From the Hole: CC Rider

From the Hole: CC Rider Tales from the road by Michael Beadnell, Instructor/ Circuit Rider for Texas Rural Water Association Sharyland WSC

This year marked my fifth year working as a Decisions made in Austin and Washington have Water and Wastewater Instructor for the Texas a dramatic impact on how we do business in Rural Water Association. the industry, as the Texas Legislature and U.S.

In August, I was asked by the Association Congress vote on legislation affecting regulatory leadership team if I would be willing to step in for the issues, funding for rural water programs and other Circuit Rider #4 position while friend and colleague environmental initiatives. The TRWA Board reviews Refugio Rodriguez took some time off to fight his candidates’ leadership positions and voting records battle with cancer. I was honored that the leadership and then decides where the support needs to go. team thought I would be a good fit to fill in for him, The PAC is supported by hundreds of individuals and my first thought was “I guess that means I’m making contributions to give rural water a voice. going back to work for a living!” Typically, TRWA also holds fundraising events at our

As a faithful follower of the “Ask Larry” column travel and gathering restrictions found us hosting an for years, I understood fully that Circuit Riders online PAC auction instead. Thank you to everyone do not wear penny loafers. Larry Bell, Technical who participated in the auction! Assistance Director, directed me to Assistant conferences to support the cause, but this year’s Technical Assistance Director and Circuit Rider Sherilyn supported the PAC in a big way, so William White for my training to get me up to speed I headed south to Alton to deliver the items and on the job. One-on-one training with William "According to the federal Safe was able to put my new Circuit Rider about sent me crawling more than once. Refugio Drinking Water Act, there are three training to work along the way. Sharyland’s and I would also visit times a system is required to perform humble beginnings about mathematical equations from time to a CSI — whenever there is new started in 1912 with a businessman and time. Wanting us to be fresh and on our toes, Refugio is the one who construction, renovation to prior construction, and when a system developer named John H. Shary. Mr. Shary became interested in urged me to incorporate a math question along suspects there is a cross connection." the lower Rio Grande Valley’s commercial with my articles I write for Quench. So, in his honor, potential for citrus I will include one at the end of this article. growing. He purchased and subdivided more than 50,000 acres of land to begin to develop citrus

Under new obligations and a bit bewildered, I farms. The community locals and migrant workers bought some snake boots and dove into my new helped clear brush, dug canals, and laid inroads. role headfirst. Our Deputy Executive Director gave In 1915, he created the United Irrigation Company me my first overnight assignment — to travel to (UIC). Later, when the town's need for water South Texas to visit Sherilyn Dahlberg, general grew, Water District 7 was formed in 1930, and manager of Sharyland WSC, who was the lucky later became known as United Water District, and winner of some rather sizeable items in our online finally by its present name, Sharyland WSC. Seven Political Action Committee (PAC) silent auction. hundred property owners were committed to pay for

The Texas Rural Water PAC is a fund used to water service once Sharyland’s construction was make campaign contributions to state and federal complete. Today, more than 40 years later, there are candidates who understand the issues affecting around 17,000 water connections on the system. rural water and wastewater systems in Texas. Getting their water from the Rio Grande and treating

it to potable status, Sharyland WSC is a one stop shop for the area’s water needs.

I taught our state-approved 20-hour Basic Water Works Operations course in Sharyland not too long ago, and it was nice to be back. The system has approximately 100 square miles of certified area, 800 miles of water lines, four water plants, four elevated storage tanks, and were just days away from the grand opening of the new training facility and office space while I was there.

After delivering the PAC auction items to Sherilyn, I spent three hours providing training to the new and seasoned operators of Sharyland WSC. First, we discussed flow and the energy required to achieve flow, giving examples of elevation, velocity, pressure and friction. I combined pressure in PSI and capacity in gallons by involving participants with hands on explanations so they could see for themselves how each is determined. I guided the operators through properties of disinfection, discussing the different types, laboratory tools, and the different state and federal regulations that are required to achieve disinfection. We also went over the tools needed to determine square feet, cubic feet and cubic yards. Next on the list was to cover Risk Assessments and the EPA’s requirements.

Finally, I guided them through how to develop a Cross Connection Control program. TRWA has a seven-step process on how to create a Cross Connection Control program. 1. Obtain legal authority: Without legal authority a system is just spinning their wheels. TRWA recommends a service agreement that is to be signed by every customer and/or the use of plumbing codes.

2.

3.

4.

5. Educate employees: If your employees have been working with your system for a couple years, all they will need to be licensed by the state is TRWA’s Customer Service Inspection (CSI) Course. Educate customers: The American Backflow Prevention Association is a great resource for materials that you can distribute with billings. Take inventory: Look around and locate any cross connections, which is a connection between a potable water source and one of lesser or unknown quality. The most common is the misuse of a garden hose. Perform Inspection: According to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, there are three times a system is required to perform a CSI — whenever there is new construction, renovation to prior construction and when a system suspects there is cross connection.

6. Install and test: Install and test cross connection control devices where needed.

7. Records retention: Your system is required to keep CSI records for 10 years.

At the end of the training, the operators took a short quiz to test their knowledge. We went over the answers so that the quiz could be used as a reference tool of the training highlights.

All in all, it was a successful first assignment for me in my new Circuit Rider position. Sadly, Refugio did not win his battle with cancer, so I have remained in the Circuit Rider role. In Refugio’s honor, I would like to end this article with a math question:

If I have a six-inch watermain that is 1000 feet long full of water, what is twice the weight of the water in the watermain?

Try to work out the problem before you look up the formula. The answer is on page 31.

Circuit Riders are always available to help systems with all aspects of water production, distribution, storage, treatment, management, operations, rate calculations and budget management. If you would like a visit from your Circuit Rider and you are unsure of your contact, call TRWA at 512-472-8591 and we will put you in touch with your area’s Circuit Rider to schedule a visit.

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