Home | Supported By | Contact Us

H2O-XPO Education Program

Tuesday, October 4

1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Session #T1
Attributes of Effectively Managed Utilities
by: Jacki Ponti-Lazaruk, USDA-RUS and Kellie Kubena, USEPA OWM

Recognizing that sustainable water infrastructure must be effectively managed and that small and disadvantaged communities may face particular challenges in attaining and maintaining the technical, managerial, and financial capacity to necessary to be sustainable in the long term. This session provides utilities information and training on Asset Management, Integrated water resource management, environmental and energy resource management.

Session #T2
Managing, Bribing and Motivating Employees
by: John Berry, USA Bluebook

Keeping good employees requires more than a paycheck; it takes a committed effort from management.

Session #T3
Getting Access to Disaster and Recovery Funds for Water/Wastewater Utilities
by: David Goldbloom-Helzner, USEPA and Gary Williams, Florida Rural Water Association

Every year, water and wastewater utilities face disasters such as earthquakes, floods, ice storms, or wildfires that cause extensive damage. These disasters can cripple utility operations and incur extensive financial hardship. This is particularly challenging for rural water utilities that are already stretched for funding and staffing. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working with utilities, rural water representatives, water associations, public works associations, and local, state, and federal agencies to develop tools to assist utilities to recover from disasters and to be better prepared to obtain disaster funding. One such tool is the Federal Disaster Funding Education Tool for Water and Wastewater Utilities to help utilities better understand and navigate the variety of Federal disaster funding opportunities as well as obtain advice from utilities who have participated in these programs. The Tool will be demonstrated at the conference.

Session #T4
New Technology in Line Cleaning
by: Randy Moore, Utility Service Company, Inc.

Participants will learn about new innovative sustainable strategies for managing the lines that form the veins and arteries of modern society.

Session #T5
Essentials of Boardsmenship
by: Bob Harris

Basic knowledge on how a board works.

3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Session #T6
Water University and Utility Management Certification
by: Tom Duck, Texas Rural Water Association

Water University allows you to showcase your years of knowledge and experience by obtaining your Utility Management Certification through a course of on-line study.

Session #T7
Fraud—How Prevent It & How to Spot It
by: Mike Gibson, CPA, Cole and Reed

Nothing is more destabilizing to the financial wellbeing of a small utility than fraud, whether it's by employees or vendors; because it's generally not discovered until the money stolen is large in comparison to the revenue.

Session #T8
Sustainability of Rural & Small Community Water & Wastewater Systems
by: Scott Barringer, Jon Melhus P.E., and Sandi Boughton, USDA-RUS

RUS is your partner in ensuring the technical, financial and managerial sustainability of your utility through a commitment of training, technical assistance and financial support.

Session #T9
Wastewater Treatment and Design for Small Systems
by: William Flores, Smith & Loveless

Learn what are the most efficient and effective treatment options for small wastewater plants.

Session #T10
Your Role as a Board Member
by: Bob Harris

Boards are the backbone of successful utility operations and their actions can make or break even the most competent staff and management. Attend this session and learn the basic requirements you'll need to be successful at guiding your utility.

Wednesday, October 5

8:30 - 10:00a.m.

Session #W11
USDA: Leadership in Water
Address by the Secretary: Tom Vilsack Secretary of Agriculture (invited)

RUS Today as it Relates to funding and congressional decisions: Jonathan Adelstein; Administrator of RUS

RUS and the workforce: John Padalino; Special Assistant and Jacki Ponti-Lazaruk; Assistant Administrator Water and Environmental Programs

10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Session #W12
Career Opportunities: Talk to the Pro's

This is your opportunity to meet with professionals from various levels and career paths in the Water and Wastewater industry. This session will be held in the Exhibit Hall.

10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Session #W13
Social Security in Your Future
by: Social Security Administration

What you need to know, to know the facts.

Session #W14
Prevention Control in Small Water Systems
by: Bruce Rathburn, Immediate Past President American Backflow Prevention Association

Small water systems have many challenges to overcome. Limited resources and funding is an everyday problem just to be able to provide water to its customers. What this presentation will show is even with limited resources you will still have an obligation to protect your drinking water system integrity. The rules that govern this come from both national and/or state levels that do not always cover everything that could happen related to the potential of cross connection. It will identify the hazards and educational ways for the water system and its customers to be protected and maintain safe drinking water.

Session #W15
Where Are Those Leaks?
by: Joe Godwin, American Leak Detection

Quality is not the only Q in town as more an more communities east of the Missouri River deal with water Quantity issues as increased demand taxes once plentiful water sources.

Session #W16
Variable Speed Drives for Energy Conservation
by: Dr. John Regnier, High Point Consulting and Bob McVay P.E., Florida Rural Water Association

VFDs are an easy way to match your pump motors output to your distribution system's need while at the same time conserving energy and saving you money.

Session #W18
A Safe Approach to Reducing Risk
by: Scott Phillips, Florida Rural Water Association

Removing Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products

Session #W19
Finding Our Replacements: How Many of us are Retiring in the 5-years & Who will Replace Us?
by: Bob Carroll, Express Employment Professionals

The fact that the baby boomers are leaving the workforce in ever increasing numbers is nothing new; so what have we done to make a smooth transition in attracting our replacements. Our decisions (and replacements) will directly impact the quality of the rest of our lives.

1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Session #W21
Communicating Your Utility's Value at Little or No Cost
by: Bob McElroy P.E., Daphne Utilities

Customers that understand the value of safe, plentiful water are our greatest allies. How do we make all our customers informed on water value.

Session #W22
Storage Tank Water Quality for Utilities
by: Clyde Zelch, Tomcat Consulting

Storage tanks as a contaminant pathway to your water system and customers.

Session #W23
Fracking! A Threat to Your Water?
by: TBA

Hydraulic fracturing of shale formations is a very effective method of increasing oil and gas recovery. Using formation fracking has allowed the US to become the world's largest producer of natural gas and it has given us larger proven energy reserves than Saudi Arabia. However fracking has some major environmental issues which includes; disposal of the large amounts of contaminated wastewater and the potential contamination of aquifers.

Session #W24
Innovations in Meter Reading
by: TBA

Planes, Hydrants, and Automobiles learn how new technology is allowing breakthrough changes that were unimaginable a few short years ago.

Session #W25
Opportunities & Interest from the System Level
by: Wilmer Melton, III, NCRWA

You are the best recruiter for your utility.

3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Session #W20
Funding Your Retirement
by: Jerod Hopkins, Charles Schwab

Learn where your money is being invested and if there are going to be any changes in the retirement funds in the future. Learn what you should be doing to have a plan ready to help ensure a successfully funded retirement.

Thursday, October 6

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

Session #TH25
EPA Priorities National and Regional & Energy Audit Tool
By; Allison Watanabe and Mike Finn PE, USEPA

Learn what EPA's priorities will be for the new future along with a presentation on the EPA's new Energy Audit Tool.

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Session #TH28
Waiting for a Grant; is it Worth it?
by: Jim Maras, CoBank

This presentation will provide an update of the most recent economic news and trends, a report on the availability of capital in the commercial markets, and opinions on how the federal budget deficits will impact the availability of funds for replacing aging infrastructure or developing new water infrastructure. Opportunity costs will also be discussed.

Session #TH29
Green Technology: Savings Potential, Ease & Cost of Implementation & Effect on Treatmen
by: J. Mike Coleman, P.E./ L.S., HDR Engineering, Jeremiah Corbin and Denny Davis, South Dakota Association Rural Water Systems

Savings potential, Ease and cost of implementation Effect on treatment, and indirect effects The meat of the project entails the “Examination of Existing Energy Data”, “Examining Utility Billing Schedules”, “Conducting Field Investigation(s) - Energy Audits” and preparing an “Energy - Consumption Inventory”. After conducting an operations overview and assessing potential changes to reduce energy consumption, potential energy conservation measures (ECMs) will be given priorities based on: Savings potential, Ease and cost of implementation, Effect on treatment, and indirect effects. Special emphasis is placed on those changes that can be affected with relatively small capital expenditures. Where capital expenditures are required, we compare the potential life-cycle savings to first costs to determine the feasibility of any proposed changes.

Session #TH30
EPAs Climate Ready Water Utilities
by: John Whitler, USEPA

Water utilities are faced with many challenges when considering climate-related impacts on facilities, operations, and water resources. In many respects, these challenges are changes in the frequency, uncertainty, interdependencies, and magnitude of impacts that utilities already face. Drinking water, wastewater, and storm water utilities (the Water Sector) will need to systematically consider climate change during capital improvement and strategic planning.

Session #TH31
Nutrient Reduction Through Source Water Protection
by: Susan Breau-Kelly, Maine Rural Water Association and Jill Miller, South Carolina Rural Water Association

CRP around a public drinking water well in a wellhead protection area, rain gardens or stormwater retention ponds, conservation easements along a stream bank upgradient from a town's water intake, and fencing to keep cattle out of streams and rivers are all Source Water Protection activities designed to prevent contaminants from entering our public drinking water. in addition these activities prevent or reduce pathogens, pesticides, herbicides, sediment and nutrients from reaching our streams, lakes, coastal waters and shallow aquifers.

Session #TH31
Life After the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act
by: Scott Barringer and Jon Melhus, USDA-RUS

Description: TBA

Session #TH33
Economic Benefits of Flexible Drop Pipe and Submersible Pumps
by: Tanner Tryon, Hose Solutions Inc.

The economic benefits of Flexible Drop Pipe used with submersible pumps in wells will be featured. This will be demonstrated through graphs, visual examples, and case studies featuring water utilities and mining companies. A variety of well issues will be addressed including corrosion, energy efficiency and well maintenance. A question and answer session will also be available to address specific well concerns.