California Water Professionals Appreciation Week Recap
Thank you to all of our members who participated in California Water Professionals Appreciation Week! We appreciate those of you who shared your agency’s activities during the week and promoted the activities of other member agencies. Below are two member profiles we featured to highlight the important role water professionals play in our communities.
To follow the activities of the week, search social media platforms using the Water Professionals Appreciation Week hashtags: #WeAreCAWater, #CAWaterWeek and #WorkForWater
California Water Professionals Spotlight
Name: Chris Robinson
Title: Senior Waste Water Collections Technician
Number of years in the water industry: 13 years (18 total years with the City of Folsom)
Responsibilities: Directing a staff of six with daily duties such as:
Ensuring the entire sewer system within the city is maintained including pump stations, flushing of main lines, CCTV mainlines and manhole inspections
Responding to all sewer calls
Residential issues/customer service
What attracted you to this type of work?
I sort of just fell into it. I worked as a Correctional Officer with the City for five years and when that facility closed, they offered some officers a job in various roles within the City of Folsom. I spent most of that time on the maintenance side which is responsible for all sewer repairs.
Number of years in the water industry: Three years at wastewater treatment plants
Responsibilities: My responsibilities are to ensure that Folsom’s 50 MGD water treatment plant stay in regulatory compliance.
By conducting daily reads from various detection equipment, it allows changes to various chemical feeding systems to produce the highest quality water possible
Manage production of water based on the city’s need
Maintain a constant flow of raw water to the plant while also maintaining the varying water system demands
What attracted you to this type of work?
One day you may be in the office researching something technical such as control systems, solving a water hydraulics issue or perhaps a special project for process optimization. The next day you may be helping the mechanical department change out a large pump or install new equipment. So, the versatility of an operator’s skill set is challenged constantly. Since it is impossible to learn everything in this career, you will never be bored.
CASA has several exciting events planned for 2019. Be sure to download the 2019 event schedule and save the dates! Please check the CASA website regularly for additional details and registration links.
Legislative & Regulatory Update
President Expected to Sign Bipartisan Water Infrastructure Bill
Last week the Senate overwhelmingly passed the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, S. 3021 (WRDA) by a vote of 99-1. The expansive bill addresses the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers water resources activities and water infrastructure programs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The bill symbolizes Congress’ recognition of the nation’s fundamental water resources issues, as well as an acknowledgment of the importance of the nation’s wastewater project needs.
CalRecycle Moving forward with Solid Waste Reporting Requirements
The final comment period for draft regulations to implement AB 901 close today. These regulations developed by CalRecycle are intended to track the flow of solid waste, including biosolids, across California. CASA commented on the last revision earlier this year and recommended numerous changes. We submitted additional comments on the latest draft which was released on October 1. These comments will be available via our website soon.
Mark Your Calendar
CASA Attorneys: Join us at the NACWA/CASA California Legal Forum & Luncheon
Attention California clean water leaders and legal experts. You are invited to the NACWA/CASA California Legal Forum & Luncheon on November 15 in San Diego where we will tackle unique California clean water legal challenges as part of the National Clean Water Law & Enforcement Seminar.
The event will feature presentations from experts in California clean water law about important legal developments. We will cover local public trust obligations, water recycling and in-stream flow requirements and wastewater impacts of cannabis legalization. We encourage all clean water leaders and legal stakeholders from around the state to attend, meet, collaborate and address the unique challenges facing clean water. The Forum & Luncheon is jointly sponsored by NACWA and CASA.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Rialto Bioenergy Facility will take place on December 7 at 10 AM in Rialto.
When complete in 2020, the Rialto Bioenergy Facility will be the largest waste-to-energy facility in the world. The facility will convert 300 tons per day of recovered food waste from the City of Los Angeles into bioelectricity, negative-carbon natural gas to fuel disposal trucks and organic fertilizer products for area farms.
The Water Quality Coordinating Committee (WQCC) will hold its annual meeting in Sacramento on October 23 and 24. The meeting is an annual gathering of the State and Regional Water Boards to convene and discuss contemporaneous water quality issues around the state. The 2018 WQCC meeting will feature discussion and reports between the State and Regional Water Boards on the impacts of homelessness, cannabis and climate change on water quality across California.
