In The News!!!
Fall Conference Just Around the Corner!Mark your calendars, our Fall Conference and Tradeshow/Equipment Expo will be September 9-11, 2008 in Ocean Shores. By joining our Equipment Expo with our Fall Conference this year's conference is better and bigger than ever. We will have more information on the Fall Conference page shortly, so keep checking back. |
NRWA Rural Water Rally!Two weeks ago Executive Director Gary Rhoades, Assistant Director Tracey Hunter, Board Members Fred Sheldon and David Vik, and our drinking water contest winner Dan Thompson, City of Oakville attended the National Rural Water Rally in Washington D.C. It is at the rally that we come together to have our (rural water) voices heard on Capitol Hill. We visited almost all of our congressional representatives and thanked them for the support that they offer us year round.
|
Assistant Director Hunter Testifies Before CongressToday's House EPA appropriations testimony went very well for us. Our witness/representative (Tracey Hunter from Evergreen Rural Water) was excellent and delivered our message very effectively (as shown in the attached photo). After Tracey's comments, Chairman Dicks commented that rural water is important to him, that he has heard from many other Members of Congress on this issue, that rural water is an example of why Congress needs to include earmarks in agencies' budgets, and that this is the only funding for rural and small communities. Ranking Member Todd Tiahrt also commented in favor of rural water funding and the need for help and assistance for small/rural communities in complying with ever tightening EPA standards. He said the only way local communities can keep up with EPA is through Congressionally directed funding.
|
Free Training for TNCsERWoW is providing 10 free workshops on Bacteriological Sampling for transient non communites. See our training page for information and to register. |
Up-Coming Water Purveyor WorkshopsA series of free workshops for volunteer water system operators and Directors will be provided on Vashon Island by ERWoW and Vashon Island experts. The first two workshops are:
To find out more about these classes and to register (pre-registration is required), contact Susie Kalhorn burnhorn@earthlink.net. |
100% SupportWe just received word from D.C. that we have received 100% support from our congressmen/woman and our senators on FY09 funding. Not only that but we were the first state to receive 100% this year. Make sure to thank your congressman/woman. For legislative contact information click here. (To see the larger version of the letters click on the letter).
|
Free Coliform Training Offered By DOHThe Eastern Region Department of Health is offering three free training classes on Coliform. Students attending this training will understand coliform monitoring requirements, sanitary survey deficiencies, health advisories, waterborne disease outbreaks and truth in documentation. Listed below are the dates and locations. To register please contact Mark Steward in the Eastern Region Office, (509) 456-2788 or email: Mark Steward. April 18, 2008 - Moses Lake - LNI Building |
Training Classes In Danger of Being Cancelled!Our training page has been updated as of today 3/6/08. Several classes are in danger of being cancelled if we do not receive more sign ups. Check the calendar, if there is a class you are interested in attending make sure you register, the sooner the better. |
Legislative UpdateExecutive Director Gary Rhoades participated in an EPA Summit in Washington DC at the end of February. For more information visit our legislative page. |
Infrastructure FinancingThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has published a new municipal finance resource. The Financing for Environmental Compliance (FEC) website provides a step-by-step process to help municipalities create an environmental infrastructure financing plan. This site also provides multimedia resources such as financial and technical tools and federal and state environmental contacts. Financing for Environmental Compliance Website: http://www.epa.gov/Compliance/assistance/financing/index.html |
Training Calendar Up to Date!!!As of 1pm on Tuesday February 12, 2008 the training calendar page has been updated and includes almost all of our training for 2008. |
14th Annual Conference & Tradeshow - In ReviewThank you to all of our exhibitors and attendees who made it through the snow and ice to attend our 14th Annual Conference & Tradeshow in Yakima this past week. We hope everyone made it home safely. Congratulations to Paco Pumps our Associate Member of the Year, Derek Zock our Team Member of the Year, Steve Avels Lewis County Water & Sewer District #6 our Wastewater Operator of the Year and Wayne Braun from Enterprise Water System as Water Operator of the Year. Click here to see pictures from our conference including the winners mentioned above. |
Congressman Doc Hastings Speaks at LuncheonCongressman Doc Hastings of the 4th Congressional District, spoke Tuesday, February 5, 2008 at our 14th Annual Conference luncheon. Congressman Hastings spoke about new legislation that is being discussed in D.C. that could change the Clean Water Drinking Act and possibly add more restrictions to small water systems.
Congressman Hastings also commended Evergreen Rural Water for the help we provide to small systems.
|
ERWoW Wins Big!Evergreen Rural Water took home five awards at the National Rural Water Association Annual Conference in Philadelphia. We won merit awards in Member Services, Public Relations, and State Association of the Year. We won two platinum pumps, one for National Legislation and one for our Training and Technical Assistance.
|
USDA's Sandi Boughton Receives Pioneer AwardExecutive Director Gary Rhoades presented Sandi Boughton with ERWoW's Pioneer Award for her dedication to rural water and wastewater here in the state of Washington. Sandi Boughton, former USDA Community Program Director in the state of Washington has accepted a position in their D.C. office to oversee the nationwide USDA Water & Wastewater Programs.
|
Congressman Dicks Visits ERWoWCongressman Norm Dicks was in Shelton this past August and visited the office of Evergreen Rural Water of WA. For more information regarding his visit to Shelton please see our Legislative Page.
|
New Member Benefit!!!WATER Power Tools™ (WPT™) is a collection of over 200 programs, reports, and calculators that run on your personal computer to help in managing your water or wastewater system. WPT™ is designed to be installed and used by regular operators, managers, and support staff . As a member of ERWoW you are able to purchase WATER Power Tools at deeply discounted rate. |
Water Rights Classes Have Been Resheduled!The Intro to Water Rights classes that were cancelled in July have bee rescheduled. To see the new dates please visit our training calendar.
|
Loss of Funding = Loss of Programs
|
New Link!We have added a new link to our website. The certification services for water operators and backflow assembly testers have a new website where you can get information on your professional growth requirements and BAT certifications. The link is located on the left hand side under professional organizations. |
Executive Director, Gary Rhoades, Testifies Before Congress - Urges Congress to Direct EPA to Fund What Works Best for Advancing Clean & Safe WaterApril 19, 2007 Executive Director, Gary Rhoades, was in Washington D.C. testifying on behalf of Rural Water before the House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Executive Director Rhoades testified that, "I am representing over 26,000 small community water supplies throughout the country...There are no other environmental initiatives within EPA or funded by EPA, that have the support of the overwhelming number or rural and small communities in your states that the rural water initiatives receive. Congress authorized this type of assistance to ensure that federal regulations would not overwhelm small and rural community resources and because small communities often need assistance to improve and protect their water resources. Without these initiatives, effective implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act in our rural areas would be nearly impossible." |
