State Drinking Water Program Support
Cadmus has worked closely with State water supply programs since 1983. Our professional staff has the broad range of technical skills required by State water supply programs. The following are examples of some of the work we have provided to States.
Training
An Introduction to Compliance and Enforcement Activities–The Basics of Operating a Safe Drinking Water Act Compliance Program. A course prepared by Cadmus for EPA’s Drinking Water Academy to help train new or inexperienced State drinking water compliance staff. The course was specifically designed for Web conferences and can be tailored to individual State programs. The class introduces students to every aspect of a compliance and enforcement program, from identifying the regulated community, to assessing compliance, to initiating enforcement responses. The course provides a practical guide to the day-to-day operation of a typical safe drinking water compliance program that will answer the questions every new employee is bound to ask about how the program operates to safeguard the health of public water supply users.
Water System Regulatory Compliance Guides. Through EPA’s Drinking Water Academy, we are supporting EPA Region 8 and the State of Colorado to develop regulatory guidance documents for water system operators. Each guidance provides, in one place and in plain English, all Safe Drinking Water Act regulatory requirements applicable to the water system. A separate guide was developed for each of the following water system types: community surface water systems, community ground water systems, transient noncommunity surface water systems; transient noncommunity ground water systems, non-transient noncommunity surface water systems, and non-transient noncommunity ground water systems. Within each type, the requirements are also broken down by system size, where this is relevant. Versions of the guidances were also developed using the federal regulations in 40 CFR Part 141. States can take this basic information and supplement it with their own standards where they are different.
New York State Stage 1 DBPR and LT1ESWTR Training. Cadmus provided training on new drinking water regulations to local health department officials and water system operators throughout New York State. Attendees learned key components of the rules through presentations, hands-on exercises, and group activities. Products of the training sessions were reference binders for attendees that contained copies of the slide presentations and workshop activities. We can also provide training on all the microbial and disinfection byproducts rules.
New York State Sanitary Survey Training. Cadmus trained State and County health department personnel in New York on how to conduct sanitary surveys of drinking water supplies. Training consists of 2-day courses addressing ground water systems and 4-day courses addressing both ground water and surface water systems. Special care was taken to tailor the course to the specific requirements of New York State, in addition to covering federal requirements. The courses are a combination of presentations, desktop and group exercises, and field visits to reinforce principles learned in the classroom. Products of the project were reference binders for attendees, slide presentations, interactive exercises, and hands-on demonstrations.
Comprehensive Performance Evaluation (CPE) Training. Cadmus regularly conducts CPE training sessions for States and EPA and, therefore, has training materials including Power Point Slides, handouts, and workshops that can be customized. For Region 6 and New Mexico, we will use these materials to provide CPE training. For this CPE training we will prepare and provide all materials needed included training materials and necessary tools and instruments (e.g., filter assessment tools, turbidimeter, pH meter). The training will consist of a 1-day classroom training on the CPE process and relevant rules and the conduct of a CPE at a New Mexico surface water treatment plant. After the CPE, 1 to 2 days will be spent in the classroom debriefing, discussing relevant issues such as filter assessments and special studies, and preparing a draft CPE report.
Public Education and Outreach
North Carolina Transient Noncommunity Water System Outreach. We supported the State of North Carolina and EPA Region 4 with an outreach effort to noncommunity water systems that were not complying with drinking water regulations. Efforts were made to reach these systems through fact sheets in newsletters of umbrella organizations (e.g., restaurant, campground, and convenience store associations, statewide church conferences) and by making presentations at regional conferences of those umbrella organizations. Representatives from the organizations were also solicited about how to improve communication with the noncomplying water systems that they represented. Products of the project included fact sheets tailored to different commercial and religious sectors, minutes from meetings with umbrella organizations, a slide presentation, and a final report.
District of Columbia Water System – Direct Implementation Support for Lead. Cadmus is supporting EPA Region 3 in responding to elevated lead levels in the District of Columbia’s drinking water. Our drinking water experts and communications professionals collaborated to help EPA inform District residents of the planned corrosion control treatment by organizing a news conference and a series of public meetings on the planned treatment course. Our activities included: organizing a press event that drew all local media outlets to inform the community of the planned treatment changes; arranging public meetings; and developing outreach materials including flyers, fact sheets, advertisements, and a Community Update and Research Newsletter on the progress of the treatment.
Contract with the State of Washington for Filter Plant Performance Evaluation Task. We conducted site visits to systems identified by the Washington Department of Health (DOH) and conducted an evaluation of the filter plants performance. The purpose of the evaluation was to enhance the performance of rapid-rate surface water treatment plants by evaluating plant performance and providing technical assistance. As part of the evaluation we placed special emphasis on improving operator awareness and capability. Each site visit was a comprehensive 2-day review of the facilities and processes from the intake of the water supply to the entry point of the distribution system. Upon completion of the on-site evaluation we developed a report of our findings and recommendations.
Data Transfer Support
Piloting the Feasibility of Using XML to Transfer Source Water Data. Under contract to the Ground Water Protection Council, we worked with the States of Connecticut, Delaware, and Minnesota to test the feasibility of using the XML schema to transfer source water data to EPA. The pilot States worked with us to extract data from the States’ database, modified the data to fit EPA’s data model, and validated the data reported. Similar assistance can be provided to other States.
State Program Support
Long-Term Needs and Funding Plan for Hawaii’s Safe Drinking Water Program. We supported the Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) and EPA Region 9 in performing a 10-year resource need assessment and funding plan for the Hawaii Safe Drinking Water Branch. We helped HDOH conduct an assessment of their long-term program requirements and possible revenue sources (including State funds, PWSS grants, Groundwater 106 grants, and Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF monies) and developed tools to support HDOH with their planning needs.
Contract with the State of Montana for Sanitary Survey Support. Cadmus conducted sanitary surveys for the State of Montana. In providing this support we scheduled the sanitary surveys and provided copies of that schedule to the State for review and approval. Upon completion of the field visit we developed and submitted the sanitary survey report. We also reported, as soon as possible, to the State any perceived imminent public health threats.
Assistance to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Public Water Supply (PWS) Section. We provide on-site support to the Montana PWS Section with database and hard copy files to ensure accuracy, draft routine communications for water systems regarding regulatory requirements, the implementation, review, renewal, or approval of waivers as issued under the EPA approved Monitoring Waiver Program for Phase II/V chemicals, and respond to inquiries from water system operators and managers, consulting engineers, EPA personnel, and the general public on Montana drinking water regulations. We also support the Montana PWS Section staff with technical assistance and training for the Phase II/V chemical monitoring rules, the Radionuclides Rule, the Lead and Copper Rule, and the Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule.