CPE Water Broadcast Series

Topic: Keeping up with the Safe Drinking Water Act in an age of Ever-Emerging Contaminants

The US Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is foundational to the nation’s public health. Over the more than fifty years since the initial promulgation of SDWA, the number of waterborne outbreaks and related burden of disease has rapidly declined, emphasizing the critical importance of the nation’s water and wastewater infrastructure and management professionals. However, the ever-increasing development and widespread use of anthropogenic chemicals to support modern life, coupled with more sensitive analytical capabilities, has resulted in the detection of a seemingly endless array of potential emerging contaminants in water sources that complicate both water treatment and customer communication. This workshop aims to: briefly review the structure of SDWA, including the process of detecting and designating new priority contaminants; describe the implementation of new priority contaminant requirements, using PFAS as an example; present new research on the detection of PFAS and its association with various contributing landuses; and finally, discuss present challenges related to public perceptions of municipal drinking water and potential communication strategies to reduce distrust and encourage public appreciation of the profession.

Speaker

Dr. Leigh-Anne Krometis is a Professor and Turner Faculty Fellow in Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech. Her research program is broadly focused on meeting challenges associated with safe drinking water and effective sanitation infrastructure in rural communities in the United States, with current active projects focused on the detection of PFAS chemicals in private drinking water systems, extending wastewater epidemiology techniques to rural systems, design of alternative water and wastewater systems, and tracking emerging contaminants in stormwater catchments. She is also a member of the four state collaborative Appalachian Community Technical Assistance and Training program, which provides on site training to water and wastewater operators in the Coalfields.

Topic: Bridging the Gap: Transforming Water Audit Data into Reliable Loss Reduction Planning

A comprehensive exploration of the AWWA M36 methodology is offered through this integrated training workshop, which is designed to guide water utilities through the essential frameworks of modern water loss management. The core principles of the AWWA Water Balance and the components of non-revenue water are established as a foundational resource, followed by a technical dive into the AWWA Free Water Audit Software (FWAS). Through this standardized approach, participants are instructed on how to quantify system losses, utilize data grading features, and interpret key performance indicators for actionable strategy development. The program is further strengthened by an examination of Level 1 Water Audit Validation, where industry-standard methodologies and statewide case studies are reviewed to ensure the highest degree of data integrity and credibility. By participating in these segments, utilities are positioned to enhance their technical capacity, ensuring that their water audits serve as reliable, validated instruments for sustainable resource management and financial recovery.

Speakers

Drew Blackwell is the Director of Water Efficiency at Cavanaugh.  Drew has more than 20 years of experience in water resource management.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in Environmental Studies.  Drew’s focus and passion are in working with state and regional agencies to identify needs in water loss control and designing training and technical assistance programs.  In addition to water loss teaching, Drew is involved in water auditing and analysis, water audit validation, and non-revenue water program design and implementation.

Drew is the  Secretary of the AWWA Water Loss Control Committee, a member of the International Water Association - Water Loss Specialist Group’s Leakage Emissions Initiative and serves on the Alliance for Water Efficiency Board of Directors. He is also the co-Principal Investigator for Water Research Foundation Project 5057: Level 1 Water Audit Validation Guidance.

Ashlee Hollifield is a Professional Engineer and Water Audit Validator at Cavanaugh. Ashlee has more than a decade of experience in water resource management and utility operations. Ashlee’s focus and passion are in working with state and regional agencies to identify their needs in water loss control and designing training and technical assistance programs.  In addition to water loss teaching, Ashlee is involved in water auditing and analysis, water audit validation, and non-revenue water program design and implementation. Ashlee is a member of the AWWA Water Loss Control Committee as well as a member of North American Water Loss Committee and conference planning. She is a co-author of the AWWA M36 Water Audits and Loss Control Programs, Fifth Edition.

Topic: Addressing Disinfection Byproducts: Challenges, Opportunities, and Implementation

Disinfection of drinking water is one of the great public health accomplishments of the 20th Century, eliminating most water-borne diseases and contributing to the 60 percent (60%) increase in American life expectancy between 1900 and 2000. The potential to form byproducts during drinking water disinfection is a concern, due to possible chronic health impacts over long periods of exposure. This accessible and lively presentation provides an overview of drinking water disinfection and potential disinfection byproducts (‘DBPs'), explains the formation of DBPs, and describes operational and technological applications to reduce and minimize DBPs formation at water treatment plants and in drinking water distribution systems. Highly recommended for water system operational staff, engineers, healthcare providers, water utility administrators, and anyone that enjoys drinking water.

Speaker

David Dawson serves as Engineering Field Director in the Virginia Department of Health Office of Drinking Water, Abingdon Field Office, and chairs the VDH Virginia Optimization Program Committee. David serves on the AWWA Partnership for Safe Water Steering Committee, is  secretary of the Coalfield Water Development Fund Board, and previously chaired the Water Utility Committee of the Virginia Section AWWA. Well known as a continuing education instructor in Virginia, David previously worked as water utility manager, engineering consultant, and senior research engineer in the private sector. David is a licensed professional engineer, holds a PhD in Environmental Systems Engineering, and was a licensed wastewater works operator in Ohio, where he began collecting and analyzing wastewater samples in 1981.

Topic: Tank Sites, Security, Inspection, & Compliance

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Lucy Crabtree, Corrosion/VDH

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