California Association of Mutual Water Companies

RCAC: Water Supply & Sources
2023-07-11 14:00 - 16:00, 2023-07-11 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Webinar Only
Accreditation: 2 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded
Description: The essential mission of every water system is to provide an adequate volume of high-quality water at the lowest sustainable cost. The key words here are “adequate volume” and “high-quality.” This learning event will provide operators, managers and board members of small water systems with a basic knowledge of how to determine the supply requirements (in terms of both volume and quality) of their water supply and to provide a basic understanding of the two types of water sources (groundwater and surface water) commonly used by small water systems. This will include the concepts of max day demand, peak hour demand, diurnal demand and source reliability. There will be a focus on the supply adequacy requirements of the California Water Works Standards.
Participants will learn:

Water system demand – How much is enough?
High-quality water – How clean is clean enough?
Types of water sources commonly seen in small systems
Source water protection planning

The recommended audience includes system managers, new or existing water system operators, managers and especially board members.

EFCN: Financial Analysis & Management for Wastewater and Water Utilities
2023-07-11 10:00 - 11:00 | Webinar Only
Description: In this 1-hour webinar, experts from the Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center (GLEIC) will discuss how to conduct a financial analysis of your utility in developing budgets and rates.
Learning Objectives:

Analyze revenue and expenses for budget development
How to effectively develop water and wastewater rates
Calculate affordability metrics
Develop annual reserve fund contributions toward future projects and asset management replacement
Use financial ratios to track financial viability
Consider workforce and maintenance needs for budget development
Predict future financial factors that can impact utility costs through provided resources and methods

Presenter: John Sullivan, Senior Research Engineer, Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center at Michigan Technological University
Certificate: This webinar has NOT been submitted for approval of continuing education credit. We can provide a certificate of attendance to eligible attendees, but cannot guarantee it will meet your PDH or CEU requirements.

Who Should Attend:

Managers, owners, and operators of water systems serving less than 10,000 people, or wastewater systems with an average daily flow of less than 1 million gallons
Decision-makers for water and wastewater utilities, including mayors, finance officers, utility managers, public works directors, city councilors, board members, tribal council members, and clerks
Consultants and technical assistance providers serving water and wastewater systems

EFCN: Water Quality Standards – What You Need (or Ought) to Know
2023-07-06 10:00 - 11:00 | Webinar Only
Description: In this 1-hour webinar, experts from the Wichita State University Environmental Finance Center will discuss Water Quality Standards with real-world examples – particularly as they apply wastewater treatment plant owners and operators. In most cases, state Water Quality Standards are the single most important factor in determining NPDES permit effluent limitations. Failing to understand how water quality standards affect NPDES permit limits may subject a permittee to overly stringent requirements that can prove costly to the permittee. Topics that will be covered include:

What are Water Quality Standards?
Designated Uses, Water Quality Criteria, and Antidegradation
Key Water Quality Areas That Utilize Water Quality Standards: Monitoring and Assessment, Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), and NPDES Permit Limits
Why You Should Care About Water Quality Standards and More!

Presenter: Mike Tate, PE, Project Associate, Wichita State University Environmental Finance Center
Certificate: This webinar has NOT been submitted for continuing education credit approval. We can provide a certificate of attendance to eligible attendees but cannot guarantee it will meet your PDH or CEU requirements.
Who Should Attend:

Managers, owners, and operators of wastewater systems with an average daily flow of less than 1 million gallons
Decision-makers for wastewater utilities, including mayors, finance officers, utility managers, public works directors, city councilors, board members, tribal council members, and clerks
Consultants and technical assistance providers serving wastewater systems

EFCN: Wastewater System Operation and Maintenance
2023-06-30 09:00 - 10:00 | Webinar Only
Description: This 1-hour webinar is designed to develop the knowledge and skills to operate and maintain a wastewater collection system effectively. Operational and maintenance procedures for lift stations, manholes, and other key components of a collection system will be covered.
Presenter: KT Newman, Owner, Utility Contractors LLC
Certificate: This webinar has NOT been submitted for continuing education credit approval. We can provide a certificate of attendance to eligible attendees but cannot guarantee it will meet your PDH or CEU requirements.
Who Should Attend:

Managers, owners, and operators of wastewater systems with an average daily flow of less than 1 million gallons
Decision-makers for wastewater utilities, including mayors, finance officers, utility managers, public works directors, city councilors, board members, tribal council members, and clerks
Consultants and technical assistance providers serving wastewater systems

CFCC: 2023 Funding Fair
2023-05-25 09:00 - 12:30 | Webinar Only
The California Financing Coordinating Committee (CFCC) is pleased to invite you to attend the free 2023 spring virtual funding fair on May 25, 2023. For further info, view the flyer HERE.
The funding fair will provide the opportunity to learn more about available grant, loan, and bond financing options for infrastructure projects from federal, state, and local agencies.
Representatives from water industry professionals, public works, local governments, and California Native American Tribes should attend. This includes city managers and planners, economic development and engineering professionals, officials from privately owned facilities, water and irrigation district managers, financial advisors, and project consultants.
We look forward to your attendance at the virtual funding fair. For

EFCN: Leader-to-Leader Panel Event
2023-05-16 13:00 - 14:00 | Webinar Only
Meet a panel of experts in the water sector who will share anecdotes and answer questions about their own journeys into leadership positions.
NOTE: This is an interactive session in which participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with panelists. Outside of cohort members, registrants will be approved based on a case-by-case basis.

CFCC: 2023 Virtual Funding Fair
2023-05-16 09:00 - 12:30 | Webinar Only
The California Financing Coordinating Committee (CFCC) is pleased to invite you to attend the free 2023 spring virtual funding fair on May 16 and/or May 25, 2023. For further info, view the flyer HERE.
The funding fair will provide the opportunity to learn more about available grant, loan, and bond financing options for infrastructure projects from federal, state, and local agencies.
Representatives from water industry professionals, public works, local governments, and California Native American Tribes should attend. This includes city managers and planners, economic development and engineering professionals, officials from privately owned facilities, water and irrigation district managers, financial advisors, and project consultants.
We look forward to your attendance at the virtual funding fair. For

EFCN - Wellhead Protection
2023-05-09 10:00 - 11:00 | Webinar Only
Description: In this 1-hour webinar, experts from the Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center (GLEIC) will discuss source water protection for drinking water wells, including:

The purpose of the multiple-barrier approach
How to calculate the zone of influence around groundwater sources using the EPA simplified method
Activities that should be limited or prohibited in a wellhead protection area
How contaminant plumes are formed and monitored
And more!

Presenter: Gregory Pearson, Water & Wastewater Trainer, Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center at Michigan Technological University
Certificate: This webinar has NOT been submitted for approval of continuing education credit. We can provide a certificate of attendance to eligible attendees, but cannot guarantee it will meet your PDH or CEU requirements.

Who Should Attend:

Managers, owners, and operators of water systems serving less than 10,000 people
Decision-makers for water utilities, including mayors, financial officers, utility managers, public works directors, city councilors, board members, tribal council members, and clerks
Consultants and technical assistance providers serving water systems

CFCC: 2023 Virtual Funding Fair
2023-05-04 09:00 - 12:30 | Webinar Only
The California Financing Coordinating Committee (CFCC) is pleased to invite you to attend the free 2023 spring virtual funding fair on May 4, 16, and/or 25, 2023. For further info, view the flyer HERE.
The funding fair will provide the opportunity to learn more about available grant, loan, and bond financing options for infrastructure projects from federal, state, and local agencies.
Representatives from water industry professionals, public works, local governments, and California Native American Tribes should attend. This includes city managers and planners, economic development and engineering professionals, officials from privately owned facilities, water and irrigation district managers, financial advisors, and project consultants.
We look forward to your attendance at the virtual funding fair. For

RCAC - Coliform Sampling Procedures
2023-05-03 14:00 - 16:00, 2023-05-03 10:00 - 12:00 | Webinar Only
Description: Sampling for total coliforms and E. coli in the water system is one of the most important things an operator can do. The new Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) effective April 2016 affects every public water system. These revisions to the Total Coliform Rule will affect how operators and managers respond to total coliform positives (TC+) and require steps to analyze the integrity of the system as a result of positive samples. Investigation and corrective actions are at the forefront of the RTCR, and knowing how to complete a level 1 assessment can be the difference between compliance and violation. This workshop will focus on reviewing triggers for level 1 and level 2 assessments and who is expected to perform them; how to conduct an assessment with examples and small group exercises.
Participants will learn:

New procedures for the month following a TC+
What to do if you have a positive E. coli result
When an assessment of system is needed
How to complete a level 1 assessment of your system
Tips on system inspection/investigation

Operator Basics Series: The recommended audience includes operators, managers, and board members.

Reporter Training Brown Bag #4: Sections 9-18 & Submission
2023-05-03 11:30 - 13:00 | Webinar Only
Per the March 2023 eAR technical reporting order, all public water systems are required to complete an electronic Annual Report (eAR) by May 13, 2023. The eAR to the State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water (DDW) on the operation of public water systems (PWS) during the past year (2022) will be released on March 13, 2023 via the EAR Portal.
DDW will be offering eAR Reporting Training Brown Bags throughout the eAR reporting period. This is the third of four offered sessions.
Register HERE

EFCN: Strategic Communications for Water Sector Leaders
2023-05-02 13:00 - 14:00 | Webinar Only
Strategic communications is about knowing your audiences and how to reach them. There is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Knowing your community’s demographics and communication patterns can provide water sector leaders with insight into developing consistent and informative communication plans.

RCAC - Dealing with Forever Chemicals: PFAS in Drinking Water
2023-04-25 14:00 - 16:00, 2023-04-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Webinar Only
Description: The issue of PFAS contamination is being highlighted throughout the country with many experiencing anxieties over possible water contamination. PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals which include Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid (PFOS). Known as “forever chemicals” PFAS compounds have been found widely in the environment including thousands of groundwater sources throughout US.
PFAS compounds are currently the #1 emerging threat to water systems. Continuing studies are identifying potential health risks associated with these chemicals. This session examines the origin, the concerns, and provides information for small systems about protecting public health.
Participants will learn:

Why these “forever” chemicals are not going away
Where do PFAS come from
What are the health effects of PFAS
PFAS regulations in drinking water
PFAS treatment technologies for drinking water systems

The recommended audience includes board members, managers and operators.

EPA Small Drinking Systems Webinar: Manganese
2023-04-25 11:00 - 12:00
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development and the Office of Water invites you to attend a free webinar on Manganese. There will be two parts to this webinar. For further information, view the flyer for the webinar HERE.
Presentation 1: Manganese Interference with Disinfectant Residual Methods
This presentation will provide a summary of manganese occurrence in public water systems and describe its potential interference with commonly used methods to measure disinfectant residual. Case studies will be shared to demonstrate this issue. A flow chart to diagnose manganese interference will be introduced to help identify approaches to minimize manganese interference with commonly used methods, including sample pre-treatment, sample filtration, and alternative methods.
Presentation 2: Management of Manganese and Small System Considerations
Treatment of manganese is an ongoing concern for operational, esthetic and, more recently, health reasons. Manganese has been shown to be accumulated and released from the distribution system. These release events can cause discolored water but also release other regulated metals of health concern (e.g. lead, arsenic) into the distributed water. Research indicates that a finished water concentration of <0.02 mg/L is achievable by most utilities by optimizing existing treatment. At this concentration, it can also help minimize the accumulation (and subsequent release) of manganese into the distributed water. This presentation will outline management strategies for manganese including small system considerations.
Who should attend?: State, and territory, and tribal personnel responsible for drinking water regulations compliance and treatment technologies permitting, water system operators, technical assistance providers, local government personnel, and others may benefit from attending.

RCAC - Metering Replacement Plans
2023-04-20 14:00 - 16:00, 2023-04-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Webinar Only
Description: The water meter is the cash register for public water systems! Water systems need an accurate measurement of the water being used by their residential, commercial, and industrial customers or they could potentially be losing money. The accuracy is vital for planning all aspects of water system operations from budgeting, reporting to the primacy agency and planning for the short- and long-term future. It is crucial that the meters be replaced prior to a predetermined date (no more than 15 years) to ensure that the meters are still reading accurately. When replacing meters, the public water system may want to consider replacing manual read water meters with radio read, cellular read or other technology, which brings us to funding. Will we be funding this from our existing budget, or will we be seeking grant/loan money for a meter replacement project?
Participants will learn:

Different types, brands and styles of water meters and choosing the one best for your system
Proper application of water meters (types and size)
Installing a water meter
Budgeting for water meter replacement vs. loans/grants for water meter replacement
Manual read water meters vs. smart meters

The recommended audience includes board members, management and operators.

EFCN - CWSRF Funding Process Virtual Workshop Series: Economics and Affordability of Low Interest Rate Loans
2023-04-20 09:00 - 10:00 | Webinar Only
Join experts from the Environmental Finance Center Network for a no-cost webinar series on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). This monthly series is intended to help you better understand the CWSRF funding process.
Sessions will be held on the third Thursday every month (excluding December 2023 which will be held on Tuesday, December 19).
April 20, 2023 | Session 4: Taking on capital improvement projects can be expensive and often necessitates financing, such as loans. Since loans need to be paid back over time and may require rate increases to generate sufficient revenue for debt repayment, it is beneficial to decrease the interest and principal as much as possible. Subsidized low-interest rate loans, like the state Drinking Water or Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRF), can save money over time by offering lower interest rates compared to market rates and, for qualifying communities, partial principal forgiveness. We recommend low interest loans because they decrease impacts on the customer base.
In this webinar, we will describe low-interest loans, their merits, and demonstrate two tools to help evaluate different loan options and their financial impact. We introduce the Subsidized Loan Calculator, which allows you to compare different loan options and their total and annual debt payments now and 30 years down the road. We will also demonstrate the Affordability Tool to illustrate how different customers may be impacted by rate increases necessary to pay back the loans. Finally, we will discuss a case study to consider why subsidized loans can be a good option for low-income communities.
Learning Objectives:

Available financing options to you for your capital improvement projects, and compare subsidized low-interest loans to market-rate loans
Evaluate different loan options based on interest rates and, if applicable, principal forgiveness terms
How to use the Subsidized Loan Calculator tool to compare low-interest rate and market-rate loans
Understand how taking on a loan can affect your customers, depending on the loan terms

Presenters: Kristen Downs, Project Director, UNC Environmental Finance Center

RCAC - What You Need to Know About the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
2023-04-19 14:00 - 16:00, 2023-04-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Webinar Only
Description: The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 (SGMA) has been called “the most important legislation in California in 100 years.” SGMA mandates the sustainable use of California groundwater. Given the fact that many groundwater basins are in overdraft, implementation of sustainable practices will likely have a significant impact on small water systems that use groundwater from these basins. SGMA applies to the 127 high and medium priority groundwater basins, which account for approximately 96 percent of groundwater use in California. It is therefore very likely that a significant number of California small water systems will be impacted by the implementation of sustainable practices mandated by this law. Given that both Water Rights and Adequacy of Supply are Division of Drinking Water (DDW) Technical, Managerial and Financial (TMF) elements and that SGMA is very likely to have a significant impact on both these elements for a large number of California small water systems, it is very important that these systems have adequate training into SGMA’s process and requirements.
Participants will learn:

The basics of groundwater hydrology, including: The Water Cycle and types of aquifers
The provisions of SGMA, including: The goal of sustainable water extractions from a basin
What the groundwater sustainability plans are and how they might affect our operations
Strategies that may be used to achieve sustainability

The recommended audience includes water system managers, operators, administrative staff and board members.

Reporter Training Brown Bag #3: Section 8
2023-04-19 11:30 - 13:00 | Webinar Only

EFCN: Wastewater Treatment of Septic and Basic Lagoons
2023-04-18 12:00 - 13:00 | Webinar Only
This 1-hour webinar will cover basic septic tank operations, aerobic treatment, and how lagoons work. It will also cover disinfection and basic math skills needed to ensure the process is operating efficiently. Learn More

ASDWA LSLI/LSLR Series #6 - Regulatory Roundtable
2023-04-13 10:00 - 11:30 | Webinar Only
ASDWA is pleased to announce our free webinar series: Implementation Tools and Best Practices for Lead Service Line Inventories and Replacements. This webinar series is intended for those in the water industry who are working to #gettheleadout, starting with the identification of lead service lines and the completion of EPA’s lead service line inventory requirement.
The last session of this webinar series will include a regulatory roundtable. Webinar details will be updated as speakers are finalized.

EFCN - Maintaining Water Quality in the Distribution System
2023-04-12 10:00 - 11:00 | Webinar Only
Description: In this 1-hour webinar, experts from the Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center (GLEIC) will discuss drinking water distribution system quality operations and management, including:

How water detention times affect water age and quality
How to prevent nitrification in storage tanks
How to calculate detention time and CT values for chlorine disinfection
What factors lead to corrosion in water distribution systems and ways to prevent and mitigate it
And more!

Presenter: Gregory Pearson, Water & Wastewater Trainer, Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center at Michigan Technological University
Certificate: This webinar has NOT been submitted for approval of continuing education credit. We can provide a certificate of attendance to eligible attendees, but cannot guarantee it will meet your PDH or CEU requirements.

Who Should Attend:

Managers, owners, and operators of water systems serving less than 10,000 people
Decision-makers for water utilities, including mayors, financial officers, utility managers, public works directors, city councilors, board members, tribal council members, and clerks
Consultants and technical assistance providers serving water systems

EFCN - Operator Certification: Chlorine Dosage, Disinfection Math, and Breakpoint Chlorination
2023-04-12 10:00 - 11:00 | Webinar Only
Join EFCN for this webinar series designed to help small wastewater system operators pass their certification exams. The series starts with a 1-hour overview of study tips and test preparation techniques. Each subsequent 1-hour webinar will focus on a single topic typically found in Level 1 and Level 2 exams including, but not limited to: Collection Systems, Treatment Overviews, Disinfection and Solids Handling Basics, NPDES Regulations, Wastewater Math, Safety, Sampling and Reporting and other general wastewater topics. Each session will include sample questions and a short Q and A period.
While this series is primarily focused on helping new operators achieve their Level 1 and 2 certifications, currently certified operators looking to pass higher level tests can also benefit from attendance as higher-level certification tests are cumulative and typically cover basic as well as advanced treatment topics.
Session 8: This session will focus on the math and concepts needed to understand proper chlorine dosing, other math concepts utilized in disinfection processes, and the concept of breakpoint chlorination. We will discuss the equations needed to calculate chlorine concentration, dosage, demand, and residual, and how to use them. We will address the type of equations that operators need to understand other disinfection processes, such as UV and ozone disinfection. Finally, we will discuss breakpoint chlorination and why it is important in wastewater treatment.
Presenter: AJ Barney, Research Engineer, Southwest Environmental Finance Center
Certificate: This webinar has NOT been submitted for approval of continuing education credit. We can provide a certificate of attendance to eligible attendees, but cannot guarantee it will meet your PDH or CEU requirements.

EFCN: Funding and Financing Strategies for Integrated Hazard Mitigation and Water Resource Plans
2023-04-10 10:00 - 11:00 | Webinar Only
Description: In light of increasing development and ever-changing future conditions, increasingly stressed infrastructure, and growing financial pressures, integrating hazard mitigation and water quality-focused resource management is becoming more and more important to the success of water systems and other public-serving entities. While finance and budgeting are often considered a last step in developing a project or program, incorporating a financing strategy early on in any planning process can help ensure long-term project success. In this webinar, we will provide strategies for incorporating funding and financial strategies into integrated plans and explore various solutions for how local communities can pay for water resource projects.
Learning Objectives:

Understanding current and future issues related to decentralized wastewater treatment systems
Increasing knowledge of funding and financing strategies that are likely to apply to most jurisdictions, big or small, and move communities from planning to implementation.
Understand how to develop a balanced funding and financing strategy that incorporates cost reducers and varied revenue streams.
Learn from case stories of other communities that have adopted these strategies to protect source water, mitigate flooding, and tackle a number of other local issues.

Presenter: Natalia Sanchez, Program Manager, University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center
Certificate: This webinar has NOT been submitted for continuing education credit approval. We can provide a certificate of attendance to eligible attendees but cannot guarantee it will meet your PDH or CEU requirements.
Who Should Attend:

Managers, owners, and operators of water systems serving less than 10,000 people
Decision-makers for water utilities, including mayors, finance officers, utility managers, public works directors, city councilors, board members, tribal council members, and clerks
Consultants and technical assistance providers serving water systems

Reporter Training Brown Bag #2: Sections 5,6,7 & Drought Requirements
2023-04-05 11:30 - 13:00 | Webinar Only
Per the March 2023 eAR technical reporting order, all public water systems are required to complete an electronic Annual Report (eAR) by May 13, 2023. The eAR to the State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water (DDW) on the operation of public water systems (PWS) during the past year (2022) will be released on March 13, 2023 via the EAR Portal.
DDW will be offering eAR Reporting Training Brown Bags throughout the eAR reporting period. This is the second of four offered sessions.
Register HERE

EPA: Cybersecurity Assessment Training for Primacy Agencies Webinar
2023-03-28 12:00 - 15:00 | Webinar Only
EPA: Cybersecurity Assessment Training for Primacy Agencies Webinar
Part 1: March 28, 2023, 12:00 – 3:00pm
Part 2: March 30, 2023, 12:00 – 3:00pm
This two-part webinar training for Primacy Agencies will review EPA’s Memorandum on “Addressing PWS Cybersecurity in Sanitary Surveys or Alternate Process” to include implementation options and resources available. Attendees are encouraged to attend both Part One and Part Two of the series.
REGISTER HERE
