TEX Sh2o | Preconference 2018 |
The Official Newsletter of the Texas Section AWWA | Every Drop, Every Day, Everywhere©
Texas Water is Right Around the Corner!
Conference Highlights | Page 3 Keynote Speaker | Page 13 Value of Water - Texas | Page 17
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
TAWWA Launches Water Geek Website | Page 9 TCEQ Executive Director Retires | Page 14
Texas Almanac Essay | TAWWA Mentoring Program | And More!
| texas water |
Take a Stroll Along the Riverwalk at Texas Water 2018TM! April 23-26, 2018 » Henry B. González Convention Center
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oin your friends and colleagues in San Antonio for Texas Water 2018TM! This year, Texas Water will be held at the Henry B. González Convention Center April 23-26, 2018. Visit www.txwater.org for more information and to register! Dedicated volunteers from the Texas Section AWWA and the Water Environment Association of Texas have worked countless hours to make Texas Water 2018TM, the groups' annual joint conference, a seamless event that will bring home the knowledge to advance the water and wastewater industry.
Don't miss out on the sold-out Exhibit Hall featuring more than 500 booths, the informative technical sessions and the networking opportunities with thousands of representatives of the Texas water/ wastewater industry! Here are some conference highlights: MONDAY, APRIL 23 The day begins at 7 a.m. as players gather at the Brackenridge Park Golf Course in San Antonio for the annual Texas Water Golf Tournament. The tournament raises money for scholarships for TAWWA and WEAT. At 2 p.m., the Texas Section's Board of Trustees will hold its annual meeting at the Hyatt Hotel in the Regency West Ballroom. All members of TAWWA are welcome to attend the Board meeting. After the exhibitors have put their booths in order, the Texas Water Exhibit Hall will open at 5 p.m. for a Meet-and-Greet reception for attendees. Texas Water 2018TM has officially begun. TUESDAY, APRIL 24 The morning kicks off with the Dodson's Drive Fun Run, which benefits the Dodson's Drive and raises funds to support TAWWA/WEAT Young Professional activities around Texas. Visit https://www.facebook. com/YPDD5k for more information. At 9 a.m., Robert Puente, president and chief executive officer of San Antonio Water System, will address the opening session. Read more about Puente on page 13. The Awards Lunch at 11:30 a.m. spotlights TAWWA members who have made special contributions to the industry. Technical sessions begin their three-day run that CONTINUED PAGE 33 | texas water
www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o PRECONFERENCE 2018 | 3 |
| letter from the texas section chair |
Why I am a Member of AWWA — and Why You Should be Too! Texas Section American Water Works Association P.O. Box 80150 Austin, Texas 78708 www.tawwa.org Bruce Curtis, Chair 972-602-1001 Ron Tamada, Chair-Elect 817-493-5100 Elston Johnson, Vice-Chair 512-809-7552 Daniel Nix, Imm. Past Chair 940-691-1153 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 PO Box 676 Pflugerville, TX 78691 512-251-8101 Fax: 512-251-8152 texwater@texas.net The publication name, TexasH2O: © 1996-2018 Texas Section – American Water Works Association, Inc. © 2018 Texas Section – American Water Works Association, Inc.
FOLLOW TAWWA ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER!
Texas AWWA
@txawwa
BY BRUCE CURTIS texas section chair
M
y fellow Texas Section AWWA members, believe it or not, it’s been approximately 38 years that I’ve been a member of AWWA. I’ve told this story a number of times during the last few years, but when I’m asked as to why I joined AWWA back in 1982, I am usually fairly blunt with my response by merely saying, "…because my boss said I had to." While this blunt directive (without any further explanation) from BRUCE CURTIS my immediate supervisor seemed coarse at the 972-602-1001 time, I took heed to his directive and promptly brucec@ebaa.com filled out an AWWA membership card and mailed it to the AWWA headquarters in Denver, CO. (NOTE: Yes, this was before the ease of signing up over the Internet and we actually used postage stamps.) After all these years, I am forever thankful for his sage advice because being a member of AWWA has been extremely fulfilling and a very rewarding experience for me throughout my entire career. I’m quite sure that my boss' blunt directive was probably not consistent with the preferred marketing and recruiting tactics that AWWA used at the time for recruiting new members, but what if we turned the concept around? For example, if you’re currently employed (or wish to be) within the waterworks industry, why not ask yourself why you’re not a member—or for that matter, bluntly ask your boss how you can be? Sometimes you have to take the initiative and make a concerted effort to accomplish your own goals by yourself. I recall the famous line from President John F. Kennedy's presidential inaugural speech in 1962 where he stated, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but for what you can do for your country." Thus, if you’re truly interested in participating and/or giving back to your association, commit yourself to becoming a member of AWWA. And if you really want to contribute to your association, seek out a mentor and ask for guidance on how you can participate more so in AWWA activities on a section level or local chapter level. If you have specific interests in mind, seek out an existing AWWA member who can help get you involved in a CONTINUED PAGE 26 | letter from the texas section chair
| 4 | PRECONFERENCE 2018 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org
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| executive director report |
A Brief Look at San Antonio's History BY MIKE HOWE tawwa executive director
S
Twenty-five years passed before a permanent settlement was built along the San Antonio River as a halfway point between northern Mexico and Spanish settlement areas in eastern Texas. Two years later, on the 1st of MIKE HOWE May of 1718, Martín de 512-238-9292 mikehowe@tawwa.org Alarcón, Governor of Coahuila y Tejas, and Fray Antonio de San Buenaventura y Olivares established the Mission San Antonio de Valero (later known as the Alamo). Four days later the Presidio San Antonio de Béjar, a garrison to protect the new mission, was formed. A few civilian settlers and families of soldiers settled in the area called the Villa de Béjar.
San Antonio was once a remote encampment on a gentle river. An indigenous tribe, the Payaya people, called this welcoming area Yanaguana, which meant "the Clear Water" in their native language.
The town would soon grow as four new missions were established nearby and 55 Canary Islanders arrived in 1731. By order of the King of Spain, San Antonio was officially and legally declared a municipality known as Villa de San Fernando de Béjar. By 1773, San Antonio was the capital of Spanish Texas. In the years that followed, pioneering settlers from varied cultures and regions streamed into San Antonio, all looking for a better life.
On June 13th, 1691, Domingo Terán de los Ríos, the first governor of the new Spanish province of Tejas, and Fray Damián Mazanet led an expedition through the area. June 13th being the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua, they gave it the Spanish name "San Antonio de Padua."
As the Spanish Empire declined, Texas became increasingly discontent with Mexico’s governance. Calls for independence grew, and the Texas Revolution began, leading to the Battle of the Alamo in 1836. After the defeat of Mexican forces at San Jacinto, the new Republic of Texas established Bexar
an Antonio is the place to be in April. As March Madness ends, two big events will roll into San Antonio. One is Fiesta San Antonio, the annual celebration of the diverse heritage, culture and spirit of San Antonio. The other, of course, is Texas Water 2018™, the Largest Regional Water Conference in the U.S.©, and the annual celebration of water professionals doing what they do best: protecting public health. And, they are both happening the same week—in San Antonio. I’m not joking. San Antonio is going to be very busy the week of April 23rd. But don’t let that discourage you—we have made plans to co-exist with Fiesta and, heck, it will be one big party! Before I go any further, let me explain that I am not comparing Texas Water™ to the amazing story of San Antonio. Far from it. Did you know that right after Texas WaterTM, on May 1, 2018, San Antonio will celebrate 300 years of being? A Tricentennial event like no other, that like many communities, begins its story around water. Below is an edited history of this amazing city from the San Antonio Tricentennial Commission:
| 6 | PRECONFERENCE 2018 TEXASh2o
CONTINUED PAGE 24 | executive director report
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| water geek |
TAWWA Launches Water Geek Website BY CLIFF AVERY texas h2o editor
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AN ANTONIO — At Texas Water 2018, Texas AWWA will launch a new initiative to share water knowledge with consumers. WaterGeek.org will feature videos that provide information about how safe, sufficient drinking water gets to the homes of Texans. It will also invite Texans to contact their local utilities for more information. The effort began in the summer of 2016 with discussions between AWWA headquarters staff and Texas Section leaders about reaching out to the general public.
CONTINUED PAGE 28 | water geek
www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o PRECONFERENCE 2018 | 9 |
| state of texas water |
Texas Almanac Essay Highlights Water Challenges BY CLIFF AVERY texas h2o editor
T
he greatest threat to Texas’s water supplies is ignorance. That’s the theme underlying Andrew Sansom’s essay, "The State of Texas Water," in the hot-off-the presses edition of the Texas Almanac. Sansom, the former director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, is now research professor of geography and executive director of The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University. Sansom notes that modern Texas water planning
and a surge of reservoir-building sprang from the so-called "drought of record" in the 1950s. The assumption was, he writes, "that’s as bad as it’s going to get." "Today, with the widespread consensus that the climate is indeed changing as a result of both natural and human-induced phenomena, such thinking is outdated and unhelpful," he writes. Even though recent state water planning has downplayed the impacts of climate change, "educated CONTINUED PAGE 22 | state of texas water
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| 10 | PRECONFERENCE 2018 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org
Meet our professionals at Texas Water 2018. We’re presenting at Texas Water 2018 on 10 different topics, from phosphate harvesting and operator training to polymer manholes and everything in between. TUESDAY, APRIL 24 TIME
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Nutrient Management: A Holistic Whole Plant Evaluation for Managing Phosphorus and Nitrogen (with TRA and CH2M)
Biosolids
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Construction Fail! How Improved Communication Between Operators, Engineers, and Contractors Can Improve Facilities (with TRA)
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TRA’s Integration of Innovative Disinfection Technologies (with TRA)
Young Professionals
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Cloth Media Filter Pilot Study Shows a Path for Improved Total Suspended Solids and Phosphorus Removal at the Garland Wastewater Treatment Centers (with City of Garland)
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Engineering Design in the Developing World: Iron Remediation of Groundwater in Rwanda
Diversity/International
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
Charting a New Course: A Curriculum for Operator Training with Advanced Technology like UV AOP (with City of Wichita Falls)
Water Reuse
2:15 PM - 2:45 PM
The New Polymer Concrete Manholes: Breaking Down the Structures Made to Not Break Down (with City of Frisco)
Wastewater Collection
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Pump Selection 101: The Nuts and Bolts for New Designers
Young Professionals
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Prioritizing DWUs System Wide Raw Water Facilities Rehab Program Utilizing a Business Risk Exposure Tool (with Dallas Water Utilities)
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| tw keynote |
Texas Water Keynote: SAW's Robert Puente
S
AN ANTONIO—Robert Puente, the longest serving chief executive of the San Antonio Water System, will keynote Texas Water 2018TM April 24. Puente made front-page headlines in the Alamo City in March when he declined a $96,500 bonus from the SAWS Board. According to the San Antonio Express-News, Puente, a former state legislator, compared his efforts to explain water and wastewater rate increases with being on the campaign trail. "Puente said the SAWS workforce deserves credit for completion of one of the nation’s largest inland desalination plants, changes in contractors for the Vista Ridge pipeline and development of a 50-year water management plan," the newspaper reported.
"'I could not have done it without the 1,700 employees who really do what’s best for San Antonio and so I want to protect their backs,' he said." Puente joined SAWS as president and CEO in 2008. He had previously served 16 years in the Texas House of Representatives, rising to chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. From his legislative perch, he was a key player in creation of the Edwards Aquifer Authority, in establishment of an environmental flows study process CONTINUED PAGE 25 | tw keynote
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www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o PRECONFERENCE 2018 | 13 |
| tceq executive director |
TCEQ Executive Director Hyde Retires
T
CEQ Executive Director Richard A. Hyde, P.E, is retiring. Hyde stepped down as executive director at the end of March, but will remain at the TCEQ throughout April to allow the agency to transition smoothly, according to a TCEQ news release. "It has been a privilege to work for the people of this great state, but now it’s time for myself and my family to begin the next chapter in our lives," Hyde said. "I’m thankful to have worked with so many dedicated employees at the TCEQ. TCEQ’s employees work hard every day to protect the environment using good science and common sense." Hyde began his career in state government more than 25 years ago as a permit writer with the Texas Air Control Board, a predecessor agency of the TCEQ. He
has worked in several areas of the agency, including director of the Air Permits Division, deputy director of the Office of Permitting and Registration, deputy director of the Office of Compliance and Enforcement, deputy executive director and executive director since January 2014. "Throughout his many years at the TCEQ, Richard has worked tirelessly for the state of Texas and the employees of the TCEQ," said TCEQ Chairman Bryan W. Shaw, Ph.D., P.E. "As someone who has grown within the agency, he knows the agency process inside and out. We owe a tremendous debt to Richard for his service and leadership of this agency." "With all the demands of running a large state CONTINUED PAGE 21 | tceq executive director
| 14 | PRECONFERENCE 2018 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org
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| value of water |
Value of Water – Texas Tuesday, April 24 | 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Room 221 C
W
ith Texas population expected to increase by nearly 30% during the next 20 years and the effect of climate change on our natural resources, it is vitally important partnerships are created within our communities for utilities to manage sustainable solutions for reliable water and waste water service. Join us for the Value of Water – Texas as we spotlight engagement success stories for resource sustainability, specifically biosolids, water conservation and desalination. The Value of Water – Texas program is designed to foster networking and dialogue among water and
waste water utilities of all sizes focusing on the community outreach component of a project or challenges experienced with responding, CONTINUED PAGE 18 | value of water
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www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o PRECONFERENCE 2018 | 17 |
| value of water |
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 | value of water interacting or communicating to end users. Real-life experiences and lessons learned will be told. This program includes oral presentations, interactive discussions and an opportunity to meet and discuss outreach with the program speakers in a dynamic environment. Join us in a collaborative, storytelling environment on April 24 as we learn more about the tools and resources used by the Trinity River Authority, the cities of El Paso, Leander, and San Antonio and the San Antonio Water System as they created agricultural and community partnerships. Value of Water Schedule: Tuesday, April 24: 3:30–4:00 pm: Springboard Discussion: Engaging the Agricultural Community in Support of Biosolids Beneficial Reuse, Sherri Van der Wege, Trinity River Authority and Matt Berg, CH2M
4:00–4:30 pm: Panel Discussion: Helping Customers to Manage Cost and Consumption Through Strategic Engagement, Michelle Camp, WaterSmart Software, Karen Guz, San Antonio Water System, JoAnn Perez, City of Leander and Ed Archuleta, WaterSmart Software 4:30–5:00 pm: Dynamic Interview: The Power of Storytelling – Ideation and Scripting Within the Realm of Utility Outreach, Greg Wukasch, San Antonio Water System, Lynne Christopher, San Antonio Water System and Carlos Maestas, Key Ideas
Get Involved & Impact Water Education in Texas! Join us for the TAWWA Education Division Meeting, Tuesday, April 24 at 1:30 pm in Room 301 A
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| tceq executive | swiftdirector program| |
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 | tceq executive director agency, Richard has remained laser-focused on protecting public health and the environment," TCEQ Commissioner Jon Niermann said. "He has approached this mission with excellent judgment and superb leadership. Texans have been fortunate to have a public servant of Richard’s caliber." "The executive director of the TCEQ is a tough and often thankless job, and Richard did it with the highest degree of competence and integrity," TCEQ Commissioner Toby Baker said. "He has served this agency and the state of Texas honorably over a long and impressive career, and we wish him the very best."
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| state of texas water |
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 | state of texas water consideration of climate change is the essential in the discussion of future water resource planning and management in Texas. Water planning in the 21st century, Sansom points out, is complicated by demographic changes. In that 1950s "drought of record," much of the Texas population lived in rural areas and immediately felt the impact of declining rainfall. In the 21st century, an urbanized Texas is slow to feel the effects. "Unfortunately, for most of our citizens, especially Texas children who will be the leaders of tomorrow, as long as water continues to flow from the tap, the perception is that there is no problem," Sansom writes. Another demographic factor is that almost all land in Texas watersheds is privately owned. "[A]ccelerating urban encroachment, combined with the pressure on heirs who are often left with as much tax burden as land, contributes to an inexorable process of land fragmentation. "That fragmentation is the single greatest environmental problem Texas faces today, and it is
directly related to the state’s water problems, as well," Sansom declares. Sansom notes there are a number of complex problems that water policy makers and stakeholders have to confront. One is the uneven distribution of rain in the state. The eastern portion gets abundant rain, but doesn’t have the robust economy found along the corridors of I35 and I45, where rain isn’t nearly so generous. While there’s been no large-scale success in reallocating these resources, Sansom writes that "water planners, policy makers and utility managers will continue to find ways to move water westward in the years ahead." While he praises the ground-up process for statewide water planning begun by 1997’s Senate Bill 1, he notes that the current plan calls for 26 new "major impoundments" of surface water, and the plan would cost $63 billion. Challenges from environmental interests and property owners stretch out the time to build new reservoirs. Texas hasn’t completed a new reservoir in more than 25 years.
| 22 | PRECONFERENCE 2018 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org
| state |ofswift texasprogram water | |
"[E]ven if state leaders can find a way to generate that amount of financing, the reality of other water challenges is such that we simply can’t build our way out of them," Sansom writes. Other challenges include protecting watersheds, insuring freshwater flows to bays and estuaries and improving groundwater management. Sansom notes that groundwater resources provide substantial reserves, but Texas’s regulatory model has barely progressed past the early 20th Century when the Texas Supreme Court upheld the "right of capture"—a landowner could pump as much water from underneath his property as he wanted. Texas tried to address the problem with the creation of groundwater conservation districts, but Sansom finds many of the districts "problematic." "They are organized along county lines rather than the natural boundaries of the aquifers, are poorly funded and lack either the fundamental science or the
expertise to do their jobs," he writes. "[M]anaging these resources will be ineffective unless there is more participation by groundwater conservation districts, greater public education and laws and policies linking groundwater and surface water." Sansom praises utilities—such as SAWS and El Paso Water Utilities—and agricultural sectors who are implementing aggressive water conservation strategies. "One of the most promising ways to extend our supplies of water is through increased efficiency and conservation in both agricultural and municipal use," he writes. The Texas Almanac, including the full version of Sansom’s essay, is available on the Texas State Historical Association website, www.tshaonline.org.
www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o PRECONFERENCE 2018 | 23 |
| executive director report |
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 | executive director report County in December of 1836. In January of 1837, San Antonio was chartered as the county seat. After a period of Texan independence, on December 19, 1845, Texas became the 28th state to enter the Union. San Antonio is now the 7th largest city in the country, and our Texas Water™ partner utility, the San Antonio Water System, is, true to the storied history of this incredible community, a leader in securing water resources for the future. Where else can we celebrate water this year except in San Antonio? I’ll see you there for the (my) 23rd Texas Water™ conference.
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| 24 | PRECONFERENCE 2018 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org
| tw keynote |
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 | tw keynote and on state initiatives to spur water conservation for local governments. Since he joined SAWS, the utility worked through the acquisition of BexarMet, an entity that was the size of a medium-sized municipal utility. Puente spearheaded partnerships, including a regional water alliance with the cities of Schertz and Seguin, to develop a non-Edwards Aquifer water resource. The effort saved ratepayers $88 million, SAWS says. Puente led the effort to work with a private company so SAWS could become the first utility in the nation to capture sewer gasses, which had been flared off as waste, and return them to the natural gas grid. Puente will address the Opening Session of Texas Water 2018TM at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 24 at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio. TW18 kicks off with a meet-and-greet in the Exhibit Hall Monday, April 23 and offers a wide range of activities through April 26.
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www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o PRECONFERENCE 2018 | 25 |
| letter from the texas section chair |
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 | letter from the texas section chair particular field of interest that you’re passionate about. Don’t wait to be told! Thankfully, the Texas section of AWWA has shown a nice upward trend during the last few years in obtaining "new" members. However, in order to maintain the strength of our section, we must continue to grow this particular membership category. Frankly, renewals of existing members are great, but the future of our section depends on recruiting new members and getting more people from within our waterworks industry more involved and engaged in our association—and that includes within all membership type of categories, not just within the water/wastewater utility sector. We must continue to seek out more "new" members from the educational/institutional sector, the regulatory and legislative sector, the service provider sector (which includes consultants, engineers,
manufacturers, utility contractors, waterworks distributors and suppliers, independent sales reps and the like). So, if you’re from one of these type of membership categories and you’re not a member of AWWA, ask yourself why not? If you need convincing as to why you should be, feel free to reach out to me or any other passionate AWWA member and we'll be happy to share with you the multitude of reasons why you should be a member of AWWA. As my 12-month term as Chair for the Texas section comes to a close, I want to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to my fellow board members, committee chairpersons and support staff for the enormous support they’ve given me this past year. The mutual passion that we all seemingly have towards our industry and our association will bind us forever. Additionally, I want to thank everyone with whom I’ve had the pleasure to interact with over this past year while I served as Chair. This past year has been very enlightening and a highly educational experience for
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| 26 | PRECONFERENCE 2018 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org
| letter from the texas section chair |
me. It has truly been an immense a pleasure to serve my fellow Texas section members as Chair. I look forward to continuing to serve on the board for one more year as Past Chair and going forward as an ongoing ambassador-at-large for AWWA. In closing, I look forward to seeing all of my fellow Texas section members and industry associates at the upcoming Texas Water 2018TM annual conference and exhibition event being held in San Antonio from April 23 through 26. God bless Texas and our wonderful waterworks industry!
R E G I S T E R BY A P R I L 25 T O E N J OY S U P E R S AV E R AT E S!
JUNE 11–14 | LAS VEGAS, NEVADA AWWA.ORG/ACE18
www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o PRECONFERENCE 2018 | 27 |
| water geek |
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 | water geek "It really got us talking internally, trying to determine what that outreach would look like," recalls former Texas Section Chair Daniel Nix, the Public Utilities Operation manager for the City of Wichita Falls. At a Texas Section leadership meeting later that year, Nix presented the idea and turned it over to the Section’s Education Division, including Division Chair Christianne Castleberry (Castleberry Engineering & Consulting, PLLC) and Greg Wukash (SAWS), who leads the division’s K-12+ education effort. "The goal is to help educate the general public to raise awareness and appreciation for the value of water, or community water systems, and all the great work our industry does to provide safe water to our communities," Castleberry said. Wukash and Angela Zuniga, one of SAWS’s Education Coordinators, wrote the script for the first video, which focuses on elevated water storage tanks. They coordinated the production efforts through a San
Antonio company with a true 21st century name— Raining Popcorn. Nix praised Wukash’s efforts: "Greg did a tremendous job. Greg is the one that really picked up the ball and moved it forward. I really give him the credit for how it turned out." Castleberry said that while the video was designed for younger viewers, "these videos will make knowing the basics of water services more accessible and enjoyable for all ages." The first video, after its debut before the Texas Water 2018TM audience, will live on the website www.watergeek.org, as well as being accessible from the Texas Section website, www.tawwa.org. The portal to the video will also offer a fact sheet with more detailed information about the topic. "You can only put so much information into a three-minute video," Nix acknowledges. As the library of Texas Section videos grows, Nix is confident that the public will turn to it and other AWWA education offerings for reliable information about their water systems. "If the public doesn’t have information readily at hand from valued, trusted sources, they invariably go the Internet, and nine times out of 10 it’s going to be wrong," he said. The idea is that the more that end-users understand the massive effort it takes to get healthy drinking water into their home, the more supportive they’ll be when utilities have to raise rates or deal with an unexpected contaminant. The Water Geek effort will encourage consumers to consult their local utilities for information about their water systems. "The best place for information is your local utility. If they don’t have the information, they can direct you to where it’s at," Nix said. The Water Geek video will be unveiled during the Texas Water 2018TM Awards Breakfast on April 25 at the Henry B. González Convention Center, Ballroom B4. With the elevated storage tank video "in the can," Nix said that the Section will review a list of potential topic created by Section divisions. "We developed a long list of potential topics," Nix said, many of which began as questions that the pubic wanted answered.
| 28 | PRECONFERENCE 2018 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org
| education division |
Education Division: Public Outreach Efforts By Christianne Castleberry, P.E. Education Division Chair The TAWWA Education Division is constantly drawing on our members to work with utilities, partners and educators—all with the end goal to heighten the value of water throughout our Texas communities. While the Division doesn’t often reach out directly to the public and instead tries to make a bigger impact through change leaders, raising awareness for the value of water within the general public is always the end goal. Current Division initiatives focused on public outreach, by individual committee, are: K-12+ Education Committee – • Strengthening and expanding a statewide network of informal water educators; Catalyst Summit focused on water education communication for these informal educators is scheduled for June 21-22 in San Antonio • Developing a Water Educator of the Year award to help expand awareness of TAWWA and celebrate education successes • Continuing involvement in Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching (CAST) to provide resources to teachers Consumer Outreach Committee – • Developing a survey for how we can best help provide utilities resources (training, information and people) that utilities need to tailor value-of-water messages to their local customers • Continuing development of memes with fun valueof-water messaging for distribution on our members’ social media to the general public Partnership Committee – • Continue expanding partnerships with other water organizations and partner on initiatives where educational outreach interests align Value of Water Committee – • Along with our partner, WEAT, the Committee develops, annually, a utility resources program at the Texas Water Conference to share sustainable solutions for reliable water and wastewater service among utilities, spotlighting engagement success stories for resource sustainability. Competitions Committee – • Continuing to partner with existing competitions to encourage and support students pursuing waterrelated interests
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www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o PRECONFERENCE 2018 | 29 |
| mentoring program |
TAWWA Mentoring Program
T
he 2018 Mentoring Program kick-off has begun! The Mentoring Program is open to all students, young professionals and experienced professionals in the water industry throughout Texas. All applications received by May 11 will be included in the 2018 matching process. If interested, please fill out the form on page 31 and return it to Theresa Pedrazas, or you can fill out the form online at www.tawwa.org/mentoringprogram. Mentees can be students, young professionals or mid-career professionals seeking a support system for success and an accelerant for professional
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development! Mentors can range between young professionals willing to mentor students and experienced professionals with decades of experience to offer. Mentoring Committee The Mentoring Committee was established by the TAWWA Board to: • Increase member involvement in the organization • Provide tools for members to facilitate communication • Encourage discussions among members for networking opportunities • Offer volunteering career paths • Meet committee volunteering needs Volunteers are needed from all of the local chapters and past or current board members to join the Mentoring Committee. The Committee helps: • Develop vision and path forward for the Committee • Brainstorm on tools to provide mentoring • Gather mentoring documents from other sources • Facilitate formal mentoring program in the organization If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information, please contact Theresa Pedrazas at theresa.pedrazas@tetratech.com or 512-338-2850. "Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction" – John C. Crosby
| 30 | PRECONFERENCE 2018 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org
2018 MENTORING PROGRAM SIGN-UP SHEET
Name:
Date:
Email:
Phone:
Organization:
City of work:
Gender: I would like to:
M
F
Get a Mentor
Years in water industry: Prefer to be contacted by:
Be a Mentor
Email Phone
Involvement in TAWWA and/or WEAT:
Experience and/or Technical Expertise:
Education (list school and degree/certifications held):
Interests and Hobbies:
Thank you for taking the time to fill out this form. We are excited you decided to be part of this Mentoring Program to help foster the water industry in Texas. We value to feedback. Email completed forms by May 11, 2018 to Theresa Pedrazas at theresa.pedrazas@tetratech.com. Or, fill it out online at tawwa.org, Communities, Mentoring.
TAWWA & WEAT Mentoring Sign-Up Sheet
updated 03/09/2018
| new members |
TAWWA Welcomes New Members Joining Feb. 1, 2018–March 31, 2018 Efrain Aguirre San Antonio, TX
Marc Cottingame Dallas, TX
David Flores Jr Falfurrias, TX
Ryan Alumbaugh Haslet, TX
Tracey Cottrell McKinney, TX
Scot Foltz Austin, TX
AriesPro Sugar Land, TX
Brian Craig Seabrook, TX
Daniel Frazier Austin, TX
David Atwood Melissa, TX
Holly Credit Conroe, TX
Debbie Garrett Pattison, TX
Dagmar Babcock Temple, TX
Armando De La Garza Eagle Pass, TX
John Gjendem San Antonio, TX
John Bailey Sugar Land, TX
Carlos Delacruz Euless, TX
Laura Gloria Eagle Pass, TX
Banyan Water Austin, TX
Jiangang Deng Corpus Christi, TX
Juan Gonzalez El Paso, TX
Elliott Barner Houston, TX
Kirk Diaz League City, TX
Eva Gorgi Dallas, TX
Sydney Beckner Bryan, TX
Brandon Dickson San Angelo, TX
Robert Green Temple, TX
Ken Beul Haslet, TX
Barry Dobbs Bastrop, TX
Raul Guardiola Eagle Pass, TX
Michael Bruck San Antonio, TX
Ryan Dolezal Dallas, TX
Dorrena Guerrero San Antonio, TX
Michael Burnside Anna, TX
Jennifer Dorsey Austin, TX
Shawn Halle Dallas, TX
Todd Calvin Houston, TX
Matthew Duffy Katy, TX
Sharon Hamilton Austin, TX
Nancy Carrizales San Antonio, TX
Sally Ellertson Fort Worth, TX
Alfonso Hernandez Eagle Pass, TX
Michael Carter Hurst, TX
Josh Ferguson Midland, TX
Ray Hernandez Austin, TX
Dacia Coffey Keller, TX
Hannah Finley Austin, TX
Charles Hickman Seguin, TX
Craig Collins Rockdale, TX
Sami Firoz Houston, TX
Syd Jones Montgomery, TX
Rajeev Datta Kamalampet Bryan, TX
Benjamin Munster College Station, TX
Sayantan Samanta Bryan, TX
Camden O'Toole Houston, TX
Miguel Sanchez Eagle Pass, TX
Gabrielle Obkirchner College Station, TX
Andrew Schlosser Wayne, PA
Kevin Odom Katy, TX
Cody Shannon Brownwood, TX
Denise Ortega McAllen, TX
Craig Sherwood McKinney, TX
R. Lance Overstreet San Angelo, TX
Carrie Smith Austin, TX
Paula Paciorek Webster, TX
Madison Smith College Station, TX
Jessica Paredez Beaumont, TX
Terrell Smith Sugar Land, TX
John-Michael Perkins Fort Worth, TX
Alicia Solis West Lake Hills, TX
Laurence Lin Cypress, TX
Pine Village Public Utility District Houston, TX
Daryl Spillmann Castroville, TX
Erik Luna Austin, TX
Fernando Quintanilla Aransas Pass, TX
Saheli Majumdar College Station, TX
Griselda Quintero College Station, TX
John Mangan Georgetown, TX
Timothy Raines Austin, TX
Monica Marin San Antonio, TX
Alfredo Resendez Brownsville, TX
DeAndre Martin Midlothian, TX
Nereyda Reyes Houston, TX
Daniel May Odessa, TX
Jeremy Rice Fort Worth, TX
Mark McClure Spring, TX
Alejandro Rodriguez Rio Hondo, TX
Jose Mendiola Houston, TX
Juan Rodriguez Live Oak, TX
Cheryl Metzler Seadrift, TX
Ray Rogers Fort Worth, TX
Don Michlin The Woodlands, TX
Raquel Roulin Sugar Land, TX
Amanda Mitchell Mesquite, TX
Nicole Rutigliano Fort Worth, TX
Raul Morales San Benito, TX
Helen Salama San Antonio, TX
Wade Morgan West Lake Hills, TX
Farhikhteh Samadi Arlington, TX
Jacob Kasowski Palmer, TX Bansi Khajuria College Station, TX Sanders Kilpatrick Bryan, TX Abena Koom-Dadzie Spring, TX Ace Kumar Sugar Land, TX Gary LaForge Houston, TX Colton Lauer Fort Worth, TX Rosalyn Le Frisco, TX
Monsuru Suara Kingsville, TX Gillan Taddune Austin, TX Quynh Van Tang Sugar Land, TX Jason Tarver Conroe, TX Dillon Thomas Houston, TX Polly Thornton Carrollton, TX Jarred Tompkins Porter, TX Hunter Underwood Anahuac, TX Chad Unrau Houston, TX Eduardo Valerio Dallas, TX Ernest Villarreal San Antonio, TX Carmen Zhang Katy, TX
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| 32 | PRECONFERENCE 2018 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org
| texas water |
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 | texas water afternoon, with more than 120 topics from which to choose. Tuesday is also the first day for competitions in the Exhibit Hall, with Meter Madness and Junior Meter Madness. Be sure to come cheer on these competitors! WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25 The doors open at 7:15 a.m. for the popular Awards Breakfast. Competitions—including the quiz-show style Top Ops, Pipe Tapping, the Best-Tasting Drinking Water Contest and Hydrant Hysteria—put a fun spin on the day. After the Exhibit Hall closes at 4 p.m., it's time to get ready for the night out at the Briscoe Western Art Museum. THURSDAY, APRIL 26 Facility tours depart from the Convention Center Thursday morning. Back at the conference, the morning is spent in the last of the technical sessions, with theTRWA conference adjourning at noon. Ad 2016 (bleeds).pdf 1 2/2/2016 7:57:33 PM For more information and to register, visit www.txwater.org.
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| meme |
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| 34 | PRECONFERENCE 2018 TEXASh2o www.tawwa.org
|| calendar calendar |
What’s Happening Across Texas DATE
ACTIVITY
TIME
LOCATION
INFORMATION
APRIL 12
NCT Plant Tour
5:00 pm
Pappasitos/Bachman WTP Dallas
www.tawwa.org
APRIL 19
Texas A&M Water Network March Meeting
5:30 pm
Texas A&M AGLS Building Rm 116 College Station
www.tawwa.org
APRIL 23
Texas Water 2018TM
San Antonio Convention Center
www.txwater.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.
• ADA Accessibility Compliance
www.tawwa.org TEXASh2o PRECONFERENCE 2018 | 35 |
TEXASh2o
c/o GCP Association Services, LLC PO Box 676 | Pflugerville, TX 78691 512-251-8101 | (f ) 512-251-812 texwater@texas.net | www.tawwa.org
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