California Association of Mutual Water Companies

RCAC: Cyber Security for Drinking Water Systems
2022-11-29 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Webinar Only
Description: Recent cyber-attacks on water and wastewater systems have manipulated treatment processes, disabled process control and business enterprise systems, and stolen proprietary data. Cybersecurity best practices and incident response planning can prevent or mitigate many of these attacks and are essential to the sound operation and management of water and wastewater systems.
Participants will learn how to recognize cybersecurity threats, how to complete the self assessment questionnaire, and utilize the water industry cybersecurity controls for small systems. Based on the cybersecurity self-assessment and cybersecurity controls for small utilities, participants learn how to identify at-risk areas and take actions to protect their systems.

Participants will learn:

Why cybersecurity is important

How to conduct a self-assessment of your system to identify vulnerabilities
Cybersecurity controls for small water systems

Recommended audience: Managers, board members and operators

RCAC: Water System Workforce Development
2022-11-17 14:00 - 16:00, 2022-11-17 10:00 - 12:00 | Webinar Only
Description: Think about the water system operators and board members you know, how close are they to retirement? Chances are many will be retiring in the next five to 10 years if not sooner. In rural places, younger operators may be difficult to retain. As their skills improve, the salary and benefits offered by larger systems may become increasingly attractive. Join us for a discussion about how to develop the workforce that keeps your system running sustainably.
Participants will learn:
· What legacy planning looks like
· How to meet the needs of their system now AND for the future
· If water operators are a dying breed
· What other projects and programs doing to support the industry
· What the future looks like for water operators
Recommended audience: Managers, board members and operators interested in the future of water operator careers.

RCAC: No Bad Bugs: Protecting Your System from Microbial Contaminants
2022-11-15 08:30 - 15:30 | County Offices of Imperial County, 940 West Main Street, Suite 208, El Centro, CA, 92243, United States
Description: Your water system can easily and effectively spread waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and E. coli. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention documents more than 22 waterborne disease outbreaks annually in U.S. public water supplies. These outbreaks cause over 10,000 cases of illness. Protecting your water system from these microbial contaminants is a fundamental goal of every water system. In this workshop, we will trace the origins of a water system operators’ battle with bad bugs, from Dr. Snow removing the handle on the Broad Street Pump in London to stop the 1854 cholera epidemic, to modern sanitary surveys and disinfection methods. The goal of this workshop is to make the water system operator aware of the pathways of microbial contamination and to provide low-cost strategies to prevent contamination of their system.
Participants will learn:
· The five most common routes of microbial contamination of a water system
· How to conduct a simple but effective Sanitary Survey on your water system
· The importance of chlorine residual as a low-cost and rapid method of detecting microbial contamination
· How to use operational records to identify water quality problems
Recommended audience: All water system operators, managers, and board members.

BAYWORK Virtual Training Buffet 2022 - Nov 8-10
2022-11-10 10:00 - 15:00, 2022-11-09 10:00 - 15:00, 2022-11-08 10:00 - 15:00 | Webinar Only
BAYWORK will be hosting a free three-day, virtual training of a variety of trainings via Zoom, Nov 8th, 9th, & 10th from 10am to 3pm PST. Session range from diversity, equity, and inclusion topics to water chemistry. To view all the session topics and times, visit the event page here: https://www.baywork.org/baywork-virtual-training-buffet-2022/.

RCAC: The Safe Water Drinking Act
2022-11-09 14:00 - 16:00 | Webinar Only
Description: Throughout the country, small water system staff adhere to regulations to provide safe drinking water for their customers. The drinking water system staff follow direction from the state or county health department but may not realize that these regulations began at a federal level. This workshop will teach operators, managers, and board members how and why these regulations exist.
Participants will learn:
· The basis for SDWA and the related U.S. code and federal regulations
· How drinking water events correspond with amendments to the SDWA
· How to look-up drinking water regulations under development and review
Recommended audience: Managers, board members and operators.

RCAC: The Safe Drinking Water Act
2022-11-09 10:00 - 12:00 | Webinar Only

RCAC: Pumps & Motors Troubleshooting
2022-11-08 08:30 - 12:30 | Webinar Only
Description: How many times has this happened to you? You discover that one of your pumps is not performing like you think it should, or it will not run at all. What are your next steps? When should you call in an expert? These questions and more will be answered in the Pumps & Motors Troubleshooting workshop. This will be an extensive course in the most common pumping and electrical system issues that could leave you out of water.
Participants will learn:
· Electric motor troubleshooting and common issues
· Basic types of centrifugal pumps and their characteristics
· How to calculate TDH in fluid pumping system
· How to calculate friction loss
· How to read pump curves
· Centrifugal pump performance testing and troubleshooting techniques
Operator Basics Series: The recommended audience includes system operators, technicians and managers.

EFCN: Long-term Investment for Financial Resiliency
2022-11-04 10:00 - 11:00 | Webinar Only
Description: This webinar will introduce basic concepts for long-term financial resiliency and asset management. After a brief overview of financial analysis tools, this webinar will focus on long-term investment strategies and concepts including asset management, life-cycle costing, long-term asset planning, and rates analysis. Information will be shared in lecture format, through interactive exercises, sharing of case examples, and by soliciting and answering participant system-specific questions.
Learning Objectives:

Understand Financial Metrics for Long-Term Planning
Understand Concepts of Asset Criticality
Understand the Relationship Between Life-Cycle Costing and Long-Term Asset Planning

Presenter: Andrew Waters, Project Director, Environmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina

Register Here

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: FREE Fall 2022 Virtual Funding Fair on Zoom
2022-11-03 09:00 - 14:00, 2022-10-19 09:00 - 14:00 | Webinar Only
Seeking Funding for Your Infrastructure Project? Obtain information about currently available infrastructure grant, loan and bond financing programs, and options. Connect with federal, state, and local agencies to discuss the financial and technical resources available.
Presentations (9:00AM-12:30PM) followed by Virtual Booths (12:30PM-2:00PM)
The funding fair provides an opportunity for attendees to speak directly with program staff about specific projects and issues affecting their community.

Webinar No. 3 on County Drought Plan Requirements for State Small Water Systems and Domestic Wells (SB 552)
2022-11-01 13:00 - 15:00 | Webinar Only
This is the third of four webinar to inform and solicit input from stakeholders on the development of a guidebook to support the preparation of County Drought Plans which focus on state small water systems and domestic wells as required under SB 552. During this third workshop, DWR will review and solicit input on the following draft chapters of the Guidebook:

Chapter 4: Long-Term Mitigation Actions
Chapter 5: Short-Term Response Actions

Register in advance for this meeting: https://csus.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrdu2uqzgsEt0SD_iBc4jTDIqGbAJVI3BF
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
For more information on SB 552 and previous related events (including recordings and agendas), please refer to: https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Water-Use-And-Efficiency/SB-552

Start: Tue 1 Nov 2022, 1:00 PM
End: Tue 1 Nov 2022, 3:00 PM

RCAC: Utility Bookkeeping 101: From Shoebox to Financial Statements
2022-10-26 08:30 - 15:30 | Del Mar Recreation Center, 40600 Leeward Road, Sea Ranch, CA, 95497, United States
Description: Have you ever wondered where all the numbers on your financial statements came from? In this fast-paced, hands-on class, you will take a deep dive into developing a full set of books, either manually or using Excel. From setting up the chart of accounts, journals and general ledger, to entering transactions, to producing financial statements, you will do it all! This class will be of value to everyone-even those using accounting software-who wants a solid understanding of the behind-the-scenes processes that put their financial information into a useable format for making decisions. Participants are requested to bring a laptop with Excel.
Participants will learn:

Set up and balance a set of books either manually or using Excel
Enter transactions into journals
Record journal entries into the general ledger
Reconcile books and make closing entries
Produce vital financial statements

Recommended audience: governing bodies, bookkeepers/accountants, managers and operators.
Accreditation: 6 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded

RCAC: Once More into the Bleach: Handling & Application of Sodium Hypochlorite
2022-10-25 08:30 - 15:30 | Del Mar Recreation Center, 40600 Leeward Road, Sea Ranch, CA, 95497, United States
Description: Chlorine is the most commonly used drinking water disinfectant in all regions of the world. Today, about 98 percent of U.S. water treatment systems use some type of chlorine disinfection process to help provide safe drinking water. By a huge margin, sodium hypochlorite is the disinfectant used by the vast majority of small (less than 10,000 population) water systems. Hypochlorite is also the most hazardous chemical used by most of these water systems. If improperly handled, sodium hypochlorite can create a hazardous and potentially fatal environment.
This learning event gives small water system operators the knowledge, skills and resources necessary to safely handle and reliably feed sodium hypochlorite.
Participants will learn:

The physical and chemical properties of sodium hypochlorite
Safe handling of sodium hypochlorite
Understanding hypochlorite decay and its effect on treatment
How to read and use the sodium hypochlorite SDS
The origins of germ theory and history of chemical disinfection
Basic mechanisms of chemical disinfection
20 best practices for feeding hypochlorite
The operation of hypochlorite feed pumps

The recommended audience includes all water system operators that us hypochlorite.

EFCN: Connecting with Your Community
2022-10-21 10:00 - 11:00 | Webinar Only
Communication with community members can be challenging due to staff and time constraints and lack of resources; however, you can engage with your community about your utility in easy, efficient ways. A basic understanding of communication techniques and how to leverage existing resources, alongside a little planning can strengthen your communication strategies. This webinar will build on the basis that an informed community will support the efforts of the utility to continue to provide the necessary service of clean, safe drinking water. Further discussion will focus on resources and tips for successful communication with your community.

RCAC: Achieve & Maintain Compliance with SDWA Series Part 3 of 3
2022-10-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Webinar Only
The Achieve & Maintain Compliance with SDWA 3-Part Series is being held in Pacific Time.
Description: Cyanobacteria, formerly referred to as blue-algae, are found naturally in lakes, rivers, ponds and other surface waters. When certain conditions exist, such as in warm water containing an abundance of nutrients, they can rapidly form harmful algal blooms (HABs). Some HABs are capable of producing toxins, called cyanotoxins, which can pose health risks to humans and animals through drinking water and recreational water exposure. Additionally, HABs can create taste and odor problems in drinking water, which do not have adverse human health impacts but can create an earthy and musty taste and smell.
The purpose of this learning event is to provide operators of small water systems with a basic knowledge of the causes, health effects and treatment of cyanobacteria and their associated endotoxins in drinking water. Contaminants related to algal blooms are a relatively new area of concern for water systems using surface supplies.
Participants will learn:

Basic information about cyanobacteria and the toxins associated with these organisms
Information about Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) providing an understanding of the characteristics and conditions of that result in HABs; including California’s HAB Incident Reporting Map
An overview of the treatment technologies for the removal of cyanotoxins in the drinking water treatment plant; including a framework for the management of cyanotoxins in a drinking water supply

Recommended audience: operators, managers, and board members of water systems that use surface water supplies.
Accreditation: 2 California Drinking Water Continuing Education Units awarded per session

EFCN: Interactive Water Loss Discussion for Small Water Systems
2022-10-20 10:00 - 11:00 | Webinar Only
Description: This is an opportunity for you to speak with and hear from your peers. Are you facing water losses at your utility? Are you thinking of developing or expanding a water loss control program, but aren’t sure where to start? Would you like an opportunity for more interactive group discussions? If the answer to any of these questions is “Yes,” then this Interactive Water Loss Discussion for Small Water Systems is designed for you!
Join us for an interactive opportunity to engage with your peers who are also dealing with water loss control issues. Ask questions, tout your successes, find out what has and hasn’t worked for other utilities. This virtual hour and a half session is an opportunity for small drinking water systems to learn from each other in an interactive, peer-exchange format. This session offers system operators, managers, and decision-makers the chance to:

Dive deeply into water loss control issues
Interact with a group of their peers tackling similar challenges
Meet water professionals from outside their organization

*Please Note: Due to the interactive style of this training, space is limited to 45 registrants. This session requires a working microphone to participate in group discussions and a willingness to engage in conversation and share questions and concerns.*
Moderators:

James Markham, Research Engineer, Southwest Environmental Finance Center
Frank Roth, Research Scholar, Southwest Environmental Finance Center
Charles Heltzer, Research Engineer, Environmental Finance Center at Sacramento State

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

RCAC: Navigating State Funding
2022-10-19 14:00 - 16:00, 2022-10-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Webinar Only
Description: Does your system have a capital improvement project and you are trying to figure out where to start in the state funding process? In this class you will learn about the resources available to identify funding opportunities, the requirements of a state funding application and how to request assistance so your system is prepared to execute a funding agreement.
Participants will learn:

How to request technical assistance and the types of assistance available
Resources for identifying state funding opportunities
What to expect when completing a funding application

Recommended audience: managers, board members and operators.
Accreditation: 2 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded

RCAC: Emergency Response Planning & Hazard Mitigation
2022-10-18 14:00 - 16:00, 2022-10-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Webinar Only
Description: Natural disasters that can affect public water systems in California include fires, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis and droughts. You name it, we have it. The fires in California have become increasingly vexing, and this workshop will focus primarily on fire prevention and recovery. It can happen to your water system! Water system emergencies are any situation that can cause water outages, unsafe drinking water or any harm to humans or animals. Have you prepared ahead of time? Do you have a written response plan? Do you have mutual aid agreements in place? Are you prepared to interact with state and federal agencies afterwards? This workshop will provide water system personnel with information and resources to respond preemptively and proactively to most emergency situations.
Participants will learn:

Ways to protect your water system before disaster strikes
Lessons from emergencies experienced by the trainers
How to establish effective mutual aid agreements
How to create an emergency and disaster response plan using the Water Board-approved template
Lessons learned regarding state and federal assistance immediately following emergencies

Recommended audience: managers, operators, administrative staff and board members.
Accreditation: 2 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded

RCAC: Achieve & Maintain Compliance with SDWA Series Part 2 of 3
2022-10-13 10:00 - 12:00 | Webinar Only
The Achieve & Maintain Compliance with SDWA 3-Part Series is being held in Pacific Time.
Description: PFAS have been all over the news recently with anxieties of high levels of drinking water contamination. PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals which include Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid (PFOS). Known as “forever chemicals” PFAS compounds have been found widely in the environment including thousands of groundwater sources throughout the US.
PFAS compounds 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 health effects of PFAS
PFAS regulations in drinking water
PFAS treatment technologies for drinking water systems

Recommended audience: board members, manager, and operators.
Accreditation: 2 California Drinking Water Continuing Education Units awarded per session.

RCAC: Developing Water System Policies
2022-10-13 08:30 - 15:30 | Hampton Inn and Suites Yuba City, 1375 Sunsweet Blvd, Yuba Sutter Room, Yuba City, CA, 95991, United States
Description: Public water system boards adopt policies to guide internal decision-making processes. These policies may be related to financial decisions, emergency response, personnel, and more. Some policies are required by the State of California, such as having a discontinuation of water service policy that complies with SB 998 – The Water Shutoff Protection Act. This workshop will provide attendees with a reconnaissance level look at governing documents and how to draft and adopt policies through examples and small group exercises.
Participants will learn :

The difference between governing documents
Typical policies a company and water system should consider implementing
Steps to draft and adopt policies

Recommended audience: managers and board members.
Accreditation: 6 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded

BAYWORK - Webinar 3, Digital Innovation: Which tools and strategies pay off for utilities?
2022-10-12 10:00 - 12:00 | Webinar Only
Part of BAYWORK’s 3-part webinar series where experts discuss digital tools and implications for utility workers.
Webinar 3 – Digital Innovation: Which tools and strategies pay off for utilities? Wednesday, October 12th | 10AM to 12PM PST
This session will introduce a range of tools now available for staff training (such as digital twins) and analysis (such as Artificial Intelligence and Collective Intelligence), as well as guidance on protecting water and wastewater systems from cyber-security risks.
Registration Information Coming Soon!
Download and share the flyer
Questions? Email Elizabeth Toups, BAYWORK Manager, at etoups@jvs.org
See other webinars offered in this 3-part series: Webinar 1 | Webinar 2
Who should attend?: For water and wastewater professionals, especially:

Managers and supervisors
Operations and Maintenance Staff
IT, Human Resources and others interested in implementing new technology

RCAC: Water Operator Certification Prep
2022-10-12 08:30 - 15:30 | Hampton Inn and Suites Yuba City, 1375 Sunsweet Blvd, Yuba Sutter Room, Yuba City, CA, 95991, United States
Description: The new California Operator Certification test program allows for operators to take their state exams within weeks of applying. This includes the distribution tests and the treatment tests. This workshop will teach operators the preparation needed for passing these state exams. This will include multiple resources, study materials and guidance needed to apply and take the test. This workshop will also cover the math basics needed to pass both exams while utilizing the state math conversion sheet.
Participants will learn :

Where to secure study materials
Studying basics
Water distribution and water treatment basics
Water math skills

Recommended audience: drinking water operators, laborers and management.
Accreditation: 6 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded

EFCN: Regionalization and the Power of Partnership
2022-10-11 10:00 - 11:00 | Webinar Only
Running a small system can be challenging. Along with meeting regulatory obligations and satisfying customer expectations, you may have issues with aging infrastructure, lack of personnel, and limited financial resources. Furthermore, small systems often cost more to operate per capita than large systems because of economy of scale.
Two strategies to address these challenges is to work with other utilities or consider regionalization options. In this workshop, we will discuss various regionalization models and approaches to collaboration including:
• Informal information sharing
• Sharing personnel
• Leveraging shared purchasing power
• How to prepare your utility for knowledge or technology transfer
• Regionalization options
Attendees will be invited to ask questions throughout the webinar.

RCAC: Regulation Essentials: The California Safe Drinking Water Act
2022-10-11 08:30 - 12:30 | Webinar Only
Description: The primary mission of every public water system is to provide water that is safe to drink. There are upwards of 100 chemicals and microbials regulated under the California and federal versions of the Safe Drinking Water Act. In addition, the regulations mandate operational activities and infrastructure standards that help ensure the delivery of safe drinking water. These regulations have changed and evolved over the last 45 years.
The California drinking water regulations define “safe drinking water” and mandate operations that maintain water quality. Every operator, manager and board member is required to have a reconnaissance-level knowledge of California’s drinking water regulations and an understanding of how these regulations apply to the day-to-day operation of a public water system.
This training will be presented in two 2-hour sessions. In general, these sessions are non-sequential, meaning that the second session is not predicated on material in the first session.
Participants will learn:

Overview/history/purpose/structure of the Safe Drinking Water Act
California Drinking Water Regulations: Need-to-know/Nice-to-know/Where-to-go modules

Recommended audience: All water system operators and managers.
Accreditation: 4 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded

Achieve & Maintain Compliance with SDWA Series Part 1 of 3
2022-10-06 10:00 - 12:00 | Webinar Only
The Achieve & Maintain Compliance with SDWA 3-Part Series is being held in Pacific Time.
Description: After 30 years, the EPA has officially passed new regulations for the Lead and Copper Rule. These revisions are a major step toward keeping communities safe from lead. The new Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) will require the water systems and water system operator to rethink how they address lead and copper in their systems. These new requirements will require a thorough understanding of the LCRR’s requirements so you can effectively engage in short-term and long-term actions that will ensure compliance and safe water for all your customers.
This webinar will explain requirements for site selection and sampling plans the LCRR and will guide drinking water operators through the new Lead and Copper site selection process and sampling plans so that supplies maintain compliance for lead and copper under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Participants will learn:

The requirements of the new lead service line inventory
Lead service line replacement requirements
Monitoring childcare and school facilities
New monitoring requirements
Expanded communications programs
More stringent response to elevated lead levels

Recommended audience: operators, managers, and board members.
