Memorial Pipe Tapping Trophy CALIFORNIA-NEVADA SECTION AWWA v36 • n5 • Spring 2023 S URCE From the Eyes of an Educator Spring Conference 2023 Review Water Sector Workforce Development Program
www.ca-nv-awwa.org 5 6 FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Volunteer Value By Sue Mosburg 8 SECTION NEWS Spring Conference 2023 San Diego, CA 10 Member Spotlight: Jim Elliott 11 Welcome New CA-NV AWWA Members 12 Eleven Students Receive 2023 Section Scholarships 26 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS ABOUT THE COVER Remembering Chris Ehlers We invite readers and members of the California and Nevada water communities to comment on the magazine and issues in the water and wastewater industries. FEATURES DEPARTMENTS CONTENTS 18 From The Eyes of an Educator By Henry Palecheck 24 Water Community to Launch Water Sector Workforce Development Program By Danielle Blacet-Hyden 13 Chris Ehlers Memorial Pipe Tapping Trophy 23 2022 CA-NV Section Academic Achievement Winner G.W. Kajjumba 19 Spring Conference 2023 Poster Competition Winners S URCE Join the conversation on social media! Find us @canvawwa or @CANVSectionAWWA.
6 SOURCE spring 2023 RECENTLY PUBLISHED BY AWWA, the State of the Water Industry 2023 (https://www.awwa.org/ProfessionalDevelopment/Utility-Managers/State-of-theWater-Industry) report identifies and ranks the top 20 issues facing the water sector. Topping the list are issues associated with aging infrastructure, aging workforce and procedures, coupled with decreased public trust, increased environmental challenges, emerging contaminants of concern, and rising costs. These are the drivers compelling the water industry to do things differently. To managers with limited resources, this may seem overwhelming. However, AWWA members have a community of peers and wealth of resources at their fingertips, thanks to literally hundreds of volunteers who share their time, energy, and experience with others. Volunteering can take many shapes: • Host training classes at your utility. • Invite co-workers to in-person activities. • Present at a conference, symposium, seminar or workshop. • Join a committee. • Teach a course, instruct a webinar. • Scan attendees in and out of rooms during conference. • Mentor a young professional. • Support AWWA competitions as a judge, competitor, or setup crew. • Round up donations for raffles, silent auctions, or prizes. • Write certification and/or Top-Ops questions. • Write, update, or edit a guidance document; • Complete industry surveys and questionnaires. • Comment on draft regulations. • Liaise with a student chapter. • Encourage vendors and manufacturers to exhibit new products at events. • Write an article for SOURCE, Journal, or Opflow. • Share utility lessons learned and research during virtual committee meetings. • Organize and lead plant tours. • Share your career story with those new to the water industry. • Nominate a co-worker for an award. • Post about CA-NV AWWA on your social media. • Like and follow CA-NV AWWA social media posts. • Review scholarship applications. As a member organization comprised of personnel across the drinking water industry, CA-NV AWWA brings together personnel from the smallest rural drinking water distribution systems with those operating the most complex urban systems in the nation. Members span the knowledge and experience spectrum and include seasoned operators, young professionals, apprentices, scientists, engineers, administrators, technical specialists, manufacturers and suppliers, academics, regulators, and more. In 2023, 12 full time staff, 57 parttime employees and more than 400 volunteers will collaborate to conduct CA-NV AWWA events, connect utility personnel to industry-leading education, update certification materials, and provide technical input on emerging regulation. Thank you CA-NV AWWA staff and volunteers. S Mission Statement Dedicated to leading, educating, and serving the water industry and our communities. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR Christine Boyle CHAIR ELECT Larry Lyford VICE CHAIR Jim Elliott PAST CHAIR David Hokanson ASSOCIATION DIRECTOR Kate Nutting ASSOCIATION DIRECTOR Heather Collins TREASURER Todd Jorgenson SECRETARY Sue Mosburg TRUSTEES DIRECTORS CONFERENCE Colter Andersen EDUCATION Uzi Daniel CERTIFICATION BOARD Bill Cardinal TECHNICAL PROGRAMS Raha Shirkhani DIVISION CHAIRS UTILITY MANAGEMENT Sepideh Shirkhani WATER RESOURCES Cameron Tana WATER QUALITY Alex Chakmak ENGINEERING David Gould OPERATORS DIVISION Bill Cardinal COUNCILS MANUFACTURERS & ASSOCIATES COUNCIL Rich Hopkins MEMBER ENGAGEMENT & DEVELOPMENT Tom Bloomer PHILANTHROPY COUNCIL Stephanie Hearn WATER UTILITY COUNCIL E.J. Caldwell Daniel Armendariz Robert Janowski Rosemary Smud Gordan Williams Jim Wollbrinck Yan Zhang Volunteer Value Sue Mosburg FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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8 SOURCE spring 2023 SECTION NEWS Adan Ortega delivered the Keynote at the Opening Session. Top Ops Competition did not disappoint with a come from behind win for Sacramento Suburban Water District. Congratulations to all award winners. A special thank you to Kevin Barnes for the years of serving as Awards Committee Chair; we wish you well. Even Eddy the water drop stopped by our Exhibit Hall reception. “ Over the past five years, I have been the Chair of the Awards Committee. During my term, I have been able to enjoy both the spring and fall conferences in presenting the awards to all our Section, students, and nationally recognized winners. The position has been a lot of work but also a lot of reward. Tracking down nominations, helping to get nominations submitted, and organizing all that comes to the awards presentations can be daunting, yet the excitement of the winners receiving their awards is so worth it. In this position, you also have a huge opportunity to interact with many leaders within our section that you might have never had a chance to connect with otherwise. It is bittersweet to say goodbye to this position, but I guess I will get back to my several other many volunteer roles that I am still activity involved with here in the CA-NV Section.” — Kevin Barnes, Awards Committee Chair SPRING CONFERENCE 2023 San Diego, CA CA-NV AWWA HOSTED ITS SPRING CONFERENCE this April in San Diego, California. It was an immersive learning experience for 1,200 attendees, consisting of system operators, managers, engineers, consultants, manufacturers, regulators, and other professionals who share a common interest in drinking water. The four-day conference included networking, business meetings, exhibits, awards reception, and a full slate of technical programs.
www.ca-nv-awwa.org 9 SECTION NEWS 2023 Competitions Water For People and Young Professionals Mixer Our bustling, sold-out Exhibit Hall. Here are a few highlights. Sunday’s Welcome Reception was a blast as attendees got to compete in Minute to Win It Games. This welcome reception was my favorite part of Spring Conference, it was great to see our attendees cut loose and have fun along with the networking opportunity — Danielle Hook CA -NV AWWA Staff Member Thank you, all volunteers, speakers, competitors, sponsors, exhibitors, staff, and attendees for making Spring Conference a success.
10 SOURCE spring 2023 Q: How long have you been a member of AWWA? A: 30 Years Q: Why did you Join AWWA? A: Continuous learning and networking opportunities with other professionals. Q: What is your advice to new members? A: Volunteer for committees and get out and meet people. You never know when you’ll need to “phone a friend” for an issue that comes up. Q: Where do you see yourself in five years? A: Continuing to enjoy my work of designing/ managing infrastructure improvements that provide safe and reliable water service for my utility customers. S CA-NV AWWA Member Spotlight CALIFORNIA-NEVADA SECTION, AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION 10435 Ashford Street, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 Fax: 909.481.4688 or 909.291.2107 909.481.7200 | www.ca-nv-awwa.org SOURCE Magazine Mission Statement To serve the regional water community with news and information about developments, regulations, technology and trends affecting CA-NV AWWA Section members and California and Nevada’s water professionals. Section Staff S URCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Sue Mosburg DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS William Penn CERTIFICATION MANAGER Steven Garner DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Jenna Bland CERTIFICATION SUPERVISOR Gina Enriquez SENIOR EDUCATION SPECIALIST Jennifer Sandoval COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Danielle Hook EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR Denise Morales EVENTS SPECIALIST Jordan Otero SENIOR REGISTRATION/ ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST Shobhana Chickarmane ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST Jenny Mosburg FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR Peter Estrada PUBLISHED APRIL 2023. © Apogee Publications. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part,without the prior written consent of the publisher. PUBLISHER APOGEE PUBLICATIONS 6528 Greenleaf Avenue, Suite 219 Whittier, CA 90601 562.698.3424 ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Kathleen Pishotta 352.371.9679 MANAGING EDITOR Nicole Millman-Falk ART DIRECTOR Aude Cabaldon SECTION NEWS JIM ELLIOT Senior Manager, Engineering at Liberty Governing Board Vice Chair, CA-NV Section
www.ca-nv-awwa.org 11 SECTION NEWS WELCOME NEW CA-NV AWWA Members Abdelmoniem Abdelsalam Kim Adamson Melene Agakanian Valerie Airey Peter Akinosho Imad Aldahleh Frank Anderson Devin Arciniega Natalie Avila Gilbert Barela Abraham Belay Alan Beneventi Charisse Beronilla David Blalock Chad Bland Cynthia Blankenship Andrew Bleier Zachary Boudreaux Gilbert Bowman Jeff Bowman Peter Brooks Heather Buero Dustin Burnside Johnny Byrd Shawn Calderwood Vanessa Campos Aaron Canedo Yiping Cao Samantha Carney Manuel Carrillo Shobhana Chickarmane James Cho Cody Coleman Carlos Collazo Maureen Concha Gabriele Cook Garrick Cooper Stephen Corbin Dakota Corey Richard Craig Cielo Cruz Michael Cubas Michelle Cutler Harvey De La Torre Diego De Veyga Kailee Delongchamp Hunter Deocampo Madeline Dessert Katya Doria-Campbell Oscar Duarte Dan Dyer Katherine Earp Aaron Elwood Gina Enriquez Peter Estrada Frazier Evans III Anna Feerick Thomas Figuers Rocio Flores Nataly Galvis Trent Gassaway Mark Gentili Brian Gerke Angelica Gonsalves Oronde Gordon Bryan Green Beverly Hann Herbert Hans Ngo Anthony Haynes Ron Herbst Ricardo Hernandez Raul Herrera Raul Herrera Alexander Hilbrants Norman Ho Patrick Holland Mariliese Horsewood Jason Hubbard Duane Huisken Taylor Jaime Adrienne Johns James Kingland Cleo Koenig Sarah Kukich Robert Lallement Bryan Latham Suzie Lawson Noelani Leal Huijie Li Jason Lowe Gidti Ludesirishoti Martin Machado Nick Machado Robert Madrid Ed Makowski Alisa Mann Amy Marroquin Sarah Mathews Celina McDowell Tim McHale Gerald McKenna Steven Menges Chris Mercier Eric Miller Stacy Mitchum Jenny Mosburg Arnold Mpanga Oscar Muniz-Delgado Mark Mutter Joe Navarro-Torrealba Augustin Nieto Cole Nugent Chris O'Connor Abduljeleel Osunkunle Jordan Otero Ryan Palmer Cynthia Perez Jean Marc Petit Julio Picazo Kevin Pollock Aaron Porter Andrea Prado Iriarte Roland Prianto Christian Ragadio Braulio Ramirez Hannah Ray Cynthia Reed Joseph Reyna Frank Rodriguez Sammy Rosas Lindsay Roth Eric Roy Carolyn Ruttan Angelo Sacerdote Maira Salcedo Jennifer Sandoval Melissa Sandoval Abed Sarari Gabriel Sasser Bearet Schaar Katelin Scheuerman Ashleigh Shue Randall Silvett Stuart Skoglund Christopher Smithson Omer Sohail John Soulliere James Stephens Mike Stephens Gabriel Suarez Patricia Sweeny Christopher Tapia Todd Taylor Shad Thielman Mike Trumm Dan Tudesco Elaine Urruty Kimberly Ussery Matt Van Der Linden Kevin Vandelinder Samantha Vergara Anthony Verzosa Jonathan Villalta Hank Vink Ty Wall Jesse Wallin John Washington Laura Lynn Weaver Dimuthu Weerasurya Gregory Wells James Wessel Peggie Wever Casey Whelan Douglas Whichard Chelsey Wilkins Sean Williams Andrew Wood Richard Woods Minhao Xiao Iris Yuen Winnie Zambrana Felix Zarate Alex Zemla CA-NV AWWA Membership 3 WAYS TO JOIN 1. ONLINE go to: https://awwa.org/join 2: FAX completed app to: 303.347.0804 3. MAIL completed app to: AWWA Customer Service 6666 West Quincy Avenue Denver, CO 80235-3098
12 SOURCE spring 2023 SECTION NEWS Eleven Students Receive 2023 Section Scholarships By Bruce Macler THE RECIPIENTS OF THE CA-NV SECTION'S 2023 SCHOLARSHIPS have been chosen. Eleven worthy students (operators, undergraduates, and graduate students) will receive scholarship checks, membership in AWWA, and a warm welcome to our Section. The Section’s Scholarship Committee was fortunate to be able to award $34,500 in scholarships this year. The competition was significant, and these students show the promise to be assets to the professional drinking water community in years to come. The Section awarded four $5,000 scholarships to graduate-level students. Mindao Xiao, a PhD student in civil and environmental engineering at UCLA, was selected for the Dr. Pankaj Parekh Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship recognizes the late Dr. Parekh, former Director of Water Quality at Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and his leadership in the drinking water community. The Golden State Water Company Graduate Scholarship was awarded to Gabson Baguma, who is working on his Master of Science degree in civil and environmental engineering at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The California Water Service Company Graduate Scholarship went to Thomas Kaps, a Master of Science Student in chemical and materials engineering at University of Nevada (UNR), Reno. Thomas previously received three CA-NV scholarships as an undergraduate at UNR. Xinyi Wang, a PhD student in civil and environmental engineering at UCLA, received the WQTS Scholarship of $2,500 and the Xylem Let’s Solve Water Scholarship of $2,500. Five students received $2,500 scholarships to help with their undergraduate education. This year’s Melinda Rho Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship went to Clara Hallgarth, an environmental engineering student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. This scholarship recognizes the late Melinda Rho and her long-time leadership at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Polina Popova, a student in environmental engineering at San Diego State University, was selected for the Golden State Water Company Undergraduate Scholarship. The California-American Water Company Scholarship went to Victor Alvarellos, an incoming freshman at San Jose State University. Jahlen Pinelo, who is studying microbiology at UC Riverside, was awarded the GEI Consultants Scholarship. Grace McKenzie, an environmental engineering student at San Diego State University, received the V&A Consulting Engineers Scholarship. The CA-NV Section's One AWWA Operator scholarships are given year-round on an on-going basis. These $1,000 scholarships are co-funded equally by AWWA’s Water Equation and by Golden State Water Company. The Section has awarded two scholarships so far this year. David Inchaurregui, Jr. received $1,000 to help pay for his classes at Cuyamaca College to become a water/wastewater treatment plant operator. Moises Rodriguez Leyva received a $1,000 scholarship so he could take operator training classes. Congratulations to all our scholarship winners! We are especially grateful to the donors who made this possible and hope for an equally successful 2024 scholarship program. Information on the scholarship program is on the Section's website at Scholarships (ca-nv-awwa.org). We accept applications for the One AWWA Operator scholarships at any time. Applications for 2024 academic scholarships will be available in November. S Bruce Macler is CA-NV AWWA Scholarship Committee Chair.
www.ca-nv-awwa.org 13 Chris Ehlers Memorial Pipe Tapping Trophy CHRIS EHLERS, WHO WAS BORN IN EL CAJON on June 18, 1969, and passed away at age 50 on April 19, 2020, was a son, father, husband, brother, mentor, and friend to all. Bagpiper at Chris Ehlers Memorial Ceremony The Chris Ehlers Memorial Pipe Tapping Trophy
14 SOURCE spring 2023 CHRIS EHLERS MEMORIAL TROPHY As a part of public service, there is an expectation to manage and maintain infrastructure around the clock. At the center of that is a versatile leader distributing the workload of whatever crisis may arise. Chris’ career in public service didn’t start working for a city or district, but as an Air Traffic Controller for the United States Marine Corps. He proudly served in Desert Storm, where his mobile unit’s mission was to have an operational airfield anywhere in the world in 24 hours. In 1993, Chris began his water career as a Treatment Plant Operator at Antelope Valley East Kern Water Agency. He We see more in water than the science. For 90 years, we’ve been inspired to safeguard the quality of life for our families and communities, while protecting our fragile ecosystems. Serving our clients throughout California and Nevada We see the bigger picture. 800.523.5826 / carollo.com Remembering Chris Ehlers
www.ca-nv-awwa.org 15 quickly became an active contributing member of the water industry while advancing his career, working for Palmdale Water District, Alameda County Water District, Zone 7 Water Agency, and the City of Brentwood. Chris completed several noteworthy projects at each agency during his employment, ranging from the startup of a design build Ultra Filtration Water Treatment Plant at Zone 7 Water Agency to a Recycled Water Fill Station for the residents of Brentwood during the peak of the 2015 drought to help them meet the 35% reduction in water use required by the State Water Board. As an AWWA member of 30 years, Chris provided the CA-NV Section presentations for technical sessions, served as a committee member for the Operators Division, Top Op’s and Competitions Committees. His first CA-NV Section AWWA competition was in Top Op’s at the 1997 Annual Spring Conference in Costa Mesa. He then joined the Palmdale Water District Pipe Tapping Team in 2001 and competed at the Section and national level at ACE. After retiring as a competitor, he continued his involvement as a pipe tapping judge and performing as the emcee for the CA-NV Section competitions. As the Assistant Director of Public Works for the City of Brentwood, Chris recognized the importance of team building and networking in the water industry. He supported the City’s participation and encouraged staff to become involved in AWWA and the CA-NV Section competitions. His support paid off, and the City of Brentwood won Pipe Tapping, Hydrant Hysteria, Hot Flare, Meter Challenge and Top Op’s competitions several times. At the 2023 Annual Spring Conference in San Diego, Chris’s contributions and accomplishments were recognized by an opening ceremony, including a trophy ceremony presented by Mueller Company. The Chris Ehlers Memorial Trophy for CA-NV AWWA Pipe Tapping Contest will be presented to the winning team each year. The perpetual trophy will have the champion team’s name added to the base, signifying the hard work, dedication, and relentless pursuit to provide the essential functions of public service. Chris is survived by his wife Theresa and his two sons, Blake and Dane. S View Memorial Video: https://vimeo. com/823836078/6048441e1e?share=copy CHRIS EHLERS MEMORIAL TROPHY
16 SOURCE spring 2023 WATER UTILITIES ARE UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE in various ways. These include aging infrastructure, tighter environmental and regulatory demands, while at the same time trying to ensure affordable rates to their customers. FROM THE EYES OF AN EDUCATOR B y H e n r y P a l e c h e c k Conference attendees listening to a Spring Conference technical session.
www.ca-nv-awwa.org 17 The need to educate, train, and increase staff knowledge is becoming more important than ever in the water utility field. For example, the Helix Water District in San Diego County where I work for had 10 people retire in the last year, who had a combined 244 years of service. The loss of knowledge from people retiring is a significant issue to water utilities. It is not possible to instantaneously replace the loss of decades of knowledge. The AWWA provides exceptional educational instruction and training to the water communities. It offers the Spring and Fall Conferences, the Water Education Seminars (WES) held in Southern California, online webinars, and in-person classes among other programs. I had the opportunity to attend the 2023 Spring Conference in San Diego, where I presented in a couple of tracks, as well as had the privilege of attending many outstanding sessions. I’ve attended many of the Spring and Fall Conferences over the years and feel that they help water utility staff to expand their overall knowledge as it relates to operations and the issues that utilities face. The Spring 2023 Conference certainly helped address these and many other topics as well. The conferences cover many important issues over a wide range of subjects. The speakers are knowledgeable and skilled water utility professionals who bring new ideas to solve both old and new problems that utilities face. Many of the sessions are taught by experienced leaders in research and project design, who bring knowledge of new technologies that can be applied to the water industry. Sessions show what works well, what doesn’t work, and how to avoid problems. Another benefit of attending the conferences is that the AWWA supports water utility professionals in obtaining continuing education units to 36 Years EYES OF AN EDUCATOR Henry Palcheck presenting at Spring Conference 2023.
18 SOURCE spring 2023 maintain required licenses. Overall, the knowledge shared at AWWA conferences help all who attend be better water utility professionals serving our communities by providing safe and reliable water. AWWA CA-NV Section is putting together one of my favorite events—the Water Education Seminar. It will be held at Santiago Canyon College in Orange, California on August 16. I will be moderating and presenting in the Controls Committee track. This year, the Controls Committee has six exciting new presentations. If you attend the seminar, please stop in, and say hello. S Henry Palechek has worked in the water industry for more than 34 years, with the past 30 years being at Helix Water District in San Diego County. An AWWA member, over the past several years he has become more involved with the CA-NV Section. He is Chair of the Controls Committee and teaches several classes offered by the AWWA CA-NV Section. 20 winter 2023 GROUNDWATER RECHARGE and warmer storms that challenge dam operations. This amounts to a loss of six to nine million acre-feet annually. That’s equivalent to losing two Shasta reservoirs! It’s time to focus on an even bigger water storage solution: the aquifers beneath our feet. The State Department of Water Resources estimates that California’s groundwater aquifers have capacity for between 850 million and 1.3 billion acre-feet of water. That’s extraordinary compared to the 50 million acre-feet held by all existing surface reservoirs in the state. Unfortunately, much of that aquifer capacity sits unused. For the past century, in many cases, we’ve done nothing but extract groundwater, drastically depleting aquifers that took eons to fill. Only in recent years have we begun to focus on reversing that trend, spurred in part by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act passed by the state in 2014. In the Sacramento metro area, a coalition of local agencies working through the Regional Water Authority has developed the Sacramento Regional Water Bank. This interconnected network allows agencies entirely dependent on groundwater to obtain surface water from neighboring agencies during periods of high stormwater flow, allowing their wells to rest and refill naturally. This is what’s known as “in lieu” recharge, a strategic method of refilling aquifers the old-fashioned way—by leaving EYES OF AN EDUCATOR POSTER
www.ca-nv-awwa.org 19 LILITH VASQUEZ First Place Poster Winner POSTER DESCRIPTION THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED THE reduction of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) concentrations during anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) treatment of wastewater in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Anammox, an emerging cost-efficient solution for the removal of nitrogen from wastewater, shows promise for use in decentralized settings as it reduces the economic burden and overall required footprint for water treatment. The full scope of capabilities of anammox reactors, including their ability to reduce the environmental proliferation of superbugs, has yet to be conclusively studied. This study hypothesized that anammox treatment contributes to ARB removal from wastewater, supporting the use of anammox reactors as appropriate treatment alternatives. Samples of influent and treated effluent were taken from three reactors treating various types of wastewater, including: 1) a 2L continuous flow fixed bed reactor (CFR); 2) a 2L sequencing batch reactor (SBR), both receiving anaerobically pre-treated domestic wastewater from a decentralized anaerobic treatment plant; and 3) a 10L SBR receiving landfill leachate diluted with the anaerobically pretreated wastewater. The samples were introduced to petri dishes, each containing antibiotics or anti-microbial substances, including amoxicillin; azithromycin; cephalexin; meropenem; triazole (trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole); and Microban-24, at their minimum inhibitory concentrations, with one set of unamended plates as a control. Plate counts following incubation at 37°C for two days demonstrated 0.89±0.59log removal in the 2L SBR, 0.86±0.59-log removal in the 2L CFR, and the 0.57±0.26-log removal 10L SBR. Low ARB reduction in the 10L SBR may be attributed to additional toxic substances found in landfill leachate. The type of reactor used for treatment exhibited no influence upon ARB removal. Overall, this study demonstrated that ARB reduction occurred within all three reactors and in response to exposure to all inhibitory substances. Lilith Vasquez is a fourth year student at San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego in their joint doctoral program. She is a disabled veteran and first generation college student with an immigrant father, whose passion lies in enhancing experiences for people who come from less privileged backgrounds through education, mentorship, and research that is impactful for historically neglected communities. FUTURE PLANS Lilith plans to continue her research on improving wastewater treatment at the onsite and decentralized scales, including continued work in Brazil, a field study on a patent-pending device that improves deg- SPRING CONFERENCE 2023 POSTER COMPETITION WINNERS SC23 POSTER WINNERS Lilith Vasquez
20 SOURCE spring 2023 SC23 POSTER WINNERS radation of organic sludge in septic systems, and a study on the removal of pharmaceuticals from onsite wastewater management systems. Following graduation, she plans to continue research to enhance wastewater and drinking water sources for global disadvantaged communities and provide mentorship and engaging education to the next generation of environmental engineers. GODSON EBENEZER ADEO Second Place Poster Winner POSTER DESCRIPTION WATER BODIES ARE HARMED by an increase in total dissolved solids (TDS) content, rendering them unfit for human consumption. TDS levels in drinking water should not exceed 500 mg/L per Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. Therefore, to reduce TDS from their water, households and commercial facilities in the Las Vegas Valley use ionexchange-based water softeners. However, the brines from these softeners are eventually redirected into the wastewater treatment systems. Sometimes, these salts are released into Lake Mead without being removed. Lake Mead, which lies on the Colorado River, is the primary water source for many people, including Las Vegas residents. Concerns have been raised about water quality issues, such as increased TDS in waterbodies. It takes time and resources to measure TDS in the field or laboratory. Nonetheless, a connection between TDS, electrical conductance (EC), and temperature has been suggested. Water's ability to conduct an electric charge is measured Godson Ebeneezer Adeo
www.ca-nv-awwa.org 21 by EC, which is impacted by variables like temperature, ion strength, and dissolved ion concentrations, which are quantified as TDS. Solubility rates are influenced by temperature. TDS rises because of increased salt solubility brought on by elevated temperatures. It is simple and affordable to measure the EC and temperature on-site utilizing portable water quality checker devices. To create models for TDS estimation, this work consequently combines EC and temperature data as well as machine learning approaches. In the study, artificial neural networks (ANN), linear regressors, and support vector machines (SVM) were all utilized. The obtained results demonstrate a significant potential for estimating TDS using EC and temperature, with recorded coefficients of determination (R2) > 80%, mean absolute error (MAE) < 21 mg/L, and root mean square error (RMSE) < 35 mg/L. This study, therefore, provides water industry players with a cost-effective approach for TDS estimation in water bodies. Godson Ebenezer Adjo is a doctoral candidate in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is passionate about leadership, service, and mentorship and hope for the opportunity to impact knowledge through mentorship and making the society a better place. FUTURE PLANS Godson’s overarching future career goal is to lead efforts in providing solutions to many water-related issues including but not limited to incapacitating hydrologic and hydraulic control systems, water qualityrelated issues, shortage, and scarcity. His ultimate aim for the future is to ensure he does my part in helping deprived communities get access to good drinking water and there is improvement in drinking water systems. ANNABEL MUNG Third Place Poster Winner POSTER DESCRIPTION HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM (Cr(VI)) is a human carcinogen that naturally occurs in groundwater sources worldwide. The EPA regulates total chromium (Cr(III) and Cr(VI)) at 100 μg/L in drinking water. As of March 21, 2022, California has drafted a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for Cr(VI) at 10 μg/L; this standard is expected to go into effect in early 2024. In order for many utilities in California to be able to meet this MCL, development of economical Cr(VI) treatment solutions is essential. Nanoscale zero valent iron (NZVI) is a promising solution for removal of Cr(VI) from water. Due to aggregation and fast oxidation, NZVI can be synthesized on supporting materials including ion exchange resin. Past work has shown increased removal of Cr(VI) in batch experiments using NZVI supported on ion exchange resin. This study examines synthesis, stability, and regenerability of NZVI supported on anion exchange resin for trace Cr(VI) removal from drinking water. We synthesized NZVI on a strong base anion exchange resin; briefly, tetrachloroferrate ion, FeCl4-, was exchanged on the resin and then reduced to NZVI by sodium borohydride, NaBH4. Important SC23 POSTER WINNERS
22 SOURCE spring 2023 variables included molar concentrations of reagents, solvent, heat, an inert environment, and vacuum drying time. For example, solvent selection and rinsing protocols maintain iron redox state during synthesis and prevent off-gassing from residual borohydride. The stability of NZVI-impregnated resin was tested by exposing it to oxygenated water, air, and synthetic groundwater solutions containing Cr(VI). To quantify stability, we performed material characterization techniques (e.g., SEM-EDS and XPS), verifying NZVI presence, shape, and iron percentage on SC23 POSTER WINNERS the resin. We will determine regeneration potential of the hybrid resin in a lab-scale fixed-bed column set-up in high sulfate waters with 100 mg/L SO42- and 100 µg/L Cr(VI) to simulate removal of trace chromium in conditions where traditional strong base anion exchange is challenging. We will further evaluate the stability of the NZVI-impregnated resin after loading and regeneration using characterization techniques to evaluate oxidation and possible reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) within the resin. This work presents a broad assessment of the material characteristics of resin-supported NZVI and its practicality in light of the recent California drafted MCL for Cr(VI). Annabel Mun is a second-year research-based master's student (graduating August 2023) at the University of Colorado Boulder. FUTURE PLANS Annabel will start a job as Environmental Design Engineer at JVA, Inc. in Boulder, Colorado, in September. S Anabel Mung
www.ca-nv-awwa.org 23 One of my main accomplishments has been developing strategies to mitigate bromate formation in water reuse. Bromate is a byproduct of the ozonation process used in water treatment, and its presence in drinking water can be harmful to human health. My work has helped to minimize the formation of bromate and ensure that the drinking water produced is safe for consumption. In addition to my work on bromate mitigation, I’ve also designed strategies to minimize the formation of haloacetonitriles and remove their precursors. Haloacetonitriles are disinfection byproducts that can form when disinfectant is added to water during the treatment process. This innovative approach has helped to reduce the formation of these harmful byproducts and protect public health. I have also been involved in the removal of disinfection byproducts from distribution systems, which is crucial for ensuring that the water delivered to consumers is of the highest quality. I have evaluated the performance of granular activated carbon and ozone biofilters to remove volatile organic carbon (VOC) past the reverse osmosis system. This work has contributed significantly to the understanding of how to remove disinfection byproducts from water distribution systems and management of VOCs that can’t be removed by reverse osmosis. Another area where I have excelled is in establishing strategies to bridge the gaps in direct potable water reuse. This is an emerging area of water treatment and reuse that has the potential to revolutionize the way we manage our water resources for reuse. My work has been instrumental in developing new strategies for treating and reusing wastewater, which has the potential to provide a reliable source of drinking water for communities. Beyond work on water projects, also I’ve been teaching at the University of South Africa, where he has been helping students solve complex puzzles and formulate solutions to current and future problems. His passion for education and mentoring the next generation of water professionals has been evident in this work, and the contributions to the field have been recognized by my peers. In conclusion, my endeavors since being awarded the Academic Achievement Winner last year have been remarkable. My work at SNWA has helped to improve the quality of drinking water in the United States, and my research on water treatment and reuse has far-reaching implications for the environment and public health. Dedication to education and mentoring has also been a significant contribution to the field, and this work will continue to inspire the next generation of water professionals. S ACADEMIC ACHEIVEMENT WINNER Where Are They Now? 2022 CA-NV SECTION ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT WINNER G.W. KAJJUMBA MY NAME IS G.W. KAJJUMBA. I am the Academic Achievement Winner of the California Nevada Section. I have been making great strides in his career since graduating. After receiving the prestigious award, I started working at the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA). My primary focus has been on developing and enhancing water treatment and reuse projects, which have far-reaching implications for the environment and public health.
24 SOURCE spring 2023 WATER COMMUNITY TO LAUNCH WATER SECTOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THE CALIFORNIA WORKFORCE Development Board’s High Road Training Partnership program in March announced that the California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA) has received $4 million over three years to launch a multi-faceted workforce development program for the water, wastewater, and publicly owned electric utility industry. In coordination with three core convenor groups and a Statewide Advisory Council made up of partner organizations including CA-NV AWWA, CMUA will lead the program with three main components: (1) LITERATURE REVIEW AND SUPPLEMENTAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT CMUA will facilitate a literature review of existing and planned workforce surveys to determine if additional work is needed to serve members’ needs and establish a solid foundation for implementing the Program. (2) DEVELOP, PILOT AND IMPLEMENT REGIONAL CONSORTIUM Based on the needs assessment, as well as an assessment of other factors that will support success with our efforts, one area of the State will be selected for a regional consortium (similar to BAYWORK) that can connect water and wastewater utilities and POUs By Danielle Blacet-Hyden
www.ca-nv-awwa.org 25 to workers, community colleges and universities and other interested parties. We also will work with the workforce development board in the selected region to run a pilot program designed to support new entrants into the industry, focusing on underserved populations and communities. ( 3) STATEWIDE ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES The Program also will include statewide activities benefiting members including: • materials members can use for outreach and awareness of the industry. • best workforce development practices for industry utilities; and • grants for training at partner organizations like CA-NV AWWA and other stakeholders with existing training programs. CMUA and the core convenors, the California African American Water Education Foundation, Water Education for Latino Leaders, and the Jewish Vocational Service, recently selected New Ways to Work/Miguel Contreras Foundation to serve as project administrator. More information will be available in the coming months. For more information, contact Danielle Blacet-Hyden with CMUA at dblacet@cmua.org. WATER SECTOR WORKFORCE PROGRAM
26 SOURCE spring 2023 American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .american-usacom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Bay Area Coating Consultants, Inc (BCCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . bayareacoating com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Calgon Carbon Corporation, A Kuraray Company . . . . . . . . . . calgoncarbon com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . opposite inside front cover Carollo Engineers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . carollocom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 ConsorEngineers.................................... consorengcom....................................... 25 Crosno Construction, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . crosnoconstructioncom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 CSI Services, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . csiservicesbiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Diamond Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . diamondfiberglass com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Ferguson Enterprises, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ferguson com/meters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . opposite table of contents FordMeterBoxCo..................................fordmeterboxcom ..................................... 14 Haaker Equipment Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . haakercom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . inside front cover Integra Clear Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vita-d-chlorcom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 IXOM............................................ ixomwatercarecom..................................... 22 J&SValve.......................................... jandsvalvecom.......................... outsidebackcover ME Simpson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mesimpsoncom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 National Storage Tank, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nationalstoragetank com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Neptune Technology Services, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . neptunetg com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Operational Technical Services, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . getots com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Pittsburgh Tank & Tower Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pttg com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Sacramento County Oral Health Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sacountyoralhealth net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 The Trenton Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . trentoncorp com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . opposite Director's Message INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
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