Quench 2023 - Issue 5 by Texas Rural Water Association

Issue 5 2023 www.tr wa.org

TRWA MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

DECODING YOUR ELECTRIC BILL

OFFICE PROS CONFERENCE

TRWA Today Established in 1969, the Texas Rural Water Association (TRWA) is a statewide nonprofit trade association with an active membership consisting of nearly 900 nonprofit water supply corporations, water districts, small-town water departments and investor-owned utilities. In addition, more than 150 water industry suppliers participate in TRWA activities as associate members. TRWA members provide water and wastewater service to 3.5 million customers throughout Texas. TRWA is dedicated to helping directors, managers, operators and office professionals provide efficient service and clean, safe drinking water to their customers. Through on-site technical assistance, education and information exchange, TRWA helps its members better meet their needs as well as the needs of their customers.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS President Bruce Alexander Medina (District 2) Vice-President Robert Nettles Walker (District 13) Secretary Mark Gardenhire Shackelford (District 1) Treasurer Steve Adams Brown (District 4)

DISTRICT DIRECTORS Dennis Donoho Denton (District 3) Roby Jekel Milam (District 5) Brian Macmanus Cameron (District 6) Allen Knight North Collin (District 7) Charles Beseda Hill (District 8) Pat Allen Guadalupe (District 9) Kyle Eppler Brazos (District 10) Rachel Webb South Rains (District 11) T. Chad Wilson Kaufman (District 12) Matthew Barrett Swift (District 14)

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Main Office Line Lara Zent Jason Knobloch Larry Bell Mary Alice Boehm-McKaughan Nichol Everingham Tom Shephard, CPA Eric Betts

TRWA STAFF LEADERSHIP TEAM

(512) 472-8591

Executive Director & General Counsel Deputy Executive Director Technical Assistance Director

ext. 101 ext. 137 ext. 138

Assistant General Counsel Professional Development & Training Director Finance Director Communications Director

ext. 106 ext. 134 ext. 102 ext. 115

OFFICE STAFF Eli Aguirre Melody Bennett Destany Brown Pam Cantrell Lexi Conaway Jacquelyn Knobloch Chelsea Gomez Michaelanne Hurst Sarah Isbell Sarah Rosenberg Sonya Stocklin Ariane Walker Emily Young

Meeting and Event Planner Project Support Specialist Paralegal & Executive Assistant Accounting Support Specialist Administrative Assistant Apprenticeship Program Manager Training Support Specialist Membership & Outreach Manager Course Developer Instructional Designer Office Manager Training Manager Assistant Environmental Services Director

ext. 105 ext. 130 ext. 321 ext. 139 ext. 860 ext. 107 ext. 103 ext. 108 ext. 459 ext. 109 ext. 104 ext. 111 ext. 132

FIELD STAFF Don Barker Louis Booth Kenny Butler Nathan Cantrell Trey Daywood Kenneth Dykes Roel Gonzalez Justin Guerra Paul King Donald McKinney Tony Moreno Charles Perkins Bruce Pearson James Smith Donnie Stanton Quentin Turner Robert Turner William White Scott Willeford

Technical Project Specialist Wastewater Technician FMT Specialist Wastewater Technician Water Training & Technical Assistance Specialist Instructor FMT Specialist GIS & Drone Technician Circuit Rider FMT Specialist Water Quality Action Specialist Circuit Rider Instructor Circuit Rider FMT Specialist FMT Specialist GIS & Drone Field Specialist Assistant Technical Assistance Director Instructor

cell: (737) 270-3181 cell: (512) 221-7477 cell: (512) 865-8809 cell: (512) 924-7158 cell: (512) 806-6171 cell: (512) 308-9567 cell: (512) 923-5812 cell: (512) 317-8992 cell: (512) 913-9753 cell: (512) 413-4308 cell: (512) 924-4552 cell: (512) 964-2108 cell: (512) 922-4942 cell: (512) 964-9234 cell: (512) 774-9455 cell: (512) 517-9889 cell: (512) 317-2003 cell: (512) 924-4233 cell: (512) 657-8813

In Every Issue Letter from the President .........4

From the Field Once Upon a Time.......16

Letter from the Executive Director ........5

Help TRWA collect amusing stoies of utility triumph or woe

Keep it Legal .........6

Charged Up...18

Answers to your legal questions

Ask Larry .........10

Answers to your technical questions

TRWA Briefs .........28

Get help decoding your electric bill from our Energy Efficiency Circuit Rider

Rural Water to the Rescue...30

Crews with Mustang SUD volunteered to help Beaumont fix leaks after the city reached out to TRWA

Small pieces of association news

The Months Ahead .........31

TRWA’s Calendar of Events

TRWA News Office Pros Photos...12

Features

See photos from our Office Professionals Conference in Frisco

One Connection at a Time...21

2024 Area Meetings...14

How using your own mobile application can help build connections with customers

See our 2024 Area Meetings Calendar

TRWA Membership Benefits...24

Learn more about everything TRWA can do for you ahead of membership renewal in 2024

on the cover:

Mustang SUD comes to the rescue in Beaumont (see page 30 for more details) photo by Mustang SUD's Ken Skillman, P.E.

CONTACT THE EDITOR

Editorial and advertising inquiries may be sent to Eric Betts in the Communications Department at editor@trwa.org. Quench — 2023 — Issue 5 3

President's Message Hello Texas Rural Water! I hope everyone is doing well. First, I want to express my appreciation to all of the TRWA staff, TRWA board members and representatives of TRWA member systems from Texas who attended the 2023 NRWA WaterPro Conference in Aurora, Colorado in September. The conference was full of training opportunities and discussions on a variety of subjects that impact rural water systems in Texas and across the nation. TRWA continues to be a major voice in NRWA as we work together for the betterment of rural water systems. Second, I want to reach out and thank everyone who attended the TRWA Office Professionals Conference in Frisco the first week of October 2023. We had a great turnout for this event, where a lot of information was shared with those present. I especially want to thank all of our speakers and everyone that actively participated in the open discussions on each subject. Third, a special thank you to all of those that contributed to the TRWA PAC with their generous donations through our silent auction. This would not

have been possible without the items that were donated by many of our staff and system members. The TRWA PAC provides funds to support contributions to various elected officials, both state and federal, that provide support through legislation that benefits rural water. Your continued financial support helps TRWA maintain a leadership role in the state and national capitals. And finally, a big thank you to everyone who voted in the election for and shared information about the new constitutional amendment (Prop 6) that could impact each and everyone of us involved with rural water. Your support is appreciated as we work to secure additional funding for new water resources and infrastructure improvements that will benefit all of Texas. Remember to reach out to Lara or a member of her team at TRWA if you have any question or need assistance in the operations of your water system. Thanks again to everyone in our rural water community for what you do every day to provide a safe and reliable source of drinking water to rural Texas!

Be safe, Bruce Alexander President TRWA

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Dear TRWA Members,

Letter from the TRWA Executive Director

Thank you for your continued membership, support and participation with our incredible Association this year! I hope that you have taken advantage of all we have to offer – training, on-site assistance, legal assistance, area meetings, workforce programs, online resources, weekly updates, this magazine and so much more! Our team is always striving to increase the value of membership and to be a one-stop-shop for any question or assistance needs that may arise in your day-to-day operations. Emergency response and preparedness is something on my mind due to various activities we have been involved with since this summer. We tend to think about it more in the aftermath of severe winter storms, prolonged droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes and fires. In June of this year, we held our Emergency Response Training in Huntsville, attended by member systems who are interested in being a part of TRWA’s emergency response mutual aid efforts. In August, our TRWA legal team, with input from board members and TRWA technical staff, provided comments on TCEQ’s proposed rules requiring additional emergency preparedness requirements for water utilities, implementing legislation passed in 2021. In September, I received an email from Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan’s office requesting assistance for the City of Beaumont. The severe drought in their area

was causing water lines to break and they couldn’t keep up with all the needed repairs. We sent out a call for help to our members who attended our June training and Mustang SUD replied by sending three crews to help get the situation under control. (See page 30.) In October, the Public Utility Commission held a meeting to discuss whether the Texas electrical grid was prepared for a harsh winter. TRWA board and staff members were invited to attend to provide input on the feasibility of rural water utilities using their backup generators to operate off the grid for short periods of time (two hours), in coordination with their local electric utility provider, to help keep the power on for everyone. It was only the beginning of an interesting discussion. Later in October, four staff from TRWA, myself included, traveled to Cairo, Georgia for the National Rural Water Association’s Emergency Response Training for association staff. Kent Watson, who serves as TRWA’s representative on NRWA’s Board and co-chairs NRWA’s Emergency Response Committee (which I also serve on), helped plan the training. We learned about new equipment and resources that we could use to help our members in emergency situations. We hope that we will not be experiencing any emergencies any time soon, but it’s always good to be well prepared for them in case we do!

My best,

Lara Zent Executive Director & General Counsel TRWA

Keep It Legal Answers to Members’ Questions by TRWA Assistant General Counsel Mary Alice McKaughan It’s finally fall! The weather is cooler, a welcome respite from heat and drought. I hope you and your family are enjoying this beautiful time of year. It was great to see some of you at our Area Meetings and at Office Pros in Frisco. We are starting to prepare for RuralWaterCon in San Antonio on March 26-28, 2024. I hope to see you there! In this issue, I'm focusing on one question as it is a compluex issue with a lot of nuance.

We want to adopt a gun policy restricting when, and where, our customers and employees can carry firearms at our system. What can, and can’t, we do?

A: Many employers enact policies seeking to stop their employees and the public from carrying guns on their property to limit their potential legal liability for a shooting incident. Other employers permit their employees, and the public, to carry guns, opting for a “Constitutional Carry Policy.” Please note there may be some liability concerns with adopting a Constitutional Carry policy. This was made even more complicated when, on September 1, 2021, the Texas Firearm Carry Act (Act) authorized individuals, 21 years of age or older, and who can legally possess a firearm, to carry a handgun without first obtaining a license. A lot more people started legally carrying guns. Employers were left with the question of when, and if, they could restrict their employees and the public from carrying guns on their property. I. PROHIBITING EMPLOYEES FROM CARRYING GUNS: a. Both Public and Private employers can prohibit employees from carrying guns at their workplace, except in private locked cars in the parking lot. A public or private employer may restrict an employee from carrying a gun on the employers’ premises, or in the employers’ vehicles (subject to the parking area exception discussed below). However, an employer cannot restrict an employee from storing a gun and ammunition in the employee's private 6 Quench — 2023 — Issue 5

car in designated parking areas at work. Public and private employers are generally required to allow employees who are licensed to carry, or otherwise lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition, to transport, or store, a firearm or ammunition in a locked, privately-owned motor vehicle in a parking lot, parking garage or other parking area the employer provides for employees. II. PROHIBITING THE PUBLIC FROM CARRYING GUNS: a. A private entity (IOU or WSC) may prohibit the public from carrying guns and ammunition onto its premises but a public entity (District, City, etc.) cannot. Different rules apply depending on an entity’s status as private or governmental. Private entities, like water supply corporations (WSC) and investor-owned utilities (IOUs), may place more restrictions on the public’s right to carry guns on their premises than governmental entities like Districts, Cities and Counties. A WSC or IOU can prohibit the public from carrying a gun onto their property/premises. A governmental entity, like Utility Districts and Cities, cannot prevent the public from bringing guns onto their property/premises. There are gray areas related to Open Meetings, discussed below, which may apply to Water Supply Corporations as well as districts, municipalities or other governmental entities. b. Private Entities (WSCs or IOUs) may prohibit the public from carrying guns and ammunition into its buildings if it provides sufficient notice. Private entities may prohibit the public from bringing firearms into their buildings but cannot prohibit the public from carrying a gun while in any public or private driveway, street, sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage or other parking area. A private entity must post notice that guns are not allowed in their buildings. There are different notice posting requirements to prevent licensed and unlicensed gun holders from carrying a gun into private business buildings. 1. The Notice Required for Unlicensed Gun Carriers: A private entity must post notice that firearms are prohibited on its property by posting a sign at each entrance to the property

that: (1) includes language that is identical to or substantially similar to the following: “Pursuant to Section 30.05, Penal Code (criminal trespass), a person may not enter this property with a firearm”; (2) includes the language described by Subdivision (1) in both English and Spanish; (3) appears in contrasting colors with block letters at least one inch in height; and (4) is displayed in a conspicuous manner clearly visible to the public. See Texas Penal Code § 30.05(c). Thereafter, if a person enters with a firearm, they have committed a criminal trespass. See Texas Penal Code § 30.05 (d-3). 2. The Notice Required, for Licensed Gun Carriers for Concealed and Open Carry: a. Licensed Concealed Carry Prohibition Notice: The notice requirements to prohibit licensed gun holders from concealed carrying guns into private buildings is slightly different than that required for unlicensed, or open gun carry. Private entities must either post a written notice at the entry onto the property, provide the licensed gun owner with a written notice on a card or sheet of paper, or tell the licensed gun owner that carrying a concealed handgun onto the property is prohibited. The private entity must at minimum: (1) use language identical to the following: “Pursuant to Section 30.06, Penal Code (trespass by license holder with a concealed handgun), a person licensed under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (handgun licensing law), may not enter this property with a concealed handgun”; (2) in both English and Spanish; (3) appears in contrasting colors with block letters at least one inch in height; and (4) is displayed in a conspicuous manner clearly visible to the public. See Texas Penal Code § 30.06(c). Notice may also be given by printing this same language on a card or other document to be given to individuals (Texas Penal Code § 30.06(c)) or provided orally by the owner of the property or someone with apparent authority to act for the owner. See Texas Penal Code § 30.06(d). b. Licensed Open Carry Prohibition Notice: The notice requirements to prohibit licensed gun holders from openly carrying guns into private buildings is slightly different than that required to prohibit licensed, concealed gun carry. To prohibit public entry onto property/buildings by a gun license holder openly carrying a handgun, notice must either be given by: (1) using language identical to the following: “Pursuant to Section 30.07, Penal Code (trespass by license holder with an openly carried handgun), a person licensed under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (handgun licensing law), may not enter this property with a handgun that is carried openly”; (2) in both English and Spanish; (3) appears in contrasting colors with block letters at least one inch in height; and (4) is displayed in a conspicuous manner clearly visible to the public at each entrance to the property. Texas Penal Code § 30.07(c). Notice may also be given by

printing this same language on a card or other document to be given to individuals (Texas Penal Code § 30.07(c)) or provided orally by the owner of the property or someone with apparent authority to act for the owner. See Texas Penal Code § 30.07(d). If a WSC wants to prevent both open and concealed carry by both licensed and unlicensed people on their premises, the best practice is to post all 3 notices, in both English and Spanish, in contrasting colors with block letters at least one inch in height; and display it in a conspicuous manner clearly visible to the public like this: PURSUANT TO SECTION 30.05, PENAL CODE (CRIMINAL TRESPASS), A PERSON MAY NOT ENTER THIS PROPERTY WITH A FIREARM. PURSUANT TO SECTION 30.06, PENAL CODE (TRESPASS BY LICENSE HOLDER WITH A CONCEALED HANDGUN). A PERSON LICENSED UNDER SUBCHAPTER H, CHAPTER 411, GOVERNMENT CODE (HANDGUN LICENSING LAW), MAY NOT ENTER THIS PROPERTY WITH A CONCEALED HANDGUN. PURSUANT TO SECTION 30.07, PENAL CODE (TRESPASS BY LICENSE HOLDER WITH AN OPENLY CARRIED HANDGUN), A PERSON LICENSED UNDER SUBCHAPTER H, CHAPTER 411, GOVERNMENT CODE (HANDGUN LICENSING LAW), MAY NOT ENTER THIS PROPERTY WITH A HANDGUN THAT IS CARRIED OPENLY. DE CONFORMIDAD CON LA SECCIÓN 30.05 DEL CÓDIGO PENAL (INTRASACIÓN PENAL), UNA PERSONA NO PUEDE ENTRAR A ESTA PROPIEDAD CON UN ARMA DE FUEGO”. DE CONFORMIDAD CON LA SECCIÓN 30.06 DEL CÓDIGO PENAL (INTRASACIÓN POR TITULAR DE LICENCIA CON UNA PISTOLA OCULTA). UNA PERSONA CON LICENCIA BAJO EL SUBCAPÍTULO H, CAPÍTULO 411, CÓDIGO GOBIERNO (LEY DE LICENCIA DE ARMAS DE MANO), NO PUEDE ENTRAR A ESTA PROPIEDAD CON UNA ARMA OCULTA. DE CONFORMIDAD CON LA SECCIÓN 30.07, CÓDIGO PENAL (INTRASACIÓN POR TITULAR DE LICENCIA CON UNA PISTOLA PORTADA ABIERTA), UNA PERSONA CON LICENCIA BAJO EL SUBCAPÍTULO H, CAPÍTULO 411, CÓDIGO GUBERNAMENTAL (LEY DE LICENCIAS PARA PISTOLA), NO PUEDE ENTRAR A ESTA PROPIEDAD CON UNA PISTOLA QUE SE LLEVA ABIERTA.

Please be advised, prohibiting licensed concealed carry does not automatically prohibit licensed open carry or unlicensed carry onto your premises. If you want to prohibit it, you must post a specific notice to that effect. Also, if your Board wants to allow constitutional carry, please be aware that this may be a liability risk. There is a provision in the Texas Labor code that limits the civil liability of both public and private employers for damage caused by a firearm, except in cases of gross negligence. However, employers should be aware that the Labor Code civil liability immunity provisions only apply to situations where the employer is required to permit gun carry, for example in parking areas, and may not cover incidents involving Continued on next page Quench — 2023 — Issue 5 7

firearms the employer permitted but wasn’t required to allow 1. Open Meetings under the law. Under Penal Code § 46.03(14), unlicensed gun owners C. Governmental Entities (District & City) cannot are prohibited from openly, or in a concealed manner, carprohibit the public from carrying guns into public rying firearms in properly posted open meetings held by buildings. governmental entities. Licensed holders may carry handguns, concealed or openly, in open meetings held by governmental In Texas, governmental entities (generally speaking) cannot entities. Whether this same conclusion applies to water supply prohibit legally authorized (non-employee) individuals from corporations, which are subject to open government laws but carrying guns onto their premises and into public buildings to regarded as private entities for other purposes, is unclear. which the public otherwise has access. However, there’s a long list of places (many of them government-owned) where carry- This is a complicated issue, but I hope this clears the situation ing a gun is always prohibited or subject to specific restrictions up a little bit. A big thank you to attorney Ann Price for her including: schools, school buses and anywhere school activi- help with researching the answer to this question. If you have ties are taking place (except for special rules for handguns at any questions about this article, or legal questions in general, colleges and universities); wherever sporting events are being please call me at (512) 472-8591 x106 or email me at legal@ held (whether professional, school, or interscholastic); at busi- trwa.org. nesses that get more than half of their income from on-premises Mary Alice McKaughan is TRWA's Assistant sale of alcohol; at hospitals and nursing homes; at polling General Counsel. places during elections or early voting; in court buildings or offices and at racetracks. See Texas Penal Code § 46.03. TRWA Members can submit their legal inquiries by Governmental entities may not post notice that firearms are prohibited in their buildings apart from outside rooms where emailing legal@trwa.org or by using the form on open meetings will be held as discussed below. the bottom of the Legal page. They can also search the archive at https://www.trwa.org/page/ KILHome.

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Ask Larry A Q&A column with TRWA Technical Assistance Director Larry Bell

We have a potential customer coming in across the road from our CCN boundary and not in anyone else’s CCN, a truck stop with a big truck wash and all the works. Can we refuse service since it’s not in our CCN? If we do elect to serve, can we set up a special water rate for this customer? We just spent money to increase our capacity and we want to make sure we’re not penalizing members by using all that capacity on one big user.

A: To your first question: the CCN Rules do not require any a water system to extend water service outside their existing CCN. Many line extensions and service connections are installed outside the current CCN because there is not another PWS in that area and the WSC wants to be a good neighbor to these applicants. However, these types of service requests can be a double-edged sword for water utilities, providing new revenue but also stretching capacities. TRWA has always suggested that rural WSCs implement a front-end capital contribution fee in the form of an Equity Buy-In Fee or some type of Impact Fee (the names of these fees may vary by system). If you were to extend service to this new customer, then another cost may be to have the CCN amended to include the entire property to be served.

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Systems should always have non-standard service requests reviewed by the system’s engineering team with special emphasis on the level and manner of service being requested by the new applicants. Level and manner of service can include several types of deliverables being requested by the applicant. Your Non-Standard Application Form should require an explanation of any specific service needs or expectations by the applicant. The engineering team will have to calculate how much impact this service request will have on the distribution lines across the road. It may be that an old line may need to be replaced or paralleled back toward the water plant sites to keep existing customers from experiencing low pressure. As for your second question, for a WSC the rates being charged to non-standard service connections (larger meters) should be based on the AWWA meter equivalencies/multipliers for the base rate and the same cost per thousand gallons as the residential customers pay. It’s very difficult to justify a higher cost per thousand gallons if the WSC is not treating the water any differently than the water being served to the residential customers from the same distribution lines. However, one option could be implementing an ascending rate scale if your system does not already have one. These ascending rates, which charge more for different blocks of thousands of gallons of water as usage increases, are designed to make customers conserve water, but they can also defray the cost of depreciation of the motors, pumps and treatment systems as usage goes up.

We’re a groundwater system that will soon add surface water purchased from a nearby city as a secondary source. Do we also need to add an operator with a surface water license to our staff?

A: I consulted with a number of TCEQ staff members about this question. Their verdict was no, that the system’s operators would only be required to have a Groundwater License. However, they did recommend reaching out to TCEQ to discuss some of the potential challenges that might come from blending chlorine-treated groundwater with chloramine-treated surface water. Your system might need further guidance on ways to monitor and confirm what disinfection changes might be needed and how the operators would need to change their disinfection residual testing. They also recommended that your system reach out to TRWA’s Environmental Services Department to request two of the Directed Assistance Module (DAM) training sessions we offer, DAM 5 and DAM 8. These sessions will help your operators learn more about the disinfection blending process for groundwater and surface water. This process may require your system to develop a Nitrification Action Plan (NAP) to track the build-up of nitrogen in the distribution system. This will help system operators decide when to implement a free temporary conversion. The DAM 5 & 8 modules will walk you and the operators through these requirements.

Are You the Person We’re Looking For? TRWA is now hiring for multiple positions. Come work with us to support rural water utilities in Texas. Visit trwa.org/trwajobs to learn more.

Could you help us differentiate between the purposes of a five-yearplan and a strategic plan? We’re trying to explain their importance to our board.

A: Lots of systems use these tools in slightly different ways, so what follows is a general and condensed description of these types of plans. While some organizations might use a five-year or ten-year or however-many-years plan as a strategic plan, typically where you see the difference is that the strategic plan is usually established in broader terms, while a long-range plan instead lays out the specifics required to accomplish the strategic plan. It can be helpful for a system to have both to ensure they have both long-term goals and action plans to achieve those goals. Long-range plans are intended to focus your system’s efforts and investments based on expected customer growth and needed infrastrucure replacements and upgrades. For example, if fire suppression is a main goal, then the Board will need to figure out how to upgrade smaller water mains to meet fire flow requirements. This process can help prevent a water system from focusing on side issues that may be a distraction from the overall goals.

Larry Bell is TRWA's Technical Assistance Director, with more than 30 years experience at the association. If you have a Technical Question, please email larry.bell@trwa.org or search the archive at https://trwa.org/qualityontap/

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TRWA News

Office Professionals = Conference 20 23 2023

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TRWA News

Thanks to our 2023 Office Professionals Conference Platinum Sponsors

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TRWA News

Join TRWA at an Area Meeting in 2024 Next year TRWA is bringing members another slate of Area Meetings spanning the length and breadth of the state.

learned from people working at other systems near you. By sharing our successes and our struggles, water and wastewater utilities can improve the service they offer to their customYou're invited to join us in 2024 at ers. Area Meetings offer a valuable any of our meetings to earn CE credit forum for this type of collaboration. hours, network with nearby systems and eat a free lunch provided by our A special thank you goes out to those sponsors. We plan to offer topics sponsors who supported our efforts in relevant to all system personnel and these meetings in 2023 and shared invite our state agency partners to about their products and services. provide the latest updates. With their generous sponsorships, we were able to secure larger venDon't let our statewide conferences ues, provide lunch to attendees and be the only times each year you offer great door prizes at some of our gather with your rural water com- meetings. Those sponsors included: munity. While our training topics at Area Meetings include hot-button • Zenner USA issues such as Lead Service Line • Maguire Inventories, asset management and • Dunham Engineering How the 88th Legislative Session • Higginbotham Insurance affects Rural Water, we know that • Hubbell some of the most useful information is

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See the opposite page for a tentative schedule of 2024 meetings. For up-to-date information and online registration, you can visit our website at trwa.org/area-meetings. Get the latest news and updates by signing up for our Pipeline electronic newsletter by visiting trwa.org/enews. If you missed attending a meeting this year, we encourage you to make plans for 2024. You don’t have to wait for a meeting that is in your TRWA district! You are welcome to attend any and all meetings, as the topics do change from district to district. We’d also like to encourage you to bring a non-member system with you so they can discover what TRWA has to offer. We look forward to bigger and better meetings in 2024 and to seeing each of you there.

TRWA News

2024 Area Meeting Schedule January 23 Gatesville

April 23 Fort Davis

July 23 Levelland

October 8 Waco

February 13 Center

May 7 Amarillo

July 30 Beaumont

October 15 Bacliff

February 27 Granbury

May 21 Jacksonville

August 13 Frisco

October 22 McAllen

March 5 Pittsburg

June 11 Mathis

August 27 Early

October 23 Emory

March 19 New Braunfels

June 18 Huntsville

September 12 Lindale

November 12 Columbus

April 2 Wichita Falls

June 25 Uvalde

September 24 Van Horn

November 19 Navasota

December 3 Abilene Please note this schedule is tentative and subject to change. Visit trwa.org/area-meetings for the most up-to-date schedule and to register for these area meetings.

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From the Field

Once Upon a Time...

By Nathan Cantrell As you may have noticed, the life of a water operator is not all luxury and serenity. Sometimes in this occupation we can come across some thorny situations. Nature is unpredictable, and customers even more so. Maybe you've found snakes, bees, hornets, mice, rats, scorpions or other creatures making the meter box their home. Maybe you've even found them all at once. Then you have a real story to tell. It doesn't take long for those of us who work in utilities to develop a stockpile of stories, the most unusual thing we've seen, the most irate person we've dealt with. Sharing these can be a valuable way to blow off steam during the tough times and earn a few well-deserved laughs during the good ones. The people in our lives who aren't in the industry may humor us as we attempt to unspool one of these for the fifth or fiftieth time, but those who do work in water or wastewater can feel some of these in their bones. Perhaps a customer has come up with a particularly ingenious, or imbecilic, way to tamper with or prevent access to their meter. We've all likely encountered piles of brush or trash obstructing the meter, or customers who try to block access by parking a vehicle directly on top of the meter box, but I'll never forget the person who filled the entire box with concrete to keep us from getting to it. What creative ways have contractors or customers found to damage your water lines? What ridiculous situations have you run into when working with the fire department or other agencies? What's the most challenging easement dispute 16 Quench — 2023 — Issue 5

your utility has run up against? Any of these can be the premise of a great story. I'll start us off with a couple from my career, with the note that I spent much of it working at cities, which gave me a little more leeway and a little more willingness to bluff particularly difficult customers than districts or WSCs might have.

1. One customer and repeat offender made a habit of

obstructing access to the water meter at reading times and cutoff dates. One day I was informed this customer had parked a wheel of his pickup on the meter box lid, restricting access for the non-pay disconnect we needed to do. My assistant and I went to remedy the situation. I told the customer through the door that if the vehicle wasn't moved, I would be required to call a wrecker and have it towed. When he opened the door, the customer had a revolver in his hand pointed at me. He demanded I leave. I turned to tell my assistant to go back to the truck and call the police only to see that he had the same idea and was already on his way there at high speed. I continued to talk with the customer, trying to get him to relax, while we waited for the police to arrive. I considered running, but was leery it would escalate the situation and/ or get me shot in the butt (an easy target). We were lucky to have police officers trained in these situations. When the officers arrived, the customer was convinced

From the Field to relinquish his weapon. His family was contacted, and the situation was resolved with no injuries. My assistant didn't even pull a hamstring when he broke the landspeed record on the way to the truck.

2. A customer on the disconnect list had locked the gates

Share Your Utility Story From the editor:

and turned his dogs loose thinking to restrict access to the meter. The water clerk spent several days trying to get the customer to respond so the city could get this resolved, with no results.

In the spirit of Nathan's article, TRWA is collecting your unique or unusual true stories of utility woe, triumph or both at the same time.

We finally resorted to taking two step ladders that we used to cross over the top of the fence. The dogs were pacified with treats and love. One thing I've learned in this business is that there are few dogs that don't respond well to treats and kindness, though of course we always need to be on the lookout for those that stay in a bad mood no matter what.

We ask that you keep identifying details out of it, even if it makes sense to change the names involved to keep track of characters. Some of the characters involved might be one of our readers! Also, please try to keep them to about 200 words or less.

Once we had locked the meter, we left the same way we entered. When the resident came in to pay, he complained about us entering his property, and we did end up moving the meter to the property line to prevent this from happening again.

You can send in your true utility stories at trwa.org/quenchutilitystories. Simply fill out the form on that page to submit.

3. The utility operator turning off non-paying customers

If we collect enough good ones, we'll share some of them early next year in an issue of Quench.

called me flustered and explained that the lady of the house was sitting on the meter box in a negligee and refusing to move. Conveniently enough the police department shared our building, and an officer was on hand to respond to the situation. Upon arriving the officer escorted the customer into the house, past her husband, who had been standing in the door trying to get her to come inside. Our operator turned off the water and went to the next job. When the woman came in to pay the bill, she said she could not believe we sent the police. If her own family couldn't convince her to come inside, then what were we going to do? I've got countless more stories that rival these, but I bet there are plenty of people in Texas water and wastewater who can beat them. See the sidebar on this page to learn how to share your story.

Nathan Cantrell is a Wastewater Technician at TRWA.

MAIN STREET CONTINUES TO BE THE PLACE TO GO. Every home and business needs water, something CoBank’s finance team understands. As a TRWA member, we can offer special terms at a lower rate. With little paperwork to complete and minimal delays, CoBank can process your application quickly so you can start your projects right away.

Contact John DeLuca Sr. Relationship Manager 303-694-5958 jdeluca@cobank.com www.trwa.org/cobank

Quench — 2023 — Issue 5 17

From the Field

CHARGED UP How to decode your utility's electric bill

By Charles Perkins When it comes to electric bills, I’ve seen a lot. In the nine or so years since TRWA began our Energy Efficiency program, I’ve probably looked at three or four thousand different individual bills from a huge number of different providers that serve our facilities here in Texas.

billing statements to shed some light on what these terms and charges actually represent to you as the customer. It's best to think of this as a list of the most common charges I've seen show up on people's bills, rather than a complete listing of all of the different terms and types of charges that the various electric providers can and do include in their billing.

used at the location.

Demand Charge: Charge based on the rate at which electric energy is delivered to or by a system at a given instant during the billing cycle. This charge can be calculated using a “given instant,” or it can be averaged over a designated peEvery electric provider has a slightly riod during the billing cycle. A demand different format for their billing, and charge is based on the amount of elecmany of them use different names TDU: A Transmission and trical capacity (power) a customer may for the different types of charges that Distribution Utility is the need, as determined by these instant can appear on these billing statements. utility that owns or operates or averaged usage periods. This can be confusing, even for some- the equipment or facilities that transone who has gone over thousands mits or distributes electricity to your Meter Charge: Meter of them. There are still times when I location. The TDU is also responsible charge is the amount look at a utility's bill and find myself for reading your meter, and setting the Transmission and puzzled by a new name for a type of prices related to your Distribution Distribution Utility charges for mecharge that’s listed on one of these Company Charges (if applicable). tering the electrical usage. statements. Customer Charge: Advanced Metering But we shouldn't be intimidated by Customer Charge, or Base Charge: PUC-authorized everything we see on our electric bills. Charge, is the basic service charge for electric delivery To help you understand what your charge to partially cover costs for companies to recover the costs for electric company is charging you for, billing, meter reading, equipment and their Advanced Metering Systems. I thought I would make an attempt service line maintenance. This charge to list some of the various names and is consistent from month to month, acronyms most commonly found on regardless of the amount of electricity 1` 18 Quench — 2023 — Issue 5

From the Field Energy Efficiency Cost System Benefit Fund: Recovery Factor: Charge Required charge to fund assessed to recover a TDU’s low-income assistance, cuscosts for energy efficiency programs. tomer education and energy efficiency programs. D i st r i b u ti o n S y s te m Charge: Charge that covers PUC Assessment: Charge the costs of transporting assessed to recover fees for electricity from transmission facilities funding the PUC. over distribution lines and through transformers to a customer’s service Delivery Charge: Charge lines. for delivering the electricity from the generation plant Hurricane Cost Recovery to the meter. Factor: Charge to recover costs associated with repairs Energy Charge: Energy from hurricane damages. charge is the charge based upon the actual amount of M i s c e l l a n e o u s energy (in kWh) consumed during the G r o s s R e c e i p t s Ta x billing cycle. Reimbursement: Fee assessed to recover the miscellaneous Transmission Charge: gross receipts tax imposed on retail Charges for moving high electric providers operating in an voltage electricity from a incorporated city or town having a generation facility to the distribution population of more than 1,000. lines of an electric distribution company. Charges are set by the Public Nuclear Decommissioning Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) Charge: Charge assessed to and are used to recover the cost a TDU recover a TDU's charges for pays to access the statewide transmisthe dismantling and decontamination sion system. of nuclear generating sites. Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) Charge: Line item on Storm Recovery Charge: electric bills that can be a Charge to recover costs associated with storm damages. charge or a credit. When the cost to produce power is higher than expected a charge is used to recover the added costs.

J. F. FONTAINE & ASSOCIATES, INC. CONSULTING ENGINEERS

Power Cost Recover y Factor (PCRF) Charge: Charge used to adjust electric bill to reflect increases or decreases in the cost of electricity a TDU purchases from its wholesale power supplier for distribution to its members. Also Called Fuel Cost Adjustment Charge. TCRF (Transmission Cost Recovery Factor): Charge from the TDU that covers the incremental cost of changes to the transmission system. TDUs are allowed to make changes to the TCRF twice a year, on March 1 and September 1. Transmission System Charge: Charge that covers the cost of transporting electricity from generators over high-voltage transmission lines to distribution facilities. As you can see by the list, there are several different terms that describe or “cover” the same thing. For instance, out of the twenty terms listed above, four of them are associated with the cost of transporting electricity to the customer. When looking at your individual bills for your facilities, most of you will Continued on next page

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Quench — 2023 —Issue 5 19

From the Field have one “set” of these charges based upon which provider you have. If you have different providers for different facilities, you can compare the electric bills and look to see if the charges fall under the same headings or if they use different terminologies to describe the same things.

understanding of what those charges represent. Hopefully this overview will help you to be able to do the same and avoid some confusion with all of the different terms that are floating around out there.

Before I began to work on the Energy Efficiency Program several years ago, I never paid much attention to these different terms and types of charges that appeared on my electric bills. Like most people, I just looked at the amount due, winced a little bit and wrote a check. But having now spent so much time with them, I have definitely started to pay more attention to the things that appear on my bills and to have a better

Charles Perkins is an Energy Efficiency Circuit Rider with the Texas Rural Water Association.

AUSTIN LIGHTLE, P.E. Project Manger

20 Quench — 2023 — Issue 5

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Features

One Connection At A Time Using a mobile app to empower your utility By Daniel Tukuafu Texas water utilities know that connecting service lines is only part of the job. Connecting with customers, ensuring they're kept up to date on their service, their billing and their role as a member of the system, remains a challenge long after their water is flowing. Mobile applications, custom-tailored to meet the needs of water supply companies in Texas, are transforming the way utilities operate, communicate and serve their communities. Consider this scenario: A sudden water outage occurs due to unforeseen circumstances, disrupting the lives of residents and businesses in a Texas community. In such situations, the importance of timely and effective communication cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, when messages are delivered through traditional means, they often risk being drowned out or altogether missed. Push notifications, those handy alerts that pop up on your smartphone screen, can be a lifeline for water suppliers, communicating critical information that can impact their safety and well-being of customers. With a mobile app in place, the utility can instantly inform affected customers via push notifications that won't get lost in their inbox or ignored because it's coming from a strange number. These real-time alerts are designed to cut through the noise and ensure that critical messages are heard and acted upon promptly. Customers receive information about the issue, its estimated duration, and any immediate steps they should take, such as conserving or boiling water. This proactive communication not only minimizes inconveniences but also fosters a sense of trust and transparency Continued on next page Quench — 2023 —Issue 5 21

Features between the water utility and its customers. (It's worth noting that customers have the option to turn this feature off if they prefer or customize what information they receive.)

The creation of lead service line inventories is a novel and essential aspect of water supply management.

Identifying and resolving water supply issues swiftly is of paramount importance. Mobile applications offer a straightforward and efficient channel for customers to report outages and provide feedback. Through a user-friendly interface, customers can log outage reports directly within the app, eliminating the need for timeconsuming outbound phone calls or emails and reducing the flood of inbound calls to the office.

Traditionally, the task of surveying lead service lines is conducted through time-consuming efforts led by water supply management or field personnel. However, mobile applications have now emerged as a solution to assist with this process while adhering to EPA and TCEQ guidance.

Through a dedicated mobile app, water utilities in Texas can engage their customers, who may have more information about their own service lines than the utility does, in a consistent and structured manner to facilitate lead service line inventory surveys in alignFurthermore, mobile apps allow customers to provide valu- ment with the EPA and TCEQ recommendations. This able feedback on the quality of service and any concerns approach not only helps ensure compliance but also may they may have. This feedback loop helps utilities identify expedite the process. recurring issues, address customer concerns promptly and By involving their customers, Texas water systems continuously improve their services.

Start Mapping Today Jump-start mapping and field data collection with easy-to-use applications. esri.com/smallsystems

22 Quench — 2023 — Issue 5

Features strengthen their commitment to water quality and safety. technology, Texas water systems are not just serving their Mobile applications bridge the gap between the utility customers better; they are building stronger, more resilient and the community, fostering a sense of shared responsi- communities for the future. bility and ensuring compliance with the latest regulatory standards. In addition to core features, a robust water supply app may include seamless bill pay, interactive maps and a "Call the Office" function. Users can also benefit from the option to add local vendors, like plumbers, providing valuable services and potential revenue for the utility. This overview is not exhaustive; for a full list of functionalities, consult your mobile app developer. Mobile applications have emerged as indispensable tools for water systems in Texas, facilitating efficient communication, outage reporting, customer feedback and even assisting with critical tasks like lead service line inventory. Across Texas, apps have transformed how businesses connect with their communities and provide essential services. As the Texas water supply sector continues to embrace digital innovation, the role of mobile applications in ensuring the reliability and quality of water services will only become more significant. By harnessing the power of

Daniel Tukuafu with Apps Connect, is a military veteran with years of service in the water industry. Apps Connect accelerates communication between companies and their customers, improving customer satisfaction and leading to more streamlined operations.

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Quench — 2023 — Issue 5 23

What Can TRWA Do For You? 2024 is nearly here. It's time to kick off the TRWA Membership Drive for the new year. TRWA has been able to grow and thrive thanks to the support of more than 850 systems across Texas, allowing us to offer more services than ever before. Keep reading for more information about the benefits you can receive when you renew your membership in 2024.

Technical Assistance & Emergency Response

TRWA field staff are experts in the industry and provide hands-on support in a variety of ways to member systems. We offer technical assistance programs through partnerships with state and federal agencies. Through these programs, TRWA provides free on-site assistance to water and wastewater systems in need of aid in many different areas including technical compliance related issues, rates, customer service issues, developing policies, board training, evaluating energy consumption and costs, and developing source water protection plans. If you would like a visit from one of our technical assistance staff, call us at 512-472-8591 and we’ll make sure you get the help you need. We also offer water loss, leak detection, smoke testing and meter flow testing and verification at no cost for members. Finally, we have a database of past technical questions and responses at trwa.org/page/asklarry. In addition to the everyday technical challenges faced by systems throughout Texas, TRWA has built up an emergency response service for disasters impacting utilities. TRWA is a part of the Texas Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (TXWARN), a mutual-aid network for free assistance to all utilities. We also maintain generators to help systems get back online in the case of power outage. Your membership grants you access to these vital resources in times of crisis.

24 Quench — 2023— Issue 4

Legal Services Area Meetings TRWA's legal team will respond to your utility’s legal questions by phone or email, providing advice as part of your membership. Starting in 2023, our sample tariff and district service policy are available to TRWA members as a free download, complete with all the latest legal updates. Additional legal services including filing required eminent domain reports with the Comptroller and applications for sales tax exemption for a discounted rate. Members also have access to online legal resources, including legal handbooks for WSCs and Districts, that contain indexes of all the types of issues our members encounter, with links to the corresponding laws and rules at trwa.org/page/legalhandbook. We also have a database of past member legal questions and responses at trwa.org/keepitlegal. In addition, TRWA maintains a legal defense fund to assist members with representation regarding issues of statewide concern.

TRWA now hosts regional meetings to bring educational content and networking opportunities out to our members all over Texas. We encourage all system staff and board members to attend these meetings which include lunch and free credit hours approved by TCEQ taught by industry experts, as well as opportunities for interacting with other utility staff from the area and industry vendors. See page 14 for the 2024 meeting schedule, and check out the calendar throughout the year at Quench — 2023 —Issue 4 25 trwa.org/area-meetings.

TRWA News

Publications

Your TRWA membership includes five subscriptions to Quench, which can be sent to any address you choose. Quench is published six times a year and is Texas’ premier rural water trade magazine. Additionally, we have a weekly eNewsletter and training newsletter that keeps you updated on the rural water industry as well as TRWAspecific updates. Visit trwa.org/eNews to subscribe.

Training & Education

Advocacy

TRWA continues to be a strong and effective advocate for rural water before the Texas Legislature and the regulatory agencies. During the 2023 Legislative Session, our legislative team, including our contract lobbyists, worked to achieve our legislative priorities to obtain infrastructure and technical assistance funding for rural communities and to clarify the amount of water capacity required for RV parks. Our team also effectively fought numerous bills that would have negatively affected rural water and wastewater utilities.

Member systems and their employees receive discounts on all training classes and conferences. TRWA continues to provide 28 classroom training courses and multiple online and virtual training opportunities. Our online instructor-led courses and self-paced virtual classes are a convenient way for operators to earn valuable credit hours. Learn more at trwa.org/training. TRWA's conferences offer networking opportunities and educational programming that counts toward licensing requirements. Mark your calendars and plan to join us for RuralWaterCon March 26-28 in San Antonio, the Training and Technical Conference July 10-11 in Galveston and the Office October 10-11 in San Marcos. 26 Professionals Quench — 2023 — Conference Issue 5

TRWA News

GIS & Drone Services

Additional Resources

TRWA has a library of more than 30 regularly revised publications, including salary and rate surveys, legal handbooks, training manuals, sample policies and tariffs and guidebooks for system operators, managers and directors. TRWA’s GIS Team has decades of experience capturing assets for water/ wastewater systems and developing accurate, user-friendly programs that operators, managers and office staff alike can navigate. Our team uses multiple GIS platforms to cater to the system’s comfort level and ensure easy use and implementation. Our aerial and underwater drone services can be used by utilities in a variety of ways, including for tank inspections, capturing project progress, performing leak detection by aerial identification, as well as thermal imagery and mapping.

Our website houses archives of questions and answers for members to reference, as well as toolkits filled with links and information on subjects ranging from funding sources to working with state transportation officials. Be on the lookout late this year for information on renewing your membership. The sooner you renew and send in your payment, the easier the process will be. If you have any questions about your membership or need any further assistance, please contact our membership team at membership@trwa.org or (512) 954-1360.

Quench — 2023 — Issue 5 27

TRWA Briefs Wanted: Quench Magazine Cover Photos Help TRWA show the full picture of rural water in Texas by submitting photos for the cover of Quench Magazine! For the six issues in 2024, we're offering a prize of $40 for sending us a photo that makes the cover of Quench Magazine. Send in your water towers, your lakes and streams and coastlines, your infrastructure and your operators. If it's a great photo pertaining to Texas Water that you took, we'd love to take a look. If it's selected, you could win our $40 prize. Final cover photo selections are made by the Quench Magazine editorial staff and are subjective and subject to the needs of the magazine. Visit trwa.org/quenchcoverphoto to find the full terms and conditions and a link to submit your photo.

Advertiser Index Axis Construction/Kasco...................................23 Childress Engineers............................................20 CoBank.............................................................. 17 Esri....................................................................22 Hayes Engineering.............................................20 HydroPro..........................................................22 J.F. Fontaine & Associates..................................19

Join the conversation at: www.facebook.com/TexasRuralWaterAssn 28 Quench — 2022 2023 — Issue 1 5

NewGen............................................................20 Russell Drilling Co., Inc.......................................19 SAMCO................................................................9 Smith Pump Co., Inc………………...…………………..30 Texas Aquastore................................................23 Williams Clearview............................................30

Find us at @TexasRuralWater for industry and legislative news relevant to you!

Nominate an individual or a system for TRWA's Awards of Excellence today! We're now accepting nominations for each of our five awards categories: • Excellence in System Management • Excellence in Office Administration • Excellence in Operations • Small System Excellence • Large System Excellence

Individual award winners will receive a $500 prize while system-wide award winners will receive a $1,000 prize.

Submit your application for a Texas Rural Water Foundation Student Scholarship today. Each year, TRWF recognizes qualified individuals in their pursuit of higher education in a field that supports rural Texas with a Student Scholarship. In the 2023-2024 award year, eighteen scholarships totaling $27,500 were awarded.

The TRWF Board is particularly interested in supporting students who seek a career relating to the water and/or wastewater industry or a career that will support rural Texas. They also encourage applications from veterans seeking higher education in an area that will benefit rural Texas. Former student scholarship recipients are also invited to

please remember eligibility is limited to TRWA members and their employees. Former award winners are not eligible. All entries must be submitted or postmarked by January 29, 2024, to be considered.

Get started on your nomination now and submit it online at trwa.org/ awards for individual awards and If you are interested in sponsoring trwa.org/systemawards for an award, please contact system awards. While anyone can membership@trwa.org. nominate an individual or a system,

apply for a continued scholarship. If you or someone you know is interested in applying, please direct them to trwa.org/StudentScholarships All applications must be submitted in full by 11:59 p.m. on February 5, 2024. Email foundation@trwa.org with any questions.

Quench — 2023 — Issue 5 29

TRWA News

Rural water steps in to help the city of Beaumont

Like much of the state, the city of Beaumont struggled this summer to keep up with infrastructure damage caused by the heat and drought. By early September, the city had a list of more than 200 leaks to repair. It seemed however many it could repair in a day, nearly that many new ones would pop up slowing progress to a crawl.

Three Mustang SUD crews traveled to southeast Texas during the week of September 11-15 to assist. With the help of Mustang SUD and additional outside contractors, Beaumont was able to nearly triple the amount of leaks it repaired that week.

This allowed the city to knock its list down below 200 for the first time in weeks, according to city officials, So city officials put out a call for help, contacting helping bring the problem under control. The Mustang TRWA and others to see if anyone had any crews to SUD crews even made the local news, getting featured spare that could help them make up ground on that in a story on local KFDM CBS 6. extensive list. TRWA Deputy Executive Director Jason Knobloch sent their request to attendees of the TRWA Our thanks to all those who travelled and represented Emergency Response Training in Huntsville earlier this rural water in supporting our neighbors. year, and Mustang SUD answered.

30 Quench — 2023 — Issue 5

The Months Ahead Here's a look at a small sample of the events TRWA has scheduled for the next two months. To see more trainings, regional meetings, conferences and more, visit www.trwa.org/event_calendar

NOVEMBER 2023

November 14-16

Pump & Motor Maintenance in Riverside & Basic Wastewater in San Antonio

November 28 Area Meeting in Waco Visit trwa.org/area-meetings to see full a schedule

DECEMBER 2023 December 12 Free USDA Emerging Contaminants Workshop in Brownsboro

December 25-26 TRWA Office Closed

Quench — 2023 — Issue 5 31

1616 Rio Grande| Austin, TX 78701-1122 Telephone: (512) 472-8591 | Fax: (512) 472-5186 www.trwa.org