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Newsletter #403 for April 29, 2025 |
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Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Projects Recognized for Excellence and Innovation |
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On April 23, 2025, Jessica Kramer, Senior Advisor at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), honored 38 water infrastructure projects for their outstanding excellence and innovation. These initiatives were supported by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) programs, which have long served as a cornerstone of federal investment in water infrastructure.
"These exemplary projects were recognized as part of EPA’s AQUARIUS and PISCES national recognition programs at the at the 2025 Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities (CIFA) Summit on Water Infrastructure." The AQUARIUS Program highlights projects funded by the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) that demonstrate excellence in various categories such as innovative financing, system partnerships, community engagement, environmental and public health protection, and creative solutions. The PISCES Program recognizes projects funded by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) that excel in similar categories, focusing on wastewater and stormwater infrastructure improvements.
Recognized Projects:
AQUARIUS Program:
- Excellence in Innovative Financing: Merrimack Village District, New Hampshire — Wells 2, 3, 7, 8 PFAS and Iron/Manganese Treatment
- Excellence in System Partnerships: Stanislaus Regional Water Authority, California — Regional Surface Water Supply Project
- Excellence in Community Engagement: Bloomfield Township, New Jersey — Lead Service Replacement Phases
- Excellence in Environmental and Public Health Protection: City of Pineville, Missouri — Water Improvement Projects
- Excellence in Creative Solutions: Ellinger Sewer and Water Supply Corporation, Texas — Water Plant Improvements Project
PISCES Program:
- Excellence in Innovative Financing: Chemung County Sewer District, New York — Chemung County Wastewater Treatment Plant Consolidation
- Excellence in System Partnerships: Town of Ardmore Water Works and Sewer Board, Alabama — Ardmore Wastewater Treatment Plant Renovations
- Excellence in System Partnerships: Springdale Water and Sewer Commission, Arkansas — Bethel Heights Wastewater Regionalization with Springdale
- Excellence in Community Engagement: Prince George’s County, Maryland — Urban Stormwater Retrofit Public Private Partnership
- Excellence in Environmental and Public Health Protection: Marquette County Solid Waste Management Authority, Michigan — Marquette County Landfill Leachate Treatment System
- Excellence in Creative Solutions: Malcom “Jamie” Jameison, landowner — Berkeley Plantation Living Shoreline, Virginia
The recognition of these infrastructure projects by EPA highlights the importance of innovative and collaborative efforts in ensuring safe drinking water and effective wastewater management. The success of these projects through the AQUARIUS and PISCES programs helps to demonstrate the positive impact of federal investment in water infrastructure that contributes to public health, environmental protection, and community engagement.
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Tap Talk |
Examining Well Water Standards, Sampling, and Research in Minnesota’s Dakota County
This week we are pleased to welcome another deeply knowledgeable guest from the state of Minnesota: Vanessa Demuth, a geologist and well inspector from Dakota County, Minnesota’s Environmental Resources Department. Dakota County is one of a set of Minnesota counties that has stricter standards for well water pollutants than the state. Vanessa tells Steve and Jennifer how these stricter standards benefit the well owners of Dakota County, other well care tactics the county undertakes, unique pollutants, and more! |
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Best Practices: Communicating with Industry on PFAS Contamination |
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Have you been unsure of how to communicate with the industrial sector about PFAS as concerns about the prevalence of forever chemicals continues to grow?
Take a look at the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA)’s “Communicating with Industry on PFAS Contamination” factsheet. The best practices and questions included in the guide are meant to help find the best path forward for state source water protection agencies working with industry to address contamination. |
| View the Factsheet |
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Featured Video |
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Water operations are ever flowing – Caitlin Pyle
Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX)
"Water operator and TEEX wage instructor, Caitlin Pyle shares her experience teaching others about the water industry. 'We're here every day, whether it's rain or snow or cold or hot, operators are out there cleaning water, making water because the pipes don't stop, the water flow never stops, and we will never stop.'" |
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Don't Forget! Register for ACE 2025 |
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Have you registered to attend this year’s American Water Works Association Annual Conference & Expo (ACE) yet?
This year’s ACE will be held from June 8-11 in Denver, Colorado, at the Colorado Convention Center, and will be focused on exploring how to ELEVATE the future of water.
ACE is one of the largest gatherings for the water sector. It features an exhibit hall, dozens of educational sessions, annual competitions, and much more! ACE offers plenty of networking and professional development opportunities, including certificates of completion for all our sessions.
Reserve your spot now to discover the latest strategies, technologies, and tools to address prominent challenges water systems face around the world.
You do not need to be a member to register for ACE. If you have an account, you will be asked to log in. If you do not, you will be asked to create a free account to register for the conference. |
| Learn More |
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Featured Video |
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Build a Career in Clean Water
Woodard & Curran
"Find a rewarding career in the clean water operations profession. With low barriers to entry, competitive pay, and excellent advancement opportunities you can have the career you want while supporting the health and prosperity of your community."
A video like this can help to illustrate the typical job duties of an operator and potentially spark interest for people looking to change careers or enter the water sector workforce. |
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Water Workforce Webinar: The Water Tower
April 30, 2025 | 12:00 PM EDT
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
This free webinar will be covering a very important topic— Leading the Way Through Innovation and Collaboration. In today’s water sector, it is essential for utilities and industry professionals to collaborate, access vital training, and explore innovative technologies that address the challenges of 21st-century water service providers. An example of this collaboration is The Water Tower (TWT) in Gwinnett County, Georgia. |
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Community Climate Resilience in Rural Water Systems
May 6, 2025 | 1:00 PM EDT
Environmental Finance Center Network
At this free webinar, the focus will be how rural water, wastewater, and stormwater systems face growing risks from climate change impacts, leaving decision-makers to grapple with complex realities as they seek to develop strategies to build resilience. This webinar explores the complex challenges facing rural water systems, and the ways climate change intensifies these issues. It will highlight practical strategies for advancing community resilience, showcasing examples from research and real-world implementation.
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PFAS Removal: Novel Adsorbents and Process
May 8, 2025 | 11:00 AM MDT
American Water Works Association
At this free webinar, attendees will be introduced to a novel solution to PFAS treatment that could be used in a range of applications within the water industry. You'll learn how these new technologies can handle low to high concentration PFAS waters while producing high-quality micro-filtration effluent water.
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Recent Blog Posts at WaterOperator.org |
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Paving the Way for Sustainable Drinking Water Supply in Arizona
Read Here » |
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Learning About Safety in Wastewater Treatment Plants
Read Here » |
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RCAP's Drop of Knowledge: Article Roundup #7
Read Here » |
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Groundwater & Well Care for Public Water Systems is a free online course from WaterOperator.org. Certificates are provided and the course is currently pre-approved for 2 hours continuing education credit in a number of states.
Click here to learn more. |
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