the year 2022, there are still customers of public water systems in Texas that do not have access to safe, reliable drinking water— sometimes for extended periods of time. The work that we do every day as water professionals is all to prevent this from occurring—but yet, it does. Regardless of how or why it happened, our neighbors were in need, and Houston jumped at the opportunity to help. Over the course of several weeks, Houston delivered more than 500 cases of bottled water and many trucks of nonpotable water obtained from Houston fire hydrants to the approximately 100 residents of this water system in their time of need. Steve Walden, a wise sage with nearly 30 years of experience at TCEQ and many years as a consultant, shared with me some very interesting statistics regarding the breakdown of Community Water Systems (CWS). Did you know nearly 50 percent of CWS’s serve a population of less than 500 customers. CONTINUED PAGE 27 | letter from the texas section chair
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| letter from the texas| section chair | | swift program
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 | letter from the texas section chair In fact, nearly 80 percent of all Community Water Systems in Texas serve less than 3,300 people. To put it another way, most CWS’s in Texas are small—so large municipalities like Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Corpus, Fort Worth and El Paso are the exception. In fact, the 40 largest CWS’s in Texas account for less than 1 percent of all CWS’s but serve nearly 50 percent of the State population. These large cities obviously have access to more resources, including funding, trained personnel and new technologies. As it has been explained to me, when CWS’s become insolvent, or fail, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) or the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) takes over and assigns the system to a Temporary Manager (TM). If the ownership structure is an investor-owned utility as in this case, the PUC has jurisdiction—for all other types of Public Water Systems, the TCEQ has jurisdiction. The PUC was made
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responsible for these duties in 2014, when they were transferred from the TCEQ to the PUC as required by the PUC’s Sunset legislation (HB 1600) adopted in 2013. According to the PUC’s website, they "regulate the state’s electric, water and telecommunication utilities," while the TCEQ, according to its website strives to "protect our natural resources by applying regulations clearly and consistently." In other words, the two agencies have similar goals and responsibilities, which frankly makes things confusing. TMs are registered with the PUC and voluntarily commit to restoring and operating the system in accordance with TCEQ standards. In this case, the TM is paid $15/connection per month (a very small fee), however, the TM is not reimbursed for making capital improvements, like drilling a new well because the TM does currently own the system. This is a problem, because there is little incentive for TMs to have a sense of urgency when a failure occurs. CONTINUED PAGE 28 | letter from the texas section chair
TEXASh2o SUMMER 2022 | 27 |
| letter from the texas section chair |
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27 | letter from the texas section chair In this situation, the TM was doing the best they could to address a failed groundwater well. At a time when well drillers are currently hard to find due to a housing boom, and materials are sometimes even harder to locate, the TM was able to secure a well driller relatively quickly. Unfortunately, it took three drilling attempts before a successful groundwater well was installed. Speculatively, the TM could eventually acquire ownership of this system, which may allow the TM to recoup some or all costs through customer rates once the system was restored. In my tangential involvement with this heart-felt situation, I must admit, everyone involved was trying to work out the best solution. Was it frustrating that a viable solution wasn’t more expedient? Absolutely. I participated on a couple calls led by the PUC, who were working admirably with the stakeholders involved to facilitate solutions. It was clear there was a lot of frustration, but everyone involved was professional and cared deeply about helping this community.
| 28 | SUMMER 2022 TEXASh2o
Despite the good intentions and hard work of everyone involved, a solution did not occur soon enough. After talking to guys like Steve Walden, and others in our industry, it’s clear that small utilities are underresourced, and if not managed well, can struggle or even fail like this one. It’s hard enough for large utilities to implement asset management programs, or protect water system with cross connection control programs, or ensure that SCADA systems have the required cybersecurity systems in place, or comply with the constantly evolving and complex regulatory requirements—let alone the small utilities. So, what are some takeaways from this event? 1. Drinking Water Watch, the TCEQ database that provides regulatory information about every CWS in the State, shows a significant number of enforcement actions against this system going back more than a decade. Are there proactive actions that can be taken earlier to minimize the risk of the complete failure of a CWS? 2. The water rate revenue available from low-income
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| letter from the texas section chair |
customers is often the root cause of small CWS failures. It may be time to give some additional thought to the financial challenges of small public water supplies, especially those serving low-income communities. These types of systems struggle to keep their systems operating, leaving no resources available for new requirements such as Lead & Copper Rule Revisions, emergency power requirements, etc. These systems are, and likely will continue to be, in need every day. The bottom line is that most Texas water systems are small water systems, and small water systems often struggle harder than larger ones to provide safe, reliable water service. It is wonderful that our community has organized to assist these systems through programs such as TXWARN, Community Engineering Corps, and the Small Systems Program at TAWWA to augment the support these communities need. I encourage you to reach out to Steve Walden (Small Systems), Mike Howe (TXWARN), Katie Livas (Community Engineering Corps) or myself to get more involved!
Code Updates In-Service Cleaning If you are interested in having us as your partner, feel free to contact one of our department representatives below NEW TANKS — Rick DiZinno (270) 826-9000 ext. 2601 EXISTING TANKS — Jordan Pyles (270) 826-9000 ext. 4601
—
9001:2015
www.tawwa.org
Learn more
TEXASh2o SUMMER 2022 | 29 |
| ntmwd |
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 | ntmwd requires the size of mitigated areas to be similar to those inundated by a reservoir. Bois d’Arc Lake has a surface area of 16,641 acres. NTMWD’s goal was to go beyond meeting the regulatory permit requirements: The District chose to restore the land to its pre-agricultural condition. The Riverby area was entirely forested before it was converted to a working cattle ranch. The four-year mitigation efforts included planting 6.3 million trees,
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| 30 | SUMMER 2022 TEXASh2o
restoring and enhancing over 8,500 acres of wetlands, restoring 70 miles of existing streams, including sections of Willow Branch Creek, and planting approximately 3,200 acres of native grassland. This is the final year of active planting and restoration activities. Trees function as the pillar of thriving North Texas ecosystems. Earlier this year, the last several million native saplings were planted at the ranch and neighboring Upper Bois d’Arc Lake Mitigation Area. The trees were added in one to two million increments over the previous four years, with crews filling in areas as needed to establish resilient, mature forests. To better support streambanks, crews also planted live stakes, which are branches cut from black willows, cottonwoods and sycamores that grow into new trees. "Trees support complex ecosystems for wildlife, help control erosion and flooding and improve air quality," explained RES Project Manager Matt Stahman. "All the work— stream restoration, tree planting and grass establishment—was done concurrently to create thriving ecosystems. The trees help keep sediment out of the streams, and in turn they benefit from water provided by the restored streams." Less erosion in the lake’s watershed and waterways will decrease sedimentation and nutrient loads into Bois d’Arc Creek, the Red River and surrounding topography and improve the lake’s overall water quality. More than a million more trees were planted than originally planned, due to the need for categorizing and replanting some habitat areas. "It takes time to learn which habitats work best in each area," said RES Project Ecologist Brandon Hall. "We came up with a plan, but our job is to work with what nature wants to do. There were some areas that we labeled in the plan as grasslands, but they ended up being better restored as forest, and vice versa. So we replanted more trees accordingly." "The main lesson we learned was to work with and not against nature," agreed Daniel
www.tawwa.org
| ntmwd |
Kampfer, RES Project Superintendent for the mitigation process. "Now we will take everything we’ve learned here—the successes as well as the setbacks—and work even more effectively and efficiently on the next largescale restoration project." The restoration team initially sectioned the restoration areas into 300 larger habitat sections, with trees selected for planting in some of these areas. Ultimately, over 670 habitat areas were identified and individually restored. The result of these careful designations and restoration of trees, rivers and other habitats is a highly resilient landscape that supports a diverse set of inhabitants, including pollinators, predators and birds of prey. According to Jim Bednarz, Senior Lecturer at the University of North Texas, the first signs of successful restoration is a diverse community of birds and animals, especially those at the top of the food chain— the predators. "Our preliminary data has already shown a huge number of birds of prey," Bednarz said. Master’s degree students from the university have been onsite analyzing avian life and identified over a hundred bird species, including many that are threatened or protected in the state of Texas. Now that active restoration efforts are concluding, NTMWD and RES will transition to monitoring and maintenance for decades to ensure that the entire site continues to thrive. While all the new habitats must be monitored, "a lot of our ongoing efforts will be forestry, to develop those saplings and live stakes into the tree stands," Stahman said. Teams will track the number of stands and types of trees per acre, including those that
didn’t make it. "Think of it like a garden," Hall explained. "The construction phase of a garden includes planting and tilling, but then it requires weeding and possibly planting a trellis and so forth to maintain. Our work is similar, just on a much larger, 17,000-acre scale." For more information on Bois d’Arc Lake and its environmental improvements, visit BoisdArcLake.org.
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Restored Willow Branch Creek bends.
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TEXASh2o SUMMER 2022 | 31 |
| new members |
TAWWA Welcomes New Members Joining May 1–June 30, 2022 Omid Abdi Katy, TX
Emma Birbeck Houston, TX
Harry Clifford Corpus Christi, TX
Ronald De La Garza Harlingen, TX
Cole Eby Ferris, TX
Chris Gaddy Fort Worth, TX
Alayna Aimes Austin, TX
Andre Black Pflugerville, TX
Richard Clinton College Station, TX
Oscar De Leon Pharr, TX
Ravi Elepe Dallas, TX
Cori Gagne West Lake Hills, TX
William Ames Humble, TX
Justin Boroff Odessa, TX
Louis Collins Fort Worth, TX
Stephen Debner San Antonio, TX
John Ellis Houston, TX
Demetrio Galindo Odessa, TX
Arcadis Gen Austin, TX
John Branom Pasadena, TX
Keeling Colynn San Angelo, TX
Adam Dell'Ora Round Rock, TX
Gina Ellison Leander, TX
Patricio Galindo West Lake Hills, TX
Nicholas Aristizabal Kingwood, TX
Michael Burroughs Willow Park, TX
Aaron Conine Fort Worth, TX
Connor Deng The Woodlands, TX
Michael Esquibel Edinburg, TX
Eusebio Galvan III Corpus Christi, TX
Daniel Baquera Beaumont, TX
Maria Calbillo Odessa, TX
Charles Cookus Corpus Christi, TX
Sarvesh Dhakal Leander, TX
Melissa Fabela Fort Worth, TX
Saikrishna Ganesan Plano, TX
Scott Barrow San Antonio, TX
Cesar Cantu Conroe, TX
Jose Cruz Corpus Christi, TX
Jonathan Dimas Amarillo, TX
Manuel Flores Amarillo, TX
Frank Garcia Cypress, TX
Juan Berumen Galveston, TX
Leslie Cantu Corpus Christi, TX
Kelly Daniel Austin, TX
Desiree Dominguez El Paso, TX
Raymond Fonseca Round Rock, TX
William Garza Georgetown, TX
Kevin Binkley Odessa, TX
John Carlock Needville, TX
Matthew Davies Houston, TX
Scott Dunham Austin, TX
Russ Ford Houston, TX
Michael George McKinney, TX
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| 32 | SUMMER 2022 TEXASh2o
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| texas | new water members 2022 |
TAWWA Welcomes New Members Joining May 1–June 30, 2022 Lawrence Goldberg Cypress, TX
Abelardo Ibarra Waelder, TX
Nicholas Lowe Austin, TX
Jason Palmer San Antonio, TX
Ginny Rivers King Scurry, TX
Bret Thompson Abilene, TX
Josue Gonzalez West Lake Hills, TX
IFS Coatings, Inc. Gainesville, TX
Benjamin Magana Ozona, TX
Danny Parks Cypress, TX
Steve Rodriguez Clint, TX
Ngan Tran Houston, TX
Scott Griffith Plano, TX
Robert Isaac Horseshoe Bay, TX
Rodrigo Maldonado West Lake Hills, TX
Wade Parks Houston, TX
Gilberto Rolon Colleyville, TX
Troy Treat Conroe, TX
Daniel Grimes Irving, TX
Trishla Jain West Lake Hills, TX
Donald Malovets Taylor, TX
Donna Payne Saginaw, TX
Ernesto Rosales Edcouch, TX
Allison Urback Spring, TX
Humberto Guerrero San Juan, TX
Clayton Jarosek Midlothian, TX
Trent Maycumber Houston, TX
Charles Payton Odessa, TX
Timothy Rowe League City, TX
Cesar Valencia Irving, TX
Bailey Guillaume Lago Vista, TX
Jacob Jasperson Houston, TX
Curtis McDole Lubbock, TX
George Perkins Canyon Lake, TX
Johnny Ruiz Eagle Pass, TX
Vanessa Vasquez Houston, TX
Santosh Gunavante Plano, TX
Annie Jiang Austin, TX
Alisha Meharali Austin, TX
Kathleen Permenter Haltom City, TX
Juan Sanchez Austin, TX
Kent Vest Grapevine, TX
Abigail Hall San Antonio, TX
Eric Johnson Irving, TX
James Metcalfe Cedar Park, TX
Robert Phillippi Gainesville, TX
Tiffany Saucedo Brookshire, TX
Marco Villarreal Amarillo, TX
Christian Harkins Rowlett, TX
Kate Johnson West Lake Hills, TX
Courtney Miller Sugar Land, TX
Ted Pick Jr Frisco, TX
Elizabeth Savage Dallas, TX
Shane Wade Dallas, TX
Frank Haskell College Station, TX
Nick Johnson Corpus Christi, TX
Kenton Moffett Temple, TX
Brandon Psencik West Lake Hills, TX
Joe Savage Grapevine, TX
Brittany White Abilene, TX
Gwenn Hattaway Wellborn, TX
Andrew Jones Pflugerville, TX
Jim Moldovan Grapevine, TX
Carlos Quintero Fort Worth, TX
Mario Scapini Brookshire, TX
Douglas Wiersig Dallas, TX
Brody Hayek Corpus Christi, TX
Matthew Jones Mansfield, TX
John Moore Saginaw, TX
Fred Quintero Lucas, TX
Anthony Shackelford Odessa, TX
Paul Wilkerson Odessa, TX
Daniel Hernandez Clint, TX
Mst Marufa Khondoker San Marcos, TX
Juan Moreno Amarillo, TX
Aushwin Raj Houston, TX
Samjhana Shrestha Houston, TX
Marvin Williams Dallas, TX
Joe Hernandez Aubrey, TX
Derek Kovalcik Sugar Land, TX
Amy Moreno Sanchez Houston, TX
Ehsan Rajaie Arlington, TX
Runal Shrivastava Austin, TX
Wade Williams Murphy, TX
Jose Hernandez Clint, TX
Mythri Krishnamoorthysujatha Pflugerville, TX
Carlos Munoz Amarillo, TX
Christopher Randolph Dallas, TX
Paden Stanley Austin, TX
Sandra Willis Bryan, TX
Jose Murillo Baytown, TX
Tulasi Ravindran Austin, TX
Benjamin Stanush La Vernia, TX
Mark Wilson Fort Worth, TX
David Naranjo Arlington, TX
Patrick Reece Houston, TX
Zaid Subhi San Antonio, TX
Andreas Winardi Spring, TX
Julen Navarrete San Antonio, TX
Sergio Resendez Austin, TX
Cody Sullivan Murphy, TX
Michelle Winfrey Italy, TX
Robert Nicol San Antonio, TX
Daniel Reyna Pharr, TX
Alison Sunderhaft San Antonio, TX
Nathan Withers Willow Park, TX
Jason Nitsch Houston, TX
Savannah Rice Santa Paula, CA
Katharine Tamez Addison, TX
Daniel Wolford Conroe, TX
Sabrina Ontiveros Clint, TX
Earl Richardson Corpus Christi, TX
Jason Taroni Allen, TX
Felipe Zamora Port Isabel, TX
Adric Otis Baytown, TX
Floyd Riley Port Arthur, TX
Jacob Taylor Irving, TX
Aj Zeimetz Leander, TX
Joseph Padalino Tomball, TX
Leslie Riojas College Station, TX
Jose Tellez Amarillo, TX
Angelica Zuniga San Antonio, TX
Mohamed Palakkal Kingsville, TX
Enrique Rios Amarillo, TX
Michael Thoman Round Rock, TX
Octaviano Hernandez Pflugerville, TX Raul Hernandez Amarillo, TX Santos Hernandez Aubrey, TX Vivian Hernandez Laredo, TX Julio Hildago Pflugerville, TX Thomas Hill Pearland, TX Marc Hinojosa Alvarado, TX Clifton Holik Richmond, TX Tiffany Hunter Georgetown, TX
www.tawwa.org
Kory Kyllo Irving, TX Chris Lacey New Braunfels, TX Alicia Lee Dallas, TX Daniel Leontieff San Marcos, TX Natasha Levanti Austin, TX James Lewis Baytown, TX Ed Long Clint, TX Robert Lopez Donna, TX Jarrett Louder Goodfellow Afb, TX
TEXASh2o SUMMER 2022 | 33 |
| executive director report |
Partners for a Better Quality of Life
Serving Texas in Water and Wastewater since 1980 •Treatment, Pumping, Distribution and Collection •Mechanical, Structural and Architectural •Electrical and SCADA Programming •Survey, SUE and Environmental Permitting •Construction Management and Engineering Inspections
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 | executive director report of one school district and others, with the support of their local utility, are tracking our progress. Any school district is able to opt into the program at NO COST to the district or the student. We are excited about the possibilities of the SETH project, and we are already out promoting the program to school districts and utilities. See the article on page 3 of this issue. And, we were recently awarded the AWWA Education Award for the SETH project before it is fully rolled out. This is an exciting, practical, and immediately accessible program that will make a difference to the water community. I invite you to learn more and track our progress at www.tawwa.org/SETH. I think my father-in-law will be pleased to know that we are "making utilities better at what they do." Stay cool!
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| 34 | SUMMER 2022 TEXASh2o
www.tawwa.org
| | calendar calendar |
What’s Happening Across Texas DATE OCT 13 OCT 20/21
ACTIVITY NCT Chapter October Meeting
TIME 11:15 am
TAWWA Customer Service Workshop
OCT 21
NCT Drinking Water Seminar
OCT 24
SE Chapter Water For People, Beer For Us
NOV 11
SE Chapter Annual Golf Tournament
LOCATION
INFORMATION
Texas Star Conference Center/ Virtual Microsoft Teams
www.tawwa.org
Texas Star Conference Center Euless
www.tawwa.org
The Petroleum Club of Fort Worth
www.tawwa.org www.tawwa.org
9 am
Kingwood Country Club
www.tawwa.org
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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TEXASh2o SUMMER 2022 | 35 |
TEXASh2o
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