Description: Public health is the primary concern of water providers and the only way to ensure your water is safe is to test for possible contamination. Water system sampling can vary from monthly bacteriological to radionuclide testing every nine years. This workshop will focus on water sample collection while also reviewing monitoring schedules, site sample plans, and reporting and public notification requirements. Participants will learn: Monitoring and reporting regulations under the California Safe Drinking Water Act General and specific sampling procedures The benefits of a timely water quality monitoring program Who should attend: operators, managers, and anyone responsible for ensuring compliance with sampling regulations. Accreditation: 2 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded. Contact hours have been approved for the Registered Environmental Health Specialist Program. 

Description: Public health is the primary concern of water providers and the only way to ensure your water is safe is to test for possible contamination. Water system sampling can vary from monthly bacteriological to radionuclide testing every nine years. This workshop will focus on water sample collection while also reviewing monitoring schedules, site sample plans, and reporting and public notification requirements. Participants will learn: Monitoring and reporting regulations under the California Safe Drinking Water Act General and specific sampling procedures The benefits of a timely water quality monitoring program Who should attend: operators, managers, and anyone responsible for ensuring compliance with sampling regulations. Accreditation: 2 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded. Contact hours have been approved for the Registered Environmental Health Specialist Program. 

Description: Since the arsenic maximum contaminant level was lowered from 50 ppb to 10 ppb in 2001, water systems have been scrambling to comply with this more stringent standard. For many small water systems, compliance with the Arsenic Rule has been a significant technological, financial and operational challenge. This online learning event is intended to provide a small water system with a “road-map” to Arsenic Rule compliance. We will begin with review of the requirements of the Arsenic Rule. We will then explore non-treatment options for compliance, which are almost always less costly than treatment. We will then assess the pros and cons of several of the most common arsenic treatment technologies. Participants will learn: The health effects of arsenic in water Non-treatment options for Arsenic Rule compliance An overview of the most used arsenic treatment technologies Practical considerations when choosing an arsenic treatment system Who should attend: operators, managers and board members that have an interest in providing arsenic-safe water to their customers Accreditation: 2 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded. Contact hours have been approved for the Registered Environmental Health Specialist Program. 

Description: Worldwide, Nitrates are the most common chemical contaminant in groundwater aquifers. In 1980, nine drinking water wells in California had unsafe levels of Nitrates. By 2007, this acute contamination had spread to more than 648 wells. Nitrates continue to impact the health of California residents and the problem is only getting worse. This workshop will help you make informed decisions about mitigating this contaminant. Participants will learn: What Nitrates are How Nitrates get into drinking water The acute health effects of Nitrate exposure How to achieve compliance with Safe Drinking Water Act requirements for Nitrates An overview of the most used Nitrate treatment technologies Practical considerations when choosing an Nitrate treatment system Who should attend: operators, managers and board members that have an interest in providing nitrate-safe water to their customers. Accreditation: 2 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded. Contact hours have been approved for the Registered Environmental Health Specialist Program. 

The second part in BAYWORK's 3-part webinar series where experts discuss digital tools and implications for utility workers. Webinar 2 - Digital Competency: How to develop the candidates you will need in the future and train current staff - Thursday, September 29th | 10AM to 12PM PST How can community colleges and unions help us prepare candidates with the digital skills our industry needs? How do we provide relevant training to our current staff that will improve their use of digital tools? 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 3 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

Description: Effective Standard Operating Procedures help to ensure that critical procedures are done according to accepted standards. SOPs are also useful for operator training and quality control. This class will cover the steps to create and implement effective SOPs. Learning Objectives: Describe how SOPs can be used for tasks, training, and quality control Identify tasks that require an SOP Explain the benefits of using SOPs List the elements of an SOP Update and track SOPs Analyze and test SOPs Presenter: Gregory Pearson, Water & Wastewater Trainer, Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center at Michigan Technological University 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

Description: Well equipment must be maintained to ensure long life and quality water within the system. Wells need to be monitored regularly to compile vital information on the health of the source. How is your well performing? What goes into the process of choosing a well site? Have you been monitoring your water levels in the aquifer? This workshop will address these topics and more.  Participants will learn: Well site selection process Well inspection Well maintenance Groundwater qualities Measuring drawdown Well sounders: Which one is right for me? Accreditation: 2 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded. Recommended audience: operators, management, water system personnel or anyone with an interest in better understanding the value of operating a safe drinking water system.

Description: Well equipment must be maintained to ensure long life and quality water within the system. Wells need to be monitored regularly to compile vital information on the health of the source. How is your well performing? What goes into the process of choosing a well site? Have you been monitoring your water levels in the aquifer? This workshop will address these topics and more.  Participants will learn: Well site selection process Well inspection Well maintenance Groundwater qualities Measuring drawdown Well sounders: Which one is right for me? Accreditation: 2 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded  Recommended audience: operators, management, water system personnel or anyone with an interest in better understanding the value of operating a safe drinking water system.

Description: In order to remain viable, all public water systems need to acquire and manage sufficient financial resources to achieve and maintain compliance with regulatory requirements. One primary tool to become and remain viable is developing and maintaining a comprehensive budget. This workshop will show board members, managers and operators how to develop a budget, identify revenues and expenses, methods to balance the budget and how to review a budget comparison report on a regular basis. Participants will learn: How to prepare a budget How to identify revenue and expenses How to identify fiscal policies to assist in balancing the budget How to review the budget comparison report on a regular basis Recommended audience: directors, board members and managers of mutual water companies.

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.

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 

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.

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

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

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

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.

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   

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 

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.

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 

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 

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 […]

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 […]

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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