Updates

During CWEA’s Annual Conference in San Diego we honored the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) as one of the original champions for the Advanced Water Treatment Operator™ certification program.

Support from their agency and team members in 2018-2019 directly led to this successful program. Sue Mosburg, CA-NV AWWA Executive Director, and Jenn Jones, CWEA Executive Director/CEO both presented the award to the team from IEUA.

We applaud IEUA’s vision for developing innovative and reliable water reuse programs. Water professionals and agencies are being called to action to protect our communities and we are rising to the challenges.

Chino Basin Program

The Chino Basin Program is a multi-agency effort to construct an Advanced Water Purification Facility and groundwater injection facilities to maximize the use of recycled water.

It is a first-of-its-kind water program that moves beyond traditional water management practices to achieve new levels of water security, flexibility, and affordability. The CBP is led by IEUA and made possible through the collaboration and participation of its Regional Agencies and partners

About AWTO Certification

As California and Nevada seek to secure sustainable water resources, all of us working together allows us to rapidly build critical programs such as AWT Operator certification. We have issued 158 certifications so far, ensuring a steady supply of AWTO® professionals ready to serve their communities by operating advanced water treatment facilities.

Drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment, and water reuse operators with a Grade 3 or higher certification and working at facilities using advanced water treatment technologies may be interested in earning the new, voluntary AWTO Certification. AWT Operators protect public health by ensuring a safe and reliable supply of high-quality drinking water from advanced facilities. Learn more at awtoperator.org.

Shown above: At the CWEA Awards Ceremony the AWTO Champions award was presented to IEUA. (l-r) CWEA President Chuck Greely; Scott Lening, IEUA’s Manager of Operations; Lucia Fuertez Diaz, IEUA’s Manager of Facility Water System Program; and Aimeé Kileen, WEF President Elect. Photo by Sal Ochoa.

About AWTO Certification

(more…)

Enter and upload photos >

1. We need images of operators at advanced water treatment facilities
2. Submit up to three photos
3. Types of photos we’re looking for
   1. Bonus points for each certified AWT Operator in the photo (let us know who)
4. Well lit, good composition, in focus and high resolution photos
5. Selfies are okay, for best composition we recommend asking someone else to take the photos.
6. Photos submitted for this competition will be featured in AWTO promotional items (please see important criteria below)
7. Sample images shown here

Prizes

1. 1. Grand prize – $100 Amazon gift card
   2. Honorary mentions – 5 photos

Timeline

• Competition begins: November 3, 2021
• Competition closes: 11:59 p.m., March 31, 2022

Criteria

1. Submit up to three photos
2. The photographs can be taken by anyone.
3. Please let us know the name of the certified AWT Operator.
4. Three photos and one entry per certified AWT Operator.
5. The prize is a $100 Amazon gift card that will be digitally issued to the selected winner
6. Only upload photos you or your organization own the copyright, please do not upload images that are copyrighted by someone else.
7. Important note on photos submitted to CA-NV AWWA and CWEA: You’re granting permission to CWEA, CA-NV AWWA, our volunteer leaders and employees the irrevocable and unrestricted right to reproduce photographs for any lawful purpose including magazine publications, websites, signage, events, promotions, photo illustrations, and/or historical archives in any manner or in any medium selected by CWEA and CA-NV AWWA. You release CWEA, CA-NV AWWA and its representatives from liability for any violation or claims relating to the photos you are submitting.
8. The AWTO Outreach work group will select one winning image and five images as honorable mentions.
9. The decisions of the judges are final, CWEA and CA-NV AWWA reserve the right to change the rules as needed.
10. Non-AWTO certified individuals, the AWTO Outreach work group, competition judges, CWEA and CA-NV AWWA employees,  and vendors are not eligible to enter this competition.
11. Need more information? Please contact Alec Mackie, Director of Marketing and Communications, CWEA, 510.382.7800 x114
12. CWEA and CA-NV AWWA are not responsible for technology failures, or other inability of entrants to enter due to technical malfunction. CWEA is not responsible for lost, late or misdirected mail or for printing errors.

On June 24th, WateReuse California submitted comments on the Water Board’s draft Direct Potable Reuse regulations. The coalition letter included ACWA, CUWA, CA-NV Section of AWWA and CASA. WRCA developed these comments after holding a webcast and panel discussion in April to review the draft regulations and solicit comments.

A DPR Working Group was formed that assisted in the development of the final letter. In 2017 WRCA and California Coastkeepers Alliance co-sponsored AB 574 (Quirk), which requires the Water Board to develop DPR regulations by 2023.

Note: The State Water Board requested stakeholder feedback on the Addendum. The public comment period closed on June 25th.

From the comment letter…

Raw Water Augmentation (RWA) and Treated Water Augmentation (TWA)

• DDW should consider a framework that balances the treatment, monitoring, and/or operational requirements to account for RWA benefits. This framework could draw off of the “toolbox” approach used in the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule that provides flexibility to take advantage of the site-specific elements that are available to a project.
• We recommend that DDW develop criteria to identify the conditions that trigger revalidation studies and not make this a blanket requirement for all RWA water treatment plants. Requiring such studies of all surface water treatment plants seeking pathogen credit places an additional, high burden on RWA and may drive project sponsors to actively exclude their use. Greater clarity on the crediting of other barriers—such as small reservoirs and blending—would further help the industry consider and leverage the benefits of RWA.

Pathogen Control

• We request that DDW work with the new DPR Expert Panel to identify the multiple layers of conservatism in the pathogen requirements and define the appropriate levels to achieve DDW’s daily risk goal for both RWA and TWA.

Chemical Control

• We believe it would provide greater flexibility if DDW defined the performance requirements that they are seeking rather than requiring specific design criteria—e.g., ozone to TOC ratio or empty bed contact times (§64669.50(c)). For example, the IPR regulations require that advanced oxidation achieve 0.5-log reduction of 1,4-dioxane (a performance requirement) without specifying the technology
  (e.g., UV or ozone) or their required doses. A similar performance-based requirement for chemical control would make it easier to assess the equivalence of alternative options. We support performance requirements, such as the 1-log reduction of formaldehyde (§64669.50(c)), and ask DDW to specify any other requirements that would define equivalence for robust chemical control.
• We suggest that DDW consider eliminating the 0.1 ppm TOC trigger while maintaining the remaining three triggers at their existing levels. project. Rather than reviewing the disparate results of quantitative risk assessments from multiple projects, the State Water
  Board may be better served by enlisting their Recycled Water CEC Expert Panel to provide guidance on chemical monitoring for DPR projects.
• Rather than reviewing the disparate results of quantitative risk assessments from multiple projects, the State Water Board may be better served by enlisting their Recycled Water CEC Expert Panel to provide guidance on chemical monitoring for DPR projects.
• We also oppose the requirement for online monitoring of the sewershed (§64669.40(d)(1)).

Technical, Managerial and Financial Capacity

• Given that water treatment plant operators have successfully protected public health using existing staffing and certifications, the presence of a new source water should not trigger the need for additional AWT5 certifications and 24/7 staffing requirements. These
  onerous operational requirements will further disincentivize RWA in spite of the additional public health protection it can provide. We recommend that the requirement for onsite staffing at all facilities be re-evaluated, particularly at the drinking water and wastewater
  treatment plant where we do not believe 24/7 onsite staffing is necessary.

Conclusion

• We appreciate the time, energy, and thoughtful consideration that was spent by DDW in preparing these draft regulations. We believe they will provide critical regulatory certainty for DPR projects in California. We ask that you consider the modifications above, which we believe will further improve these draft regulations.

After four years of work, the Advanced Water Treatment Operator™ (AWTO®) certification program is now complete and launched by the California-Nevada Section of the American Water Works Association (CA-NV AWWA) and the California Water Environment Association (CWEA). The exam for the highest-grade level, known as AWT5™, launched on July 15th, completing the planned roll-out of exams on-budget and on a fast-tracked schedule.

AWTO certification allows water and wastewater operators to demonstrate their advanced knowledge and qualify for new career opportunities at high-tech water reuse facilities. As California and Nevada expand water reuse, AWT operators are expected to be in high demand.

(more…)

The AWT5™ exam is now available at the computer testing centers. Once approved, you can take the exam whenever you wish to schedule it.

To apply, visit the application page >

AWT4 exams are now available at the computer testing centers. Once approved, you can take the exam whenever you wish to schedule it.

To apply, visit the application page >