Newsletter #135 for April 2025
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Visit our booth at this year's Tribal Drinking Water Conference! |
There's still time to register for the Tribal Drinking Water conference! It will take place on April 21-24, 2025, in Reno, Nevada at the Grand Sierra Resort & Hotel. WaterOperator.org will have a booth at the conference this year so please stop by and say hi if you see us!
Conference Information:
Protecting drinking water quality and ensuring a sufficient supply are complex responsibilities. Tribal utilities must have the financial stability, managerial competence and technical skills to address their immediate and projected drinking water needs and protect community health and well-being in a sustainable manner. They must make decisions on operating costs, aging infrastructure, and much more on a daily basis.
Tribal Operator Certification Exam Session(s) with ITCA will be available at the conference. Proctoring of paper-booklet exams will be offered for eligible applicants for Water Distribution and Water Treatment Operator Certification.
Registration for the exam is at the ITCA webpage: www.itcaonline.com/tws.
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NARF Launches The Headwaters Report |
On March 22, 2025, World Water Day, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) introduced The Headwaters Report, a brand-new resource from the Tribal Water Institute (TWI). In an article announcing the report, Native News Online stated: "This first-of-its-kind publication is designed to empower Tribal Nations in their ongoing fight to assert and protect their water rights. By providing critical legal and policy insights, The Headwaters Report equips Tribes with
the necessary tools to secure and safeguard their water resources...It will serve as an essential resource for Tribal Nations, legal advocates, and policymakers dedicated to ensuring that water remains a protected and sacred resource for future generations."
For their first post, The Headwaters Report shared an article focusing on the Clean Water Act, a 50-year-old law that allows Tribes to assert regulatory jurisdiction over water quality and activities that impact water quality within reservation boundaries. The article describes various Clean Water Act programs that are available to Tribal Nations and provides commentary on why Tribes may consider taking on regulatory responsibilities.
What else can you find in the Report? Slide decks on Tribal water rights information
A clearinghouse for Tribal water law and policy information
A place to bring questions and to get guidance
While the materials in the Report are not legal advice from NARF, those needing additional support may contact NARF attorneys through their site and email address, water@narf.org.
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New Drop of Knowledge Article: Challenges of a Tribal City: Eagle Butte, SD |
The article discusses the challenges faced by Eagle Butte, South Dakota, a city within the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) reservation, in managing its utility services. It highlights the conflicts over utility ownership and maintenance responsibilities that came along with the establishment of the Mni Wašté Water Company by the CRST in 2014.
The Midwest Assistance Program (MAP) was brought in to mediate these disputes and help secure funding for necessary improvements. Despite some setbacks, ongoing efforts are being made to resolve conflicts and support infrastructure enhancements through planning, cost estimates, and applications for funding.
Read the full article: Challenges of a Tribal City: Eagle Butte, SD | Drop of Knowledge
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Tap Talk Episode 51Resources for Well and Septic Owners to Face Florida’s Changing Climate
In this episode of Tap Talk, Jennifer and Steve chatted with Dr. Andrea Albertin and Dr. Yilin Zhuang of the University of Florida Extension’s Florida Well Owner Network (FWON). From intensified hurricanes to rising sea levels to eroding coasts, climate change has brought a number of significant environmental challenges to Florida. The state’s millions of well and septic users — common in urban areas as well as the typical rural ones — face unique struggles in equipping their properties to face these challenges and responding to the damage they wreak.
FWON works to provide education, resources, and support to these homeowners as Florida’s landscape evolves.
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Getting Grant Ready Webinar Series for Tribes: Strengthening Proposals with the Right Data |
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This webinar recording "assists participants in identifying, selecting, and justifying the right data to strengthen their proposals. It focuses on how to align data with project objectives to build a compelling, evidence-backed case for funding."
Learning Objectives:
- Learn how to identify and collect relevant data that will effectively support your grant proposal.
- Understand how to justify data selection in relation to the specific goals and needs of your project.
Find more videos on Environmental Finance Center Network's YouTube Channel.
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Featured Events for Tribal Water Systems |
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Learning About Lead In Drinking Water – Elevated Lead Levels
Multiple dates available below
United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc.
USET’s Office of Environmental Resource Management’s (OERM) Lead Reduction Team is partnering with subject matter experts to share remediation activities that address elevated lead levels in drinking water. The EPA 3Ts modules (training, testing, and taking action) provides guidance to remove lead from drinking water and encourages short-term and long-term remediation ensuring safe drinking water at tribal schools, daycares, and other common children’s gathering places.
This free training will cover remediation activities from flushing to service line replacement. We encourage tribal leaders, health and environmental officials, and educators to attend this training.
April 10, 2025 at 1:00 PM CDT | Register
May 22, 2025 at 1:00 PM CDT | Register
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PFAS Removal: Novel Adsorbents and Process
May 8, 2025 | 11:00 AM MDT
American Water Works Association & Indian Health Service
This free webinar will explore the novel sorbent(s) used in the AquaPRS PFAS Removal system process to achieve the new regulatory requirements. While meeting these requirements, the AquaPRS process provides customers with a low cost of ownership due to the reduced operating costs associated with sorbent usage and disposal/destruction costs.
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Recent Blog Posts at WaterOperator.org |
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Texas Water Supply Endangered by Workforce Shortage
Read Here »
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Pathways for Career Development in Wastewater Treatment
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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WaterOperator.org is a free service, grant-funded to support small community water and wastewater operators with comprehensive resources and information in one easy-to-use place. We also serve the 800+ training, primacy, and technical service organizations, by
helping operators get to their information. We aren't selling or advertising anything. Call us at 1-866-522-2681 for assistance.
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Visit our other websites:
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