Today, EPA announced the availability of approximately $5.5 billion in credit assistance for water infrastructure projects under the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. This financing will help support approximately $11 billion in total infrastructure investment.

In the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), the WIFIA program solicits letters of interest from prospective borrowers seeking credit assistance from EPA. The NOFA outlines the process that prospective borrowers must follow to be considered for WIFIA credit assistance and establishes relative weights for the selection criteria. Priorities for Fiscal Year 2018 are (1) provide for clean and safe drinking water, including reducing exposure to lead in the nation’s drinking water systems and (2) repair, rehabilitate, and replace aging infrastructure and conveyance systems. Letters of interest from prospective borrowers seeking WIFIA loans will be accepted until 12:00 PM (noon) EDT on July 6, 2018.

WIFIA-financed King County, Wash., stormwater treatment project to protect water quality in the Duwamish River

Construction is underway in the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle, Wash., on a combined sewer overflow (CSO) wet weather treatment station that will treat up to 265 million L/d (70 mgd) of polluted stormwater runoff that currently can flow into the Duwamish River during severe rain events. The $262 million Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station — a key part of King County’s broader objective to safeguard Puget Sound — is expected to help protect the Duwamish River from stormwater pollution for the next century.

Support the Water For People Committee

The Water For People committee would like to encourage PNCWA members to join our committee! Joining the committee is a great way to show your support for the Water For People organization and the critical services they provide. Committee members help plan and implement exciting events at the conference and during the year and raise awareness of the work of Water For People among PNCWA members. Please contact Kelsey Harpham if you are interesting in becoming a part of the committee!

PNCWA WFP and Optimism Brewing partner for fun and a great cause.

 

WEF Awards Deadline Extended to April 15

WEF is proud to present a variety of awards recognizing hard work in protecting one of the world's most valuable resources. Award recipients are individuals and organizations that contribute to the sustainability of water resources and make a profound impact on the future of the world’s water through involvement with water professionals and education.

• National Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards Program
• Individual Service and Contribution Awards
• Education Awards
• Organization and Association Recognition Awards
• Operational and Design Excellence Awards
• Published Papers

See https://www.wef.org/membership/awards-recognition/wef-awards/

Beer for Us, Water For Everyone - PNCWA Committee Supporting Water For People

To celebrate World Water Day 2018 the PNCWA Water For People Committee is teaming up with Optimism Brewing in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle to support Water For People. Optimism Brewing will be offering 'virtual pints' all day, donations of which will go to Water For People's mission of providing drinking water and sanitation services to everyone forever.

The S&YP Committee is recruiting judges for the 2018 Student Design Competition! Three judges will be selected from the pool by March 31, 2018.  The SDC Subcommittee will select judges that represent the diverse nature of our industry.  Commitments include the review and scoring of a design notebook and team presentation feedback. 

• Judges must be WEF-PNCWA members
• No travel will be required.
• The presentation will utilize an interactive web based platform and will be held on April 30, 2018
• Participation as a judge will take approximately 10-15 hours of your time.
• Three judges will be selected from the pool by March 31, 2018

We ask you to consider lending your expertise to this competition that provides real world experience for emerging industry professionals. Submit your name to volunteer

July 29, 2018 - July 31, 20

Portland Crowne Plaza | Portland, Oregon

In March, water sector professionals can attend the Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.)  Odors and Air Pollutants 2018 conference.

The event will educate about current regulatory requirements and methods for analyzing problems and finding solutions. The event features a workshop, opening general session, exhibits, and 13 technical sessions. Topics covered in the conference’s technical program include

 

It's Time for the 2018 Student Design Competition - Submit intent to enter by Feb 19

The Adopt-a-School grant program provided water education opportunities for 1,567 students in 16 schools throughout Oregon, Washington and Idaho. A total of $6,500 was awarded as follows

Clackamas Web Academy

Cliff Church, who holds Grade II Wastewater Operator and Grade I Water Operator licenses, received the 2016 Oregon Wastewater Operator of the Year Award from the Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association. The award announcement calls Church “an operator who exhibits a commitment to learn safe and efficient plant operations. … He is willing to understand the operations of each plant and has shown a mechanical ability by repairing, maintaining and trouble- shooting equipment.”

Church, a reclaim water technician, was nominated by Andrew Albee, former Myrtle Creek Public Works director and now superintendent of the clean-water plant in Roseburg. “Right from the start,” he says, “Cliff struck me as a real square guy who cared, was really interested in his work, and didn’t treat wastewater as a just a job.” Continue

Webinar Series:  Enabling the Water Resources Utility of the Future

Webinar:  Achieving and Maintaining Economic and Social Health for the Community
January 23, 2018
1:00 - 2:30 PM, EST

The landscape that has traditionally driven clean water utilities is changing rapidly. Today’s utility managers are no longer just treating and discharging wastewater. They are looking for ways to optimize their efficiency, recover valuable resources, and enhance their contribution to the overall health of watersheds and their communities.

As “anchor institutions” in their communities, these Utilities of the Future employ innovative approaches not only to meet their own goals, but also to support the financial and social health of the communities they serve. Please join NACWA, WEF, U.S. EPA, WateReuse, and WE&RF for this webinar describing how leading clean water utilities are using innovative assistance programs to support low-income ratepayers and small water systems serving surrounding communities, enhancing the overall economic and social well-being of the entire area.

If you requested CEUs or PDHs from PNCWA2017, the certificates have been mailed. Additionally, WA ECY and OR DEQ have been provided lists of individuals receiving CEUs and the number of CEUs awarded. After Jan 1, If you still need a PDF of your certificate, please email [email protected]

As you plan for your end of the year charitable giving please consider the Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association’s Scholarship Fund. PNCWA is investing in the future of our industry by providing scholarships to students and operators that are pursuing a professional career in the water quality field.

It is projected, by the EPA, that 31 to 37 percent of the water and wastewater professionals will be retiring in the next 10 years. All of us in this industry need to do our part to ensure that there is a pool of qualified water professionals to meet the current and future needs of our communities.

Aging infrastructure, strict regulatory requirements, and continued economic pressures have put unprecedented stress on local governments and agencies that provide essential water services, but you can help! The Water Advocates program will create a network of water professionals in every state and community, in every congressional district, to get the word out about the value of water and steps needed to protect it. As part of the network, you’ll receive the training and information needed to become an effective Water Advocate for clean and safe water. It’s a great opportunity to help in specific ways, including letters to elected officials and newspaper editors, presentations to business and community organizations, and visits to legislative offices. 

Water needs YOUR voice. Click here to view the flyer. To sign up, log onto the WEFCOM community titled "Water Advocates" and join the community.  You can also submit your information to [email protected]. Please include your name, title, organization, address, e-mail, and telephone number. After you sign up, you will be in the Water Advocates program and receive important announcments about actions you can take to help.

The 2017 PNCWA Conference, held this year in Vancouver, Washington, was one of our best yet. Revisit the friends, networking, and training by browsing our photo album on Flickr. While we are still in the process of uploading conference proceedings, we have many already online, which you can access here. Here are some more highlights!

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Record Turnout 
This year, the PNCWA conference had a record turnout. Over 900 attendees—a mix municipality-agency works, operators, consultants, manufacturers, regulators, researchers, and students—came to Vancouver, Washington, to participate in 128 technical presentations and five preconference workshops. The outstanding mix of attendees coupled with the fantastic programming—the backbone of our conference—made it one of our most successful gatherings. Plus, we had over 200 first-time attendees. Thanks to Conference Chair Lara Kammereck and Technical Program Chair Corinne DeLeon for their work.