Good folks,

I wanted to write about a “hot topic” this month.

Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) are a roadmap used to document the plan for a utility to maintain, expand, and repair their assets. Whether your utility has a long-established practice of creating a CIP or you're just starting out, join us for a panel discussion and learning hour to discuss with your peers what they have learned about creating a CIP. We have two amazing speakers that are creating CIPs in real-time. Both Vanessa and Jeff are Capital Program Managers within their respective utilities who have been involved from the beginning of creating a CIP program and evolving them over time. The UMC is also creating a shared location where we can post examples of CIPs, and tools used in creating them.

Date & Time: December 6, 2023 @ Noon to 1 PM
Panel Speakers: Vanessa Johnson Clark Regional Wastewater District, Jeff Stallard Clackamas Water Environment Services 

Register Today

The Student and Young Professional will be hosting a site visit to the Chehalis wastewater treatment facility. Date of visit: October 19th  (Thursday) Location: 420 NW Louisiana Avenue, Chehalis, WA 98532 Start time of site visit: 12 pm  I hope to see you there. There will be a sign-up list going out, but if you don't see one by 10/13, please feel free to send me an email at [email protected] to let me know you are able to attend.

There are several proposed updates to the WEF Bylaws which have been reviewed and approved by the Bylaws Subcommittee, the Governance Committee, and the WEF Board of Trustees. These changes are related to the Board Committees, including formalizing the Ethics Committee, removing the WEFTEC Advisory Committee, and shifting existing Subcommittees to Committees; as well as adjustments to the text related to the Member Engagement Transformation (MET). As is stated in the House of Delegates (HOD) Policies and Procedures, these changes are to be shared with Member Associations prior to the vote and approval of these changes by the HOD. The HOD will officially vote to confirm these changes at a virtual meeting later this Fall. See attached to review a markup and clean copy of the WEF Bylaws.

Questions? Please contact WEF Staff Kelsey Hurst.

This fall PNCWA is launching Communities of Practice (CoP). CoPs are affiliated groups of committees, formed to spark collaboration and engagement among our committees and members. Each CoPs will be led by an association board member liaison that will coordinate quarterly meetings and facilitate CoP activities. Formation of the CoPs was a strategic priority of 2022-2023 Association President Lara Kammereck. Development of the CoP concept and structure is a result of committee collaboration during the joint Board and Committee Chair meeting in January 2023. Based on this work, PNCWA has formed the following CoPs:

• Engagement CoP
• Professional Development CoP
• Management and Operations CoP
• Science and Regulation CoP

Use the following link to review the CoP charter, CoP committee groupings, and board liaisons. PNCWA is excited to introduce this new program and support the passionate work of the association’s committees!

Attend PNCWA2023

Why Attend?

Cutting-Edge Technical Session: The conference schedule includes an impressive lineup of technical sessions where you can learn from experts and industry leaders. Discover the latest advancements in wastewater treatment, stormwater management, and water quality improvements. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a newcomer, these technical sessions are designed to enrich your knowledge and equip you with valuable insights.

We’re excited to have double the size of the cohort compared to 2022! Please look out for these early career professionals at the upcoming conference!

Juliana Andrade Student at Seattle University

If you’re looking to learn more about wastewater treatment for Spokane County or meet other water professionals in the Spokane area, please join us for a tour of the Spokane County Regional Water Reclamation Facility followed by a social gathering at the nearby No-Li Brewhouse on July 27, 2023. Enjoy a complimentary beverage of your choice, courtesy the PNCWA Students and Young Professionals.

The tour will begin at 3 pm and the social will start around 5 pm. Feel free to come to both or just stop by for either part. If you’re interested, please sign up here – registration is free for everyone!

By: Tarelle Osborn, Principal & President, Osborn Consulting, and Deepa Mungasavalli, Practice Lead, Transportation Drainage, Osborn Consulting

Will my Roadway or Bridge Project require more Stormwater Treatment Facilities than planned?

I am passionate about assuring a healthy environment for future generations. I want my children’s children to enjoy Larsen Lake in Bellevue, Washington, on the Lake Hills Greenbelt Trail, as much as I have for the past 25 years with my own family.

I am beyond thrilled this year for the PNCWA2023 Technical Program, where we will be Catalyzing a Sound Future for Water together in Tacoma, WA through site tours and over 140 technical presentations. We are also excited to continue our partnership with WateREuse, who will be hosting a full day of Water Reuse focused presentations on Monday! While some things are far too great to change, like the caliber of people you’ll interact with at PNCWA each year, I’d like to share some of the exciting changes our team has been working toward to shape a more positive experience related to the PNCWA2023 technical program.

Abstract Review and Selection. For the first time, we implemented a double-blind review process for abstracts, removing the authors and represented companies for the scoring process. We did this to support a more equitable process for scoring and selection of abstracts, and we believe it made a positive impact on the diversity of speakers and content in our Technical Program!

The PNCWA Annual Conference is less than 10 weeks away and registration is officially open! Early bird pricing ends on July 27th, so be sure to take advantage of the discounted registration fees if you are a PNCWA member. Not a member? Now is a great time to consider joining! Click here (link to: https://pncwa.memberclicks.net/about-membership) to find out more about becoming a member.

PNCWA2023 has a lot to offer in addition to the incredible technical program assembled by Kristi Steiner and her team! For those of you who arrive on Sunday, the PNCWA Water for People Committee will be hosting a fun run in the late morning and the Stormwater Committee is organizing a service project that will start shortly after the conclusion of the run. What a great way to enjoy the beautiful late summer weather in the Northwest alongside your water colleagues! Register for the 5K and/or service project here.

Seeking Membership Feedback

The Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association is governed by a Constitution and Bylaws. From time to time, changes are needed to these documents. In these instances, the Constitution and Bylaws (C&B) Committee recommends changes to the Board and the membership.

The Stormwater Committee will be hosting a Service Event on Sunday, September 10, 2023.

Come join us the Sunday before the Tacoma PNCWA Conference for a clean-up event at Point Defiance Park! Lunch will be provided around noon and the service event will kick off at 1:30 pm. Transportation will also be provided.

West Central Operators Section

 

 

If you’re looking to learn more about wastewater treatment for Spokane County or meet other water professionals in the Spokane area, please join us for a tour of the Spokane County Regional Water Reclamation Facility followed by a social gathering at the nearby No-Li Brewhouse on June 22, 2023.

The tour will begin at 3 pm and the social will start around 5 pm. Feel free to come to both or just stop by for either part. If you’re interested, please sign up here – registration is free to PNCWA members and $5 for non-members.

2023 PNCWA Awards Program

The WAVE program engages students and emerging professionals from diverse backgrounds with the water industry through a series of workshops and attendance at the 2023 PNCWA conference. The workshops focus on the various paths within the water industry, networking, skills development, employment opportunities, and conference preparation. Each month until the conference, we will highlight our participants.

WATER WEEK 2023 | APRIL 23-29