Quench - September/October 2019

TRWA Recognized Nationally for Legislative Initiatives

Also Inside:

Technical Assistance Corner: Standard Operating Procedures Maximizing Your TRWA Membership September/October 2019 www.trwa.org

TRWA Today Established in 1969, the Texas Rural Water Association (TRWA) is a statewide nonprofit trade association with an active membership consisting of over 750 nonprofit water supply corporations, water districts, small-town water departments and investor-owned utilities. In addition, more than 200 water industry suppliers participate in TRWA activities as associate members. TRWA members provide water and wastewater service to 3 million customers throughout Texas.

TRWA is dedicated to helping directors, managers, operators and office professionals provide efficient service and clean, safe drinking water to their customers. Through on-site technical assistance, education and information exchange, TRWA helps its members better meet their needs as well as the needs of their customers.

Board of Directors

TRWA Staff

Leadership Team

Officers

President Brian Macmanus Cameron (District 6) Vice-President Chris Boyd Denton (District 3) Secretary Bruce Alexander Medina (District 2) Treasurer Robert Nettles Walker (District 13) Immediate Past President Pat Allen Guadalupe (District 9)

District Directors Mark Gardenhire Shackelford (District 1) Steve Adams Brown (District 4) Dave McMurry Bastrop (District 5) Johnny Rudisill Collin (District 7) Charles Beseda Hill (District 8) Kent Watson Brazos (District 10) Kevin Spence Franklin (District 11) Shirley Thompson Kaufman (District 12)

Lara Zent Allison Kaminsky Larry Bell Celia Eaves Janice Gibbs, CPA Trent Hightower Jason Knobloch

Executive Director & General Counsel Deputy Executive Director Technical Assistance Director Professional Development & Training Director Finance Director Assistant General Counsel Environmental Services Director

ext. 101 ext. 107 cell: 512-964-8133 ext. 134 ext. 102 ext. 106 ext. 137

Amanda Ashcraft Melody Bennett Ross Brookbank Pam Cantrell Kelsey Copeland Vacant Angela Harris Ariane Walker

Office Manager Project Support Specialist Assistant Environmental Services Director Accounting Support Specialist Communications Specialist Paralegal Project Support Specialist Training Support Specialist

ext. 100 ext. 130 ext. 132 ext. 139 ext. 155 ext. 110 ext. 131 ext. 111

Thomas Acker, Jr. Michael Beadnell Nathan Cantrell Alex Eaves Paul King Deborah McMullan Charles Perkins Bruce Pearson Refugio Rodriguez James Smith Quentin Turner William White Scott Willeford Gilbert Ybarbo

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

Office Staff

F

S

cell: (512) 751-6337 cell: (512) 924-4552 cell: (512) 924-7158 cell: (512) 964-7203 cell: (512) 913-9753 cell: (512) 923-5842 cell: (512) 964-2108 cell: (512) 922-4942 cell: (512) 923-5812 cell: (512) 964-9234 cell: (512) 517-9889 cell: (512) 924-4233 cell: (512) 657-8813 cell: (512) 317-2003

Rhonda Shaw Rusk (District 14)

Contact the Editor

Editorial and advertising inquiries may be directed to the Communications Department at editor@trwa.org.

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Quench — September / October 2019

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

Features:

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In Every Issue: Letter from the Executive Director

By Allison Kaminsky, Texas Rural Water Association TRWA was recognized for Outstanding Achievement in Legislative Initiatives at the NRWA WaterPro Conference in September.

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Letter from the President

TRWA Recognized Nationally for Legislative Initiatives

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It Was Worth It: How a Small Water Utility Successfully Acquired a Loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund

By Sapna Mulki, Water Savvy Solutions Facing increasing pressure from ongoing costs associated with maintaining an aging system, Creedmoor-Maha WSC looked to the TWDB for help.

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Disposing of Household Hazardous Waste: Paint

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Technical Assistance Corner: Standard Operating Procedures

By Deborah McMullan, Texas Rural Water Association Oil-based paints are considered hazardous waste and are a true threat to our water sources.

By Jason Knobloch, Texas Rural Water Association Standard Operating Procedures should be part of the day-to-day operations in a water utility in areas such as Preventative Maintenance, Emergency Response, Operation and Maintenance Manuals and many more.

Ask Larry

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Keep it Legal

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From the Hole: Tales from the Road

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Maximizing Your TRWA Membership

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TRWA Briefs

Answers to your technical questions Answers to your legal questions

Classified Ads Advertiser Index Plan Ahead

TRWA’s Calendar of Events

Foundation Scholarship Program Supports Students in Higher Education

By Allison Kaminsky, Texas Rural Water Association We are now accepting applications for the 2020-21 Texas Rural Water Foundation Student Scholarship Program!

By Michael Beadnell, Texas Rural Water Association One of TRWA's instructors travels to the City of Denton to teach a Valve and Hydrant Maintenance Class.

By Mark Rogers, Elderville Water Supply Corporation Are you taking full advantage of your TRWA membership?

Nominate Someone Today for TRWA's Awards of Excellence; Texas on Tap Brings Your Message Directly to Consumers

On the Cover: Representatives from TRWA Accept an Outstanding Achievement in Legislative Initiatives Award at the NRWA WaterPro Conference.

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President’s Message Howdy Texas Rural Water Association!

As we transition from summer to fall in rural Texas, many of us look forward to the gradual cool-down and the opportunity to spend more time outdoors and on the land. Personally, I look forward to starting my winter garden where I grow multiple varieties of lettuce, carrots, asparagus, parsnips, beets, turnips and a host of other vegetables. Although most of us enjoy the change in seasons, most of us don’t like many other types of change. We particularly don’t like the idea of having to pay more for the same thing we have always received. This especially goes for our water bills.

“Insufficient cash flow for a water utility and the surrounding community is a sure recipe for continued noncompliance, violations and regulatory fines, as well as an insufficient infrastructure for growth and economic development.”

My utility recently underwent a rate study, and we are in the process of a rate increase. Every utility is different, but nothing is getting cheaper as time moves forward. More than a few of our members will express their displeasure with us when a rate increase is required and implemented.

Most rate increases occur when capital is required to keep up with system project demands, but inflation alone can push the need for a rate increase.

Take the time and effort to clearly communicate why the rate increase is needed through all of your staff members. Utilize a public information campaign if you perceive significant push back from your ratepayers.

Remind ratepayers of the regulatory compliance criteria that is often driven by health standards that the government requires water utilities to meet. No one wants a rate increase, but more importantly, no one wants to get sick from the water they drink either.

Most people will spend $1.00 or more on a half-liter of water at the local convenience store. If they spent the same amount per unit price on the water in their home, their water bill at this rate would be over $2,000/month easily. Use this basic analogy to push for support from your ratepayers.

Remember to implement rate increases when they are needed. Insufficient cash flow for a water utility and the surrounding community is a sure recipe for continued noncompliance, violations and regulatory fines, as well as an insufficient infrastructure for growth and economic development.

Everyone would like their water to be inexpensive. As leaders in the rural water business, it is our job to clearly communicate how it already is.

Enjoy the coming change in seasons.

Until next time, keep the water going with a smile.

Be Good,

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

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Letter from the Executive Director Dear Members, Lately I have been focusing on gratitude and the importance of being grateful for the things that are going well in our lives, for the people who support us and for our daily successes. Challenges such as an unexpected hiccup with a project, a customer or employee who is upset or a health issue can really bring us down. Remembering what’s going well can help us deal more effectively with challenges and put things in perspective.

I came to work at Texas Rural Water Association on October 18, 2004 — 15 years ago. With the subject of gratitude on my mind, I would like to share with you what I have appreciated about my tenure with TRWA. Foremost, TRWA has been a rewarding place to work because of our members. Being able to serve individuals who work hard every day to ensure that rural Texans have a safe and secure drinking water supply has been a privilege and an honor. From answering your legal questions and representing your interests at the capitol and before regulatory agencies to serving in the Executive Director role, this is what motivates me and makes me excited to come to work every day. I have also appreciated your warmth, friendliness, caring and camaraderie.

I also have a great appreciation for our board members, who serve as volunteers, taking time away from their jobs to determine the direction and policies of the Association. They meet at least three times a year to oversee the work of the Association and ensure that we are fulfilling our mission. Many of these individuals take additional time to testify at the capitol, cultivate relationships with local state leaders, make presentations at our conferences and conduct district meetings to provide members the opportunity to network with each other.

“Being able to serve individuals who work hard every day to ensure that rural Texans have a safe and secure drinking water supply has been a privilege and an honor.”

Finally, I appreciate the hard work and dedication of the TRWA staff. We have a talented group of individuals, each expert in the work they do, who are dedicated to serve you. I look back at all the amazing staff who I have had the privilege to work with at TRWA and appreciate what they have contributed to the organization and what I have learned from them. Recently we said goodbye to three dedicated individuals who have moved on to new career opportunities — Angela Russell, Lisa Adams and Patti Flunker. We are currently in the process of hiring new staff members to fill their shoes and join our team. I look forward to introducing these individuals to you as they come on board.

Thank you again for your hard work and dedication to providing water to your communities. You inspire us at TRWA to do the best we can for you each day.

Sincerely,

Lara Zent Executive Director and General Counsel Texas Rural Water Association Quench — September / October 2019 5

TRWA Recognized Nationally for Legislative Initiatives

By Allison Kaminsky, Deputy Executive Director, Texas Rural Water Association

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he Texas Rural Water Association was recognized for Outstanding Achievement in Legislative Initiatives at the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) annual WaterPro Conference. Each year, NRWA recognizes the outstanding contributions of the member state affiliates during their annual Tribute to Excellence ceremony, held this year on September 10 in Nashville, Tennessee. Awards are given out in six categories — Legislative Initiatives, Training, Communications/Publications/Public Relations, Member Services and State Association of the Year.

Texas was one of two states to win the award in the legislative category this year.

Texas was recognized for cultivating a strategic relationship with U.S. Representative Mike Conaway, ranking member on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, to safeguard the programs that support rural utilities in the Farm Bill.

“We met with him on numerous occasions in D.C. and also in Texas,” said TRWA Executive Director and General Counsel Lara Zent. “We educated him about the importance of the federal loan and grant programs — how they are critical to the success of rural utilities. He came to understand why federal debt protection under Title 7 U.S.C. §1926(b) is so important, including in our state where developers and cities have teamed up to take over service area from rural systems. As a result, Congressman Conaway, while chairing the House Agriculture Committee last year, ensured these programs were reauthorized in the Farm Bill for another five years.”

TRWA was also acknowledged for sending Brian Macmanus, who at the time was the chair of the TRWA Legislative Committee, to represent TRWA and NRWA by testifying before the U.S. House Agriculture Committee. Macmanus, now the Board President of TRWA, is an engineer and general manager of East Rio Hondo WSC. His expertise and effective presentation impressed the Committee and NRWA legislative staff.

TRWA Executive Director and General Counsel Lara Zent accepted the award on behalf of the 6

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Association. Also present were TRWA Board President Brian Macmanus (District 6), VicePresident Chris Boyd (District 3), Board Secretary Bruce Alexander (District 2), Board Treasurer Robert Nettles (District 13), and Board Members Kent Watson (District 10) and Shirley Thompson (District 12). Several of TRWA’s on-site technical assistance staff were also in attendance.

“Being recognized on the national level for our Association’s legislative efforts is an honor,” said Trent Hightower, Assistant General Counsel for TRWA and a member of the staff’s legislative team.

“Our Association makes it a priority to effectively advocate on legislative initiatives ensuring that rural water has a strong unified voice at our state’s capitol in Austin and at our nation’s capital in D.C.” The second state to win the legislative award was North Dakota Rural Water Systems Association.

Each year, North Dakota is well represented at the Rural Water Rally, and 2019 was no exception.

Senator Hoeven has been a huge advocate for Rural Water because of his direct relationship with North Dakota Rural Water Systems Association, from his help on appropriations to being the lead on rural water bills that have provided great benefits to all small and rural systems across the nation.

Nominations are submitted in essay form and are screened for anonymity before being passed on to the awards committee. Any information that could indicate which state is being nominated is removed from the submission before being reviewed and scored.

Other award recipients included the Tennessee Association of Utility Districts for State Association of the Year; Alabama Rural Water Association for Communications, Publications and Public Relations; South Dakota Association of Rural Water Systems for Technical Assistance; Kentucky Rural Water Association for Training; and Florida Rural Water Association for Member Services.

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It Was Worth It: How a Small Water Utility Successfully Acquired a Loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund

By Sapna Mulki, Principal, Water Savvy Solutions

A

small public water system located south of Austin, Texas, Creedmoor-Maha Water Supply Corporation (CMWSC), serves an estimated population of 7,500 customers or 2,500 connections in Creedmoor-Maha. Like most Texas water utilities, CMWSC faces increasing pressure from ongoing costs associated with maintaining an aging system.

The majority of CMWSC’s 170 miles of water lines date back to the 1960s and are therefore reaching the end of their service life. As a result, the system is constantly being fixed for major leaks and pipe bursts, which has become costly and unsustainable.

“It was like a whack-a-mole effect,” said CMWSC Board President Bennie Bock, “when one [pipe] broke, another needed repair.”

In addition to increased maintenance costs, CMWSC faced expenses associated with water loss — at times over 25 percent of the water purchased and pumped for the system was lost to leakage.

Other challenges include anticipated population growth and increasing demand. Creedmoor-Maha is situated in the center of the south I-35, SH 45 and 130 corridor — one of the fastest-growing areas in the country. Likely development in CMWSC’s service

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area would result in additional strain being placed on the system, for which CMWSC knows they need to prepare.

Exploring Financial Options: The cost of replacing leaking pipelines was overwhelming, but necessary. CMWSC estimated that approximately $9 million would be needed in the first phase of replacing some of the major pipelines in Creedmoor-Maha. Thus, in 2016 CMWSC embarked on a journey to explore financing options to replace and upgrade their system.

With help from engineering, financial and legal partners, and the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), CMWSC evaluated the costs and benefits of various financing options. These options included private loans, the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT), the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), and federal loans. After evaluation, CMWSC decided to pursue a loan from the DWSRF issued through TWDB. A DWSRF loan was identified as the ideal financing vehicle because it: •

Provides multi-faceted financial assistance for planning, acquisition, design,and construction of water supply and infrastructure.

• •

Allows CMWSC to cover the costs associated with obtaining the loan with the financing.

Applications are accepted year-round.

The project identified areas for improvements, including the replacement of leak-prone, undersized water piping with new, correctly-sized piping and the addition of a new booster station. In order for CMWSC to be eligible for the DWSRF funds they had to propose an amendment to include their projects in the Region K and State Water Plans, which delayed the application process by a few months. The Amendment was accepted in March 2017 and in May 2019 CMWSC closed on the loan.

The formal TWDB loan process can be accomplished in 12-15 months with an engineering firm and financial analysts who have successful experience working with utilities on the TWDB loan process.

Lessons Learned: Over the past two years CMWSC has made great strides, from consolidating financial services, hiring the right personnel at the utility and identifying a solution to the issues facing the utility as a result of its aging infrastructure.

“We are more in faith than disbelief that something can get done,” said Bennie Bock, Board President of CMWSC. 1. Have the right people on the utility board. It was essential to have an active board that was willing to recognize that times were changing and that steps needed to be taken to provide a stable base for future operations. Furthermore, the board needed to have the right kind of expertise, experience and foresight to help guide CMWSC through the process. According to Bobby Buckland, a CMWSC board member, “Board members were willing to accept change and adapted accordingly; this is because the right people were on the Board working together.

Furthermore, having a Board that is involved helps to ensure that there is accountability throughout the process.”

2. Update systems and operations consistently.

One of the challenges to preparing the loan application was the lack of necessary financial, engineering and legal information. From this, leadership realized the importance of ensuring finances and systems were constantly and consistently recorded and updated with adherence to industry standards. “It is necessary to keep up with the times. For the most part we

can get by for a while, but government regulations will catch-up with you,” said Carl Urban, CMWSC Board Member.

3. Hire the right talent. Applying for a DWSRF loan required specialized engineering and regulatory knowledge that did not necessarily exist in CMWSC in the beginning stages of the application process. Finding and hiring the right talent such as a general manager, engineers, lawyers, financial advisors and communications experts helped streamline the application and implementation process.

4. Be well informed before going into the application process. As CMWSC was evaluating financial options and timelines, there were many detailed discussions on the processes and requirements. Having several conversations with TWDB staff and contractors about the application details was essential to fully understanding and managing expectations.

Creedmoor General Manager John Steib advises that, “Teaming with an experienced engineering firm that has worked with the TWDB on similar loan activities can reduce the learning curve dramatically and save significant time”.

5. Maintain control of all required document submissions and closing activity requirements. Water suppliers that are involved with the TWDB for the first time should initially develop a good working relationship with their project engineer and their point of contact at TWDB. Throughout the application process as well as the loan closing process, the water supplier needs to have a complete checklist of all required actions and documents. This list needs to be developed and shared with all participants and updated constantly. Mr. Steib says, “It is critically important to set up and maintain biweekly meetings or conference calls with all the participants to avoid surprises and missed deadlines. With good controls, cooperation and information flow, the entire process from submission of your application to the loan closing may only require about 4-6 months!”

If you have questions about this article, you may contact the author, Sapna Mulki, at sapna@ watersavvysolutions.com.

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Disposing of of Household Hazardous Waste: Paint

By Deborah McMullan, Sourcewater Protection Specialist, Texas Rural Water Association

H

ow many times have you cleaned out the garage or storage unit only to find that you have numerous cans of old paint? You’re not alone. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), every year U.S. citizens throw out 64 million gallons of unused interior and exterior paint. That’s enough paint to fill 128 Olympic-size swimming pools (U.S. Department of the Interior).

Are paints a true threat to our water sources?

The answer is a definite YES. Oil-based paints are considered Hazardous Household Waste (HHW) and unfortunately are not suitable for reuse after long storage periods. These paints are flammable, toxic and contain harmful solvents, resins and pigments; very old oil-based paints (1978 and before) may also contain lead. For these reasons, oil-based paints must be taken to a disposal facility that accepts HHW. On the other hand, latex or water-based paint is not considered to be a hazardous waste, and can be kept for long periods of time as long as it is stored properly. However, before 1990, about 30 percent of latex paints contained mercury and many of the exterior latex paints still do. For this and other reasons, latex paints must not be disposed of in liquid form. Specifically DO NOT: • • •

pour paint (latex or oil-based) into storm drains, onto the ground or into water ways, such as creeks, streams, rivers and bayous put cans of liquid paint out for the regular trash pick-up try to burn paint

Disposing of paint in this manner introduces contaminants into the soil and ground water.

So what do you do with all the excess paint?

Hopefully the remainder of this article will give you some ideas.

Reusing Old Paint Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is to reuse your old paint. Latex and water-based paints will last for years if properly stored. For extended storage, you should: 10

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1. Cover the opening of the paint can with plastic wrap.

2. Put the lid on securely and make sure it doesn’t leak.

3. Turn the can upside down to allow the paint to create its own seal.

4. Store the can in the upside-down position in a place that’s safe from freezing and out of reach of children and pets.

With a little imagination you can probably come up with projects around the house that you can use this paint for. It can be used to make touch-ups to finished paint jobs. Or maybe you can create a flow in your home by carrying the color from one room to another by painting accessories. This could be picture frames, outlet covers, clay pots, lamps or even an old piece of furniture. You can even use the old paint as a primer for new painted projects.

If you can’t think of any other uses for your leftover paint, then see if someone else can. Contact your local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, local churches, Boy/Girl Scouts, 4-H, or art and theater teachers. These groups are always in the need for paint for projects. You can also check with your local government departments such as parks, buildings and maintenance, fire departments or prisons to see if they are interested in free paint.

Recycling Paint Recycling your old paint is always another option.

With the help of your local paint dealer you may be able to repurpose your excess paint. What does this mean? It simply means to take your various cans of excess paint and combine them to create new colors.

Start by filtering out solids like thickened paint and brush bristles. Then separate the cans into light and dark colors. With the help of your paint professional, light colored paints can be combined and re-tinted to a fresh, new color. Dark paints blend well into a brown color. Don’t forget, now that some of the paint cans are empty, you can recycle those just like food or drink cans. Just remember to allow the paint to dry first.

If you must dispose of your old latex and waterbased paints, it must first be turned into solid waste.

If there’s less than one-fourth of the paint in the can, simply take it outside and place it where kids and pets can’t get to it, remove the lid and let the paint air dry. When the paint is hard, you can put the cans out with the rest of your trash. You may wish to leave the lids off to show the trash collector that the can is safe for disposal.

For larger amounts of paint, you can brush or roll the paint onto layers of newspaper or cardboard.

This can be disposed of in the trash after the paint is dried. Another option is to pour the paint into a cardboard box and mix it with shredded newspaper, cat litter or a commercial paint hardener to speed solidification. Again, this may go into the trash once the paint is dried. Don’t forget to recycle the cans after the paint is dried.

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A little knowledge and effort can go along way in the protection of our precious source water.

If you have questions about this article, please contact Deborah McMullan at Deborah.McMullan@ trwa.org or by calling (512) 923-5842.

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Technical Assistance Corner: Standard Operating Procedures

A

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

t first thought, a person may think that a written Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is geared mainly for newcomers to the water industry. In many cases, that is the reason.

However, they can also be a necessity for operators transferring into a new position or who have been hired on from a different utility with decades of experience in the field and in operations. They may not need an explanation of what a pump is or how to turn a valve, but the operating procedures specific to that system can be very important in maintaining a smooth-running system and could be detrimental to the utility if done wrong.

SOPs should be a part of the day-to-day operations in a water utility in areas such as Preventative Maintenance, Emergency Response, Operation and Maintenance Manuals and many more. Though we can’t cover them all in this one article, I will highlight a few and include some reasons why they are important to all operators.

Anyone with experience may feel comfortable walking in and being able to identify all the components in the plant or pump station, but without an understanding of that system, they can still be lost.

There are many examples that can be given to demonstrate how important it is to know the details of a system, but the point is to understand how critical it is to have them in place. Your Operations and Maintenance manual should include any SOP regarding your utility and should be located at each plant and in each vehicle for quick reference. It is important to also include the chemicals at your plant and provide safety measures and Safety Data Sheets (SDS).

Diagram A

Plant Operations Many rural utilities have very specific ways to operate their plants. For example, there may be a certain sequence in which valves are to be turned when starting a plant. There may be a pressure switch that is set exactly where it needs to be and if touched, causes chaos in tank levels. A lot of rural systems operate their distribution pressure very low and with a narrow range of fluctuation because of infrastructure age and trying to prevent line breaks.

In addition to writing out SOPs in easy to read text, consider including diagrams. Many of us are visual learners. Identifying or referencing a picture to a task or description helps convey the intent. This is especially important when talking about something that has multiple components that look the same.

For example, in the diagram included above, you can see that there are multiple valves in the front of this pump station. Five out of the nine valves shown isolate various main lines. However, the other four are very important to the operations of this pump Continued on page 14 Quench — September / October 2019 13

Continued from page 13

station: Incoming water, two bypass valves to control direction and a valve for the pressure tank. Without a diagram to reference or having someone on site that already knows, you wouldn’t be able to tell one from another. When able, color coding or marking pipes inside a pump station to show flow direction is also a good idea to help make sense of things.

Sampling Sampling is another area where SOPs shine.

The basic instruction of how to take a bacteriological sample is just as important as it has ever been. Many operators still try to get the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to dismiss a positive Total Coliform (TC+) sample by saying it was an operator error. From TCEQ’s perspective, you should have SOPs in place, and they should be followed; therefore, an operator shouldn’t make a mistake that would compromise the sample. In addition to that, it is a lot harder than you think to get a TC+ sample. I attended an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) training not long ago, and they had 100 people open a sample bottle containing water in it and asked them to do whatever they want to try and get it to come back positive. People did various things like swirled their fingers in it, blew into it, spit in it, etc. The next day they presented the results of those 100 samples and only one (1) came back positive. Through that exercise the group learned a couple things. First, be cautious of who you shake hands with because there was at least one positive sample in that crowd. But more importantly, it is difficult to get a bad sample.

Therefore, when you do receive a TC+ result, take it seriously because it’s likely that something is going on that could negatively affect the health of your customers.

In addition, when you write your SOPs, be specific. It’s never a good idea to leave an instruction up to assumption. If you flame the faucet before

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sampling, give instruction on where and how long to flame it. Include information for the operator’s understanding to explain that some faucets have soft seals and seals that can be damaged from overheating. It is unfortunate, but there have been cases where someone flamed a plastic valve too. All this to say, include specifics.

For an example SOP for sampling, visit: https:// www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/permitting/ watersupply/pdw/tcr/MicrobialSamplingSOP.pdf.

Water Testing Have you ever played the game where someone whispers something into a person’s ear, and then they relay that same message to someone else, who then tells the next person, and so on? The idea of the game is to demonstrate how the story gets changed from one person to the next. Many of our day-to-day functions in the water industry are the same way. I see that pattern the most in how a person uses a test kit to check for chlorine or other water quality parameters. Many times, a new person will go out with someone that has been doing it for some time so that they can see how the process is done. The problem that often arises is that the new person learns the incorrect procedure. The manufacturers of the various test kits include instructions or SOPs for the equipment; however, not many people look at them. Whether or not you are an experienced operator, it is always good to refer to the procedures laid out by the company that made the equipment.

Without following procedures, we tend to take short cuts, not wait for the full reaction time, wipe the sample cell with our shirts, forget to rinse the sample out before the next test, etc. Simple steps such as those can make a world of difference. There are also times when equipment or reagents are updated to follow a different procedure. Be informed on the equipment you use and follow the steps put together by the manufacturer versus hearsay from another operator.

Flushing As a requirement, a utility is to flush dead-end mains every 30 days or as needed for water quality.

The reason for doing this is to keep a fresh supply of water throughout the distribution system, maintain a good chlorine residual and to clean out build up and debris that may accumulate in the pipe. Ideally, the flush valve needs to be opened fully for a length of time to ensure that you are addressing all the reasons listed above. Full flow, in most cases, allows for high turbulence and flow to remove heavy debris and provide a scouring effect to remove biofilm and tuberculation on the inside of the pipes and appurtenances. Many times, an operator may turn on a valve at full flow with the intention of doing this but does not allow enough water to flow at this rate to do the job effectively. As a matter of fact, this typically only stirs up debris in the water and causes water quality issues and complaints. One method of ensuring this doesn’t happen is to use Calculated Flush Times (CFT). This is a formula that tells you how much water should be flushed, for how long and at what velocity.

Another issue that often causes the same negative result is water hammer. This is the process of turning off valves too quickly and creating a hammering effect as the flow comes to an immediate stop. Your internal training and/or SOP should include the proper method of opening and closing a valve to keep this from being an issue.

One effective method of conducting your flushing is by unidirectional flushing. The idea is to flush water from near the water source systematically towards the end in a single direction pattern as opposed to multiple directions that could possibly leave pockets of water not flushed. Note that in your SOP you should include how to track the water being flushed in order to account for it when figuring water loss.

When flushing, it is important to have an understanding of the system. This is not only for the sake of unidirectional flushing and needing to know the direction of flow, but to be able to identify areas with small distribution lines and elevation differences.

Though the hard and fast method is ideal to get everything loose and out of the main lines, many rural utilities cannot perform flushing this way. In these systems, opening a flush valve completely may drop the pressure below the minimum required 35 psi and create a compliance issue. This drop-in pressure could also create a backflow situation, especially in areas of ranging elevation. Utilities that face these types of issues should evaluate their system and create or update their Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to address areas of concern.

Lastly, one additional piece that should be included in every SOP is communication. Whether taking samples, flushing, making line repairs, etc., communicate with your coworkers and office staff.

Keeping everyone aware of what you are doing in the field will save you a lot of headache and frustration.

The need for communication is also external, meaning let the customers know too. Depending on the task, it may directly affect a customer or an area.

Certain things just have a prescribed way in which they need to be done. Therefore, having written SOPs are important for every utility. Not only are they important to have as a beneficial tool for the system, they are required. It’s often said from long-term employees that they have it all in their head. That’s great, but what happens when they are not around?

Putting together SOPs takes an initial investment of time and a little teamwork, but hopefully will only require updating moving forward. If you would like assistance with putting SOPs together for your utility, or if you have questions about this article, please contact Jason Knobloch at (512) 472-8591, ext. 137 or email jason.knobloch@trwa.org.

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

Q:

An oil and gas operation is planning to drill a saltwater disposal well in our CCN area. This has upset nearby landowners, who fear possible contamination of our groundwater supply. Do we as a water utility have any say in whether this well gets drilled?

Does the oil company disclose any information to us about their intended drilling operation and subsequent use of these wells? Fortunately, this well is not near or within our sanitary easements or near our well sites.

A: Saltwater injection wells, which are used by oil companies to dispose of oil patch waste, are regulated by the Texas Railroad Commission.

Generally, these type of wells can be drilled close to a public water system’s existing groundwater or source well because the disposal sites are in a different geological stratum than that containing fresh or non-salty groundwater. According to the Railroad Commission, even if some of that saltwater were to make its way into the aquifer, there would be some filtration involved which would diminish the amount of salt in the water system’s water source.

With that in mind, there isn’t a lot a utility can do to protest the drilling of these saltwater injection wells, even if they are located near the utility’s water well.

One system I’m aware of has two potable water wells about a half mile apart and the Railroad Commission approved an oil company to install a well between those two public water wells. There was nothing the WSC could do to stop that oil patch drilling nor could they limit the oil company from drilling down so far and then going sideways with their oil and gas well development options.

Some systems have experienced changes in groundwater quality after such oil patch disposal or production wells were completed, but they didn’t have enough documentation to support that it was these wells that caused the system’s water quality issues. About all a utility can do is maintain thorough documentation of the water quality of each of their wells and possibly have some additional raw water well samples tested for some of the types of chemical compounds found in the oil patch disposal 16

Quench — September / October 2019

fluids before the oil patch wells are drilled. This prior documentation is important because without those previous measurements, it is impossible for the Railroad Commission or a court to determine that the oil patch activity directly caused any subsequent contamination of the utility’s wells.

As for whether the oil company must provide specifications for their production or disposal wells, these may not be readily available since oil companies often claim such disclosures would reveal their trade secrets. They are required to designate by signage whether a well is used for production or disposal, but as for things like how deep and what angle they plan to drill, whether it is a directionally drilled well, or other details about the operation, it is up to the oil companies to decide how much information to provide beyond what is required by the Railroad Commission.

Your system can submit a concern, protest or other notification to the Railroad Commission if you have knowledge of a disposal well site being considered. However, the problem is that in most cases the water system doesn’t hear about these types of operations until the landowner has already been paid and given the oil company the rights to do what they want to at that site.

Q: We have a customer who has a leak somewhere on their side of the meter, wasting a huge amount of water. They refuse to accept they have a problem and won’t take any action to remedy the situation. What action can we take?

A: Unfortunately, many systems face this exact situation from time to time. Some water systems have reduced and all but eliminated this type of issue by doing a meter change-out program and installing AMR or AMI type meters with smart functions.

All system meters need to be replaced from time to time, and while they are a lot more expensive than standard type manual read meters, the newer function allows the systems to download and print out a customer usage history for any customer who complains about their meter readings.

I’m not in the meter sales business, but rather in

the business of trying to educate systems boards and staff about newer tools which virtually eliminate continued complaints about whether a customer used water or allowed leaks to continue. Showing a customer that they used water from 2:30 AM for 3-minutes (flush cycle) or from 9:00 PM until midnight to possibly wash clothes, or that water started flowing at 6:30 AM and continued till 4:00 PM (say someone forgot to turn off the livestock watering trough or sprinklers) can sometimes bring a customer’s complaints to an abrupt stop.

For accounts with the manual read type meters, many water systems try to set an appointment with the customer to do a meter test. Sometimes the resolution can be as simple as a couple of employees going out to the service location and checking the meter to verify whether the leak indicator is indeed turning or not. From there, the employees can do further checks that will show the customer that water is indeed running though the meter when every water use point in the house is turned off.

Another check would be to turn off the system’s meter valve or customer’s valve for about two to

five minutes and then slowly turn it back on with the customer watching the meter. This will allow the water in the customer’s line(s), toilets and other locations to relieve the pressure. Then when the valve is opened there should be a very visible movement of the meter hand, register or leak detector. Then if the customer is agreeable, the employees can either remove the meter for a factory meter test to be conducted or use a portable meter test kit and complete a meter test on-site.

Of course, this is all assuming that the customer is willing to meet and rationally discuss their high meter readings in the first place. However, some folks just refuse to accept that there’s a leak on their side of the meter or that someone in their family or a visitor may have left the water running overnight or longer.

If this is the case, no amount of meter testing will prove to the customer they have a leak and they will continue to think the big water system is just out to get more money from them.

Q: Should board members have a set of keys and access codes so they can get into our pump station and other property whenever they want?

Continued on page 18

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Should we provide board members with such access as a matter of course? What should we take into consideration when deciding which individuals should have access to our facilities?

A: TCEQ Rule 290.46(e) requires the production, treatment and distribution facilities of a public water system to be operated at all times under the direct supervision of a licensed water works operator. Therefore, systems should exercise extreme caution in granting a board member unsupervised access to something like a water treatment plant. Some systems have given access to a board member for the purpose of checking and inspecting the plant or office for neglect or misuse of system equipment, only to later find that some control settings were tampered with. In extreme circumstances, a curious board member trying to figure out which switches run which pumps and motors have left those controls off or in “run” position, causing the plant to not function correctly or fail. If something breaks or a health hazard is created due to the actions of a board member while

unaccompanied by a licensed operator, the system could find itself in significant trouble with TCEQ or even a court of law.

Further, some of the hazardous chemicals stored in the water plants have the potential to kill or seriously injure anyone who does not have experience working with or around them. Even being with a licensed operator is no guarantee that a board member or an employee can’t be injured or die from exposure to chlorine gas or get clothing caught in a pump shaft. The whole board needs to be aware of the hazards of untrained people being in the proximity of electrical controls/panels, chemicals and moving parts in a water plant. I’m not trying to scare anyone, but I would be remiss if I didn’t pass on these hazards to be included in the discussion about access to the water plant sites.

"If something breaks or a health hazard is created due to the actions of a board member while unaccompanied by a licensed operator, the system could find itself in significant trouble with TCEQ or even a court of law."

18

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Office facilities, while less sensitive than treatment plants, can contain sensitive documents and information; the more people have access to

those documents, the more chances for possible breaches or abuses. Systems should weigh the cost and benefits of granting anyone access to these sensitive areas, regardless of whether that individual is an employee or board member.

When deciding whether to grant access, the board should enter their discussion into the business meeting minutes so everyone is clear on why access is being allowed as well as any limitations pertaining to that access. Again, the more folks who have access to the plants or office, the more difficult it will be to determine who tampered with the chemical dosage, pump control settings or office files and paperwork should those issues arise.

The public and even board member access to records or plant sites should only be granted when accompanied by the staff person(s) assigned to monitor, operate and maintain those sites or original records. T If you have a technical question you would like answered, please e-mail larry.bell@trwa.org.

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

Q:

We were recently contacted by a current account holder who no longer lives at the residence on the account.

There is apparently a dispute between him and an alleged new owner who claims to have purchased the property through the foreclosure process.

The account is still in the “old” customer’s name, and he wants to maintain the account while he pursues his options in court as it relates to the property. However, since the “new” owner is residing on the property, the “old” owner wants to disconnect service to avoid paying for water he cannot use. We are a district — what are our options here? Would our options be different if we were a water supply corporation (WSC)?

A: This is certainly a unique situation. Answering your second question first, this is one of those situations where the answer depends on whether you are a district or a WSC. Unlike districts, WSCs can require proof of ownership as a condition for establishing service. This makes the utility’s role in ownership disputes much more clear-cut, because in general whichever party presents a more current deed would typically be the person entitled to service.

Districts, however, don’t have that luxury in this situation because their relationship is directly with whomever is residing at the location to be served, not the property owner as is the case for most WSCs. While ownership appears to be in dispute here, I’m going to refer to the parties as the “old” and “new” owner for simplicity in the rest of this response.

Your primary question is whether the “old” owner (the current account holder) is authorized to request disconnection when the “new” owner (the alleged buyer at foreclosure) actually lives on the property.

We often see questions relating to who is authorized to disconnect service in landlord/tenant situations, and while the situations aren’t identical, I believe they are similar. Since districts have direct relationships with renters and therefore can’t rely on proof of ownership to give them a definitive answer, they should exercise caution in disconnecting service in this situation, just as they should in landlord/tenant disputes. They could find themselves in trouble 20

Quench — September / October 2019

with the Public Utility Commission (PUC) if they disconnect service from someone who is lawfully residing on a property whether that person is an owner or a renter.

Therefore, I believe it would benefit the utility to do a bit of research into which party currently lives on the property. First, I would be interested in knowing whether and how you have been able to verify which party is the current resident. For example, have either of them produced other current bills, such as a utility bill, in their name at this address? Have your staff been able to observe either person on or about the property? These, coupled with a more current deed in the name of the “new” owner, would be strong evidence you could rely on to switch service to that person’s name once he or she has applied and qualified for service. Any dispute between the “old” and “new” owner would have to be hashed out between them, without the utility's involvement.

I also want to note that based on what you wrote in your question, it seems like the "old" owner concedes that the “new” owner is the person who currently resides there, because he has requested that the water be turned off to prevent the “new” owner from using water he doesn't want to pay for.

We often tell districts dealing with landlord/tenant disputes that until a tenant no longer resides at a property the district cannot disconnect their service at the request of the landlord. While this isn't an exact comparison, I do think it's similar if the "new" owner is the current occupant.

From the district's perspective, unlike with a WSC, it doesn't matter who owns the property if the current occupant has qualified for service. Therefore, if the new owner can demonstrate that he is the current occupant of the property, you can switch service to his name once he applies and qualifies for service.

It would then be up to the courts to settle their ownership dispute, and if a judge later determines that the "old" owner is the rightful owner, he could reapply for service at that time.

Q: The CPA for our WSC offers both traditional “audits” and “reviews.” As explained to me, an

“audit” is more formal and open to peer review by the audit firm and is thus more expensive than the “review.” Our bylaws currently require an audit, but we are considering changing them to allow for a review as a cost-cutting measure. Is this a good idea?

A: I’m not an accountant, so I will defer to your CPA on the specific technical differences between an “audit” and a CPA “review.” However, given the importance of maintaining thorough financial records to several aspects of a WSC’s operation, I would caution against changing your bylaws to allow the less-stringent review as a cost-cutting measure. It may very well cost you much more in the long run.

Section 22.352 of the Business Organizations Code requires a WSC to maintain “current and accurate records with complete entries as to each financial transaction of the corporation, including income and expenditures, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.” As to whether the CPA review would ensure compliance with this standard, again I think that’s a question better left to an accountant. That said, rigorous audits have typically been viewed as a proven method for ensuring current and accurate recordkeeping, and Section 49.191 of the Water Code specifically requires districts to conduct an annual audit.

While not applicable to WSCs, TRWA has always suggested that WSCs voluntarily conduct such an audit as a best practice.

comment at board meetings. Do you have any suggestions for how to implement it?

A: You are correct — House Bill 2840, passed by the legislature earlier this year, requires all entities subject to the Texas Open Meetings Act, including both WSCs and districts, to allow the public to comment on any agenda item before the entity’s governing board acts on the item. Prior to this law, governmental entities were given the discretion to allow such comment, but were not required to do so, so this is a significant change for some of our members. The new law went into effect on September 1, 2019, so systems should allow for a public comment period at all meetings from this point forward if they have not done so already.

The new law allows boards to adopt “reasonable rules” to maintain order during the now-required public comment periods. To assist our members in complying with the law, the TRWA Legal Department has drafted a model public comment policy, which can be found at www.trwa.org/ ModelPublic (note that you must be logged into your TRWA Account to access the policy).

Many governmental bodies, including some of our members, already allowed public comment at some of their meetings and had enacted a variety of rules to ensure an orderly process, and we relied on some of these in developing our model policy. Included in the model policy you will find rules relating to comment procedures, signing up to speak, time limits, designated speaking locations and rules of decorum.

"The relatively small savings you would realize now would likely be substantially outweighed by the costs associated with dealing wih such a situation in the future."

Worst case scenario: Suppose you switch to the less formal review and then something happens where the system ends up missing a sum of money.

I would argue that you do not want to find yourself in the position of telling your members that you recently downgraded the level of scrutiny given to your books. Also, board members have certain fiduciary responsibilities to the corporation, and in my opinion loosening financial controls from what you’ve done in the past could be construed as a breach of those duties if it is later seen as contributing to a significant financial loss or bad outcome. The relatively small savings you would realize now would likely be substantially outweighed by the costs associated with dealing with such a situation in the future.

Q: In the last issue of Quench, you mentioned a new law that requires us to allow public

Please note that the rules in this policy are mere suggestions that we believe would comply with the new law. The law only requires that the public be given the opportunity to speak on any agenda item before the board acts on it, and it is up to each entity to implement the law as they see fit with their own set of “reasonable rules.” Therefore, each system may elect to use as much or as little from this policy as they wish. We encourage all our members to adopt this policy or one like it as soon as possible to ensure all meetings proceed smoothly with the new public comment period.

Finally, once your system has adopted a public comment policy, TRWA recommends that you Continued on page 22 Quench — September / October 2019 21

Continued from page 21

distribute it to your customer base, make it available on your website, and provide attendees with copies of it at your meetings so everyone is on the same page when it is time for the public to speak.

Q: I have a question about mobile homes. We are a WSC, and several of our customers own their mobile home but not the land on which it is situated. Does ownership of their homes satisfy the proof of ownership requirement for membership in our tariff?

A: Mobile homes present a unique situation.

Unlike more permanent structures, which are sold along with the land underneath them, mobile homes are often placed on land owned by a different person.

Therefore, when it comes to applicants requesting service at a mobile home, you will need to verify that the applicant also owns the land on which the home is situated if your tariff requires proof of ownership to qualify for membership.

Section 67.016(d) of the Water Code states that a corporation may make service conditional on “ownership of the real estate designated to receive service,” and the TRWA Sample Tariff mimics this

22

Quench — September / October 2019

language. The reason most WSCs choose to require ownership of real estate to become a member is because such ownership is more long-term and permanent in nature. Renters are fairly transitory, and mobile homes by definition can be moved. By requiring ownership of real property, the system has more assurances that they won’t end up stuck with an unpaid bill if someone up and leaves.

If your tariff is worded similarly to the Water Code and TRWA Sample Tariff, you should treat mobile home owners who don’t also own the attached property the same as you would treat any other renter. If you have already granted memberships to mobile home owners who do not own the attached land, you will need to follow your tariff’s process for cancelling those memberships and establish new memberships in the name of the person who owns the property.

However, it should be noted that it is also legal and reasonable for systems to create a policy that mobile home owners may establish a membership in their own name if the system wishes to do so.

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

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Foundation Scholarship Program Supports Students in Higher Education

By Allison Kaminsky, Deputy Executive Director, Texas Rural Water Association

T

he application window for the 2020-21 Texas Rural Water Foundation (TRWF) Student Scholarships is now open! Every year, dozens of high school seniors, college students and even graduate students submit applications for one of our TRWF scholarships, which are intended to recognize and assist qualified individuals in their pursuit of a higher education in a field that supports rural Texas.

This Student Scholarship Program is designed to help defray the cost of tuition, feeds, books and/ or room and board by awarding funds directly to the student upon proof of enrollment. The number of annual scholarships and the amount awarded is based upon the number of qualified applicants and the amount of funds available. In the last scholarship cycle, four students were awarded scholarships of $2,000 each, and a fifth individual received the first ever Dwayne Jekel Student Scholarship in the amount of $3,000. For a list of this year's scholarship winners, visit our website at www.trwa.org. See the sidebar for more information about Dwayne Jekel and his family, who made this special scholarship possible.

The TRWF scholarship committee is particularly interested in supporting students who seek a career relating to the water and/or wastewater industry or a career that will support rural Texas. They also encourage applications from veterans seeking higher education in an area that will benefit rural Texas. Former student scholarship recipients are invited to apply for a continued scholarship; to be eligible to reapply, the applicant must provide transcripts to demonstrate that they are in good academic standing.

who is interested in applying, please direct them to www.trwa.org/StudentScholarships. You can also get to the page by visiting www.trwa.org and clicking on the TRWF tab in the navigation pane. All applications must be received by 5 p.m. on February 3, 2020. You can mail it to: ATTN: TRWF Scholarship Committee, Texas Rural Water Association, 1616 Rio Grande, Austin, Texas 78701. You may also send applications by email to foundation@trwa.org or by fax to 512-472-5186.

Please share this opportunity with your peers and community members who may benefit from one of these scholarships. If you have any questions, please contact us at 512-472-8591, ext. 115 or email foundation@trwa.org.

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Dwayne Jekel Scholarship

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Thanks to an endowment set up by the Jekel family, the Dwayne Jekel Student Scholarship will benefit students who are interested in the water and wastewater industry.

Mr. Frank Dwayne Jekel served on TRWA’s Board of Directors for 30 years from 1982–2012.

He was a water industry leader who owned and operated D&L Service Company in Cameron, Texas. He earned his bachelor’s and Master of Education Degree in Agricultural Education from Texas A&M University.

Mr. Jekel’s dedication to water and his community will never be forgotten. His legacy and mission will continue thanks to the generosity of his family.

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From the Hole Tales from the road by Michael Beadnell, Instructor for Texas Rural Water Association Valve & Hydrant Maintenance Class, City of Denton

L

ocated in the shadows of the Lake Ray Roberts Dam sits the 20 million gallon-aday water treatment plant and the site of my Valve and Hydrant Maintenance class for the week, hosted by the City of Denton.

Up until the 1950s, the City of Denton’s water supply depended entirely upon deep artesian wells.

Denton obtained water storage in Lewisville Lake after its dam was constructed in the 1950s and in the 1980s they contracted for water from a new reservoir, Lake Ray Roberts, constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The Lake Ray Roberts Water Treatment Plant has a stateof-the-art classroom with extremely comfortable accommodations.

I arrived Monday afternoon to unload training aids and equipment, set up the classroom and test the audio visual equipment. This was all uneventful, and after conducting one last A/V check, it ws off to find a hotel.

Tuesday morning started with paperwork, introductions and a brief history of valves. To sustain human life, water is always needed. Early civilizations transported water in primitive vessels, whether carried by hand or by animals. The hardship of this task can only be imagined. The farmers worked to identify ways to transport it to the crops. Irrigation systems were developed, but controlling the flow during the periods when it was needed and stopping it when it was not needed required some type of valve. Farmers probably recognized that even streams would pool or stop flowing when beavers built log dams or fallen trees during heavy rains would block the flow of a stream.

Archaeologists have found valves for diverting water in open channels designed over 2,000 years ago.

The first valves were made of wood, stone or lead, and could be classified as gate and plug valves.

They are the integral components in piping systems, as they are the primary method of controlling the flow, pressure and direction of the fluid. A valve can be an extremely simple, low cost item or it can be an extremely complicated, expensive one.

26

Quench — September / October 2019

Students got hands-on practical skills training during this Valve and Hydrant Class hosted by the City of Denton.

My class proceeded with going over classifications of valves, function and design to rekindle the terms for seasoned operators and develop clarity for those seeing them for the first time. The functions are simply isolating or controlling. Isolating valves functions are “full on” or “full off.” Isolation valves sectionalize the distribution system or shut off mains for repair and are the most common valve in the water system. Controlling valves by function regulate the flow of water through the valve body, or valves may be operated intermittently.

There are five valves classified by design: • • • •

Slide valves include the single disk gate valves, double disk gate valves, the resilient wedge gate, the sluice gate and the shear gate valve; Rotary valves include the butterfly, cone, ball and plug valve; Diaphragm valves are identifiable because the movable element is a piece of flexible material; Globe valves commonly include the needle

•

valve, foot valve and of course the household faucet; And last but certainly not least are the special valves, where their moveable element is operated directly by water flow.

On day two of the course, we started the fire hydrant portion of the training. There are many types of fire hydrants as well as purposes for them.

An operator must be sure each hydrant is installed properly, and the first consideration in hydrant installation is location. Hydrants in residential areas must be tapped onto at least a 6-inch main and be no more than 600 feet apart. Fire hydrants in commercial or industrial areas must be tapped onto at least an 8-inch main and be no more than 300 feet apart. Regardless of construction, fire hydrants must be installed within nine feet vertically or horizontally of any sanitary sewer line and no less than two feet from the curb and gutter.

There are two designs of fire hydrants: the post fire hydrant and the flush fire hydrant. Flush hydrants are entirely below ground. The discharge and operating nut are housed in a compartment similar to a meter box. They are so named because the top or lid of this compartment is flush with the ground. Flush hydrants are found on bridges, runways and tank trails where having them above ground would be impractical. Unlike the flush hydrants, the post hydrant extends above ground at least 24 inches. There are two types of post fire hydrants: the wet barrel and the dry-barrel. The wet barrel fire hydrant is always full of pressure and each nozzle is valved. These hydrants cannot be used where freezing is likely and are often referred to as “California or Hollywood hydrants.” In a fire event, the advantage of the “Hollywood hydrants” is a fire fighter can hook up to one, and, if needed, a second or even a third firefighter can hook up and not have to turn off the hydrant while the first fighter is responding.

Blocking prevents separation of joints or other damage caused by end-thrust. When I worked at one system, we used to get big rolls of thick plastic sheets and, as needed, place it around the back of the shoe before placing the block to prevent concrete from bonding to the hydrant. Bonding makes needed removal of the hydrant difficult and the drain holes will not operate the way that they are designed to. Placing a concrete collar around the lower barrel, referred to as the bury, stabilizes the hydrants during traffic loads and maneuvers as well.

The most important purpose of fire hydrants is to supply water for firefighting. An operator must be sure each hydrant provides adequate firefighting flow. If a hydrant is deficient in flow, it must be reported to the fire department and repaired quickly.

A fire hydrant has an operating nut, which is usually pentagon shaped and made of soft metals such as brass or bronze, so using the proper wrench is required. Turning the nut with the wrong wrench, a pipe wrench for example, will round the corners making the proper wrench useless. This could be disastrous during a fire! Most hydrant operating nuts open left, but some open right. Follow the arrow cast into the bonnet that indicates which direction to open.

After learning about hydrants, my class rounded out the training by breaking off into teams and taking turns competing in practical skills involving valves and hydrants. Then, we all took a final exam and adjourned.

More information on our training courses, including our current course schedule, can be found at www.trwa.org. If you are interested in hosting a TRWA class, please email training@trwa.org or call 512-428-5754.

The second type of post hydrant, the dry-barrel hydrant, has a main valve below ground at the base of the barrel and a drain valve above the main valve in a part of the hydrant called the shoe. The barrel contains water only when the main valve opens.

The drain valve automatically closes when the main valve opens. When the main valve closes, the drain valve automatically opens to drain the water from the barrel. This is a good example of an inverse relationship — when one does one thing the other does the opposite. The back of that shoe must be properly braced with concrete called a thrust block.

Quench — September / October 2019 27

Maximizing Your TRWA Membership

By Mark Rogers, General Manager, Elderville Water Supply Corporation

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et me begin with a question. Would any of you spend anywhere from $500- $5,000 on a critical piece of equipment and never use this equipment? I venture to say that most of us would be very upset if this equipment was not used to its maximum potential or value. I have only been in rural water since February 2018, and it puzzles me that so many rural water companies pay good money for their TRWA membership and do not take advantage of the many benefits that come with a membership.

So, what does it truly mean to maximize your membership? My goal is to explain this by listing the ways I have utilized the many services and resources TRWA provides.

The first resource I discovered was the website.

During my first week of employment at Elderville Water Supply, I was handed an invoice from TRWA. My first question was; “What is TRWA?” followed by “Why are we paying over $3,000 a year?” I went to the TRWA website to see what it was. I went tab by tab, where I discovered many resources. It was almost information overload. As I navigated through the Association’s website, I quickly discovered the value of TRWA. The “Conferences” tab caught my eye. I learned of the upcoming Fall Management Conference in Fort Worth, offering continuing education and opportunities to network with and learn from fellow rural water managers. At the next meeting, I recommended to the board that we get registered for this conference. In March, five of us attended the conference. I highly recommend this being in your budget every year, especially if you have new board members or ones that have never been to a TRWA conference. We gained knowledge through meeting other members and attending the various breakout sessions.

It was at the conference that I learned of another valuable resource — the Circuit Riders. At the time I didn’t even know what that meant. I soon learned that if ours was a system under 10,000 connections, I could request for a Circuit Rider to come to my system. I soon met William White and scheduled him to come conduct a workshop for my board 28

Quench — September / October 2019

members. Mr. White went over the Water Board Guide with us. This proved to be very beneficial in lining out the duties and responsibilities of board directors and utility management. Circuit Riders also conduct energy efficiency studies and rate studies on site. The Circuit Rider program is well worth the annual membership fees by itself, because of all the ways that water systems benefit from their expertise.

Speaking of the Water Board Guide, I discovered this gem along with other valuable manuals under the “Publications” tab at www.trwa.org. One can also purchase rate studies and salary survey reports. These publications are free to those that participate in the studies. Under this tab, look in the TRWA Store, and you will find training manuals, sample tariffs and so much more to assist you in running a successful rural water company.

Last, but not least, the TRWA staff in Austin is an incredible resource. The friendly membership team is there to answer all your questions and get you directed to the proper department to address your specific needs. One of those very useful departments is the Legal Department. Before you make that expensive phone call to your attorney, give Trent Hightower a call. TRWA has helped me with a wide range of issues and, when necessary, they would advise me to contact my attorney.

I am just scratching the surface of all the benefits TRWA offers its members. Bottom line, you’ve made an investment in your TRWA membership, you might as well get the best return. Maximize your membership by exploring and utilizing all the valuable resources available to you.

If you have questions about your TRWA membership, you can email membership@trwa.org or call 512-472-8591, ext. 100.

TRWA Briefs Nominate Someone Today for TRWA's Awards of Excellence

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on’t miss the opportunity to nominate your system or one of your colleagues for our TRWA Awards of Excellence! Every year, rural water systems across Texas submit nominations for these prestigious awards honoring those who exemplify excellence, dedication and achievement.

Individual awards are given in the following categories: •

•

•

The Excellence in System Management award recognizes any manager of a member utility who exemplifies exceptional leadership and oversight skills.

The Excellence in Administration award is meant for any and all office personnel whose support and dedication keep their utility’s office administration running smoothly on a day-to-day basis.

The Excellence in Operations award is designed to recognize any personnel who are instrumental in the technical operations of your utility, and go above and beyond the call of duty in their work.

We also give out two system-wide awards — the Small System Excellence Award, for systems serving 1,500 or fewer connections, and the Large System Excellence Award, for systems serving more than 1,500 connections! This year, instead of reviewing efforts in a specific category, the Awards Committee is looking for stories of hard work and success across the board! Use this opportunity to showcase whatever it is that sets your system apart from the rest, and share your ideas with your industry peers who can learn from your successes.

Only TRWA member systems and their employees are eligible, but anyone can nominate an individual or system for an Award of Excellence.

Get started on your nomination now and submit it online at www.trwa.org. Please remember that former award winners are not eligible. All entries must be postmarked or delivered by February 3, 2020 to be considered.

All award winners will be honored during the Awards Ceremony at RuralWaterCon in March and

will be featured in the spring issue of this magazine.

Individual winners will each receive a $500 prize and a commemorative plaque. The system-wide winners will each receive a $1000 prize and commemorative plaques.

Special thanks goes out to our Awards of Excellence sponsors, CoBank, Master Meter, Inc., AIA Insurance Agency, Inc. and Live Oak Bank.

If you have any questions about the nomination form or the awards process, or if you are interested in sponsoring one of the awards, please contact the TRWA Communications Department at 512-4728591, ext. 115 or editor@trwa.org.

Texas on Tap Brings Your Message Directly to Consumers

S

ign up today for TRWA's direct-to-consumer magazine, Texas on Tap! 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.

Released quarterly, subscribers to Texas on Tap have the option to choose from a standard 8-page format of universal content, or a customized 12-page format that includes four additional custom pages and system branding. Standard versions are currently priced at $0.79 per piece, and custom versions are currently priced at $0.99 per piece. Prices include production, mailing and handling costs for the issue.

Just send us your distribution list, and we handle the rest!

“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.”

We are still seeking commitments to move forward with future issues of this publication. To learn more about this service, visit www.trwa.org/consumer.

There, you will find a digital sample of the most recent issue and more information about schedule and cost. If you have any questions or want a physical sample, please contact the Communications Team at editor@trwa.org or 512-472-8592, ext. 115.

Quench — September / October 2019 29

Classified Ads SAMCO Leak Detection and/or GPS Technician Quadvest Water and Wastewater Utility Company is in search of the top talent in the industry. We have been in business since 1978 and have recently made it our focus to grow—becoming one of the few privatelyowned utility companies that are classified as a Class A utility company. Achieving success through our happy employees, we have become “Houston Business Journals” top 40th best company and “Texas Monthly’s” 14th best company! Our Core Values set us apart and take us down an ‘E-P-I-C P-A-T-H’ to success. They are Employee Centricity, Professionalism, Innovative, Customer Centricity, Passion to Win, Accountability, Trust and Hard Work.

If you want to be a part of a top Texas Utility Company and our Core Values are important values to you, please contact us at http://quadvest.com/careers or email Mandi Brown at mbrown@quadvest.com.

“The Glass Is Always Full”

SAMCO is seeking a Leak Detection and/or GPS Technician based out of Austin, Texas. Under supervision of the Project Manager, this position will perform acoustic leak detection on various water distribution systems, water conservation consulting, and GPS data collection services. These services will help improve utilities infrastructure by enhancing operational efficiency, reliability during water system assessments, and most importantly conserve water for the public.

Education: •

Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities : • • • • •

Field Service Technician Dallas, Texas Cla-Val is a leading manufacturer of automatic control valves, serving waterworks, industrial, fire protection, aviation fueling, and marine customers in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Job Description: Our growing company is searching for an outstanding candidate to hire for the position of Field Service Technician in Texas for our Waterworks division. We are seeking a highly motivated individual that enjoys problem solving, technical consulting and possesses a willingness to learn.

• • • • •

Possession of valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record Waterworks and well service background a plus Moderate overnight travel required Excellent verbal and written communication skills Knowledge and experience us Microsoft Office products; Outlook, Word, and Excel Customer-orientated

The position offers competitive salary/benefits and growth opportunities. Interested individuals should submit resume to txservice@cla-val.com.

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Leak detection and water distribution field knowledge : 1 year experience Knowledge of GPS applications and data collection Must be proficient with computer skills and applications Must live in the Austin area to commute daily to SAMCO office building.

Able to travel and stay overnight while working on out of town projects

Employee Benefits: • • • •

50% company contribution for employee only medical 10% company contribution of employee gross income to SEP IRA after 2 years of full time employment Paid vacation, sick days, and holidays Employee Incentive Programs

Employment Requirements: • • •

Position Requirements: •

HS diploma or equivalent

•

Candidates must successfully pass a preemployment background check Possess valid Texas driver’s license and maintain insurability Please go to website samco-leakservice.com under “Contact” tab and email application with resume to owner Sam Godfrey 512.751.5325 if you have any questions.

Salary is pending based on experience & qualifications.

Plan Ahead CONFERENCES: November 5, 2019

EPA Introduction to Cybersecurity: Workshop and Response Exercises, Dallas/Allen

November 6-7, 2019

Fall Management Conference and Districts Conference, Dallas/Allen

March 26-27, 2020

RuralWaterCon Annual Convention, San Antonio

OPERATOR TRAINING COURSES: Water Credit Courses

Basic Water Works Operations: New Braunfels, Nov. 12-14 Water Laboratory: Kempner, Jan. 28-30

Water and Wastewater Credit Courses

Customer Service Inspections: Waxahachie, Nov. 5-6  Harlingen, Dec. 10-11  Van, Jan. 22-23 Pump and Motor Maintenance: San Antonio, Nov. 5-7 Utility Management: Denton/Aubrey, Nov. 12-14  Lorena, Dec. 10-12 Utility Safety: Winnsboro, Feb. 4-6 Valve & Hydrant Maintenance: Harlingen, Dec. 3-5

Wastewater Credit Courses

Basic Wastewater: San Marcos, Nov. 19-21  Texarkana, Jan. 7-9 Wastewater Collections: Harlingen, Nov. 5-7

Public Funds Investment Act

Initial: Dallas/Allen, Nov. 5  Terrell, Jan. 22 Renewal: Dallas/Allen, Nov. 5  Terrell, Jan. 22

Advertiser Index AIA Insurance Agency......................................... Page 12 American Flow Control.................................................25 Childress Engineers......................................................13 Chlorinators Incorporated............................................15 CoBank...........................................................................23 Daniel & Brown, Inc.......................................................14 Dedicated Controls........................................................14 DN Tanks........................................................................25 Ferguson Waterworks...................................................18 J.F. Fontaine & Associates...........................................17 KSA Engineers...............................................................19 Maguire Iron...................................................................17 NewGen Strategies & Solutions...................................17 Pittsburg Tank & Tower Maintenance Co., Inc............27 Preload...........................................................................24 Russell Drilling Co., Inc................................................19 SAMCO.............................................................................7 Schaumburg & Polk, Inc............................................... 11 Smith Pump Co., Inc......................................................15 Texas Aquastore...................................................... 11, 19 Quench — September / October 2019 31

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

Clean up your system

Nov. 15 is America recycles day!

Remove liabilities from your property and reinvest high-quality metals.

SALVAGE

Submit your contribution

YOUR SCRAP

Bolstering the Rural Water Industry

Complete the online form and submit your check to TRWF!

Bolster the industry Your donation will support training for rural utilities, student scholarship programs and veteran employment within the industry.

www.trwa.org/scrap (512) 472-8591 | foundation@trwa.org