Overview
As we all know, water is a resource that is always needed, especially in drought-ridden areas. Public water systems ensure that our communities have safe and potable drinking water available year-round.
This course will introduce and review how water is used, protected, conveyed, and metered in our public water systems. The instructors will review the basics of water supply and demand, water distribution, drinking water treatment, regulatory and environmental compliance and more.
This thorough overview of the complete public water system will be of great value to new employees or anyone needing a comprehensive refresher.
Learning Outcomes
- Explain basic industry terms, definitions, and calculations
- Describe and calculate how revenue is generated and collected
- Illustrate how water is delivered to the customer
- Cultivate community partnerships that improve access to and availability of safe drinking water
- Identify strategies for water treatment and protection
- Comply with local, state, and federal regulations pertaining to public water
Agenda
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2023
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Central Time
History of Public Water Systems
- When public systems were developed
- Why public systems were developed
- Water Right
- Adjudicated
- Prescriptive
- Pueblo
- Appropriative
- Supply vs. Demand
- Transmission
- Conveyance
- Sources of Supply
- Ground
- Ground water under the influence of surface water
- Surface
Organizational and Legal Structure
- Definition of a water system
- Public
- Water Districts
- Water Agency
- Mutual Water Utilities (owned by property owner)
- Municipal Water Utilities
- Selling to Board and Customers
- Investor-Owned Water Company
- Regulator relations
- Investor relations
- Private water wells
- Others
Business Administration
- Strategic Plan
- Mission, Vision, and Values
- Goals
- Measures
- Accountability
- Transparent
- Master Plan
- Short term and long-term solutions
- Partnerships with local government/utilities in cost sharing
- Aging infrastructure
Business Operations
Distribution
- Distribution crews and field crews, resource management & support systems
- Planned work and emergency work
- Keep operations working during and after emergencies
- GIS and Line Locating operations
- Back flow prevention
- Meter reading; meter testing, types of meters
- Meters are the cash register for the Utility
- Testing program administration
- Accurate meters are a necessity for the Water Utility and Customer
- Must have the proper meter type for the application
- A meter testing program and meter change out program are necessary
- Benefits of an Automated Meter Infrastructure
- Types of devices for various applications
Operating and Capital Needs
- Rate Increases
- Account Receivables Management
- Collection and Revenue
- Percentage of collection
- Rate of water loss
Treatment
- Primacy agencies
- Technologies
- GAC, microfiltration, UV, aeration, ion separation
- Conventional
- Direct Filtration
- Fluoride
- Pharmaceuticals
- Potential Contaminants List
Customer Categories
- Residential; Commercial; Industrial
- Impact on the overall System
- Rate structure
Customer Service
- Customer assistance program
- Public Information and Education
- Website
- Social Media
Staffing
- In-house and Contract work
- Stand-by crews
THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2023
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Central Time
Community Partnership
- Communicating with customers and other stakeholders
- Citizens Water Academy, conveying mission
- Community events
- Working relationships with Environmental groups
Regulatory Requirements
- Health and Safety
- Importance in protecting public system
Safe Drinking Act (and its Reauthorization)
- Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- Emergency Response and Recovery Program (ERRP)
- Emergency Operations Center
- Crisis Communications
- Drinking Water Regulations
Instructors
Jacqueline Glover, Retired, San Gabriel Valley Water Company
Jacqueline Glover served as the Supplier Diversity Program Manager for San Gabriel Valley Water Company, with over 30 years of experience working with public water systems before retiring. Mrs. Glover has developed Public and Media Relations strategies, and has planned, budgeted, implemented, monitored and reported for a utility supplier diversity program. Mrs. Glover aided as the Public Information Officer for her water utility during her career, as well.
During her time at Park Water Company (now Liberty Utilities), Jacqueline was also a writer and editor the utility customer newsletter. She has completed FEMA Emergency Management Institute’s IS-00100.PWa, Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS-200.a, ICS for Single Resources & Initial Action Incidents training courses. Also, Mrs. Glover has finished the Texas Engineering Extension Service and the US Department of Homeland Security’s Public Information in a Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism Incident training courses.
Jacqueline is the co-author of Plain Talk About Drinking Water, Fifth Edition. She is one of the 10 principal developers of the AWWA Standard Communications and Customer Relations. Mrs. Glover was the 2002-2003 Chair of the California-Nevada Section American Water Works Association (AWWA) and a past chair of the Communication & Customer Relations Committee. She is a former member of the AWWA Public Affairs Council and an AWWA QualServe Peer Reviewer. Jacqueline is also one of a selected group of professional presenters featured in the AWWA internationally broadcast and commercially produced for sale video-teleconference “Customer Service for Water Utilities: Best Practices That Work”.
Daniel Marquez, Water Treatment Operator, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Daniel Marquez is a native of Southern California, and he has been working in the public water system industry for 22 years. At the start of his career, Daniel was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to operate a GAC facility under the license of an experienced operator. Daniel then moved to an agency in the San Gabriel Valley where he gained the experience as a journeyman operator. After that, he became a lead Water Operator for the City of La Verne, CA and later a supervisor for Rubio Cañon Land and Water Association (a small mutual in Altadena, CA). Daniel is now a Water Treatment Operator for the Los Angeles Aqueduct Filtration Plant (LAAFP) with a Letter of Agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Works (IBEW Local 18) and LADWP management to facilitate safety training to the Water Section. Daniel is a seasoned water operator, both on the administrative and operational sides of the water public water industry.