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President's Message November 2022

lara kammereckAutumn in the Pacific Northwest is a gorgeous season where leaves turn golden, the rain returns, and the weather cools. It’s also the time of year when the PNCWA board starts budget planning for 2023. We like to start the new calendar year with an approved budget that provides a roadmap of the activities for the coming year and the celebration of our annual conference in September.

We have begun reaching out to our committee chairs to finalize their goals, objectives, and work plans for 2023, including budget requests due by mid-November. The PNCWA board will review these requests, ensure they align with the Association’s strategic plan, and use them to create our budget framework. If you have any questions, please contact Marie Schmidt, our new Managing Director, at [email protected]. We appreciate the extra effort to keep our budget timeline on track and set our committees up for success in the coming year.

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Submit Your Application for the 2023 InFLOW Program

InFLOW logo

In 2019, the Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association (PNCWA) launched a program called InFLOW (Introducing Future Leaders to Opportunities in Water): an initiative that strives to identify promising students and young professionals from underrepresented minority groups who are interested in careers in the water industry. PNCWA is continuing in its mission to change the face of the water industry and help build a more diverse and inclusive world.

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Fundraiser for Water For People

Water For People

If you were unable to join the Run For Water at our recent PNCWA conference or are just itching to get another opportunity to sweat in support of Water For People, join us for the World Water Classic 6/60K! On average, women and girls in developing countries walk 6K each day to fetch water to use for drinking, bathing, and cooking. You can help change that by running or walking 6K, biking 60K, or getting creative! Sign up now to move any time between October 7-16 and join the PNCWA group during registration. We will be coordinating meetups so you can get together with your PNCWA colleagues. Keep an eye on the PNCWA LinkedIn page for more information, or click here to register today.

President's Message September 2022

lara kammereckIt’s with great honor, gratitude, and excitement that I write my first message to you as president of PNCWA’s board of directors. As I accept this torch from Rob Lee, I’m reminded of the values and objectives that drew me to this community and the gratifying time I’ve spent in its service, all of which underscore the significance of my new responsibilities to you.

I joined PNCWA fifteen years ago. My time with the association has been marked by learning experiences and meaningful relationships formed through various committees and special initiatives, and, in 2018, I joined the board as secretary. Throughout these years, I’ve also served as a senior project manager in the Seattle area for Carollo Engineers, a role that has put me face-to-face with the challenges and opportunities PNCWA explores through collaboration, innovation, and exchange as well as the influence of our contributions toward providing clean water and securing healthy watersheds.

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PNCWA2022 By the Numbers

spokane

What a fantastic turnout at PNCWA 2022! We exceeded our attendance and sponsorship goals, brought back the Ops Challenge, toured treatment plants, learned about some of the latest technologies and innovations, and networked with water experts, all along the shores of the beautiful Spokane River. We would like to sincerely thank our sponsors, exhibitors, presenters, conference planners, and attendees for making the conference an overwhelming success!

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Clean Water SRF & Funding Options Webinar

webinar

Please join the PNCWA Government Affairs Committee for a webinar on everyone’s favorite — clean water funding! Join us at 10 a.m. PST on Wednesday, October 5, 2022. Learn how to join on the day of below.

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2022 Award Winners

The Awards Committee highlights the achievements and dedication of the people in this industry. Each year, the committee relies on your nominations, and when the awards are given, we need your help in getting the word out to local media and stakeholders. These award recipients have done great work, which should be recognized outside of our association, especially since the benefits extend to everyone.

 Award  Recipient
 Arthur Sidney Bedell Award (WEF-PNCWA Award)  Mark Poling, Clean Water Services
 George W. Burke, Jr. Award (WEF–PNCWA Award)  City of Vancouver, WA (Jacobs)
 Laboratory Analyst Excellence Award (WEF–PNCWA Award)  Kayla Brown, Jacobs (Vancouver Project)
 William D. Hatfield Award (WEF–PNCWA Award)  Justine Abrook, Clean Water Services
 Individual Distinguished Achievement Award (PNCWA Award)  Aaron Camp, Coeur d'Alene, ID
 Lyman Ketcham Award (PNCWA Award)  Jeff Schmidt, Jacobs
 Municipal Water Protection Award (PNCWA Award)  Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station, King County, WA
 Sustainability Award (PNCWA)  Tri-City Solids Handling Capacity Improvements (Clackamas WES, OR)
 Innovative Stormwater Award (PNCWA)  Butternut Creek, Clean Water Services
 Stormwater Professional Excellence Award (PNCWA)  shhh, it's a secret
 Outstanding Young Water Environment Professional of the Year (PNCWA)  Jamie Hughes, Clean Water Services
 Woman of the Year (PNCWA)  Laurie Pierce, Pierce County, WA
 Excellence in Resource Recovery Award  Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission Renewable Natural Gas (Eugene-Springfield, OR)
 Watermark  The Watershed Vision Book, City of Boise, ID

Meet the 2022 InFLOW Participants

InFLOW is a PNCWA initiative that strives to identify promising students and young professionals from underrepresented groups who are interested in careers in the water industry. They participate in a year-long virtual program that culminates in the in-person annual conference. Each month, we highlight our participants, like Katelin Godwin, as they share why they’re excited about this year’s program.

Kate GodwinKatelin Godwin
Jacobs

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Government Affairs Update August 2022

gov't updatePFAS, Biosolids, and Drinking Water
As the waste industry awaits new federal guidance, states are developing regulations and laws on how to manage PFAS in everything from packaging to clothing to biosolids. Learn more.

State governments have adopted new PFAS regulations, increasingly targeting contamination of biosolids and wastewater. Learn more.

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A Message From Your Managing Director

marie schmidtHello! I am thrilled and honored to join PNCWA as Managing Director. I will be taking on day-to-day operations of the organization with the support of Association Management Inc. (AMI), so that PNCWA leadership can focus on strategic priorities.

Water has always been a fascination of mine, as I’m sure it’s been for you. I have a bachelor's degree in environmental science and a master's degree in water resources, both from University of Idaho. Over the last decade, I worked for the University of Idaho in the Coeur d’Alene Community Water Resource Center providing water outreach throughout north Idaho. I am excited to shift my attention to a broader audience throughout Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. I bring extensive experience in community education, collaborative partnerships, and project management to this position, and I am eager to work with all of you in PNCWA’s commitment to sustain healthy watersheds for future generations.

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President's Message August 2022

Rob LeeAs I write this, we’re less than a month away from our conference. We have around 500 people registered, including many folks who weren’t able to attend last year and a number of new attendees. It’s going to be awesome!

But I also write this with some sadness, as this marks the last official President’s message before my term ends. I’m grateful to our membership who entrusted me with the incredible honor and tremendous responsibility of serving as Board President. I’m so incredibly proud of our Association, our board, our committee chairs and volunteers, our regions and sections. There is so much great work going on, more than any single person could possibly fathom.

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A New Way to Visit the Exhibit Hall

exhibition

Exhibit Hall tours are a great way to learn about solution providers featured at the conference this year. The tours will place during the Exhibit Hall breaks on Tuesday morning (9:30 to 10:15 a.m.) and afternoon (2:45 to 3:30 p.m.). Check the technical program at the conference for the final schedule, meeting location, and CEU eligibility. A preliminary list of vendors is provided on our website, and the Emerging Technologies Committee extends our gratitude to all the exhibitors who showed interest in participating. See the list of participating companies below.

Preliminary Exhibit Hall Tours

Tour Category Technology Manufacturer
Pumping Systems ABS Contrablock Plus Sulzer
  Barnes Envie3 Chopper Pump Barnes
  Hidrostal Screw Centrifugal and Prerostal Hidrostal
  Hydromatic Grinder pumps Hydromatic
  Pump Monitoring Tools Fluke

Collection Systems CIPM (cured-in-place manhole)
fiberglass/PVC liners
CIP Construction Technologies
  SL-RAT: Sewer Line Rapid Assessment Tool InfoSense
  Triton+ Flow Monitor and ECHO level monitor ADS Environmental
  Magnesium Hydroxide (ALKA-Mag+) IER
  Sherwin-Williams Linings/Coatings Sherwin-Williams

Stormwater
Management
    
StormSensor StormSensor
   stormBLOX™ SiC Rapid Storm Treatment
Technology
Ovivo
   ADS Triton+ Flow Monitor and ADS ECHO
level monitor
ADS Environmental
   KSB KRT and Amarex product line KSB
   Storm King Hydro International

Treatment     Duron UV Technology Wedeco/Xylem
  Packaged Treatment Systems AWC Solutions
  GritCleanse™ fluidized bed grit washer Hydro International
  ABS HST Turbocompressor Technology Sulzer
  Blue Wale Micro Bar Screen Or-Tec

Solids
Management
    
Omnivore High Solids Digestion Anaergia
  Electro-osmosis dewatering ELODE
  Biosolids Treatment Technologies Ovivo
  Fournier Rotary Press Fournier
  Prestressed Concrete Modified Egg
Digesters
DN Tanks

Emerging
Technologies
    
Ozzy Cup™ Screen Ovivo
  Cloud SCADA Platform XiO
  Bioforcetech Bioforcetech
  Anaergia PyroSys Anaergia
  PIPEMINDER Syrinix

Save the Date: Women of Water Summit

women of water

PNCWA is hosting the next Women of Water Summit in person at Seattle University’s Campion Hall on Thursday, October 6. Hear from women leaders in our industry speak to their passion for water and interest in protecting our environment, which led them to pursue fulfilling careers in the water industry. Open to all, the summit is a networking event including lunch and dynamic speakers. Look for more information in about one month.

President’s Message July 2022

Rob LeeOur mission is to be the premier association in the Pacific Northwest dedicated to educating and connecting members. As we head into our next annual conference in September in Spokane, I’m excited to report that PNCWA is in great shape to accomplish that mission.

As a volunteer-led organization, we’ve had to make some difficult decisions over the last few years (huge shout-out again to Adam McClymont and Haley Falconer for your leadership!). Those decisions have led us to where we are today. PNCWA is currently in one of the strongest financial positions of its existence, and that has enabled us to bring on staff to help manage the day-to-day operations of the organization. We believe PNCWA will be better able to fulfill its mission by shifting operational responsibilities away from volunteer leaders and enabling volunteers to focus on strategic leadership and thinking. It’s a huge step for the organization and for all who are involved in PNCWA. See more below for an introduction to Marie and AMI.

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Welcome to Marie Schmidt, New Managing Director

marie schmidtThe Board of Directors conducted a thorough search, and we are pleased to welcome Association Management Inc (AMI) and specifically Marie Schmidt as PNCWA’s new managing director.

Marie earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and a master’s degree in Water Resources, both from the University of Idaho. She previously worked as the Outreach Specialist for the Community Water Resource Center at the University of Idaho in Coeur d'Alene for 10 years. Marie has extensive experience organizing community outreach programs, developing K-12 watershed curricula, facilitating lake management stakeholder meetings, managing volunteer water quality monitoring, fostering collaborative partnerships, and instructing stormwater and erosion control workshops. Marie lives in Spokane, WA with her husband, two children and golden retriever, and she’s happiest with her feet in a river. Please join us in welcoming Marie and AMI to our PNCWA family, and feel free to drop them a line at [email protected].

Stormwater + RSJ Learning Hour

Join the Stormwater Committee and Racial & Social Justice Subcommittee (RSJ) learning hour on Thursday, August 25 at 12 p.m. Pacific/1 p.m. Mountain. Jule Schultz from the Spokane Riverkeeper will discuss their efforts as a nonprofit to advocate for the Spokane River while working hand-in-hand with the local tribes.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84351479994
Passcode: Stormwater

Conference Service Event
Make sure you register for the upcoming PNCWA Annual Conference and sign up for the service event on September 11. Join fellow professionals and the Riverkeeper in downtown Spokane to clean up the Spokane River.

Lunch from local food trucks: 12-1 p.m.
River cleanup: 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Government Affairs Committee Update July 2022

gov't update

Discharge Monitoring Report – Quality Assurance Study Program:
Major and selected minor permittees under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program are required to participate in the annual Discharge Monitoring Report – Quality Assurance (DMR-QA) study program. DMR-QA evaluates the analytical ability of the laboratories that perform self-monitoring analyses required by their NPDES permit.

If you’re required to participate in DMR-QA, you must report results for the analytes listed in your permit, provided that they are also included in the DMR-QA study analyte list. Not all of the analytes listed on your NPDES permit may be included in an individual DMR-QA study, and you may voluntarily report additional study analytes not listed in your permit.

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EPA Water Workforce Initiative

Currently, water utilities face challenges in recruiting, training, and retaining employees — exacerbated by the fact that roughly one-third of the water sector workforce is eligible to retire in the next 10 years. Additionally, as the technologies used become more advanced, there is a growing need to train and employ water protection specialists with specialized technical skills. “America’s Water Sector Workforce Initiative” reflects a commitment by EPA and their federal partners to work with all water sector stakeholders to ensure that the workforce is strong, diverse, and resilient, and attracts talented individuals from many different backgrounds. This initiative serves as a catalyst for developing a robust, highly skilled, and sustainable water workforce for the 21st century. Check out the resources EPA has available for the water sector.

Committee Spotlight: Stormwater

Historic Flooding in Yellowstone National Park
By: Shannon Kronz, EIT, Brown, and Caldwell

The beginning of the 2022 water year led to drought conditions throughout the Pacific Northwest region. In April, southwest Montana and surrounding areas experienced higher than average precipitation, which led to increased snowpack in the Yellowstone River watershed. A few months later, between June 10 and13, an atmospheric river brought 0.8-5 inches of rain to the Absaroka and Beartooth mountain ranges, located northeast of Yellowstone. The significant amount of rain from the atmospheric river also caused the snowpack to melt, which, combined, was equivalent to 4-9 inches of rain. The large quantity of precipitation caused historic flooding downstream on the Yellowstone River [1].

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President’s Message June 2022

Rob LeePacific Northwest, summer is upon us! After one of the wettest springs on record, I’m excited for what summer brings — time off with family and loved ones, baseball games, barbecues, and longer days. Summer also brings one of the busiest times in our industry, with construction projects humming along and the consistent need for planning and design improvements and upgrades to our vital infrastructure.

PNCWA is an organization founded on volunteers from within — folks who live and breathe the issues facing our wastewater industry on a daily basis. Each and every board member, committee chair, section leader, and volunteer represents not only us, but you and all of our membership. And that ensures that the education, programming, networking, and advocacy coming from PNCWA meets those challenges we all face head-on.

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