insie the state’s most important resource. Providing solutions for … · 2018-12-13 · one: turn to Black & Veatch. Our leadership, innovation and collaborative approach can take

Providing solutions for Kansas to effectively manage water,the state’s most important resource.inside:

WINTER 2018

EMERGENCY PREPARATION

Tips to prepare for workplace emergencies 11

CREATE A PIPELINE OF TALENT

WSU’s Work in Water Program Offers Workshop 13

AWWA UTILITY MEMBERSHIP

Benefits, management resources, and tools 15

Defore Presented George Warren Fuller AwardThe 2018 Kansas Section AWWA George Warren Fuller Award

was presented to Dan Defore, Winfield Water Treatment Plant

Superintendent, Winfield, Kansas, at the 10th Annual KWEA/KsAWWA

Joint Conference in Topeka, Kansas.

This is the most prestigious award the American Water Works Association

bestows on its members. George Warren Fuller Awards are presented

annually by the American Water Works Association to the sections’

respective selected members for their distinguished service to the water

supply field in commemoration of the sound engineering skill, the brilliant

diplomatic talent, and the constructive leadership which characterized

the life of George Warren Fuller. The class of 2018 award winners will be

recognized at the George Warren Fuller breakfast at the AWWA Annual

Conference and Exposition 2019 in Denver, Colorado.

continued on page 8

http://ksawwa.org

2SOLUTION H2O Winter 2018

Contents

Advertiser index

Black & Veatch ...........................................................5

DN Tanks ..................................................................16

Ford Meter Box .......................................................14

PEC ............................................................................23

Pittsburg Tank & Tower Group................................5

R.E. Pedrotti Co., Inc. ..............................................12

UCI Contractors .......................................................23

Wilson & Company .................................................16

1 Defore Presented George Warren Fuller Award

3 News from the Chair

4 Section Manager’s Report

6 Director’s Report

9 Cribbs Presented Operator Meritorious Award

10 Randtke Recognized with Richard Porter Service Award

11 Are You Prepared for an Emergency

13 Create a Pipeline of Talent to Your Utility with WSU’s Work in Water Program

15 Why AWWA Utility Membership?

17 KsAWWA Awards Four Scholarships in 2018

18 WaterOne Triumphs Again in Best Tasting Tap Water Contest

19 Meter Madness Brings Heated Competition

20 Fast-Paced Hydrant Hysteria Draws Eight Teams for Competition

21 Backhoe Rodeo Competition Tests Skill, Proficiency of Equipment Operators

22 What is a Safety Data Sheet?

24 KU Design Team Thank You

25 More Conference Photos


News from the Chair �� by Phillip Cooper, KsAWWA Chair

Hello water professionals, and welcome to the winter

edition of Solution H2O.

We had great attendance at the 10th Annual KWEA/

KsAWWA Joint Conference held in Topeka, Kansas,

this year. There were over 600 attendees and a lot of

vendors to visit with. Kent Rader was a great keynote

speaker. I hope everyone enjoyed it.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the

presenters and moderators for their willingness to

help, and to all the people working the registration

tables and behind the scenes. They are what makes

this a successful conference for everyone. The next

conference is just around the corner so if you have

a paper to submit you may begin doing so in late

December at http://kswaterwastewater.com/.

I am honored to be your chair this year. There have

been many great people who have served in this

position before me, and I will continue to lead with

the same high standards set by past chairs.

The American Water Works Association was founded

in 1881 in St. Louis, Missouri, by 22 water works

professionals. By 1910, membership grew to 1,000,

and I am proud to say today membership is at 50,000.

http://www.ksawwa.org/membership.html.

KsAWWA is going to continue working hard with the

mentoring program that began in 2017 with Past

Chair Lester Estelle, so

if anyone would like to

get more involved with

AWWA please ask a

board member.

The operator training

committee has always

been very active in

scheduling training

classes across the

state to meet demand for continuing education hours

and training new operators. Several workshops are

lined up for 2019, so watch the KsAWWA website for

further details.

The 11th Annual KWEA/KsAWWA Joint Conference

planning is underway and will be held Aug. 27-29,

2019, at the Capitol Plaza Hotel/Expo Center in

Topeka, Kansas. KsAWWA Chair-elect Andrew Hansen

and KWEA Vice President Chris Ramsey are planning

the program and welcome any recommendations.

I look forward to another successful year working with

all the great water professionals and the KsAWWA

Board of Trustees. All your time and dedication are

appreciated.

Phillip Cooper, KsAWWA Chair

[email protected]

(620) 340-6371 – office

http://kswaterwastewater.com/

http://www.ksawwa.org/membership.html

mailto:pcooper%40emporia-kansas.gov?subject=


Section Manager’s Report�� by Hank Corcoran Boyer, KsAWWA Section Manager

Looking back, it seems like 2018 has gone by in a

flash, and once again it is time to wish everyone a

“Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and a Happy

New Year,” and turn the calendar to 2019.

The joint conference in Topeka was a huge success

and was probably one of the most positive in the way

of net income for both organizations. So, I would say

after 10 years and with the diligent work of many

people, we have a successful conference and one to

look forward to for many years to come.

Once again, we used an audio-visual company to

take care of our entire computer, projector, and

screen needs as well as troubleshooting of presenter

problems with equipment. This is a huge help to our

program chairs and leaves them available to assist

with other problems and activities. We also used a

professional photographer, and if you haven’t taken

the time to look at the many pictures that were taken,

visit http://kswaterwastewater.com and click on the

button on the bottom of the homepage to see the

many photos. They are divided into categories so you

don’t have to go through all of them to find what you

are looking for.

We continue to use the online submission of “Call

for Papers,” and this is becoming easier for everyone

involved to see what we have and in what areas we

still need papers to complete our program. Tina

Leitzel, our computer wizard, and myself have met

with the 2019 and

2020 program chairs

to get things lined

out for the 2019

conference. The “Call

for Papers” should be

available online by late

December for your

submissions.

Once again, we

were able to give two $1,000 scholarships to

undergraduate/graduate students in the water/

wastewater fields. We also gave two $1,000 One

AWWA Scholarships to operators for their continuing

education in the field of water/wastewater. Shortly

after Jan. 1, 2019, we will again be soliciting

applications for both of these scholarship

opportunities online.

I would like to give a shoutout to our webmaster and

“partner in crime” Tina Leitzel for all of her assistance

and work she does for KsAWWA. It is a pleasure

working with a talented and knowledgeable lady, and

she is fun to have dinner with as well. Thank you from

myself and everyone at KsAWWA, Tina!

This was the first year we actually held a qualifying

Hydrant Hysteria competition, and we had seven

teams participate, including one women’s team.

The winner of this year’s competition will compete

http://kswaterwastewater.com


at ACE19 in Denver next June. Congratulations to

WaterOne’s “Hydrants with Attitude” team.

Lastly, don’t forget the 2019 Joint Annual Conference

to be held at the Topeka Capitol/Expo Center Aug.

27-29, 2019.

Again, “Happy Holidays” and may God bless you

and yours in 2019! I am looking forward to continue

working with so many wonderful KsAWWA members

who are dedicated to the World’s Most Important

Resource. ®

How to pay for the cost of water while still delivering 24/7 safe and reliable service? There’s no single right answer. Except one: turn to Black & Veatch. Our leadership, innovation and collaborative approach can take you beyond business as usual, to achieve what you need to achieve, from your asset management to process needs, with the resources available to you.

Visit bv.com to learn more.

DOING

MORE WITH LESS

http://www.pttg.com/

http://bv.com


Director’s Report

I am delighted to

have the opportunity

to serve as director

for our section,

following in Mike

Orth’s footsteps in

helping both KsAWWA

and AWWA to “keep

matriculating the ball

down the field.” Mike

did an excellent job as

director and was instrumental in bringing about two

very significant changes in the way AWWA’s Board of

Directors conducts business:

1. Revamping the procedures (and related bylaws) for nominating and electing officers, changing the focus to identifying the skills and traits AWWA most need in its leaders as the organization moves forward, and largely eliminating the campaigning practices of the past; and

2. Delegating much of the routine business of the board to its executive committee, while retaining final authority on all matters under the board’s control, thereby freeing up the board to devote more time to the most important issues facing AWWA and those it serves.

In June at ACE 18, Mike and I and the other board

members had the pleasure of meeting in person with

the Water Buffaloes when they arrived in town after

riding to the conference on their motorcycles to raise

funds for Water for People. The group included two

Water Buffaloes from Kansas, Jim Jackson and Kurt

Bookout, as well as incoming AWWA President Jim

Williams.

In July, I attended a New Director Orientation program

in Denver, and then stayed another day to attend

AWWA’s Summer Workshop as a representative of

the Kansas Section. At this year’s workshop, 100

participants from 33 sections attended sessions on

Managing Fundraising Events, AWWA’s 2018-2019

Vision, Engaging Members, WARN in Action, Providing

Member Value through AWWA Programming,

Succession Planning, Cybersecurity, and other topics.

Important initiatives currently being pursued by

AWWA include:

1. Veterans’ Workforce Initiative – The goal of this initiative is to help veterans secure jobs in the water industry. A toolkit was developed for employers looking to hire veterans, and flyers are available to inform veterans about employment opportunities in the water sector. AWWA recruited volunteers from the sections to network with veterans and potential employers, and our section is in the process of figuring out, under the leadership of Jessica Adams-Weber, how to optimally integrate this program into our committee structure. Additional volunteers are welcome, and are encouraged to contact Jessica.

�� by Stephen Randtke, KsAWWA Director

SOLUTION H2O Winter 20187

2. Total Water Solutions – AWWA continues to incorporate TWS concepts into conferences, resources development, standards, current projects, and legislative and regulatory efforts; and is revising its TWS strategy to increase emphasis on reuse. The Partnership for Clean Water (PCW) continues to make strides in wastewater utility optimization, with nearly 60 utility subscribers. Tracy Mehan and his colleagues in AWWA’s Washington, DC, office are monitoring and providing input on the 2018 Farm Bill; met with U.S. Forest Service representatives to discuss potential collaborations to advance source water protection on Forest Service lands; and held discussions with Natural Resources Conservation Service officials about enhancing source water protection through USDA conservation programs such as the National Water Quality Incentives Program and the Regional Conservation Partnership program.

3. Affordability – At ACE18, AWWA’s board held a brainstorming session to discuss affordability of household water services, and the inaugural

AWWA/WEF Transformative Issues Symposium, held Aug. 6-7 in Washington, DC, focused on affordability, with technical sessions covering topics such as affordability metrics, regulatory perspectives, utility case studies, integrated planning, international challenges, and the perspectives of utility executives and consumer advocates, such as AARP.

4. Community Engineering Corps – The CECorps, formed by an alliance between AWWA, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and Engineers Without Borders-USA, provides technical expertise to underserved communities in the United States to help ensure that their infrastructure meets their community’s needs. To date in 2018, CECorps received 34 new project applications, 17 of which were for water and sanitation projects, and AWWA Section teams have adopted six of these projects.

Stay tuned for more information on these topics, and

please do not hesitate to share your questions or

concerns with me regarding these or other matters

involving AWWA.

69th Annual KU Environmental Engineering ConferenceThe 69th Annual KU Environmental Engineering Conference is scheduled to be held Wednesday,

April 17, 2019, in the Kansas Memorial Union at KU. The conference theme is “Affordably Improving

Sustainability and System Performance.” Plenary session presentations will address topics of broad

interest; and afternoon breakout sessions will address timely topics in the areas of water supply

and treatment; water quality and wastewater treatment; and air, energy, and waste management.

Program and registration information will be available by early January at http://ceae.ku.edu.

http://ceae.ku.edu


To qualify for the award, the person must be an

individual member or a duly appointed representative

of an organization member of the American Water

Works Association. In the case of a posthumous award,

the recipient must have been an AWWA member at the

time of his/her death.

Defore grew up in rural Cowley County, and following

high school he attended Hutchinson Community

College. After college, Defore worked several jobs

before returning to Winfield and starting his water

treatment career with the City of Winfield as water

plant operator II/maintenance tech. In 2004, he was

promoted to his current position as water treatment

plant superintendent. Defore has overseen the

renovation and expansion of the water treatment plant,

completed in 2009; upgrades included the addition of

ozone treatment and additional ground storage. Defore

also coordinated the reconditioning of the water tower,

a new SCADA system, and the addition of a third lagoon,

to be completed by the end of this year.

Defore recognizes the importance of conservation

and education of the public as well as his fellow

professionals. At the local level, he is involved with the

Upper Timber Creek Water Shed District to preserve and

protect water resources. He has served as OTC chair for

KsAWWA, trustee for the KsAWWA board of trustees,

and KsAWWA chair-elect, chair, and past chair.

In his spare time, Defore is a livestock producer and

has served on the Cowley County Fair Board for more

than 20 years, as well as serving as president and vice

president. And if that isn’t enough, he operates Defore

Auction and Realty with his father. Defore is proud of his

four children and three grandchildren.

AWWA Treasurer Aurel Arndt presents prestigious George Warren Fuller Award to recipient Dan Defore


Cribbs Presented Operator Meritorious Award��

To be eligible for this award the following criteria

must be met.

» Continuous compliance with public health standards in finished water.

» Consistent and outstanding contribution to plant maintenance thereby prolonging the useful life of equipment.

» The development of new and/or modified equipment of significant process modifications to provide for a more efficient or effective treatment.

» Special efforts in the training of treatment plant operators.

» Special acts not directly related to water treatment but which demonstrate dedication to the public beyond the normal operating responsibilities.

» Consistent and outstanding contribution to operation and/or maintenance of distribution lines, pump stations, and reservoirs.

This individual has served on the OTC Northeast

Region Subcommittee for Kansas AWWA for six years

and has helped organize many one- and two-day

workshops. He has been instrumental in developing

the annual two-day workshop held at Water One

in April. He has always been available and eager to

assist in whatever capacity needed. He has helped

revive the Fort Scott water treatment program by

teaching evening classes throughout the metro

area, allowing operators to get water treatment

certification and/or an associate degree in water

technology.

This year’s winner of the Operator Meritorious

Award is Joe Cribbs of WaterOne.

Cribbs maintains a Class IV certification in both

water and waste water. His hobbies include running,

spending quality time with friends and family,

running, and church activities, did I mention running?

Plus, he has even competed in several marathons.

Congratulations, Joe!

KsAWWA Chair Martha Tasker, Operator Meritorious Award recipient Joe Cribbs, and Operator Meritorious Award Chairman Dan Defore


Randtke Presented Richard Porter Service Award��

The Richard Porter Service Award was established in

2006 in memory of long-time member and Secretary

Treasurer Richard Porter. The award is given each

year to a section member who has demonstrated

support and commitment to the Kansas Section. This

commitment could be represented by the following:

» An active role in one or more committees;

» Participation in section conference or training seminars;

» Demonstration of a friendly and welcoming attitude to new and current members of the section.

» Serve as an example to others of the role of the section as a leader in providing service and support to others in the industry; and or

» Promotion of a positive image of the section.

The 2018 recipient of this award is Dr. Stephen

Randtke, University of Kansas. Dr. Randtke has been

an active member of KsAWWA and supports the

section not only by his work but encouraging his

students at KU to become involved in AWWA.

Dr. Randtke has this to say after receiving the award:

”I was shocked (and completely speechless) when

Martha Tasker announced at the joint conference that I

had been selected as the recipient of the 2018 Richard

Porter Service Award. Richard set an incredibly high bar

in serving our section in many different ways, warmly

greeting and welcoming people into our organization,

and serving as a great role model for all of us. I am

deeply honored to have received this award; it means

a great deal to me coming from you, my fellow water

doctors! It is a pleasure to do whatever I can to support

you and all the great work you do!”

Richard Porter Service Award recipient Dr. Stephen Randtke and Martha Tasker


Are You Prepared for an Emergency?�� by Bob Brower, KsAWWA Safety Committee Chair

Emergencies in the workplace cannot be eliminated,

but if you have an emergency action plan in place

and have trained workers to respond quickly and

appropriately you can optimize efficiency, relieve

anxiety, and in some cases, save lives.

Management commitment and worker involvement

are essential to an effective emergency action plan.

The action plan should be explained to workers

and reviewed whenever the plan or responsibilities

change. How good is your emergency action plan?

Find out by asking yourself and your workers the

following questions:

GENERAL » Is there a means of reporting emergencies and accounting for personnel before and after an incident?

» Who is the person responsible for decision-making during emergency conditions?

» Does everyone in the workplace know the procedures to follow in various emergency scenarios (e.g., fire, explosion, earthquake, chemical spill, or workplace violence, etc.)?

» Do workers know the escape routes and evacuations procedures including where to reassemble for a headcount or for further instruction?

» Do workers know where emergency supplies are located?

MEDICAL » Do workers know how to respond in the event of a medical emergency?

» Are there workers trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid?

» Does the work site have first aid equipment that corresponds to the possible injuries workers may encounter? (e.g., emergency wash stations, personal protective equipment, oxygen tanks, ice packs, etc.)

» Are emergency response phone numbers (fire department, ambulance, medical facility, etc.) clearly posted where they can be readily accessed?

FIRE

Does the work site have fire extinguishers that match

the possible fire hazards?

» Have workers practiced using the fire extinguishers so that they are aware of their operation and limitations?

» Have the fire extinguishers been recharged within the last year? They must also be tagged to indicate the recharge date.

SPILLS » Does the work site have absorbent material that matches the quantity and type of chemicals that could spill?


» Do you have relevant personal protective equipment that would be needed to respond to a chemical spill?

» Have workers been properly trained in how to safely respond to a chemical spill?

Once you have established your emergency action

plan, make sure workers are trained and retrained

in the possible emergencies they may encounter,

the emergency procedures they should follow, any

first aid or rescue procedures, and in the location of

emergency response equipment and phone number.

In an emergency, an immediate and educated

response can save individual lives, the business

operation, and thousands of dollars in potential

losses.


Create a Pipeline of Talent to Your Utility With WSU’s Work in Water Program

1313

Wondering who will fill the shoes of your utility

staff when they retire or move on to other jobs?

If so, you are not alone. Water utilities across the

U.S. report that there is an inadequate pool of

interested and qualified employees to meet present

and future replacement needs for operators and

other utility staff.

This water workforce gap is not only a headache for

managers, but a public safety concern. The Work in

Water career development program was designed

as a bridge for younger workers to explore water

and wastewater careers, and for utilities to find their

next generation of talent.

After two years of successful piloting at seven

utilities with more than 200 high school students,

now utilities have the opportunity to adopt WSU

Environmental Finance Center’s successful water

career exploration program in their own community.

�� by WSU Environmental Finance Center


Attend the free Work in Water Training Session on

Feb. 8 in Wichita, where facilitators will lead you step-

by-step through the lessons and activities that teach

students about where their water comes from, how

their water is treated for drinking, and what happens

to wastewater. This training will inspire attendees

to think about how to adapt the Work in Water

methodology for their own utility or community.

The training will also provide best practices for

engaging schools, working with high school students,

hosting internships and leading field trips through the

treatment plants. Utilities that participate are eligible

for mini-grants to cover transportation and internship

costs for their first Work in Water project.

Go beyond your standard recruiting methods.

Adapt the Work in Water program to fit your utility’s

education and workforce needs today! Learn more

about Work in Water and register for the training

session at http://www.wichita.edu/workinwater.

The Work in Water program was created by Wichita

State University Environmental Finance Center

in collaboration and partnership with steering

committee members from Kansas Municipal

Utilities (KMU), Kansas Department of Health and

Environment (KDHE), City of El Dorado, City of Garden

City, and City of Wichita. Funding was provided

through an Environmental Protection Agency

Environmental Education grant.

http://www.wichita.edu/workinwater

http://fordmeterbox.com/usa


Why AWWA Utility Membership?�� by Andy Chase, AWWA Utility Relationship Manger

Utility membership in AWWA comes with many

benefits that are not included with an individual

membership. In addition to the benefits individuals

receive, AWWA provides utilities with resources

to help manage a utility—tools for assessing

infrastructure needs, rate-setting, training and

certification programs, communicating the value

of water service to the public, and opportunities

to craft regulatory policy.

I’m Andy Chase, and I’m incredibly proud to be the

first utility relationship manager in the 137-year

history of AWWA. I joined the Member Engagement

& Development team in January 2015, and I was

charged with developing AWWA’s utility recruitment

process. I realized, early on, the power of partnering

with AWWA Sections and recruiting volunteers to join

me in meetings with utilities and municipalities. Our

process: We identify nonmember utilities through a

variety of sources and group them geographically. I

reach out to Section leaders and ask for volunteers

to commit one day to visiting utilities with me.

When meeting with utilities, we discuss how each

water utility benefits from its AWWA membership

differently; for most, at least three areas of value rise

to the top.

First, AWWA is the pre-eminent forum for knowledge

and solutions to help water professionals—and

water utilities—do their jobs better and more

efficiently. Through

its international and

local conferences,

peer-reviewed

journal and other

publications, and online training and webcasts, AWWA

helps its members discover the right technologies,

management strategies, and operational tactics to

ensure each customer dollar is being spent efficiently

and in a way that best protects public health.

Second, AWWA is the entity that produces water

industry standards for materials, equipment, and

practices used in water treatment and supply.

AWWA members have a voice in the creation of

these standards, and utility members always have

access to the full, updated set. AWWA also produces

a robust set of manuals of practice to complement

the standards. Members further enjoy substantial

discounts on a vast collection of handbooks, reports,

and other tools created through the intellectual

capital of AWWA’s members.

Third, AWWA provides the water sector with a critical

voice in Washington, D.C., where legislative and

regulatory decisions can dramatically affect each

of America’s more than 52,000 community water

systems. Working closely with its utility members,

AWWA’s Government Affairs group and Water

Utility Council bring sound science and the real-

life experience of water utilities to the public policy


dialogue. AWWA brings critical technical information

to the regulatory process and frequently testifies

before Congress on legislative and other matters.

Utility members stay informed through regular public

affairs, legislative, and regulatory advisories, and

a biweekly Water Utility Insider newsletter.

We’ve recently had substantial success in AWWA’s

Southwest Section. The AWWA Membership

Engagement & Development Team has been working

closely with the Section to recruit new utility members.

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with 12 utilities with

Executive Director Don Broussard, and we are excited

to welcome Baton Rouge Water Company, the City

of Shreveport, and the City of Monroe, Louisiana, as

new utility members. From Arkansas, we welcome

Benton/Washington Regional Public Water Authority

as new utility members. We also hosted a luncheon

in Oklahoma City, an active utility member, and we

welcomed the City of Norman and the City of Broken

Arrow, Oklahoma, as new utility members. Utilities

benefit from their utility membership and the Section

benefits as well, since a portion of membership dues

is returned to the Section for operations to maintain

member services locally.

Successes such as these help maintain AWWA as

the largest nonprofit, scientific, and educational

association dedicated to managing and treating water,

the world’s most important resource. With its 51,000

members, AWWA provides solutions to improve public

health, protect the environment, strengthen the

economy, and enhance our quality of life.

providing clients with quality engineering servicesand innovative solutions that protect, enhance,

re-use, store and mitigate water. www.wilsonco.com

Since 1932. It’s kind of a big deal.

2.0 MG Water Storage Tank, City of Atchison, Kansas | Burns and McDonnell

CALL US TODAY | 1.855.DNTANKS | WWW.DNTANKS.COM

DURABILITY FORGENERATIONS TO COME

DAVE ORNDUFF, REGIONAL MANAGER 913.488.2707 | [email protected]

http://wilsonco.com

http://www.wilsonco.com

http://www.dntanks.com


KsAWWA Awards Four Scholarships in 2018��

KsAWWA again presented two $1,000 scholarships to

students furthering their education in the water and

wastewater field. This year’s recipients were Andrew

Hummel and Jennifer Warren, both students at

University of Kansas. They were also a part of the KU

Design Team who presented at the 10th Annual KWEA/

KsAWWA Joint Conference in Topeka, Kansas.

KsAWWA also presented two $1,000 One AWWA

Operator Scholarships in 2018, and the recipients of

these were Brad Ebinger of WaterOne and Jason Patty

of the City of El Dorado.

If anyone is interested in either of these scholarships,

online applications will be available on the KsAWWA

website after Jan. 1, 2019, for the $1,000 Terry L.

McKenna student scholarships or the One AWWA

Operator scholarships which operators in the State

of Kansas may apply for to further their operator

training.

KsAWWA Chair Martha Tasker, Terry L. McKanna Scholarship Chair Andrew Hansen, and scholarship recipients Jennifer Warren and Andrew Hummel


WaterOne Triumphs Again in Best Tasting Tap Water Contest��

The 2018 Best Tasting Tap Water contest was held

at the 10th Annual Joint KWEA/KsAWWA Conference

in Wichita, Kansas on Tuesday, Aug. 28. As usual, it

brought in numerous entries of utilities wanting to

win this competition and go on to the national contest

which will be in Denver, Colorado, at ACE19.

This year the judging was close with the top ranked

tap water only winning by a slight margin. The judges

used the following criteria to select the winner; first

they were sniff the water, then sip the water, slurp the

water, swish the water and finally swallow the water

and rank each sample on a scale of 1-7. The sample

with the lowest score was the winner.

This year’s judges were Aurel Arndt, AWWA Treasurer;

Dr. Stephen Randtke, KsAWWA director; Steve Dye,

WEF; William Carr, KDHE; and Tom Schrempp, retired.

This year’s winner was WaterOne who has previously

won in 2014, 2011, and 2006.

Contest judges Tom Schrempp, Steve Dye, Aurel Arndt, William Carr, Stephen Randtke

Contest Judges with winners from WaterOne


Meter Madness Brings Heated Competition��

The Meter Madness Contest at the 10th Annual Joint

Conference was as heated as always. There were five

entries. Each entry was to assemble a water meter

that worked from parts in a bucket while their time

was recorded. Each contestant was afforded two

chances to record their best time. Times ranged from

2:50.5 minutes to 1:22.4 seconds.

After everyone had their second chance to better

their time, the following were declared winners of the

2018 Meter Madness Contest.

1ST PLACE

Manuel Ledesma, KCK BPU – 1:22.4 minute

2ND PLACE

Michael Hamman, WaterOne – 1:31.2 minute

3RD PLACE

Valerie McCord, WaterOne – 1:32.9 minute

This year the winners were given a plaque and a gift

certificate. First place received $100, second place

$50, and third place $25. Beginning in 2019, the Meter

Madness first place winner will receive compensation

from KsAWWA to attend ACE19 and compete at the

national competition.

Congratulations to everyone who participated!

1st Place: Manuel Ledesma with competition sponsor John Daugherty

2nd Place: Michael Hamman with competition sponsor John Daugherty

3rd Place: Valerie McCord with competition sponsor John Daugherty


Fast-Paced Hydrant Hysteria Draws Eight Teams for Competition�� by Jimmy Althouse, City of Olathe

Hydrant Hysteria is a fast-paced competition in

which two-member teams assemble a fire hydrant

as quickly as possible. The competition is a timed

event that measures the team skills at assembling

a fire hydrant quickly, totally, and accurately. All

parts must be assembled in the proper manner, and

the reassembled hydrant is tested by the judges to

ensure they operate correctly.

This year’s competition held at the KWEA/KsAWWA

Water and Wastewater Conference was the first

qualifying event.

Seven male teams from City of Salina, City of Olathe,

WaterOne, and Kansas Board of Public Utilities

competed as well as one female team “demo” from

the City of Olathe.

Team “Hydrants with Attitude” (Ethan Smith and Tyler

Nickle from WaterOne) took first place and will be

competing at ACE 19 in Denver, Colorado, next year.

We want to thank M&H Valve Company for

sponsoring the competition this year.

Competition coordinator Jimmy Althouse with winners from WaterOne’s “Hydrants with Attitude” team


Backhoe Rodeo Competition Tests Skill, Proficiency of Equipment Operators��

This year’s Backhoe Rodeo Competition drew 10

entries. Backhoe Rodeo tests the skills and proficiency

of equipment operators through a series of obstacles

and challenging tasks where they are timed and

judged on their performance. The competition is

designed for operators to showcase their talent and

bring awareness to the type of skills needed on a daily

basis working in the water distribution and waste

collection field. Times for this year’s competition

ranged from 1:64 minutes to 43 seconds.

1ST PLACE

Alex Schell, City of Topeka – 43 seconds

2ND PLACE

Matt Fund, City of Topeka – 48 seconds

3RD PLACE

Jim Fincham, City of Topeka – 49 seconds


What is a Safety Data Sheet?�� by Bob Brower, KsAWWA Safety Committee Chair

A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is a document that contains

information on the chemical make-up, use, storage,

handling, emergency procedures and potential health

effects related to a hazardous material. The SDS

contains much more information about the material

than the label on the container. SDSs are prepared

and written by the manufacturer of the material.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF AN SDS?

» The purpose of an SDS is to inform you of:

» The material’s chemical make-up.

» The material’s physical properties or fast acting health effects that makes it dangerous to handle.

» The level of protective gear you need to wear to work safely with the material.

» The first aid treatment to be provided when someone is exposed to the material.

» The preplanning needed for safely handling spills, fires, and day-to-day operations.

» How to respond to accidents.

WHAT INFORMATION IS ON THE SDS?

There are nine categories of information that must be

present on an SDS. These are:

» Chemical identity

» Health hazard data

» Manufacturer information

» Precautions for safe handling and use

» Hazardous ingredients

» Exposure controls/personal protection

» Physical and chemical properties

» Fire and explosion hazard data

REACTIVITY DATA

Even with all of the above information on an SDS, it

might not have everything you need to know about a

material. For example, health hazard information is

usually presented in general terms. Your health and

safety specialist should be able to help you find more

information if it is needed.

WHY IS AN SDS HARD TO READ?

Originally, SDSs were intended to be used by

industrial hygienists, chemical engineers, and safety

professionals. Now, SDSs are used by employers,

employees, emergency responders, and anyone

else requiring information on a material. Some SDSs

look very different from others. This is because law

specifies the content of the SDS, but the format is left

up to the manufacturer of the material.

WHEN WOULD I USE AN SDS?

You should always know the hazards of a material

before you start using it. For most people who

work with a material, there are sections of the SDS


that are more important than others. You should

always read the name of the material, know the

hazards, understand the safe handling and storage

requirements, and understand what to do in an

emergency.

HAZARD COMMUNICATION STANDARD

SDSs form the cornerstone of this standard. The

hazard communication standard requires employers

to; maintain an inventory of hazardous materials,

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS PAwww.pec1.com

MECHANICAL | ELECTRICAL | STRUCTURAL | CIVIL ENGINEERS

ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR WATER + WASTEWATER Treatment Facilities Water Storage Systems Distribution Systems Computer Hydraulic Models Sewer Collection Systems Water Well Design Pumping + Telemetry Systems Landscape Architecture Municipal Services

ENGINEERING LASTING RELATIONSHIPS with innovative solutionsATTENTION to DETAIL

At UCI we are absolute in our attention to detail throughout each project, from concept to completion, and are focused on provid-

ing our clients with extraordinary results. Our water infrastructure team is one of the most seasoned in the industry and understand the vital part we play in the these projects that

can define the success of a community.

ENERGY • WATER • INDUSTRIALCHEMICAL & SPECIALTY • ENVIRONMENTAL

316-265-9506 / ucict.com / Est. 1950

provide employees training on the potential hazards

associated with a material, obtain and maintain SDSs

for each material on-site, establish proper methods

and types of labels, and inform contractors of the

hazards that their employees may be exposed to in

their work area.

http://ucict.com

24

Veatch, a young professional’s reception


Martha Tasker presents Dick Pedrotti with the Gold Waterdrop award for 50 years of AWWA membership.

Martha Tasker presents Garry Turner with recognition for 30 years of membership.

Terryl Pajor and Tom Schrempp receive Lifetime Member recognition from Martha Tasker.

Martha Tasker presents WEF Treasurer Aurel Arndt with gifts.

Martha Tasker passes the gavel to new KsAWWA Chair Phillip Cooper. All-conference meet and greet comedy event at Topeka Civic Theatre

MARK YOUR CALENDAR...

Annual KWEA / KsAWWA Joint Annual Conference

2019 Topeka Capitol Plaza Hotel August 27–29

2020 Wichita Hyatt Regency / Century II September 1-3

AWWA Annual Conference

June 9 – 12, 2019

June 14-17, 2020

June 13-16, 2021

June 12-15, 2022

June 11-14, 2023

Denver, CO

Orlando, FL

San Diego, CA

San Antonio, TX

Toronto, Canada

KsAWWA Board of Trustees Meetings

December 14, 2018 Emporia Water Treatment Plant

http://ksawwa.org

Documents

insie the state’s most important resource. Providing solutions for … · 2018-12-13 · one: turn to Black & Veatch. Our leadership, innovation and collaborative approach can take