people
Lyle Booen is retiring from the City of Hewitt, Minn., after 24 years of service as a utility maintenance worker.
Doug Simons joined the British Columbia Water and Waste Association as training manager.
Mike Foisy takes over as president of the Massachusetts Water Pollution Control Association in June.
Christopher M. Silke, P.E., a senior project manager and corrosion control specialist in the Water Practice Group, has been selected to serve as a committee member for the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Water Research Foundation.
TPO welcomes your contributions to this “People” listing. To recognize members of your plant team, please send notices of new hires, promotions, service milestones, certifications or achievements to editor@tpomag.com.
news
Wastewater District Taps Into Solar Power
West County Wastewater District (Richmond, Calif.), Solar Power Partners Inc. and Premier Power Renewable Energy announced the completion of a solar energy system designed to replace 35 percent of the district’s annual electricity usage with clean, renewable solar energy at zero out-of-pocket costs.
Solar Power Partners, which owns and operates the solar equipment, set up a power purchase agreement with the district. The agreement enables the district to buy the electricity at a contractually fixed rate, helping it to manage its operating costs and keep rates as low as possible.
The installation, designed and installed by Premier Power, represents the largest dual-axis, sun-tracking solar power project in the United States. Premier Power located 89 dual-axis trackers across the district’s Richmond treatment facility site, including 28 trackers that rise above the potential high-water line of a stormwater storage pond.
education
British Columbia
The British Columbia Water and Waste Association is offering these classes:
• June 1-5 – Water & Wastewater Operations, Kamloops
• June 11-12 – Supervisory and Leadership Skills, Richmond
Call 604/433-4389 or visit www.bcwwa.org.
Kentucky
The Kentucky Water and Wastewater Operators’ Association is offering these workshops:
• July 15 – Confined Space, Radcliff
• July 16 – Confined Space, Radcliff
Call 502/226-8149 or visit www.kwwoa.org.
North Carolina
The North Carolina AWWA-WEA has these classes at the State University, McKimmon Center in Raleigh, unless stated otherwise:
• June 4 – Biological Nutrient Removal, Hickory Crowne Plaza
• June 9 – Construction Specifications, Blueprints and Shop Drawings for the Operator, TBD
• July 13-17 – Western Biological Wastewater Operators School, Morganton
Call 919/784-9030 or visit www.ncsafewater.org.
Texas
The Texas Water Utilities Association is offering these workshops:
• June 2 – Valve and Hydrant Maintenance, Carrollton
• June 2 – Pump and Pumping, Victoria
• July 14 – Wastewater Collection, Waco
• July 21 – Utilities Calculations, Carrollton
Call 888/367-8982 or visit www.twua.org.
Vermont
The Green Mountain Water Environment Association is offering a workshop on Operation and Maintenance of Wastewater Pump Stations in Waterbury June 9. Call 802/229-9111 or visit www.gmwea.org.
Focus on Energy Manual
The Wisconsin Focus on Energy program assists municipal wastewater plants in identifying, assessing and implementing energy-efficiency projects. Modifications have involved aeration systems (blowers, fine-bubble diffusers, dissolved oxygen monitoring and control), pump systems (variable-speed drives, proper sizing of conveyance systems), lighting, heating and solids management (aerobic and anaerobic digestion).
To help facilities evaluate their situations, the program developed the Water/Wastewater Energy Best Practice Guidebook. Download it at www. focusonenergy.com/Business/Industrial-Business/Guidebooks/default.aspx.
Wastewater Branding
The California Water Environment Association and affiliates published a 52-page manual about the elements related to branding the state’s wastewater industry. By branding, utilities can improve how they communicate about the roles, services and value they provide to their communities. Building the Wastewater Utility Brand is a free download to members at www.cwea.org or call 510/382-7800, ext. 110.
awards
The Water Environment Association of South Carolina has announced these awards for 2008:
• Young Professional of the Year Award: Kirby Dobberfuhl
• Laboratory Analyst of the Year Award: Will Drake
• Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Award: Eric Tisdale
• Maintenance Person Award: Ken Deanhardt, Water Environment Association of South Carolina.
Calendar
June 1-3
New York Water Environment Association, Spring Technical Conference and Exhibition, West Point, N.Y. Visit www.nywea.org.
June 2-6
Mississippi Water Environment Association Conference, Hollywood Casino and Convention Center, Bay St. Louis. Call 662/562-5314 or visit www.mswea.org.
June 7-10
PennTec, the Pennsylvania Water Environment Association Conference and Exhibition, Lancaster Host Hotel, Lancaster. Call 570/549-2204 or visit www.pwea.org.
June 10-12
Iowa Water Pollution Control Association Annual Meeting, Wild Rose Resort, Clinton. Call 515/232-4952 or visit www.iawpca.org.
June 21-24
Michigan Water Environment Association Conference, Boyne Mountain Resort, Boyne Falls. Call 517/641-7377 or visit www.mi-wea.org.
June 23-25
Ohio Water Environment Association Conference, Hyatt Regency Downtown, Cincinnati. Call Tim Shaw at 513/871-9970 or visit www.ohiowea.org.
June 25-28
Stockholm Junior Water Prize National Competition, University of Alaska, Anchorage. Contact Stephanie Costello at scostello@wef.org or visit www.wef.org.
June 28-July 1
WEF Nutrient Removal Conference, Omni Shoreham, Washington, D.C. Call 800/666-0206 or visit www.wef.org.
July 12-15
Kentucky-Tennessee Water Professionals Conference, Lexington Convention Center, Lexington, Ky. Call Valerie A. Lucas at 502/468-4772 or visit www.kytnwpc.org.
July 28-31
Minnesota Wastewater Operators Association Conference, Grand Rapids, Minn. Visit www.mwoa.net.
Aug. 9-12
Georgia Association of Water Professionals Annual Conference and Expo, Savannah, Ga. Call 770/618-8690 or visit www.gawponline.org.
Aug. 9-12
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) 2009: Combining Science and Management to Restore Impaired Waters, Minneapolis, Minn. Visit www.wef.org.
Aug. 9-14
International Association of Hydraulic Engineering & Research (IAHR) Biennial Congress, Vancouver, British Columbia. Visit www.wef.org.
Aug. 16-19
American Society of Civil Engineers International Pipelines Conference, San Diego, Calif. Call 703/295-6000 or visit www.asce.org.
Aug. 27-28
Biosolids and Odor and Corrosion Conference, Embassy Suites, San Marcos, Texas. Call 512/693-0060 or visit www.weat.org.
Aug. 31-Sept. 3
Kansas Water Environment Association and Kansas Section of American Water Works Joint Conference, Capitol Plaza Hotel, Topeka. Call Marc Pedrotti at 913/677-3366 or visit www.kwea.net.
