News from WEF

WEF Eddy Wastewater Principles/Processes Medal Awarded to Erik Coats

Dr. Erik Coats and co-authors Zach Dobroth (Brown and Caldwell, Boise) and Cindi Brinkman (UI Environmental Engineering Research Scientist) have been selected as this year’s recipient of the WEF Eddy Wastewater Principles/Processes Medal for the paper “EBPR Using Crude Glycerol: Assessing Process Resiliency and Exploring Metabolic Anomalies.” The award presentation will be at WEFTEC 2016 in New Orleans, LA. Throughout the conference week, WEF Award recipients will be recognized in numerous ways, including the WEF Plaza Honors & Awards Display - A photograph will be featured in the honors & Awards Display, prominently located in Hall H, New Orleans Convention Center; the WEF Awards brochure - profiling all 2016 WEF Award recipients, the brochure will be placed in the hands of every WEFTEC attendee, and will be available at various locations throughout the New Orleans Convention Center; and at the WEF Awards and Presidential Reception and Ceremony – Tuesday, September 27, beginning at 4:30 p.m. in the Great Hall Foyer, New Orleans Convention Center. Dr. Coats is a long time member of PNCWA, and has served as a Conference Technical Program Chair, PNCWA President, and is the currently serving PNCWA Past President on the PNCWA Board of Directors.

WEF Launches New Water Advocates Website - Intro Webcast on September 8th

WEF has launched a new website and on-line grassroots advocacy tool for the Water Advocates program. WEF members and water sector professionals can access the website for important legislative and regulatory matters, and calls-to-action on issues impacting the water sector. The website can be accessed by using this link: http://cqrcengage.com/wef/home.

Stormwater Education Campaign

Create your own stormwater education campaign with free online resources from WEF. A series of short messages highlight actions that cause polluted stormwater runoff plus steps individuals can take to prevent this major source of water pollution. Each message is available in quarter page, half page, and full page formats sized for use on 8x1/2 x 11" , two-panel format for use as bill stuffer, and 200x400 pixel web format; they are ready for use including the WEF logo or can be customized with your own. Download free by clicking on images below and get your campaign started today! Continue Reading and download materials.

Stormwater Campaign Art is available for use by Water Environment Federation members. Non- members may obtain permission for use by contacting [email protected].

Recognizing the Future of Water

On the eve of Earth Day last month, WEF and partners NACWA, WERF, and WateReUse, with support from U.S. EPA, launched The Utility of the Future Today Recognition Program.  This exciting new program recognizes wastewater utilities on their journey to become full water resource recovery facilities with enhanced productivity, sustainability, and resiliency. The Utility of the Future Today Recognition Program celebrates the progress and exceptional performance of our nation’s wastewater utilities as they build on innovation success and address local wastewater challenges. The time has come for this recognition.
 
As president of the Water Environment Federation, I’ll admit to a certain bias when it comes to the nation’s wastewater utilities or water resource recovery facilities as they are known at WEF. They operate 24/7, 365 days a year, to protect public health and the water environment, and are so deserving of recognition for the essential role they play in cleaning water that has been flushed, drained, or entered into our systems through storm drains, and then returning it safely into our environment. Even beyond their critical daily operations, water resource recovery facilities are working toward a future that makes the most of our precious and limited water resources.
 
Whether it’s reuse of water or biosolids, recovery of energy and nutrients, energy efficiency and generation, and more, many facilities are adopting Utility of the Future (UTF) principles that support smart, sustainable, value-added service to communities nationwide. This is the future of water, and these utilities are creating it every day. The Utility of the Future Today program is an opportunity to recognize their achievements plus facilitate collaboration and continued evolution as a sector.
 
I’d encourage utilities of all sizes to apply for this very special recognition by June 17. And I’d like to applaud wastewater utilities everywhere for a job well done.

House Water Infrastructure Bill Advances

On May 25th, the House Transportation and Infrastructure passed a bipartisan $5 billion water infrastructure bill, their version of the ► Water Resources and Development Act (HR 5303).

The House bill steers clear of provisions that would expand the water infrastructure 2016 measure beyond the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works mission into assistance for drinking water systems and authorization of assistance for wastewater systems.

Proposed amendments to allow the Corps to help localities such as Flint, Mich., with drinking water systems and to reauthorize the Clean Water State Revolving Fund were offered, discussed and withdrawn.

In contrast, the $9.35 billion ► Senate bill, approved by committee April 28, would assist Flint and other areas with lead contamination and other problems in drinking water systems, and includes a Sense of the Senate provision which cited the ► findings of the WEF/WateReuse analysis.

Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) expressed her hope that a conference would follow the initiative of the Senate bill by assisting drinking water and wastewater systems.

The bill  would authorize 29 feasibility studies and four substantial project modifications.

On May 10th, a group of water associations, including WEF, sent a letter to Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), Chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Ranking Member for the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH), Chair of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, and Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Ranking Member for the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment to encourage them to consider including specific language in their Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) for 2016.

Specifically, the letter asks these leaders to include a provision in WRDA that will require increased coordination between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and municipalities and will encourage local and federal officials to manage water as one resource with multiple purposes.  The suggested language is as follows:

“sec. xxx.—INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES PLANNING. In carrying out a water resources development feasibility study, the Secretary shall coordinate with local governments in the watershed area covered by such study to determine if local or regional water management plans exist or are under development for the purposes of stormwater management, water quality improvement, aquifer recharge, or water reuse. When such local or regional water management plans do exist in the watershed, the Secretary, in cooperation with the non-federal sponsor and affected local public entities, shall seek opportunities for mutually beneficial management of water resources.”

To read the full letter, click ► here.  This request was included in the manager's amendment during the bill mark-up.  A floor date has not yet been set for the House bill. Senate EPW Chairman Jim Inhofe expects the bill to be brought to the floor in the Senate in June or early July.

Infrastructure Week 2016 Showed Why #InfrastructureMatters

Infrastructure Week 2016 began across the nation on May 16th and will continued to run through May 23rd.  This national, annual week of events helped to elevate infrastructure as a critical issue impacting all Americans.  

There were multiple ways to get involved this year from planning an event to writing to Congress, writing an op-ed, hosting a field trip, and much, much more.  This was also a great opportunity to engage the next generation. 

On May 16th, WEF Members attended a kick-off event on Monday morning which included equal or superior focus on water infrastructure vs. other kinds of infrastructure. May 18th was Infrastructure Advocacy Day and Building America’s Future Co-Chair Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA) started the day by pointing out the high percentage of state initiatives to improve infrastructure that are approved by voters.

The briefing included remarks from all four of Infrastructure Week’s Congressional Co-Chairs: Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Sen. Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV), Rep. Garett Graves (R-LA), and Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY). Each Member of Congress took a few minutes to talk about why #InfrastructureMatters and highlighted the important work Infrastructure Week and its participants are doing.

The theme for 2016 was "Infrastructure Matters."  PNCWA tweeted why #InfrastrucureMatters to us, we hope you did too.

WEFTEC Wants to Celebrate Your Ingenious Fixes

WEFTEC 2016 will host the Fifth Annual Ingenuity Contest. This competition recognizes that some innovations come not from a research lab but from the need to tackle a persistent problem with nothing more than the materials at hand and a hearty dose of ingenuity with a tweak here or a little fix there.

WEFTEC will showcase these imaginative, inventive, and effective ways you’ve found to overcome those pesky problems. Selected inventors will be invited to give 10-minute presentations. The competition is open to all clever ideas related to treatment processes, collection systems, laboratory practices, stormwater, administration, human resources, you name it. The bottom line: Even if you’re not sure that your innovation qualifies, submit it. Even if you can’t come to WEFTEC, please submit your idea as we will share them with lots of people!

So, throw together a roughly 1-page description of the problem you faced and the fix you found. If your invention or idea can be photographed, snap a picture and include that. Submitters do not have to write a full WEFTEC paper. What you provide in your submission is all that is needed in writing. The ► Ingenuity Content submission portal is open now until May 26, 2016. Questions? Email us at ►  [email protected].

Recognizing Stormwater Management Achievements

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) launched a program this year to recognize communities for high-performing stormwater management efforts. Mark Doneux of the Capitol Region Watershed District and WEF’s Pallavi Raviprakash discuss the achievements of the US award-winning communities, including the overall winners the City of Charlotte, North Carolina and City of Fairbanks, Alaska. WEF recognized the City of Tacoma for its innovative approach to addressing contamination stemming from its industrial past. ► Continue reading (see page 16-17)

Water Environment Federation Announces White House Water Commitments

WEF Executive Director Eileen O’Neill to attend today’s White House Water Summit in Washington, DC

In celebration of ► World Water Day, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) announces its participation in today’s ► White House Water Summit and specific contributions to this long-term effort. The White House is hosting a special water summit from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EDT to raise awareness of the national importance of water, and to highlight new commitments and announcements that the Administration and non-federal institutions are making to build a sustainable water future.

The Summit, which builds on a ► December 15, 2015 White House Roundtable on Water Innovation and other Administration activities, will bring together more than 200 representatives from federal, state, regional, local and tribal levels, and from other stakeholder groups, to discuss and advance progress in this important area.

As part of this effort, the White House issued a call-to-action for individuals, organizations, and institutions from all sectors to take new, specific, and measurable steps to address key water issues, such as drought or flooding; water availability or quality; water-use efficiency; water security; ecosystem requirements; or others. As a recognized leader in the water sector, WEF was an invited participant in the December meeting and submitted three commitments for consideration, of which the following two were accepted:

Commitment #1: National Green Infrastructure Certification Program (NGICP)

As announced in early February, WEF and DC Water are developing the NGICP to promote a skilled green infrastructure workforce and help support community-based job creation in U.S. cities. The program will provide certifications to individuals performing the installation, inspection, and maintenance of GI as having the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to support long-term performance and sustainability of GI systems, which can help reduce combined sewer overflows and provide triple-bottom-line benefits. The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, and other TBA partners, will help WEF implement and advance the certification in communities across the country. The first certifications are expected in January 2017.

Commitment #2: The Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology (LIFT) Water Reuse Focus Area and Water Reuse Roadmap

As a joint initiative by WEF and the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF), LIFT helps accelerate water sector innovation. WEF and WERF are announcing the launch of a new LIFT Technology Focus Area on Water Reuse, which will establish a new network of water users identifying, evaluating, and demonstrating innovative technologies to help improve the effectiveness and reduce the costs of water reuse. The two organizations will also collaborate with WateReuse on implementing the new Focus Area. As a separate but related effort, WEF will also release a new Water Reuse Roadmap at WEFTEC 2016 in September to promote water reuse—specifically recovering resources from wastewater—as an important part of a diverse and resilient water management strategy.

“WEF is honored to be working in collaboration with our nation’s leaders, our water sector colleagues, and many stakeholders from across the country to explore and advance resilient and sustainable water management strategies that work for us today and protect our water for the future,” said WEF Executive Director Eileen O’Neill. “We are excited and encouraged by the increased awareness of the value and importance of water and the very real steps we are taking together to make it a national priority.”

The White House Water Summit will be live streamed at ► www.whitehouse.gov/live. To learn more about this effort, please read the ► Working Together to Build a Sustainable Water Future Fact Sheet. For a complete summary of commitments, please read the ► Commitments to Action on Building a Sustainable Water Future.

WEFTEC Wants to Celebrate Your Ingenious Fixes

WEFTEC 2016 will host the Fifth Annual Ingenuity Contest. This competition recognizes that some innovations come not from a research lab but from the need to tackle a persistent problem with nothing more than the materials at hand and a hearty dose of ingenuity with a tweak here or a little fix there.

WEFTEC will showcase these imaginative, inventive, and effective ways you’ve found to overcome those pesky problems. Selected inventors will be invited to give 10-minute presentations. The competition is open to all clever ideas related to treatment processes, collection systems, laboratory practices, stormwater, administration, human resources, you name it. The bottom line: Even if you’re not sure that your innovation qualifies, submit it. Even if you can’t come to WEFTEC, please submit your idea as we will share them with lots of people!

So, throw together a roughly 1-page description of the problem you faced and the fix you found. If your invention or idea can be photographed, snap a picture and include that. Submitters do not have to write a full WEFTEC paper. What you provide in your submission is all that is needed in writing.

The Ingenuity Content submission portal is open now until May 26, 2016.

Questions? Email us at  [email protected].

Getting Passionate About Water and Jobs

by Paul Bowen, WEF President


Recently I participated in the Young Professionals (YP) Summit sponsored by WEF/AWWA and held in conjunction with the Utility Management Conference.  Not only did I have the chance to interact with YPs, I also had the privilege of talking with numerous veterans of our military.  These young men and women, who have served our country, were eager to make connections in our industry.  As I mingled among the YPs and veterans, I found both groups wanting to engage in conversation and more than willing to talk about their goals and dreams. For each it’s an exciting time in their lives as they start to look to their future, and the whole experience seemed to tie in with ► World Water Day on March 22-- the 2016 theme is Water and Jobs.

Both YPs and veterans are part of future of water and the water industry.  Without the influx of these talented individuals our profession will continue to lose more than it gains.  While they offer different skill sets, different levels of experience, and a broad range of perspectives, all share a passion for water.  That passion will fuel them as their careers develop and move in different directions.

Without vision, passion is wasted.  One of our tasks as seasoned professionals is to support those entering our field to develop their vision for a future in water.  Our experiences help us provide guidance around the directions available for those with passion for the water environment.  We can help these young water professionals chart the course to their vision.

Passion provides the fuel and vision sets the direction, but one needs discipline to withstand the challenges a new career brings.  This trait comes from within the individual.  As I talked with both YPs and veterans, I was struck by the discipline many of them have exhibited so far in their young careers.  Many have faced numerous challenges in getting their education and first job, yet they continue to work toward greater challenges and strive for professional growth.

The water industry has always been a place where such talented and passionate YPs and veterans could find a job and develop a career.  Let’s continue to welcome these individuals to our field and provide the support they need to become lifelong water professionals and ensure the future of water.

WEF Awards Accepting Nominations Until April 1

It’s awards season time at WEF. WEF is now accepting nominations for their annual awards program through April 1st.
Visit the Awards and Recognition webpage at ►www.wef.org/awards and download the nomination form (the form is typically 1 page, length of applications can vary, each award provides instructions, including required background material).

If you know an amazing individual or utility – there is a WEF award that is perfect for them. Help recognize their passion, hard work and achievements by nominating them today.

WEF Awards and Recognition Improvements for 2016
The Awards and Recognition Committee and a Board Appointed Task Force recently implemented several improvements to help make the WEF awards program even stronger and brighter.
The improvements include two new awards this year:
1.  WEF Project Excellence Award – Recognizes excellence and innovation in the execution of projects and programs (recognition is available for several utilities)
2.  WEF Water Heroes Award – Recognizes a person or utility who performed duties above and beyond the call of duty during an emergency situation (individuals do not need to be WEF members.
In addition, the WEF Stormwater MS4 Award unveiled at WEFTEC in Chicago last year will become an annual WEF award and the selection panel will become a standing Awards subcommittee.
Know a group of outstanding Water Heroes? An outstanding project? A local agency achieving great things in stormwater? Please take a moment to nominate them before the April 1st deadline. All the info you need is at ►www.wef.org/awards.

Individual Service and Contribution Awards
*   Camp Applied Research
*   Emerson Distinguished Service
*   Engelbrecht International Achievement
*   Honorary Membership
*   Outstanding Young Water Environment Professional
*   Public Officials
*   Ralph Fuhrman Medal for Outstanding Water Quality Academic-Practice Collaboration
*   Wesley Eckenfelder Industrial Water Quality Lifetime Achievement
*   Water Heroes
Education Awards
*   WEF Canham Graduate Studies Scholarship
*   Fair Distinguished Engineering Educator
*   Media & Public Education
*   Public Communication & Outreach Program
Organization and Association Recognition Awards
*   Citation of Excellence in Advertising
*   Member Association Excellence
*   Member Association Safety
Operational and Design Excellence Awards
*   Collection Systems
*   Industrial Water Quality Achievement
*   Innovative Technology
*   Morgan Operational Solutions
*   Schroepfer Innovative Facility Design
*   Water Quality Improvement
*   WEF Project Excellence
*   WEF Safety
Published Papers
*   Collection Systems Published Contributions
*   Eddy Wastewater Principles/Processes
*   Gascoigne Wastewater Treatment Plant Operational Improvement
*   McKee Groundwater Protection, Restoration, or Sustainable Use
*   Rudolfs Industrial Waste Management