Illinois Section AWWA - E-Splash -  June 2013

Lori Stenzel
District 4 Trustee

Who would have thought we would go from record droughts in 2012 to record floods in 2013!!! Most of the State had record flood levels and it just keeps raining. At this pace the question is when will the farmers get into their fields? In southern Illinois we are experiencing levels above flood stage finally, but not exceeding record levels yet, due to being so low to begin with. All this rain is finally replenishing the lakes, rivers, and groundwater. The one positive thing about all the flooding is that it seems to have flushed out the taste & odor problems that people were experiencing due to the low river levels and lack of moisture. It’s truly amazing how our jobs are so dependent on Mother Nature!

We had another record breaking attendance at WATERCON 2013 making it a huge success! Having a variety of sessions to choose from was a challenge from time to time; but, overall, everyone I talked to seem to have enjoyed themselves and found the sessions to be very informative and helpful! I know my session on sampling and what to avoid was standing room only! We really need to reach out to our youth about getting into the water industry. In the next five years we are going to be in a world of hurt due to all the operators who will be retiring! I talked to several students who will be graduating and told them to check our website for jobs. Remember, ERTC is a good source of licensed operators who are looking for internships as well as employment. The IEPA is on track by considering an "Operator in Training” certificate to those who pass the water operators exam but don’t meet the experience criteria. They are hoping to have something official by the end of 2013. This would be a great opportunity for those who would like to get into our field but don’t have the experience. A water plant would be able to hire them and once they have met the experience criteria, they would receive their license. This is a great decision for the IEPA to move on. It may help fill the void over the next several years.

Upcoming Southern Meetings:

Southern Illinois Water Operators Association will be holding their 79^th Annual Spring Conference at the US Penitentiary Conference Center in Marion on Wednesday, May 29, 2013. Topics include IEPA Regulatory Update, Chemical Safety for Water Treatment Plants, Emergency Response Plan, JULIE 2013 Excavator Safety, Illinois Commerce Commission with Illinois One-Call Enforcement, followed by a plant tour and golf outing. If interested, contact Roger Noe at waynecitywater@frontier.com.

Southwestern Central Water Plant Operators Association will be holding their annual June Meeting/Picnic at the Troy American Legion, with a picnic to follow at Flo Systems on Thursday, June 20, 2013. If interested, contact Patti Schaake at pattischaake@aol.com.

Visit our website at www.isawwa.org and check out the Latest News and Calendar to keep up to date on available training classes, seminars, webinars, and what is happening in the water world!