Quench: November/December 2018

GIS and Your Utility

Also Inside:

The TRWA Membership Drive is Now Underway New Water Loss Training Requirement

November/December 2018 www.trwa.org

TRWA Today

TRWA Board of Directors

Officers Brian Macmanus President Cameron (Dist. 6)

Chris Boyd Vice-President Denton (Dist. 3) Bruce Alexander Secretary Medina (Dist. 2)

Barry Miller Treasurer

Gonzales (Dist. 5)

Pat Allen Immediate Past President Guadalupe (Dist. 9)

District Directors Mark Gardenhire

Shackelford (Dist. 1)

Steve Adams Brown (Dist. 4)

Clay Hodges Hunt (Dist. 7)

Charles Beseda Hill (Dist. 8)

Kent Watson Brazos (Dist. 10)

Kevin Spence Franklin (Dist. 11)

Shirley Thompson Kaufman (Dist. 12)

Robert Nettles Walker (Dist. 13)

Rhonda Shaw Rusk (Dist. 14)

Established in 1969, the Texas Rural Water Association (TRWA) is a statewide nonprofit trade association with an active membership consisting of approximately 750 nonprofit water supply corporations, water districts, small-town water departments and investorowned utilities. In addition, more than 200 water industry suppliers participate in TRWA activities as associate members. TRWA members provide water and wastewater service to 2.5 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.

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Leadership Team

Lara Zent

Allison Kaminsky

Lisa Adams

Larry Bell

Celia Eaves

Janice Gibbs, CPA

Trent Hightower

Jason Knobloch

Angela Russell, CMP

Executive Director and General Counsel Deputy Executive Director Foundation Development Director Technical Assistance Director Professional Development and Training Director Finance Director Assistant General Counsel Environmental Services Director Member Services Director

Amanda Ashcraft

Melody Bennett

Ross Brookbank

Pam Cantrell

Emily Collins

Kelsey Copeland

Patti Flunker

Angela Harris

Andrew Montemayor

Ariane Walker

Member Services Coordinator Project Support Specialist Assistant Projects Manager, Environmental Services Accounting Support Specialist Administrative Assistant Communications Specialist Executive/Legal Assistant Project Support Specialist Instructional Designer Training Support Specialist

Thomas Acker, Jr.

Michael Beadnell

Nathan Cantrell

Alex Eaves

Paul King

Deborah McMullan

Steven Mindt

Charles Perkins

Bruce Pearson

Refugio Rodriguez

James Smith

Quentin Turner

William White

Scott Willeford

Gilbert Ybarbo

Instructor Instructor Wastewater Technician Wastewater Technician Circuit Rider Source Water Protection Specialist FMT Specialist Circuit Rider Instructor FMT Specialist Circuit Rider FMT Specialist Assistant Technical Assistance Director FMT Specialist FMT Specialist

Office Staff

Field Staff

Contact the Editor

Editorial and advertising inquiries may be directed to the Editor, Allison Kaminsky, at 512-472-8591 or editor@trwa.org.

Join the conversation at: www.facebook.com/TexasRuralWaterAssn Find us at @TexasRuralWater and @TRWALegislative for industry and legislative news relevant to you!

Features: 6 10 28 29

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The TRWA Membership Drive is Now Underway

8

New Water Loss Audit Training Requirement

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Letter from the Executive Director Keep it Legal Answers to your legal questions

Ask Larry Answers to your technical questions

Advertiser Index Plan Ahead

TRWA’s Calendar of Events

By Celia Eaves, Texas Rural Water Association Did you know that those performing annual water loss audits for retail public utilities are now required to receive specialized training? Learn more now!

Antennas on Water Towers

By Erin Schmitt, Pittsburg Tank & Tower Group Though water towers are a boon for the communications industry, the decision of whether antennas should be placed top water towers is entirely up to the owner.

20 GIS and Your Utility

In Every Issue: Letter from the President

By Angela Russell, Texas Rural Water Association Now is the time to renew your TRWA membership for 2019!

By Jason Knobloch, Texas Rural Water Association Though GIS has been around for decades, the use of it in rural water and wastewater utilities has recently become more popular as an asset management tool.

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A Brief History of Water & Wastewater Treatment

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The Tale of Lil Countryside WSC

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TRWA Briefs

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By Charles Perkins, Texas Rural Water Association This is part two in a series on the history of wastewater treatment. This installment covers the Dark Ages to the 21st Century.

By Steven Mindt, Texas Rural Water Association Lil Countryside WSC, once a failing system with no leadership, is now poised to take on the future.

Calling all Texas Rural Water Emerging Leaders; Sign up Today for Our New Consumer Magazine.

On the Cover: Country Christmas at Cross Country WSC, Kristi Bower, PH 2OTOSTREAM 2018 Category Finalist Quench — November / December 2018 3

President’s Message Howdy Texas Rural Water Association!

“If you haven't told your story yet, do it soon and often.”

Isn’t it refreshing to feel the fresh cool air and northern breeze as you step outside into winter? The stifling humidity of summer is long gone and the leaves and grass have changed to softer colors. Like many of you, finding a rural outdoor place to enjoy a deer, quail, duck, goose, dove, nilgai or javelina hunt is my personal favorite winter activity.

The other part of this season I enjoy most is time spent with family and loved ones. I hope each of you has some down time and can savor the moments of peace and joy as you to stop and reflect on the relationships that matters most in life.

Winter has some special challenges for rural water. Freezing weather can wreak havoc and cold wet employees can be in danger of hypothermia. TRWA faces special challenges soon as winter hits its coldest with the new legislative session. I hope each of you has taken the time to meet personally with your local congressional representative and senator. We need your help to turn the tide on groundwater conservation districts requiring correlative groundwater rights for well permits and the Public Utility Commission hustling expedited decertification of our CCNs. If you haven’t told your story yet, do it soon and often.

Take advantage of this season to shine with your customer service.

Respectful service with a big smile and a nice greeting is the best way to win your rate payers’ loyalty. Fill a spot of frustration, loneliness or anger in your customers’ lives with kindness. It seems to be a product with high demand and short supply in our society today.

Until next time, keep the water going with a “true to rural” smile.

Be Good,

Brian E. Macmanus, P.E. President Texas Rural Water Association

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Letter from the Executive Director

As we near the end of 2018, I’m reflecting on our achievements of this past year. We have a lot to be proud of as an Association. In March, we graduated our inaugural class of TRWA Emerging Leaders. In April, the Texas Rural Water Foundation successfully held its first fundraiser, Operation: Hats off for Veterans.

In May, we partnered with TXWARN to enhance our emergency response efforts to rural Texas. Over the summer, we launched our new GIS Mapping Service and we began offering a new Sales Tax Exemption Service for qualifying systems.

In September, we hosted our National Rural Water Association for their annual conference and Kent Watson, a long-standing TRWA Board Director, was elected as their President. Later that month, we testified before the House Natural Resources Committee on our two major legislative issues. We launched Texas on Tap, our new direct-to-consumer magazine, in October. In November, we represented Rural Water at the Texas Tribune’s Future of Rural symposium. These examples only scratch the surface of all that we accomplished — it has been a busy year for TRWA and the new year promises to be as well.

TRWA and our members will have many new opportunities and will face new challenges in 2019. The 86th Texas Legislature will convene on January 8th and our focus will be to ensure Rural Water’s issues are heard and understood at the Capitol. We will be launching a special edition legislative electronic newsletter to keep you updated. As I mentioned in my last letter, we plan to pursue two major issues this session. The first focuses on fair compensation to utilities whose CCNs are decertified by the PUC. The second focuses on groundwater permitting, ensuring that Groundwater Districts consider service area needs when issuing well permits to utilities. We will also work to ensure bills that are bad for our members do not pass.

“Please save the date for March 28-29 and join us at the Austin Renaissance to honor 50 years of our great association!”

We will be calling on you in the coming months to help us by engaging your legislators and even your customers and vendors to support us on these issues.

We also encourage you to attend Rural Water Day at the Capitol on March 27, held in conjunction with RuralWaterCon, so we can show up in full force as a powerful and unified voice. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet one-on-one with your elected officials and help them understand our issues and why they matter.

Speaking of our annual convention, we will be celebrating TRWA’s golden anniversary at RuralWaterCon 2019, so please save the date for March 28-29 and join us at the Austin Renaissance to honor 50 years of our great association!

We have a lot of fun things planned to mark this special occasion. Details about convention, along with celebration details, will be mailed to members in early January.

Thank you for being a member and for continuing to support our Association throughout the years—without you, none of this would be possible. Please renew your membership in 2019 and join us as we continue to serve, represent and support Texas rural water.

I wish you and your families a happy and restful holiday season!

Lara Zent Executive Director and General Counsel Texas Rural Water Association

Quench — November / December 2018 5

The TRWA Membership Drive is Now Underway

I

By Angela Russell, Member Services Director, Texas Rural Water Association

t’s time to renew your system’s membership for 2019! If you are a current TRWA Member, you should have already received your renewal statement in the mail. If you have not received a statement, please email membership@trwa.org.

Renew by March 22, 2019, to be eligible to vote at TRWA's RuralWaterCon 2019.

value of these member benefits far outweighs the cost of TRWA membership!

If you have questions about membership or need assistance logging in to our website, please contact us at 512-472-8591 or at membership@trwa.org.

TRWA is dedicated to providing training, technical and legal assistance to our members, and we are proud to be one of the preeminent water and wastewater trade associations in the nation. TRWA Member benefits include, but are not limited to: • Advocacy: Members’ interests are represented at the state and federal level by TRWA’s lobby team, which works to influence legislative and regulatory issues that impact water systems.

• Legal Services: A full-time attorney responds to questions from member systems relating to legal issues faced by water utilities and consults on water law issues. TRWA also maintains a legal defense fund to assist members with representation regarding issues with a statewide impact.

• Technical Assistance: TRWA provides training and onsite technical assistance on issues such as preventative maintenance, leak detection, water audits, rate analysis, budgeting and management.

• Education and Training: Members benefit from TRWA’s comprehensive technical training program for water and wastewater operators, managers and board members. Courses are approved for TCEQ operator license credit, and TRWA’s operator certification program provides training for obtaining or renewing state water and wastewater operator licenses.

• Resources: TRWA provides resources to keep its members informed, including manuals, training materials and legal resources, such as sample personnel policies, service policies, board policies, and a sample tariff.

• Discounts and more: Take a look at the infographic on the following page to see how the numbers stack up. It's easy to see that the 6

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BEAUMONT | HOUSTON | TERRELL | TYLER

800. 774.5932

SPI-ENG.COM

The Cost Membership dues are based on the number of water meters a systems has. We also put a minimum and maximum cap on the cost of membership to keep dues fair and predictable.

$400

maximum

Education & Training 6-7

Savings members enjoy per conference registration

Savings members enjoy per classroom training registration

Legal Consultation $250 $150

Number of different classroom training courses we provide

25 $50

$30

TRWA Conferences held annually

$200

Amount members save when using our Sales Tax Exemption Service

Average hourly rate for attorney consultation on legal questions Average hourly rate for paralegal services

$50

Amount members save when using our Eminent Domain Reporting Service

Consultation services are included with TRWA membership.

Advocacy All advocacy services are $5000

Average monthly cost of hiring lobbyists to advocate for you at the capitol.

Value of an on-site technical assistance system visit

$75/hr

$500

Workforce Services $150

Hourly rate of contractors hired to provide recruitment and employment services

$360

Market value of industry rate reports

$480

Market value of industry salary reports

$100

Member discount on print classified ads in our trade magazine

We match participating systems with eligible job-seeking veterans & provide free training & educational resources to the veteran

Member discount on online job postings

$500

per document

>

$400

We provide free resources to help water systems promote jobs & attract candidates

Communications and Publications Members enjoy free access to online resources, including sample templates & forms; operations & maintenance manual/required monitoring plan; WSC election procedures; rate study worksheet; vulnerability assessment; emergency response plan; SUD conversion manual, & more!

$2800

Members have access to use TRWA-owned generators at no cost during emergencies.

Estimated value of answering member technical questions by phone and email.

20-30%

$200

We keep abreast of regulatory updates & pass that information along to our members. Estimated monthly value:

Daily cost to rent a generator for use during emergency

$75/hr + travel

$3000

Savings passed on to members in need of these documents

$1600

Technical Assistance

Percentage of first year’s salary charged by recruiters hired to fill a position

$10

Savings members enjoy on Public Funds Investment Act training

Cost to hire someone to create a sample tariff or district service policy Cost of TRWA’s sample tariff or district service policy

We represent member interests at state & federal agencies. We regularly meet with agency staff, attend stakeholder meetings & provide comments on rule packages. Estimated montly value:

included with membership

per meter

$5,000

minimum

The Value

$1.25

FREE

TRWA membership includes 5 subscriptions to our bimonthly trade magazine, Quench, valued at $30 each

Members receive a free copy of each report for participating in the survey.

$50

$950

$150

Quencl h

ua 5 ann ons r ip ti subsc

TRWA’s members-only online and print membership directories are free for members. It typically costs $1 per entry to buy comparable industry directories.

$20-30

Range in cost of our members-only publications, including an essential trainng manual for water board directors

The value is clear!

Quench — November / December 2018 7

New Water Loss Audit Training Requirement

By Celia Eaves, Professional Development and Training Director, Texas Rural Water Association

T

he need to meet the current and future demands for water continues to be an important issue that we cannot ignore. The most recent state water plan estimates that while existing water supplies are projected to decline, the efficient management and use of these existing supplies is critical in meeting projected water demands in Texas. One of several recommended water management strategies includes conservation.

So how can utilities conserve?

While we often ask utility customers to conserve, water loss control represents a water utility’s effort to minimize losses by providing an accountability of water supply and implementing controls to minimize those losses. All water systems can experience some loss during normal operations, but the goal of water loss audits is to understand and quantify those losses, and then implement cost-effective strategies to control excessive losses. Efficient water loss control can help a utility better plan for future water supplies or extend their current supply, thus saving money, and can also provide an understanding for targeted system upgrades.

However, if systems are going to rely on water loss audits to make such important decisions, the information from water loss audits must be accurate and reliable. In response, the 2017 Texas 85th Legislative Session passed House Bill 1573. HB 1573 amended Texas Water Code Chapter 16 to require specialized training for persons performing annual water loss audits for retail public utilities providing potable water. The training must include comprehensive knowledge of water utility systems and terminology and any tools available for analyzing audit results. The bill also required the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) to make the training available on its website, as well as the option to provide training in person.

HB 1573 requires water loss auditor training prior to submittal of a water loss audit to the TWDB. Currently, all retail public water systems with more than 3,300 connections or a financial obligation to TWDB are required to complete and submit a Water 8

Quench — November / December 2018

Loss Audit annually. All other retail public water suppliers are required to submit a Water Loss Audit to the agency every five years. The next five-year deadline to submit an audit is for the 2020 reporting year, due in 2021.

For the past year, TWDB staff has been conducting the water loss audit training throughout the state and at TRWA conferences. The training provided information on: •

how water loss audits can help systems implement effective water loss control programs;

•

how to use the TWDB’s online data collection system to submit audits; and

•

how to successfully account for water use and loss.

Individuals who participated in these events received acknowledgment credit from TWDB that they completed the required training. If you missed any of these training events, training can still be completed prior to your next water loss audit submittal. By January 1, 2019, TWDB will have a free online training video for individuals to complete the required training and receive acknowledgment. More information on water loss can be found on the TWDB webpage: http://www.twdb.texas.gov/conservation/ municipal/waterloss/index.asp. TRWA is also working on hosting more of these trainings for members at our 2019 conferences.

Once you complete your water loss audit, don’t forget that any retail public utility that is required to file a water loss audit with the TWDB must notify its customers of the most recent water loss reported in the water loss audit via the following options: •

On the next annual CCR, due July 1 to the TCEQ, delivered after the water loss audit is filed, or

•

On the next bill the customer receives after the water loss audit is filed.

If you have any questions about this article, contact Celia Eaves at 512-472-8591.

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Antennas on Water Towers

By Erin Schmitt, Media Director, Pittsburg Tank & Tower Group

P

hone and Internet antennas are installed in places based on where they would provide the best and maximum coverage. Often that happens to be atop existing water towers.

Buildings and trees can cause signal interference for strong wireless network connectivity. Water towers are tall — often the tallest structure in many towns and cities. Because of its height, a water tower makes an ideal location to place antennas because they are generally located in populated areas — areas that need cellphone coverage.

Water towers are a boon for the communications industry. Cell phone and wireless Internet providers see water towers as ways to boost their signal strength and expand their coverage area. The infrastructure already exists, so communication companies don’t have to invest the time and money to buy or lease land to build a structure suitable for antenna installation. There’s also no petitioning with local governments to have a building permit granted or a zoning ordinance altered. They are also spared the costs of building and maintaining the communication tower.

Emergency management agencies see the benefit of installing repeaters on water towers for those same reasons. Having a greater signal strength and wider coverage area can, in turn, help police, fire and rescue respond faster in emergencies.

Whether antennas should be placed on a water tower is up to the discretion of the municipality that owns the structure. There are pros and cons to doing so. Towns and cities can earn extra cash by leasing space on their water towers to host antennas.

That money can then be used to pay for projects or services. Many municipalities might designate a portion of this new revenue to the upkeep of the water towers. The presence of another revenue stream might also influence local governments to avoid increasing their water rates for customers.

Antennas can either be placed on water towers that have been taken out of service or on ones that are still in service. Either way, the tank owner remains responsible for the maintenance of the water tower, while any tenant would be responsible for the care of antennas and other equipment. The tank owner must ensure that employees or contractors can safely access the tower to perform inspections, maintenance or repairs.

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Though water towers are a boon for the communications industry, the decision of whether antennas should be placed atop water towers is entirely up to the owner.

Antennas should be spaced apart and stationed so that they don’t interfere with any existing equipment, especially emergency equipment. Antennas placed on a water tower must be secured. This may require welding the tank to fasten the antennas in place, so how this would affect the tank must be considered beforehand. Brackets welded to the tank to support the antenna can damage the interior and exterior coatings.

Wires run from antennas down to base station equipment on the ground. Underground utilities like telephone, electric and gas should be considered when routing antenna coax lines (APWA Reporter, 2005).

Cables can be grouped together on the shell wall close to the ground equipment in standpipes and ground storage tanks. When the cables reach the tank roof’s center, the cables are then routed to antenna sectors (APWA Reporter, 2005). Cables can be attached underneath catwalks and along the backside to give a more pleasant aesthetic — after all, it’s a little unseemly to see dangling wires, not to mention dangerous.

Of course, antennas and repeaters need to be tuned up or fixed occasionally. Climbing a water tower can be hazardous, no matter how many safety precautions are taken. Cables and wires are tripping hazards for people who climb water towers for inspections and maintenance. Water tanks must be inspected every three to five years, depending on

whether the interior has corrosion protection or not, according to NFPA 25. Cables and wires must be moved out of the way so that the inspectors can do their jobs.

Painting a tank helps to maintain structural integrity. Environmental factors impact how often tanks need to be repainted. It’s also done at the tank owner’s discretion, but, on average, a tank might receive a fresh coat of paint every 10 to 15 years. Adding antennas on the tank makes it trickier to paint the exterior. For one thing, the painter must maneuver around the antenna to paint. This could pose additional hazards to the painter. Any cables or wires would need to be moved before the painter could begin. This can cost additional money. It would also need to be determined who oversees storing the wires and cables — the water tower owners who had them moved to paint the tower or the communications company that had them installed.

Leasing out space on water towers for antennas is often appealing to municipalities. After all, it’s another revenue source that can be used to pay for services like the water tower’s upkeep.

It also means improved cell phone and wireless coverage in the general area.

There’s always the worry that cell phone companies and Internet providers will no longer need their antennas at some point. However, even as technology evolves, most tenants seem to be in it for the long haul, making longtime investments in the infrastructure.

Residents aren’t always happy to be neighbors to antennas. In March 2014, a utility board of supervisors delayed a five-year lease agreement with a wireless provider after residents protested antennas being placed on a nearby water tower, according to the Potomac Local News. The residents cited potential lowered property values and fear of exposure from electromagnetic fields emitted by the cell phone antennas.

Radiofrequency Safety International Corporation to assess RF emission readings on its water tower that is the houses antennas for various cell phone providers (Washington Post, 2013). Over a 15-year span, it was estimated that the tenants renting space on the water tower had paid a collective $1,000,000 to the city. It only cost $4,000 to hire RSI to perform RF emission readings, which were well below the FCC recommended levels.

Ultimately, whether antennas should be placed atop water towers is entirely up to the owner. The best thing to do, as with most important decisions in life, is to weigh the pros and cons, and then go from there.

References Zienty, Daniel J. & Struve, Tom, 2005. Is it a water tank or an antenna? APWA Reporter, September.

Accessed Dec. 11, 2017.

NFPA 25, 2017. Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems. 9.2.5.1.1 and 9.2.5.1.2.

Fine Maron, Dina, 2016. Major cell phone radiation study reignites cancer question. Scientific American, May 27. Accessed Aug. 8, 2018.

Brick, Krista, 2013. Montgomery county town testing cell towers for health risk. The Washington Quench Bus Card Ad 2018 .qxp 2/22/18 8:01 PM Page 1 Post, May 7. Accessed July 10, 2018.

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Researchers at the National Toxicology Program exposed rats to radiofrequency (RF) radiation levels over a sustained period to mimic the amount people who frequently use cell phones come into contact with on a daily basis. The findings linked the exposure to the formation of rare cancers in at least two cell types in the brains and hearts of rats (Scientific American, 2016).

Municipalities concerned about the effects of having antennas on their water towers do have ways to assuage fears. Poolesville, Maryland hired Quench — November / December 2018 11

Keep It Legal Answers to Members’ Questions by TRWA Assistant General Counsel Trent Hightower

Q:

Do water utilities have to comply workplace safety and health requirements under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)?

A: In general, OSHA applies to water supply corporations (WSCs) but not to special utility districts (SUDs) and other districts. However, TRWA advises all its members to comply with OSHA requirements regardless of how the system is organized for the reasons set forth below.

First, a little background — OSHA is the nation’s primary workplace safety and health law.

It requires all private sector employers to furnish a safe workplace to their employees and requires both employers and employees to comply with all occupational safety and health standards adopted by the United States Department of Labor’s OSHA Division. The key to answering this question lies in the term “private sector employers,” because the Act does not apply to the federal government, the Texas state government or any of the state’s political subdivisions. SUDs and other districts are considered to be political subdivisions of the state for all purposes, so they are not considered “private sector employers” under the Act and are thus not required by law to comply with it. WSCs, however, are only considered political subdivisions for specific purposes when explicitly designated as such by a statute. For the purposes of OSHA, they are not considered political subdivisions, so they must comply with all OSHA standards.

gets injured on the job, the district will have more credibility in a potential lawsuit if it can demonstrate that it was voluntarily providing an OSHA-compliant workplace for that employee even though it wasn’t technically required to do so. Plus, if a system is already having to provide an OSHA-compliant workplace for any contractors, it just makes sense to apply those safety and health standards across the board for employees as well.

Q: A customer of our SUD says that he has squatters living in his home and he wants us to disconnect service. Can we do so? If so, do we need to give notice to the people residing at the home? Would this situation be different if we were a WSC? A: For a SUD, the answer will likely depend on which party is actually your customer, since either an owner or a tenant may establish a customer/ provider relationship with the utility. Assuming your relationship is with the property owner, he may request that service be disconnected. However, you will want to follow your system’s district service policy as it relates to giving notice to tenants in these situations, because you have no way of knowing if the people in the home are really squatters as the owner says, or if they are legitimate renters. As a general rule, TRWA advises utilities to provide occupants of rented properties with a few days’ notice, both as a matter of courtesy and to avoid any issues with disconnecting service to a property that may have an ill or disabled person living there. Since WSCs may only provide service to members and most of them require members to be owners, this advice would apply if your system was a WSC as well.

"TRWA advises all its members to comply with OSHA requirements regardless of how the system is organized."

That said, TRWA still recommends that its district members voluntarily comply with OSHA for a couple of reasons. First, the exemption for non-private sector employers only applies to employees, so if a SUD or other non-private sector employer uses contractors for some projects, those contractors are protected

by OSHA. Second, OSHA standards are recognized universally as industry best practices, so from a general liability standpoint, it's in any employer’s best interest to comply. If, for example, a SUD employee 12

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However, if your district’s relationship is directly with the occupant and they have been paying you on time and complying with all your system’s rules, you cannot disconnect their water at the request of the owner. Your district service policy likely spells out the situations in which a customer’s service can be disconnected, and if an occupant follows all of

your rules, by law you cannot turn off their service.

Further, Texas landlord-tenant law explicitly states that a landlord can’t interrupt a tenant’s utility service.

As I mentioned earlier, you have no way of knowing whether the occupants of the property are squatters or actual renters, and TRWA typically advises systems to steer clear of this type of dispute. If they truly are occupying the property illegally, the Texas Property Code offers the landowner remedies to evict them from the home.

Q: Can a utility send disconnection notices by email?

A: Unfortunately, even in the modern technical age, I would advise you against sending a disconnection notice electronically. The Public Utility Commission (PUC) has extensive rules on customer service and protection, and while they only explicitly apply to investor-owned utilities, they still serve as a general guide as to how the agency would view the situation if, for example, a customer filed a complaint claiming that they never received your email. These rules are generally quite pro-consumer, so TRWA advises systems to voluntarily comply with them and think of them as an example of the PUC’s accepted best practices when it comes to customer service.

This is especially true when we’re talking about an action as severe as disconnecting a customer’s water service.

Specifically, PUC Rule 24.167 states that proper notice of disconnection “shall consist of a separate written statement which a utility must mail or hand deliver to a customer before service may be disconnected.” Note the absence of authorization for electronic delivery. This may be an example of the PUC’s rules not yet catching up with modern technology, but until they do, we advise our members to comply with them as they are currently written. The rule has some very specific requirements, so it may be worth reviewing your standard notices as well as the rule in its entirety to ensure that they follow the PUC’s established best practices. In fact, a review of Chapter 24, Subchapter F in its entirety might be worth your time to ensure you are addressing several common customer service scenarios in a way that meets with PUC approval.

Q: How long do utilities need to retain their board meeting minutes, both for open and closed sessions? What if we take notes or make recordings of our meetings for purposes of preparing minutes later? Do we need to have to retain those notes or recordings on the same schedule?

A: Chapter 551 of the Government Code, commonly referred to as the Open Meetings Act, requires both WSCs and SUDs to prepare and maintain minutes or recordings of their open meetings, as well as “certified agendas” or recordings of their closed meetings. For practical purposes, “minutes” and “certified agenda” are the same thing — written documentation of who was present and what actions were taken at the meeting. The only difference is that one of them refers to actions taken in open session while the other describes actions taken in closed session.

As for how long these records must be maintained, the Open Meetings Act is silent.

However, a different provision, the Texas Local Government Records Act (Local Government Code Sec. 201.001 – 205.010), requires local governments and state agencies to establish a records management program that complies with records retention schedules adopted by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. While the Local Government Records Act is written such that it only applies to districts, TRWA recommends that WSCs also adopt and follow this records retention schedule. Like the “best practices” promulgated by the PUC in the previous question, following a preapproved retention schedule voluntarily could protect a WSC from liability when it comes to the destruction of records.

So, with all that said, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission’s retention schedule requires systems to permanently maintain copies of either written minutes or recordings of open sessions. If your system takes notes or makes recordings of open sessions and transcribes them into minutes later, those notes or recordings may be discarded 90 days after approval of the final minutes by the system’s Continued on page 14

Water | Wastewater | Solid Waste | Energy Asset Appraisals CCN Valuations Cost of Service and Rate Studies

Economic Feasibility Studies Litigation Support Procurements

www.newgenstrategies.net David S. Yanke | (512) 649-1254 | dyanke@newgenstrategies.net Chris Ekrut | (972) 232-2234 | cekrut@newgenstrategies.net

Quench — November / December 2018 13

Continued from page 13

board (again, those final minutes must be maintained permanently). Note that for minutes or recordings of an open session, this schedule is mandatory for districts and highly advisable for WSCs, as discussed above.

As it relates to the certified agenda or recording of a closed session, the Open Meetings Act explicitly requires preservation for a period of at least two years after the date of the meeting. If a legal action involving the closed session in question is commenced within that two-year period, the recording or certified agenda must be preserved for the duration of the lawsuit, even if that extends beyond the two-year time frame. Note here that, unlike with minutes or recordings of an open session, these provisions are mandatory for both WSCs and districts.

If you have a legal question you would like answered, please email legal@trwa.org.

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

Q:

What do water utilities need to know about the Water Resources Development Act of 2018?

A: The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2018, included as Title I of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (S. 3021), was signed into law on October 23, 2018. The new law will provide for investment in harbor, waterway, flood protection and other water infrastructure improvements throughout the country. For TRWA member systems, the most interesting pieces of this law relate to biannual reporting for consumer confidence reports (CCR).

First, water systems serving more than 10,000 persons are required to provide a CCR to each customer of the system at least biannually. The law permits these consumer confidence reports to be to be mailed or provided by electronic means to drinking water system customers. Finally, the law requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to improve the format of the consumer confidence report to increase understandability and usefulness to nontechnical readers on the quality of their water.

As for vulnerability assessments, the new law replaces provisions in the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) relating to anti-terrorism activities with new provisions that are more in line with existing water system practices. The law also creates requirements for assessing risks from malevolent acts, including terrorism, and resilience to natural hazards and emergency response plans to those threats by community water systems serving more than 3,300 persons. The law also authorizes $25 million in grants to facilitate these goals.

Q: What are your thoughts on flushing dead-end mains monthly in light of our goal of minimizing water loss? Is there anything we can do to avoid or minimize waste during monthly flushing?

A: It’s not uncommon for us to hear concerns about the waste, in terms of both water lost and operators’ time, associated with the mandatory flushing of dead-end main lines as required by Rule 290.44(d) and 290.46(d), (f) and (l) of TCEQ’s rules.

Section 290.39(l) of TCEQ’s rules allows a system to 16

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petition the agency for an exception to the rule, and there have been times in extreme drought conditions where TCEQ has granted such an exception. I’m aware of at least two systems who have successfully applied for a waiver of these requirements in a limited fashion.

The cost of water or labor is not the primary reason for a system to request an exception. A better approach is demonstrating to TCEQ that the reduction in either the number of lines or the volume of water being flushed can be reduced without affecting water quality. If the system can document that the dead-end line has a few customers right at the end and that the first draw water from the flush valve has the appropriate disinfection residual present, TCEQ might see that as a valid reason to request the exception. However, if there is any time lapse between the time of the first flushing and the time the proper residual is obtained, that may not be sufficient evidence that the system can reduce flushing at that location.

That said, there are no specific rules regarding whether a line must be flushed for twenty minutes, an hour or any other length of time. Instead, lines should be flushed until a proper level of disinfectant residual is measured, which might take only thirty seconds or a couple of minutes. The operator’s flushing log would show that a proper residual was detected on the date that line was flushed. The log should also include the estimated length of time the line was flushed and the flow rate from that flush valve to determine gallons of water flushed.

To start this exception process your system will need to calculate and document how much water can be flushed from each flush valve at a specific line pressure. This information should be logged into a database and then printed out for each operator to have in their vehicle. Then when they happen to flush any line they can refer to that flush valve flow chart to see how to calculate the gallons flushed over the number of minutes the valve was flushed.

The total number of gallons flushed each month should be calculated according to some written method and shouldn’t be simply a guess. Some systems have a flow meter in their service truck with

a flexible hose which is attached to each flush valve when it is being flushed. This gives the most accurate number of gallons being flushed each time that valve is opened.

Q: Our WSC is in the process of negotiating a contract for an emergency interconnect between our system and a nearby city. We use only well water treated with free chlorine, while the city uses a blend of surface and well water treated with chloramines (an ammonia/chlorine blend).

Are there any risks we should be aware of, such as dangerous chlorine levels?

A: These disinfection systems have been used both for backup and continuous water supplies.

The main issue I see is that the systems will need to do some preliminary testing to determine if the WSC wants to add free chlorine to their purchased water from city to eliminate the ammonia. Or, the WSC could install an ammonia feed system and use chloraminated water in the different pressure planes that require additional water supply.

Some systems routinely valve off parts of their existing distribution systems so the purchased water is just supplied to a limited area of their distribution system. This way, all of the other parts of the WSC’s distribution system do not require any changes to their normal chlorine disinfection treatment.

A few systems have opted to install a transmission line from their current well(s) in the parts of their system that are being switched to the chloraminated water on a temporary basis so their well water is transferred to a neighboring section of their distribution system. This negates the receiving system from having to blend any water or add ammonia feed equipment since all the purchased water will only be in one or two sections of the receiving system’s pressure planes. Of course, the receiving system will need to do some extra flushing to remove the free chlorine residual so customers will have fewer complaints about funky-smelling or -tasting water until there is only chloraminated water in those sections of the distribution system.

Additionally, TCEQ has to approve all interconnections prior to their installation. They mainly want to review the systems’ blending process to ensure the blended water still meets the correct disinfection levels required by the TCEQ rules.

There are several quick references available online that both systems should review before a contract is signed. Both systems need to know the kinds of customer complaints they can expect during or after the blending of chloraminated and free chlorinated water.

I must emphasize that your system must have some protocols written down and readily accessible to the operator on duty 24/7. These procedures should include, at a minimum, whether any change to the existing well source(s) is needed, which valves should be opened or closed, any adjustment or changes in the disinfection equipment settings, and where or how long to flush so that the water is moved through that section of the distribution system.

Most importantly, your procedures should include the notices your system should send to customers before it introduces chloraminated water. It is very important for the WSC to notify all customers as required by TCEQ rules because some groups of customers may have health issues or be using the water for fish or livestock and need to plan accordingly.

Q: Two of our customers have complained about a black, sticky residue appearing in their toilets and sinks. It occurs within a couple days of cleaning and is hard to remove. What might this be and what should we do?

A: We get this type of question every now and then, usually from systems that use some type of phosphate or additives to treat for iron and or manganese, or systems that have not flushed their storage tanks in a while. Sometimes it’s a simple matter of checking for oil residue and getting rid of any possible crude oil or bearing lubrication oil used in your vertical shaft well pumps.

If there is crude oil in the storage tanks, you will need to take raw water samples from the well(s) supplying water to those tanks. Other systems have experienced break-through of shallow crude oil into their water aquifers and had to shut affected wells down until further testing could be done to determine how the oil got into the wells.

There may be other causes for this residue, such as cross-connections with some types of manufacturing sites, repair shops who use oil products or even customers who do some mechanic work on their property. You should definitely collect some samples of this sticky goo and send it to a lab for further testing. If the WSC does have some sort of chemical injection treatment, usually the chemical providers have their own field testing equipment and they can come to your system to do these tests to confirm whether this black residue is from the breakdown or byproduct of their chemicals.

While you wait on your chemical suppliers to come out and do their testing, you will need to climb each storage tank or at least the storage tank(s) used to Continued on page 18 Quench — November / December 2018 17

Continued from page 17

supply water to the affected areas of the distribution system. Check for any sticky goo on the sides of the tank and on the electrodes or other control wiring that comes in contact with the stored water. If any appears, the chemical supply companies will have samples collected before the distribution system and samples from within the distribution system. The two sample locations can possibly tell if the black residual is in a different stage of development from the entry points and the customer’s taps.

Another thing to check closely is the location of the affected customers. Are their residences immediately down-stream from creek crossings, deep road bores or valleys or swags in the distribution water mains? Sometimes, due to these low places in the distribution lines, sediment accumulates and begins its own eco-system within the walls of the water pipes. Under normal water flow demand, the clean water flows over these pockets of sediment and no one gets any residue into their houses. However, when there is a leak repair, flushing or other abnormal usage like firefighting, all that sediment that is not solidified but still in a sludge form can be washed down the pipes and usually ends up in the first connection or two downstream. If this is the cause of the residue, you might consider installing a flush valve capable of discharging sufficient volumes of water directly from those low places or swags in the water mains. The tap for these flush valves should be as close to the bottom of the swags but toward the downstream end of these low places, but the discharge valve and flush pipe assembly should be up out of flood prone areas so the flush valves can be protected and accessed after leak repairs.

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I mentioned above that customers themselves could be the source of potential backflow into the distribution system. One system had a mechanic’s shop on their system and, because of backflow issues, that shop was injecting diesel oil back into their system. I’m not picking on mechanics’ shops alone — backflow or back pressure crossconnections can at homes, hospitals, funeral homes, school labs, cafes and all other types of waterusing locations due to improper or lack of backflow assemblies being in place.

You don’t need to cause a panic, but you might consider trying to do some random testing up-stream and down-stream of these two locations. This may show a pattern of how wide-spread this black residue is in your system.

If you have a technical question you would like answered, please e-mail larry.bell@trwa.org.

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GIS and Your Utility

By Jason Knobloch, Environmental Services Director, Texas Rural Water Association

W

hat is GIS? GIS stands for Geographic Information System and is a program used to capture, manipulate, manage and graphically display a collection of geographical, spatial and statistical data. The tools within the software pull information from the geodatabase created and reference it to a specific location on earth using GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinates. Various layers of information can overlap and complement one another to allow the user to analyze and operate key components of their system. GIS combines GPS and mapping to help utilities create an elaborate source of information in a digital format that can be used to identify and manage features in your system.

Though GIS has been around for decades, the use of it in rural water and wastewater utilities has recently become more popular as an asset management tool. The idea of marrying data to geography has allowed utilities the ability to identify growth and prioritize capital improvement projects in their distribution system. The American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) 2017 State of the Water Industry Report suggests that water and wastewater infrastructure is the primary concern for utilities.

In many cases, the utility is unaware of what their infrastructure consists. By adding multiple layers, a utility can begin marking line breaks and logging customer complaints to help diagnose issues caused from aging lines and undersized water mains. The implementation of GIS allows a utility to collect information about their system to better inform decision makers of needed improvements and helps justify actions taken to remedy the problems.

Mapping is a central function of GIS and provides a visual interpretation of data. Having access to clear and accurate maps is not only a benefit to managers and decision makers regarding future planning, but it is also beneficial to office and field staff for operation and maintenance. Once GIS has been implemented and accurate GPS coordinates of essential features have been collected, field staff can pin point buried valves, find hidden flush valves and locate meters that have been covered 20

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or grown over. In many cases, these features are currently being referenced by landmarks — next to the tree, in front of the old car, along the road, etc.

What happens when the tree falls, the old car is removed or the road is widened? Another growing concern with the aging workforce in the water industry is what happens when the employees that are knowledgeable of where everything is in the system retire or leave? Information collected and stored using GIS doesn’t change unless you change it and is easily accessible by multiple people. It is important to note that the coordinate identified is only as accurate as the GPS hardware or software you use will allow it to be. The built-in GPS on your phone or a low-end unit purchased in a sporting goods store is great to get you down the road, find your car in a parking lot or mark your favorite fishing spot on the lake, but the average accuracy range is 15-30 feet. When an operator is called out at night to make a line repair, being able to easily locate an isolation valve is worth the expense of precision.

Maps and the data contained within the GIS are also beneficial for information sharing. If a utility has their system mapped out, data can easily be exported and shared with engineers to conduct water models and run a pressure analysis, insert flow conditions to provide hypothetical scenarios and provide suggestions in prioritizing your next improvements. System data can also be shared between neighboring utilities, communication and cable providers, county maintenance, emergency management and local fire departments, and TxDOT for highway projects. If you have ever been called out to locate miles and miles of water line for a shoulder widening project, just to have to go out again after six weeks and mark it again, you would appreciate the ability to provide this information digitally.

In addition to sharing data, there is a great deal of information available to retrieve online, as well as from your local county appraisal districts and Council of Governments. Additional sources of information, such as parcel data, can allow you to overlay property boundaries and retrieve landowner information. The Texas Water Development Board

has data regarding registered wells in Texas that may be of interest when considering drilling a new well and need to account for potential distance requirements. With the use of GIS, you can make your system map as simple or as complex as you would like it to be. With the vast amount of information out there and the technology available, you just have to get started.

Earlier this year, TRWA began offering a new mapping service for member systems. The target size for our services is 1,500 connections or less.

Our program is structured on a price per point basis for onsite data collection. Once the field work has been completed, water line information provided by the utility such as paper maps or digital data is then entered into the software. Upon completion of the project, the utility receives an electronic copy of your data, a wall map for display and a subscription to the digital map allowing the utility to access, edit and update their map moving forward from the field or office.

No two systems are the same. A utility’s coverage area, number of meter connections, budget, time and man power are all factors that would make one product or service a better fit than another.

Luckily, we have multiple associate vendors that offer products and services in this area that may be able to help as well. For more information on ways to start mapping your system, contact TRWA or our associate members listed below for more solutions to get started.

Beacon Aviation: Beacon Aviation, Inc.'s (BAI) aerial intel, with easy to use Global Mapper GIS software, will empower each district with the ability to manage in ways never before thought possible.

What sets their solution apart from the pack is that they launch airplanes to fly and capture your CCN. From these flights, highly accurate aerial intel feeds the foundation of your mapping solution.

If you can see it, you can map it! If your staff has

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knowledge of meter locations, much of the work can be accomplished from the convenience of the office. Should you need or elect to go in to the field to locate, Global Mapping GIS has unlimited license for your mobile devices. All data will be stored locally on your mobile devices and a PC (no satellite or cell connection required). Beacon Aviation, Inc. offers TRWA members a 5 percent discount for all orders placed for the upcoming leafoff 2018-19 season. Please contact Taylor Gould, Project Manager, at (903) 768-2001 or visit https:// www.beaconaviationinc.com/water-districts for testimonials and more information.

Diamond Maps: Diamond Maps is a cloudbased GIS designed for the sewer and water industry. Some use it to map their systems from scratch, while others use it to make their existing GIS data more mobile. Diamond Maps' strong points are its simplicity, its price and its ability to record maintenance history and pictures so that your knowledge is shared with the team and future generations. To see videos and pricing, go to diamondmaps.com or call Ben at (317)-797-6824.

ESRI: ESRI provides a complete GIS and mapping system. The ArcGIS platform provides affordable and easy-to-use applications that replace paper-based processes with digital workflows and provide field and office staff with up-to-date information about your assets and operations.

ArcGIS for Water Utilities are free solutions that come with your licensing providing ready to use applications for common water utility workflows such as collecting asset information and conducting inspections. The applications can be used on any device connected or disconnected from the internet.

Easy access to information in the field and the office increases efficiency, saving you time and money.

Their software is optimized for small and rural water systems with 10,000 connections or less. For more

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information, contact Jay Hoffman at (972)-699-0014 ext. 5675 or email jhoffman@esri.com.

TexianGAS: At TexianGAS, they provide a onestop shop for all your field data collection, mapping and GIS needs. By focusing on simple-to-use solutions that work with your existing smartphones and tablets, along with leading technology, they provide a reliable and pleasant experience.

TexianGAS can provide you with mobile app implementation, GNSS (GPS) sales and support, as well as related services for collecting asset data in the field with up to centimeter accuracy. Moreover, they provide your field personnel with immediate access to your system maps in real time. If you prefer to take data collection into your own hands, they are happy to recommend and provide you with the right technology, setup and training. TexianGAS is an authorized reseller of Eos Arrow Series™ GNSS receivers. For more information, contact David Pritchard at (512) 423-4249 AllTerra: AllTerra Central, previously Western Data Systems, a member of TRWA for many years, offers a complete line of Spatial Measurements tools to assist in mapping your inventory and fixed assets. AllTerra Central has Mapping & GIS type of GNSS from Trimble to help you locate assets and bring back any attributes about them from the field and get it all into your mapping software. AllTerra Central can help every step of the way, from boots on the ground data collection to drones in the sky, and to developing the maps for the future of your group. Visit www.allterracentral.com for more details or call 888-700-5211 and ask for your local representative.

If you have questions about this article, please contact Jason Knobloch at jason.knobloch@trwa. org or 512-472-8591.

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A Brief History of Water & Wastewater Treatment

By Charles Perkins, Energy Efficiency Program Circuit Rider, Texas Rural Water Association

Part Two: Dark Ages to the 21st Century

W

ith the fall of the Roman Empire and the beginning of what would become known as the Dark Ages or the Middle Ages, the historical record shows that many of the engineering and scientific advancements that had been made during the previous several thousand years seem to have been lost to posterity. Whether due to political, economic or religious reasons, people seemed to want to keep clear of anything associated with the civilization that had previously included 60 million Roman citizens (approximately 1/5 of the entire world population).

Historically, the evidence of the effect of the fall of the Western Roman Empire can be most easily seen in the subsequent state of its roads and aqueducts.

Without the centralized government and taxing authority of the empire, these public facilities quickly fell into disrepair. Without the aqueducts to bring fresh water into the cities the spread of waterborne diseases escalated rapidly and population densities within the major cities began to decline. Medieval castles and settlements were generally constructed near a well or a spring which could be guarded from attack. This move to a smaller and more limited water source restricted the ability for these settlements to grow. Areas such as the Roman settlement of Londinium (the modern city of London) on the shores of the Thames River and Lutetia (the modern city of Paris) on the shore of the Middle Seine River and other settlements that were founded close to a source of surface water were able to continue to grow at a much more rapid rate. Without the use of an aqueduct system to carry in water and remove waste, the public continued to use the latrine system as the primary means of removing waste from their source of water. In areas with shallow wells this helped to lead to the spread of diseases as the wells became contaminated over time. In areas with a source of surface water, this led to widespread pollution of the waterways which were used both for drinking water and waste disposal as the population grew. Far removed from the Palace at Minos with its 24

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flushing toilet, castles constructed during the middle ages often featured a “Garderobe,” which is a fancy way to describe an indoor seat over an open air chute that allowed waste to fall directly outside the castle wall either into the moat, which also served as the water supply for many who lived outside the castle, or directly onto the ground. In the second instance, someone was tasked with the unenviable job of removing this material for disposal.

Although most scientific innovations during this period were nonexistent, the City of London did implement a system whereby some of the natural waterways that were used to carry wastewater were eventually covered over and formed sewers.

In Paris, open drains that carried runoff doubled as a wastewater disposal system. These open drains were referred to as “kennels” (or canals/channels in English). In the year 1370, the first covered sewage system was designed and constructed in Paris.

These sewer systems employed the old adage that “the solution to pollution is dilution” and merely carried wastewater to the nearest body of water for “disposal.” It was during this period that the first universities began to appear in the major cities, and scientific advancement began to take its first small steps to regain some of the knowledge that had been lost or ignored for so long. This coincides with the beginning of what has become known as the Renaissance Period.

Even with those first steps, it was not until 1627 that Englishman Sir Francis Bacon began to experiment with water treatment. Bacon attempted to use a sand filtration system to desalinize seawater.

Although his experiments were not very successful, he opened the door for other scientists to begin to experiment with various forms of water treatment.

Sometime between 1590 and 1670 (historians differ on who and when), the first microscope was invented.

In 1676, Dutch businessman and scientist Antonie Philips van Leeuwenhoek used a microscope of his own design and became the first to observe microbial life in water. This observation was the catalyst that led to the discovery of waterborne pathogens and eventually to the need to disinfect water for human consumption.

While scientists were busy discovering microbial life in different water sources, engineers had developed the first water filters intended for domestic use by the year 1700. These first filters were made of wool, sponge and charcoal. In 1804, the first municipal water treatment plant was built in Paisley, Scotland. It utilized a slow sand filtration system designed by Scottish scientist and engineer Robert Thom. The plant provided filtered water to every home within the city. In 1827, English scientists James Simpson created a similar design, which was implemented in municipal water treatment plants throughout England. Due to the design of these low flow filter devices, frequent cleaning was required. By the end of the century, scientists in the United States had designed the rapid sand filtration system, which is much easier to maintain and much more efficient.

The first American city to employ slow sand filtration was Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1893. Lawrence would be the future site of the Lawrence Experiment Station, the world’s first experimental facility for water and wastewater treatment.

Meanwhile, in 1854, English physician Dr. John Snow brought to the attention of city officials his research that directly linked the recent cholera outbreak in Westminster to the contamination of a public water source. After the handle was removed on the manual water pump used by the public to draw water from a municipal well, the cholera epidemic subsided. Dr. Snow also attempted to disinfect the pump using chlorine. It was later determined that the well was dug within three feet of an abandoned cesspit used to collect waste from a residence in which a child had contracted cholera. Although it took officials a while to catch on, it eventually became apparent that underground cesspits and other pollutant sources nearby (such as the Thames River itself, which served as the terminus for London’s sewage system) had directly contributed to the pollution of the well and thereby to the epidemic.

This episode helped people realize that good taste and smell alone were not a guarantee of safe water and led to the beginning of government regulation of drinking water standards. As an example, in 1886, the Massachusetts legislature required its board of health to adopt water pollution standards which led to the creation of the Lawrence Experiment Station in Lawrence Massachusetts in 1887.

In 1879, William Soper of England again used chlorine (chlorinated lime) to treat fecal matter of typhoid patients before disposing of it into the sewer.

This is marked as the first time chlorine was used as a disinfectant in a public water supply. In 1897, credit for the first use of chlorine to disinfect potable

water goes to the British scientist Sims Woodhead, who used “bleach solution” to sterilize potable water mains during a typhoid outbreak in Maidstone, Kent.

In 1908, the first full-scale use of chlorination at a water treatment plant began at the Bubbly Creek Filtration Plant in Chicago. The plant served the Chicago stockyards and the raw water contained a large amount of sewage, which caused sickness among the cattle. Chloride of lime was used as a disinfectant and the levels of bacteria in the water dropped drastically. The effectiveness of chlorinating both potable water and wastewater to destroy pathogenic microorganisms had been established.

Due to the potential hazards associated with the use of chlorine, alternative means of disinfection have been developed as well for use in the treatment of both potable drinking water and wastewater effluent.

In 1902, calcium hypo chlorite and ferric chloride were mixed in a drinking water supply in Belgium, resulting in both coagulation and disinfection. In 1906, ozone was first applied as a disinfectant in France. But chlorine continues today to be the most widely used and economical form of disinfectant available. In fact, in 1997, LIFE magazine declared, "The filtration of drinking water plus the use of chlorine is probably the most significant public health advancement of the millennium."

Along with the advent of disinfection, there were changes in the treatment processes used for drinking water sources as well as for wastewater treatment.

Beginning in the 1890s, Dr. George W. Fuller (an engineer who was also trained in chemistry and biology) began his work in perfecting treatment techniques for both potable water and wastewater treatment. Much of Fuller’s work was based on experiments conducted at the aforementioned Lawrence Experiment Station. From 1895 to 1897, Dr. Fuller worked for Louisville, Kentucky to improve the treatment of water taken from the Ohio River.

His conclusion was that, in addition to a rapid sand filtration system, a sedimentation treatment process would be needed to separate the fine suspended solids contained in the raw water source. In his work for Cincinnati, Ohio from 1897 to 1899 in which he experimented with mechanical sedimentation and the addition of aluminum sulphate, he concluded that a coagulation agent was needed prior to the sedimentation process to enhance the effectiveness of sedimentation prior to filtration. Fuller was then hired to design a complete 30 MGD filtration plant in Little Falls, New Jersey for the East Jersey Water Corporation. This plant was a milestone as it featured Continued on page 26 Quench — November / December 2018 25

Continued from page 25

all his findings from the previous 10 years of research and would serve as a model for all subsequent water filtration plants up to and including many plants built today. In 1908, Fuller designed a chlorine feed system for the water filtration plant at Boonton Reservoir for the Jersey City, New Jersey water supply. Fuller did not limit himself to potable water treatment and, along with his partner Rudolph Hering, is credited with the design and implementation of the first Imhoff tank wastewater treatment plants in the U.S., which were located in Chatham, New Jersey and Atlanta, Georgia.

It was during this period that English scientists and engineers were working to improve the capabilities of their wastewater treatment facilities to better meet the new BOD5 and “30:20+full nitrification” standards which had been adopted in 1908 and 1912 respectively. In 1912, English scientist Sir Gilbert John Fowler paid a visit to Lawrence Experiment Station while on a visit to New York to help study the harbor pollution problem plaguing the city. At the Experiment Station, Fowler was able to witness experiments in aerating wastewater mixed liquor that were being conducted at that facility. The idea of adding air to wastewater treatment tanks was not new, and it was Dr. Angus Smith in 1882 who is credited with the first work in exploring this method of treatment. However, all subsequent attempts to refine the technique had been for the most part unsuccessful. Upon his return to England, Fowler and his students E. Arden and W.T. Lockett began laboratory experiments with aeration in glass bottles covered with brown paper to prevent algae growth.

Under Fowlers supervision, Arden and Lockett began experiments in which the mixed liquor was left to decant in the bottle after aeration. After the decant process was completed, a new “batch” of raw wastewater was added to the bottle and aeration was resumed. By this method of repeated “batch aeration” with the sediment remaining in the bottle, Arden and Lockett were able to demonstrate that the required oxidation time for “full nitrification” could be shortened from weeks to less than 24 hours.

The treatment process they outlined was called the activated sludge process. Their findings were published in 1914 and 1915 as they began to carry out larger scale experiments at the Manchester – Davyhulme wastewater treatment plant. These first experiments used a “mobile pilot plant” which consisted of wooden framed model plant components that were placed on the chassis of a horse drawn wagon. Although primitive, this “pilot plant” contained most characteristic features of the activated sludge 26

Quench — November / December 2018

process we know today — raw influent added to aeriation basin mixed liquor, aeration of mixed liquor, clarification by sedimentation, return of biomass from clarifier to aeriation basin and wasting of excess biomass, and disinfection of clarifier effluent. Both basic variations of the activated sludge process were tested (the continuous-flow arrangements with separate clarifiers and activated sludge recycle and the fill-and-draw arrangement, today referred to as a Sequencing Batch reactor). The models were equipped with the aeration by diffused air. The coarse-bubble diffusers were soon replaced with finebubble ceramic filters.

The first full-scale activated sludge plant in England was built in 1916 for the city of Worcester.

This treatment process quickly found applications outside the United Kingdom. The first experimental activated sludge plant in America was built in Milwaukee in 1915 with the help of Dr. Fowler as a consultant. The first activated sludge treatment plants built in Texas were the Houston North plant in 1916 followed by the Houston South plant in 1917.

In Germany, the first tests with the activated sludge process were performed in 1924 and the first fullscale plant was built in 1926 at Essen-Rellinghausen.

Even before World War II, plants using the activated sludge process were built in Bangalore, India; Adelaide - Glenelg, Australia and Johannesburg, South Africa. The activated sludge treatment process remains as one of the most effective and efficient forms of large-scale wastewater treatment and is commonly used in one form or another in cities and towns all around the world.

In the years following the advancements in drinking water purification by flocculation, sedimentation, filtration and chlorination and the implementation of the activated sludge treatment process, these processes were refined and finetuned. Over the years, regulations have been enacted to enforce drinking water standards in most developed countries. In the U.S., the Public Health Services Act of 1912 was the first Federal law to recognize the regional nature of water quality issues.

In 1942, the U.S. Public Health Service issued guidelines for maximum allowable concentration of mercury and several other toxic pollutants in waterways. In 1948, the Water Pollution Control Act was the first Federal law dealing with water quality, although it is estimated that more than 100 similar bills were defeated between 1902 and 1948. The law allowed the Surgeon General to sue states that polluted a water body that crossed state boundaries and focused on impaired water usage for downstream states. The law was not

really enforceable because it required each state’s consent. After many revisions, the 1948 Water Pollution Control Act was amended in 1972 and became known as the Clean Water Act. Several rounds of amendments and subsequent laws affecting the Clean Water Act have followed, most notably the 1977 and 1987 amendments. Starting in the 1970s, public health concerns shifted from waterborne illnesses caused by disease-causing microorganisms to water pollution, such as pesticide residues, industrial sludge and organic chemicals.

Regulation now focused on industrial waste and water contamination and water treatment plants were adapted. Techniques such as aeration, flocculation and active carbon adsorption were applied. In the 1980s, membrane development for reverse osmosis was added to the list of acceptable treatment processes. In 1995 an amendment was made to include ecological risk assessments to further regulate potentially damaging point source discharges into the environment.

Water treatment experimentation today mainly focuses on disinfection byproducts. An example is trihalomethane (THM) formation from chlorine disinfection. These organics were ostensibly linked to cancer. Lead also became a concern after it was discovered to leach from water pipes due to high pH levels associated with some water sources.

Wastewater effluent quality standards have become so high that in some instances the treated effluent is injected directly into the aquifer to percolate and eventually be pumped for treatment as potable drinking water.

Civilization has definitely progressed in our understanding of the importance of water quality since the Old Testament was written. One of the chief reasons for our progression has been our ability to find ways to protect and adapt our natural resources for everyday use. The Barada River still flows past the original settlement of what is modern day Damascus as it did in the year 10,000 B.C., and the water from the Ein as-Sultan spring still flows from the ground to provide water to the people of modern-day Jericho as it did 400 years later. Alum is still used as a coagulant in water treatment today just as it was in ancient Egypt some 3,500 years ago.

Boiling of water is still used to destroy pathogens when disinfectant processes fail , and filtration of water (whether by membrane or activated carbon or sand and gravel) is still employed in the treatment of both potable drinking water and wastewater treatment plant effluent just as it was described in the ancient Greek and Sanskrit texts from 2,000 B.C. Underground waste removal systems and water

distribution systems continue to convey water to human habitations and carry away waste products much as they did in the Roman system. Chlorine is still commonly used to disinfect both potable drinking water and wastewater effluent just as it has been since 1879.

Gone are the “Garderobes” that adorned the walls of medieval castles during the dark ages (along with the poor souls who were tasked with cleaning up underneath). Gone too are the latrines and open “kennels” and sewer systems that carried waste to the nearest body of water for disposal. Gone are the mass outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid that once plagued the large population centers of our developing civilizations.

As the developed nations of the world continue to improve the quality of their water sources by thorough treatment and disinfection of both the source water and the wastewater effluents, gone as well is much of the pollution and the signs of the detrimental effect that humans have had for so long on our environment. In most of the world’s developed population centers “the solution for pollution is no longer dilution.” Although there remain underdeveloped areas around the world where access to safe clean drinking water and disposal of waste is still not readily available to everyone, these instances are unfortunately due in large part to economic and social conditions and not to the lack of technology that once kept these basic human needs from such a large part of the world’s population. As our history has shown us, in time we will find more effective treatment techniques and begin to apply them to these areas as well. It is a fundamental part of human nature to recognize a problem and attempt to find a solution, and as the challenges of the past have demonstrated, we have an innate ability to solve any problem that we face when we face it collectively and apply our modern ever-evolving understanding of the interaction between man and his environment.

As one can see, many of the treatment processes we use today have their roots in these ancient civilizations of the past. Although the processes have been refined and reinvented over time, I still find it fascinating to think that as a water and wastewater operator, I am in a small way carrying on in practices that have evolved over the span of human endeavor since the beginning of civilization.

For questions, please contact Charles Perkins, who conducts our Energy Efficiency Program, at 512472-8591.

Quench — November / December 2018 27

The Tale of Lil Countryside WSC

By Steven Mindt, R.E.H.S., FMT Specialist, Texas Rural Water Association

T

he West Oaks Phoenix water system was in receivership by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for more than 12 years because the owners had passed away.

The water system was falling apart and failing — it suffered from frequent water outages, line breaks and failing equipment.

In July 2016, TRWA was asked to assist the residents to form a Water Supply Corporation (WSC), which became the Lil Countryside WSC. Once the WSC was formed, TRWA began to work with the system to get them back into regulatory compliance, which was no easy feat since the system had 51 outstanding TCEQ violations.

TRWA assisted the system to develop: Operating Reports, a Plant Operations Manual, a Drought Contingency Plan, Monitoring Plan, Sample Site Plan, Emergency Plan, Water Conservation Plan, Capital Improvement Plan, Preventative Maintenance Program, Customer Service Agreement, Tariff, Bylaws and assisted the system with a Rate Study in order to get some capital to pay the bills.

TRWA also assisted the system with identifying the failing system components and applying for funding. The project included a new well (and land to drill it on), service pumps, hydropneumatic tank, ground storage tank, building and appurtenances’ and some pipe line replacement.

TRWA's Steven Mindt with Tracey Lerich of Lil Countryside WSC. 28

Quench — November / December 2018

The system was successful in receiving a Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) grant for $250,000 and is in the process of getting bids for the construction portion of the project. The system is on schedule to begin construction in early 2019.

Lil Countryside WSC, once a failing system, is now poised to take on the future and serves as a success story of how the Financial, Managerial and Technical Assistance TRWA offers can be an invaluable resource to systems in need. If you would like to learn more about how TRWA can be a resource to you, please call (512) 472-8591.

TRWA Briefs Calling all Texas Rural Water Emerging Leaders

I

n 2017, TRWA launched a professional development and networking program for up-andcoming leaders in the Texas rural water industry.

The Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) combines remote and in-person training specifically designed to enhance leadership, engagement and advocacy among early- to mid-career utility professionals.

We are excited to bring together our second Emerging Leaders class to cultivate energetic and engaged individuals who are invested in the future of rural water. Applications for the 2019-20 ELP are now open and will be accepted through April 15, 2019.

The inaugural ELP class graduated 12 participants who spent nine months earning leadership development credit hours for attending live training sessions and webinars, interacting through an online forum, completing monthly assignments and speaking one-on-one with established industry leaders. Participants also planned and executed individual local leadership projects and were honored at RuralWaterCon 2018.

In addition to their professional development, participants also benefitted from networking opportunities that enabled them to connect with influential leaders in the water and wastewater industry. Emerging Leader Alumni continue to have heightened engagement with the association through Alumni-specific events, TRWA programming input, Quench article contribution and individual project continuations.

The curriculum is specifically designed for the water/wastewater industry and focuses on: • • • • •

Leadership Management Advocacy and Grassroots Engagement Water Policy and Regulatory Relationships Public Relations, including Community Outreach and Media Relations • Fundraising More information about the ELP and application process can be found at www.trwa.org/elp. Please contact us if you or someone you know would be a good fit for this program! Call 512-472-8591 or email leadership@trwa.org for more information or to nominate someone for this exciting program.

Sign up Today for our new Consumer Magazine

T

RWA recently launched the first issue of Texas on Tap, a member-only direct-to-consumer magazine for participating utilities. This magazine is used to communicate with and educate utility customers while building public support for the local water utility and the industry as a whole.

Nearly 40,000 consumers across the state received the first issue of Texas on Tap which featured articles that overviewed smart watering tips and techniques, important rural water legislative issues and their impacts on consumers, simple ways to protect public water supplies and little-known facts about water operators.

“Texas on Tap was well-received by our customers and the customization allowed us to include important memos, as well as a closer look at the history and future of our utility district,” said Cash SUD General Manager Clay Hodges. “The process was simple on our end and we look forward to participating in future issues.”

As we move into 2019, we are seeking commitments to move forward with future issues of this publication. The TRWA Board has approved this as a quarterly service if enough systems commit per issue to make it financially feasible for production. Although we have received interest and soft commitments for the first two issues of 2019, we have not yet received enough commitments to move forward with either.

Here are a few reasons our new consumer magazine can benefit your system.

Provide Industry Insight: Take advantage of consumer-specific content curated by the legal, training and technical professionals on our editorial board. These articles will serve the ultimate purpose of informing consumers and decreasing the divide in industry comprehension.

Maximize your Resources: Simplify internal processes and outsource communications services.

Our team will save you time and energy while producing a quality, consistent and relevant product.

Reduce your time spent on research and design and focus on what’s most important to you: informing your members. We encourage all participating systems to join our editorial board to submit article suggestions and feedback.

Continued on page 30 Quench — November / December 2018 29

Continued from page 29

Include Key Messages: While this publication will be streamlined to include universal consumer information, it can still serve as a direct communication avenue for systems. Customized pages can be used to provide meeting notices, highlight staff, share accomplishments or promote local events — it’s all dependent on your goals and key messages!

Subscribing systems can choose from two options: •

Standard eight-page version – universal content — $0.79 per piece (includes production, mailing and handling costs)

•

Customized 12-page version – universal content plus custom pages and system branding — $0.99 per piece (includes production, mailing and handling costs)

The standard version of the first issue of Texas on Tap can be found online along with the commitment form at www.trwa.org/consumer. Questions? Contact the Communications Team at editor@trwa.org or 512-472-8592.

Classified Ad Angus Water Supply Corporation Water Operator Angus WSC, located 6 miles sount of Corsicana off I-45, has an open position for a Water Operator.

Qualified applicants must be able to work in all weather conditions. A minimum Class "C" Water License is required. The applicant must have a Texas Drivers License and be able to pass a drug test and a criminal background check. Any past experience working for a water utility company would be a plus.

Starting hourly pay will be based on past experience in the water utility field. Overtime will be payed after a 40 hour work week. Some weekends and after hours may be required.

This position will be open until filled. Applicants may pick up an application and submit or mail a resume to our office at: Angus Water Supply Corporation 212 FM 739 Angus, Texas 75109 For any questions you may call 903-874-6773.

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Premier GIS/Mapping Solution

See client interviews at:

www.BeaconAviationInc.com 800-238-8902 30

Quench — November / December 2018

- Kenneth Wiley, Bright Star SUD Field Sup.

Plan Ahead CONFERENCES: January 10-11, 2019

TRWA/TWCA Water Law Seminar, Omni Austin Southpark

March 28-29, 2019

RuralWaterCon 2019, Renaissance Hotel Austin

OPERATOR TRAINING COURSES: Water Credit Courses

Basic Water Works Operations: Kilgore - February 26-28 Groundwater Production: Morgan's Point Resort - January 8-10  Gainesville - January 22-24  San Antonio - February 26- 28 Water Distribution: Quitman - January 28-30, 2019  Uvalde - February 12-14

Water and Wastewater Credit Courses

Applied Confined Space: Mesquite - February 20 Chlorinator Systems and Chemical Handling: San Antonio - January 29-31 Customer Service Inspections: Atascosa - January 23-24  Crystal Beach - January 23-24  Mt. Vernon - January 29-30  Terrell - February 26-27 Utility Safety: Texarkana - January 15-17  Aubrey - February 5-7

Wastewater Credit Courses

Operation of Activated Sludge Plants: San Antonio - February 12-14 Basic Wastewater: Uvalde - January 15-17  San Antonio - February 5-7  Pittsburg - February 5-7 Wastewater Collections: Pittsburg - January 8-10  Brownwood – February 12-14  San Antonio - February 19-21 Wastewater Lab: Texarkana - February 26-28

Advertiser Index

Code Updates In-Service Cleaning NEW TANKS — Rick DiZinno (270) 826-9000 ext. 2601

EXISTING TANKS — Patrick Heltsley (270) 826-9000 ext. 4601

AIA Insurance Agency........................................... Page 9 Allied Tank Service........................................................21 American Flow Control.................................................19 Beacon Aviation.............................................................30 Childress Engineers...................................................... 11 Chlorinators Incorporated............................................ 11 CoBank...........................................................................19 Daniel & Brown, Inc.......................................................28 DN Tanks........................................................................14 HRM Land Acquisition Solutions.................................22 IRIS.................................................................................23 J.F. Fontaine & Associates...........................................21 KSA Engineers...............................................................18 Live Oak Bank................................................................14 Maguire Iron...................................................................18 NewGen Strategies & Solutions...................................13 Pittsburg Tank & Tower Maintenance Co., Inc............31 Russell Drilling Co., Inc..................................................6 SAMCO...........................................................................15 Schaumburg & Polk, Inc.................................................6 Smith Pump Co., Inc......................................................18 Tank Connection............................................................28 Texas Aquastore............................................................22 USA Bluebook................................................ Back Cover Quench — November / December 2018 31

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