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Water
the key to life
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 February
2008

Vol. 75, No. 2

The APWA Reporter, the official magazine of

the American Public Works Association, covers
all facets of public works for APWA members
including industry news, legislative actions,
management issues and emerging technologies.

I N S I D E
WATER RESOURCES ISSUE
A P W A

4 President’s Message
10 Call for nominations to APWA Board issued
12 Positive people and positive responses: the heart and soul of any team
17 Technical Committee News
18 Leading by example: the importance of diversity
20 APWA Book Review

18 C O L U M N S

6 Washington Insight
22 Recipes for Success
26 International Idea Exchange
62 Ask Ann

F E A T U R E S

30 Balancing CSO affordability while maintaining existing water and sewer

infrastructure
37 From rooftops to rivers: green infrastructure yields economic and
27
environmental benefits
42 Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to waste…
46 Bringing water to the people and people to the water in Singapore
50 Implementation of a Membrane Biological Reactor at Schofield Barracks
52 Planning for future water needs of small rural communities in the west
54 Drought of 2007: Drastic times cause for drastic measures
56 Water security update
57 Regional Public Works Emergency Management Cooperative: a case report

35 W O R K Z O N E

64 WorkZone: Your Connection to Public Works Careers

M A R K E T P L A C E

66 Professional Directory
68 Products in the News

C A L E N D A R
21 Education Calendar
68 World of Public Works Calendar
51
61 Index of Advertisers
Cover photo: The Columbia Heights Membrane Filtration Plant received APWA’s Project of the Year Award in 2007

in the Environment $10-$100 Million category. Pictured are (from left) Shahin Rezania, Ph.D., P.E., Director of Water February 2008 APWA Reporter 3
Treatment and Distribution Services, City of Minneapolis, Minn., and Chad Hill, P.E., Project Director, Black & Veatch
Corporation (photo courtesy of Black & Veatch Corporation).
 Water: Our greatest challenge
and passion
Larry W. Frevert, P.E.
APWA President
ater is the key to life.
Fully two-thirds of the
earth is covered with
water but only 1% of it
is fresh. Because 40% of the world’s
population is affected by water scar-
city today and it is estimated that
within 30 years the majority of the
earth’s population will not have
enough water to drink, I believe
that providing safe drinking water
and properly caring for our waste-
water and stormwater are the great-
est challenges we as public works
professionals face.
Protecting and managing our water
resources has become increasingly
complex in recent decades. Chang-
ing weather patterns, changing
regulations and laws, aging infra-
structure, rising costs, and rate in-
creases affect all of us. How we, as
public works professionals, manage
through this maze of complexities,
maintain our perspective and focus
on our goals, is critical to complet-
ing our missions. We need to work
together to address the future chal-
lenges by providing leadership in
the protection and use of our most
precious resource.
A significant issue in managing wa-
ter and all natural resources is Envi-
ronmental Yield. The question that
should be asked continuously by
both the public works official and
environmental regulator is, “If this
project is developed and construct-
ed, and the program is implement-
ed, what will be the meaningful
benefits to the environment?” If the
question cannot be answered with a
positive environmental result or the
4 APWA Reporter February 2008
potential benefits are negligible, it is
probably not a good investment of
public dollars. Too many projects in
the past have taken on lives of their
own without defining the Environ-
mental Yield. These oversights can
lead to water shortages, pollution
cleanup, failing systems and other
environmental and health hazards.
Much of what public agencies can
do depends on funding, and an
eye on long-term costs and benefits
is essential. Balance is needed be-
tween the level of spending and the
environmental benefit that will be
achieved. Projects with little or no
Environmental Yield cannot be un-
dertaken at the expense of all other
necessary sewer, wastewater and
water infrastructure improvements.
A community cannot continue to
spend money beyond the point of
diminishing returns, simply to meet
absolute regulatory compliance.
There should be a viable, continuous
reevaluation of where to best spend
the limited resources to realize the
best environmental benefit for our
citizens. By continuously asking the
Environmental Yield question, the
prudent investment of public funds
and improvements to environmen-
tal protection will be optimized and
the benefits tremendous. Some of
the rules require substantial sums
of money to enact and in the end,
provide marginal benefit. In addi-
tion, utilities are spending money
to comply with rules that are in
conflict with other rules.
In the future, utilities must con-
duct intelligent ongoing discussions
with regulators to define where lim-
Official Magazine of the
American Public Works Association
PUBLISHER
American Public Works Association
2345 Grand Blvd., Suite #700
Kansas City, MO 64108-2625
(800) 848-APWA (Member Services Hotline)
(816) 472-6100 (Kansas City metro area)
FAX (816) 472-1610
e-mail: reporter@apwa.net
Website: www.apwa.net
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Peter B. King
EDITOR
R. Kevin Clark
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Julie Smith
ADVERTISING SALES
Amanda Daniel R. Kevin Clark
Erin Ladd Kansas City Liaison
Jennifer Wirz (800) 848-APWA
(800) 800-0341
APWA WASHINGTON OFFICE
1401 K. Street NW, 11th floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
(202) 408-9541 FAX (202) 408-9542
Disclaimer: The American Public Works Association
assumes no responsibility for statements and/or
opinions advanced by either editorial or advertising
contributors to this issue. APWA reserves the right
to refuse to publish and to edit manuscripts
to conform to the APWA Reporter standards.
Publisher’s Notice: The APWA Reporter, February
2008, Vol. 75, No. 2 (ISSN 0092-4873; Publications
Agreement No. 40040340). The APWA Reporter is
published monthly by the American Public Works
Association, 2345 Grand Boulevard, Suite 700,
Kansas City, MO 64108-2625. Subscription rate is
$155 for nonmembers and $25 for chapter-spon-
sored students. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas
City, MO and additional mailing offices. POSTMAS-
TER: Send address changes to the APWA Reporter,
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64108-2625. Canada returns to: Station A, P.O. Box
54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5.
Reprints and Permissions: Information is available at
www.apwa.net/Publications/Reporter/guidelines.asp.
© 2008 by American Public Works Association
Address Change?
To alert us of a change to your membership record,
contact an APWA Membership Specialist at (800)
848-APWA or membership@apwa.net.
The APWA Reporter is printed by Harmony Printing
& Development Co., Liberty, MO.
 ited resources can best be used for the
public benefit. Projects and programs
should follow a prioritization process
that includes a cost/benefit analysis,
takes into account the overall needs of
the community and calculates the En-
vironmental Yield of the project. Pub-
lic funds must be used for meaningful
purposes and have measurable public
benefits consistent with the amount of
funds expended.
Both public works officials and environ-
mental regulators have a tremendous
stake in improving the environment
and water quality for the next gen-
eration. The challenge is to meet these
goals because there is competition with
other state and national programs for
the same dollars. A new paradigm is re-
quired for the public works and regula-
tory communities to work together as a
team which will provide a strong foun-
dation for water quality improvements
across the nation that noticeably pro-
gresses in the coming decades.
Much has been said and written in
recent years about “Climate Change”
and its impact on the environment. I
understand that just raising the tem-
perature of ocean water a few degrees and stormwater issues. I fully expect
will have a devastating and fatal effect that recommendations from this sym-
on some forms of sea animal and plant posium will come forward that will
life. Further, rising ocean temperatures help direct APWA’s future legislative
and melting of the polar ice caps will priorities and our position and policy
cause the ocean water level to rise, in- statements recommended to our mem-
undating more land and turning ex- ber agencies. To learn more about this
isting freshwater supplies brackish or symposium, see the ad on page 45 of
worse. When our earth’s population, this issue or go online to: http://www.
now exceeding 6.5 billion people and apwa.net/SuperPush/index.asp?ID=99.
expected to reach 9.1 billion by the
Navigating the world of water resourc-
year 2050, is coupled with diminished
es management means addressing
freshwater supplies and land area, we
funding, regulation and environmen-
are on a collision course with disaster. I
tal issues in such a way that this one
believe it is incumbent on us, the pub-
precious resource is available to every
lic works community—the people who
community and every citizen now and
best understand these types of crises
in the years to come. Can you imag-
and best equipped to address them—to
ine a greater impact on human life by
act now to help prepare for the future.
public works? It’s no wonder that water
APWA will host its first-ever “Climate is becoming our greatest challenge and
Change Symposium” April 9-10, in passion.
Tempe, AZ. I look forward to that event
Thank you for all you do for APWA
as an opportunity to learn more about
and for your service daily to the public
this “collision course” and what we
works profession.
must do to prevent it. Please consider
joining us or sending key members
of your staff as we brainstorm needed
solutions across the environmental
gamut, including water, wastewater

AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION

Mission Statement: The American Public Works Association serves its members by
promoting professional excellence and public awareness through education, advocacy
and the exchange of knowledge.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
Larry W. Frevert, P.E.
National Program Director/
Public Works
HDR Engineering, Inc.
Kansas City, MO
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Noel C. Thompson
Consultant
Thompson Resources
Louisville, KY
PAST PRESIDENT
William A. Verkest, P.E.
Texas Municipal Program
Manager
HDR Engineering, Inc.
Arlington, TX
DIRECTOR, REGION I
Jean-Guy Courtemanche
Business Development
Lumec, Inc.
Boisbriand, QC
DIRECTOR, REGION II
Ed Gottko, P.E.
Town Administrator (retired)
Town of Westfield, NJ
DIRECTOR, REGION III
Elizabeth Treadway
Vice President
AMEC Earth & Environmental
Greensboro, NC
ADVISORY COUNCIL
DIRECTOR, REGION IV DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE, (Past APWA Presidents)
Shelby P. LaSalle, Jr. ENGINEERING &
Chairman and CEO TECHNOLOGY William A. Verkest, Chair
Krebs, LaSalle, LeMieux Patty Hilderbrand, P.E.
Consultants, Inc. Program Management & Robert Albee Erwin F. Hensch Michael R. Pender
Metairie, LA Development Manager
City of Kansas City, MO Roger K. Brown Robert S. Hopson Richard L. Ridings
DIRECTOR, REGION V
Larry T. Koehle, P.Eng. DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE, Myron D. Calkins Ronald W. Jensen John J. Roark
President ENVIRONMENTAL
L&N Consulting MANAGEMENT Joseph F. Casazza Dwayne Kalynchuk Harold E. Smith
Brampton, ON George Crombie
Secretary of Natural Resources Nick W. Diakiw Martin J. Manning June Rosentreter Spence
DIRECTOR, REGION VI State of Vermont
Larry Stevens, P.E. Waterbury, VT Robert C. Esterbrooks James L. Martin Tom Trice
SUDAS Director
Iowa State University DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE, Jerry M. Fay James J. McDonough Win Westfall
Ames, IA FLEET & FACILITIES
MANAGEMENT Bob Freudenthal Robert Miller Carl D. Wills
DIRECTOR, REGION VII Ken A. Nerland
R. LeRoy Givens, P.E. Director, General Services Dept. Herbert A. Goetsch Lambert C. Mims
Vice President & Senior City of Fresno, CA
Project Manager J. Geoffrey Greenough Judith M. Mueller
Bohannan Huston, Inc. DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE,
Corrales, NM PUBLIC WORKS Ken Haag Ronald L. Norris
MGMT./LEADERSHIP
DIRECTOR, REGION VIII Diane Linderman, P.E. Executive Director
Ann Burnett-Troisi Director, Urban Infrastructure
Governmental Liaison for Peter B. King
and Development
Pacific Bell (retired) VHB, Inc. Executive Director Emeritus
San Diego, CA Richmond, VA
Robert D. Bugher
DIRECTOR, REGION IX DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE,
Doug Drever TRANSPORTATION Editorial Advisory Board
Manager of Strategic Services John Okamoto
City of Saskatoon, SK Myron D. Calkins Neil S. Grigg Stephen J. O Neill
Chief Administrative Officer
Port of Seattle Gordon R. Garner Susan M. Hann Kyle E. Schilling
Seattle, WA

February 2008 APWA Reporter 5

Clean Water Act: Progress has been made,
but more work to be done
Julia Anastasio, Esq.
Senior Manager of Government Affairs
American Public Works Association
Washington, D.C.
007 marked the 35th anniversary of the Clean Water
Act (CWA). Since 1972, tremendous progress has been
made, and today, our rivers, lakes and streams are far
cleaner than they were three decades ago. The act has
leveraged billions of dollars for state and local governments
to improve water quality and address water infrastructure
needs and the CWA has been one of our most successful
environmental statutes to date. But there is still more work
to be done. Forty percent of the nation’s tested waters cur-
rently fail to meet quality standards. Congress and the fed-
eral agencies responsible for water resources have spent the
past year working on solving these remaining problems and
the APWA Water Resources Management Committee has
been actively engaged in ensuring that the interests of pub-
lic works professionals are considered and addressed.
Distinctive Strengths.
United Goals.
Engineering, Planning, Code Enforcement, Landscape Architecture, Building and
Safety, Construction Management, Financial and Economic Consulting, Geotechnical
Engineering, Material Testing and Inspection, Homeland Security and Public Safety.
Willdan Administrative Office: 800/424-9144 www.willdan.com
MuniFinancial: 800/755-MUNI (6864) www.muni.com
Arroyo Geotechnical: 714/634-3318 www.arroyogeotechnical.com
American Homeland Solutions: 877/818-5621 www.americanhomelandsolutions.com
6 APWA Reporter February 2008
If you are interested in more information on any of these top-
ics, please contact Julia Anastasio at janastasio@apwa.net.
Legislative Highlights
H.R. 720: Water Quality Financing Act of 2007
The Water Quality Financing Act of 2007 authorizes $14 bil-
lion over four years to the clean water state revolving fund
and reauthorizes the federal commitment to clean water
infrastructure and begins to address the estimated $350 to
$500 billion funding gap between current expenditures and
identified needs. The legislation also includes a provision
requiring the Government Accountability Office to under-
take a study of potential funding mechanisms to support
such a trust fund. H.R. 720 was passed by the U.S. House
of Representatives in March on a 303-108 vote. The Senate
Environment & Public Works Committee held a hearing to
address the need for more federal clean water funding. Sena-
tors at the hearing promised swift action on the SRF autho-
rization bill. Senate action is expected early in 2008. APWA
submitted letters of support on each of these bills and has
continued to work with the Water Infrastructure Network in
advocating for a sustainable long-term funding solution to
the current water and wastewater infrastructure crisis.
H.R. 700, S. 836: Water Quality Investment Act of
2007
The Water Quality Investment Act of 2007 will provide $1.8
billion in grants to local communities for sewer overflow
control projects. The House passed its version of this bill in
March 2007.
H. Res. 725: Recognizing the 35th Anniversary of
the Clean Water Act
This bipartisan resolution calls for a “sustainable long-term
solution to address the Nation’s decaying water infrastruc-
ture.” The resolution acknowledges the multi-billion-dollar
water infrastructure funding gap and supports the creation
of a federal clean water trust fund.
H.R. 1747: Safe Drinking Water for Healthy Com-
munities Act of 2007
This piece of legislation would require EPA to propose a stan-
dard for perchlorate within 18 months of enactment and fi-
nalized within 30 months. The House Energy & Commerce
Committee passed this bill but movement to the floor for a
vote by the full House is not expected in the near future.
H.R. 2452, S. 2080: Raw Sewage Overflow Right to
Know Act of 2007
The Raw Sewage Overflow Right to Know Act of 2007 would re-
quire wastewater utilities to develop monitoring systems to
detect any overflows and also require utilities to report over-
flows to the public within 24 hours. Additionally, the bills
contain reporting requirements for overflows to local pub-
lic health authorities, state regulators, and the EPA. APWA
submitted comments on the legislation that recognized the
importance of public notification but there is a concern that
the bills as currently drafted do not adequately take into ac-
count existing reporting requirements and technological
requirements.
H.R. 1495, S. 1248: Water Resources Development
Act of 2007
The Water Resources Development Act of 2007 authorizes
more than $23 billion for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
to complete more than 900 projects related to flood con-
trol, navigation, water supply, environmental restoration
and infrastructure projects. WRDA also includes more than
100 projects totaling $794 million earmarked for wastewa-
ter and drinking water projects and significant funding for
projects related to hurricane damage along the Gulf Coast.
The Act also includes new independent review requirements
for projects more than $45 million and outlines the process
for deauthorizing unbuilt projects which are obsolete or no
longer necessary. President Bush vetoed WRDA because he
claimed that the legislation contained unnecessary projects
and was unnecessarily expensive. The Senate overrode the
President’s veto by a vote of 74 to 14 and two days later the
House did the same in a 361-54 vote. Legislative leaders in
both houses of Congress have pledged to take up WRDA in
2008 in an effort to get the reauthorization process back on
a two-year reauthorization schedule. APWA members were
actively engaged in advocating for WRDA by sending letters
and making phone calls to their congressional representa-
tives discussing the importance of this piece of legislation.
H.R. 2419, S. 2302: Farm Bill Extension Act of 2007
The Farm Bill Extension Act of 2007 reauthorizes a five-year
$280 billion farm bill that would increase conservation
funding and addresses the water and wastewater rural utili-
ties program project backlog. The Conservation Title reau-
thorizes several important conservation programs including
EQIP, Conservation Stewardship Program, and Wetland Re-
serve Programs. The title also includes a new program, the
Regional Water Enhancement Program (RWEP), which lays
out a framework for funding conservation projects involv-
ing multiple stakeholders including water utilities. Eligible
projects under the RWEP will include water quality, quantity
or conservation programs; groundwater recharge; stormwater
capture; and other water quality-related activities. The Rural
Development Title provides significant funding for rural wa-
ter and wastewater projects, programs for community facility
development, and regional economic development initia-
tives, among others. The House passed its version of the Farm
Bill in July and the Senate finally reached agreement on the
bill early in December 2007. The two bills will need to be
reconciled in conference before the legislation is sent to the
President for his signature. The President has threatened to
veto the bill. Action on the conference report is unlikely until
February or March 2008. APWA members were actively en-
gaged in advocating for passage of robust Conservation and
Rural Development Titles. The next battle on this front will
be working to ensure that congressional appropriators pro-
vide enough funding for these vital programs.
H.R. 2421, S. 1870: Clean Water Restoration Act of 2007
The Clean Water Restoration Act of 2007 seeks to clarify that
certain isolated non-navigable waters should fall under the
CWA jurisdiction and ensure broad protection for isolated,
non-navigable waters by removing all references in the
CWA to “navigable waters” and replacing them with the
term “waters of the United States.” The bills were followed
closely by the release of a joint EPA USACE guidance direct-
ing field staff on the process for making jurisdictional deter-
minations. Initial reaction to the guidance has been mixed
and there is some anecdotal evidence that confusion over
implementing the guidance is resulting in permitting delays
of approximately three months or more. APWA has been ac-
tively engaged in working with congressional staff to craft
a workable solution to the confusion created by last year’s
Rapanos Supreme Court decision that muddied section 404
jurisdictional determinations.
S. 1429: Small System Safe Drinking Water Act of 2007
This legislation would prevent EPA from levying fines on
communities with sub-par drinking water systems if the
federal government has not provided them with sufficient
funding to make upgrades. Under the bill, enforcement of
certain national drinking water regulations would be pro-
hibited if eligible municipalities have not received enough
funds to pay the federal share of upgrades. The legislation
applies to water systems serving fewer than 10,000 individu-
als. The bill recommends allocating $15 million per year for
each of the fiscal years from 2008 to 2012. The bill mandates
that EPA ensure that small public water systems not cost us-
ers more per-capita basis than large water systems. It also
requires that EPA to the maximum extent practicable ensure
that small public system workers receive the technical assis-
tance and training needed to comply with national public
drinking water standards. Finally, the bill would establish a
panel of experts to review the health effects of arsenic and
disinfection byproducts and to report these findings to the
Senate EPW Committee and the House Energy and Com-
merce Committee 180 days after the bill is enacted.
Regulatory Highlights
Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Plan
The Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Plan provides informa-
tion and seeks comments on EPA’s 2007 annual reviews of
effluent limitation guidelines and pretreatment standards
for both existing and non-regulated categories, as well as
February 2008 APWA Reporter 7
its preliminary plan for 2008. The Preliminary Plan contains
updates on the current detailed studies of four existing cat-
egories: Steam Electric Power Generating; Coal Mining; Oil
and Gas Extraction; and Hospitals. The Hospitals category
is included in a broader, more detailed study on the Health
Services Industry, which is a proposed new category that
also includes dental clinics, long-term care facilities, veteri-
nary clinics, and medical laboratories and diagnostic cen-
ters. This category change could bring about 475,000 new
dischargers into the pre-treatment program.
Green Infrastructure
EPA issued a memorandum to clarify how green infrastruc-
ture can be incorporated into existing regulatory programs
in an effort to improve water quality. The Water Permits
Division and the Water Enforcement Division of the Office
of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance (OECA) issued
the memo to regional EPA Water Division Directors and
Enforcement Coordinators, as well as all state NPDES pro-
gram directors. The memo states that “in developing permit
requirements, permitting authorities may structure their
permits, as well as guidance or criteria for stormwater plans
and CSO long-term control plans, to encourage permittees
to utilize green infrastructure approaches, where appropri-
ate, in lieu of or in addition to more traditional controls.”
For enforcement activities, EPA will consider the feasibility
of using green infrastructure as a pollution control option
and encourages states to do this as well. APWA joined with a
group of stakeholders including the National Association of
Clean Water Agencies, the Low Impact Development Center
and the Natural Resources Defense Council in supporting
this initiative.
Watershed Permitting Guidance
EPA published a new technical guidance on integrating
NPDES permits into watershed management plans. The
Watershed-Based NPDES Permitting Technical Guidance is a
follow-up to the 2003 watershed permitting implementation
guidance and it leads interested parties through an analysis
of watershed data and the development of a framework for
implementing the NPDES program. The guidance also in-
cludes case studies describing how watershed approaches
involving NPDES permitting have been implemented across
the country.
Water Sector Specific Plan
EPA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued
the final Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources Sector
Specific Plan for the Water Sector as an input to the Nation-
al Infrastructure Protection Plan. The Water Sector Specific
Plan outlines security and emergency response objectives for
water and wastewater utilities and identifies four water sec-
tor security goals: (1) sustain protection of the public health
and the environment; (2) recognize and reduce risks in the
water sector; (3) maintain a resilient infrastructure; and (4)
increase communication, outreach and public confidence. A
copy of the plan can be found at http://www.dhs.gov (search
for Water Sector Plan).
8 APWA Reporter February 2008
Water Related Climate Change Effects
The EPA National Center for Environmental Assessment
(NCEA) releases three draft reports that examine the effects
of climate change on watersheds and aquatic ecosystems.
Climate & Land-Use Change Effects on Ecological Resources
in Three Watersheds: A Synthesis Report provides watershed
planners and managers with improved capabilities to con-
sider climate and land-use change and provides summaries
and comparisons from case studies of various watersheds.
Climate Change Effects on Stream and Biological Indicators: A
Preliminary Analysis describes how biological indicators of
ecosystem health may respond to climate change and con-
cludes that data from current sampling methods may be used
to detect climate change impacts. Effects of Climate Change
on Aquatic Invasive Species and Implications for Management
examines state-level invasive species management plans
and their capability to incorporate changing environmental
conditions, particularly climate change, and concludes that
more research and data collection are needed for optimal in-
vasive species management considering climate change. The
three reports are available at http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea.
Underground Carbon Dioxide Storage
EPA announced its intention to develop regulations for un-
derground injection of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide
into deep rock formations for long-term storage. The regula-
tions will aim to ensure that there is a consistent and effec-
tive permit system under the Safe Drinking Water Act for
commercial scale geologic sequestration programs to help
reduce the effects of climate change. EPA plans to propose
regulatory changes to its underground injection control pro-
gram in the summer of 2008.
Effective Utility Management Collaboration
Last year APWA joined with the Association of Metropolitan
Water Agencies, American Water Works Association, Nation-
al Association of Clean Water Agencies, National Association
of Water Companies, the Water Environment Federation
and EPA in a historic agreement to promote effective utility
management across the water sector. Based on recommen-
dations from a group of utility leaders, the Collaborating
Organizations identified ten Attributes and several Keys to
Management Success that provide a succinct indication of
where effectively managed utilities should focus and what
they should strive to achieve. The Partners recommended
that the water utility sector adopt and utilize these Attri-
butes as a basis for promoting improved management within
the sector. The Attributes can be viewed as a set of building
blocks for management improvement opportunities. The
Attributes and Keys to Management Success provide the sec-
tor with a common framework to manage and sustain water
infrastructure and ensure sustainable utility operations. As
2008 proceeds the Collaboration intends to provide several
key products, including an implementation guide, an online
resources toolbox tied to the Attributes, and sample utility
performance measures linked to the Attributes to help utili-
ties gauge their progress and manage more effectively under
this framework.
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WWWAPWANETCONGRESS
Call for nominations to APWA Board issued
PWA’s National and Regional Nominating Com-
mittees are currently issuing a call for nominations
for Board positions.
President-elect and at-large director seats
The National Nominating Committee is currently accepting
nominations of candidates to three positions: president-elect
and two at-large seats in the functional areas of fleet and fa-
cilities and transportation. The president-elect serves a three-
year term as president-elect, president, and past president.
In 2007, the APWA membership voted on a change to the
regional and at-large directors’ terms of office. All new direc-
tors on the Board will be eligible for three two-year terms of
office for a total of six years. All current directors complet-
ing their first term of three years will be eligible for a second
term of three years for a total of six years. All terms for in-
dividuals on the ballot will begin at the start of Congress in
August 2008.
Ken A. Nerland from Fresno, CA, currently holds the at-large
fleet and facilities seat. Nerland will complete his first term
in August 2008 and is eligible for nomination to this direc-
tor position for one additional term of three years.
John Okamoto from Seattle, WA, currently holds the at-large
transportation seat. Okamoto will complete his first term in
August 2008 and is eligible for nomination to this director
position for one additional term of three years.
All nominations must be in the committee’s hands no later
than the close of business April 1, 2008. The National Nomi-
nating Committee will then meet in early May to make deci-
sions on the ballot for the president-elect position and the
two at-large positions, based on nominations received and
issues such as diversity and leadership. Candidate nomina-
tions may be self-nominations or may be submitted by any
APWA member or by a chapter.
The Board of Directors has issued a policy that the nomina-
tions process utilized by the National Nominating Commit-
tee for the president-elect and at-large positions will be a
“selection” process by the committee, not a “campaign” for
office. The Board strongly discourages “campaign” activity
and expenditure of funds in support of a candidacy.
10 APWA Reporter February 2008
Regional director seats
There are also three regional director seats open for nomina-
tion this year. Regional Nominating Committees will nomi-
nate regional directors in Regions I, III and VII. Seats are cur-
rently held by Jean-Guy Courtemanche, Boisbriand, Québec;
Elizabeth Treadway, Greensboro, NC; and R. LeRoy Givens,
P.E., Corrales, NM, respectively. Courtemanche, Treadway,
and Givens are all three completing their first terms of of-
fice and are therefore eligible for a second three-year term in
their regional director position. All terms will begin at the
start of Congress in August 2008.
APWA members wishing to put names before their respec-
tive Regional Nominating Committee should send a letter of
recommendation for each suggested candidate to the Region
I, III or VII Nominating Committee in care of the national
office of APWA by close of business April 1, 2008. All nomi-
nations will then be forwarded to the respective Regional
Nominating Committees.
Candidate nominations may be self-nominations or may be
submitted by any APWA member or by a chapter.
How to nominate an individual for national and
regional offices
A package of information (electronic format is preferred) must
be submitted on each nominee to contain the following:
1. A letter of nomination addressed to the Region I, III or
VII Nominating Committee or to the National Nomi-
nating Committee (whichever is appropriate). The letter
must affirm the nominee has expressed a willingness to
serve in the office for which they are being nominated,
the office designation for which he/she is being nomi-
nated, and a brief statement to indicate the person’s ap-
propriateness for the office.
2. A current picture of the nominee and a letter from the
nominee’s employer stating acceptance of the time
commitment involved with the position. Questions re-
lated to time commitment for Board positions should
be directed to Kaye Sullivan who will put you in contact
with a current Board member.
Individuals may make unlimited nominations, but each
must be in a separate letter. All nominations must reach
APWA headquarters no later than close of business April 1,
2008. Electronic submissions are preferred. All nominations
and questions should be directed to:
Kaye Sullivan
APWA Deputy Executive Director
2345 Grand Blvd, Suite 700
Kansas City, MO 64108-2625
Phone: (816) 595-5233
FAX: (816) 595-5333
E-mail: ksullivan@apwa.net
Profile of an ideal candidate
Required for all offices:
• APWA member in good standing (all dues and services
fees paid).
Desired for all offices:
• Knowledgeable and articulate on matters associated
with public works and willing to serve as a spokesper-
son for APWA.
• Highly respected in community; solid professional ethi-
cal character.
• Active in chapter, committee, House of Delegates activi-
ties.
• Committed to APWA and its values, and growth of the
Association.
• Willing to devote the time necessary to the fulfillment
of the duties.
Desired for president-elect:
• Service in a leadership or officership role in an APWA
chapter.
• APWA national service; experience on the APWA Board
of Directors is highly desirable.
• Continuous membership in APWA for the last five years
in a voting-eligible classification.
• Employed in the field of public works for five years
within the last ten years, in a middle or higher manage-
ment capacity.
• High ethical and moral standards.
• Demonstrated leadership ability.
• Personal commitment to public works.
• Broad understanding of public works elements, issues
and disciplines.
• Exhibits qualities of national stature.
• Reputation of professionalism.
YOUR VOTE IN APWA
DOES COUNT
As an APWA member, you will have the opportunity
to vote for members of the APWA Board of Directors
between June 27 and July 25, 2008:
• APWA President-Elect;
• Two at-large directors in the functional areas of
fleet and facilities and transportation; and
• Regions I, III and VII Regional Directors (by APWA
members in those respective regions).
The ballot will be available for online voting between
June 27 and July 25 on the “Members Only” section
of the APWA website. There will also be a voting icon
on the home page of our website. If you do not have
access to a computer at home or work, you should be
able to access the APWA website online at your local
public library. You may request a paper ballot from Kaye
Sullivan at (800) 848-APWA (2792) if you cannot vote
online. Additional reminders of the voting process will
be sent through the infoNOW Communities; through
an e-mail to every member for whom we have an e-mail
address; and in future issues of the APWA Reporter.
If you have questions, please contact Kaye Sullivan,
APWA Deputy Executive Director, at ksullivan@apwa.
net or (800) 848-APWA (2792).
NOMINATIONS FOR
NATIONAL APWA
APPOINTMENT
“You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is
when you give of yourself that you truly give.”
– Kahlil Gibran
APWA is soliciting nominations for appointments to
national offices for the August 2008–September 2009
year. Step forward and offer your expertise to your pro-
fession. Contact your local chapter to let them know
you have an interest in serving at the national level.
Information on appointments may be obtained on the
APWA website at www.apwa.net/membersonly/nomi-
nations or from Kaye Sullivan at National Headquarters
at ksullivan@apwa.net or at (800) 848-APWA, ext. 5233.
A brief bio must be completed online or through hard
copy. Nominations must arrive at headquarters by close
of business March 3, 2008.
February 2008 APWA Reporter 11
Positive people and positive responses:
the heart and soul of any team
John Cassis
President, The Cassis Group
Orlando, Florida
Speaker, 2008 APWA Snow Conference
Editor’s Note: John Cassis is the Opening General Session
Speaker at the 2008 APWA North American Snow Conference
in Louisville, Kentucky. His session is called “Catching a Second
Wind” and takes place at 3:45 p.m. Sunday, April 13 at the Ken-
tucky International Convention Center. For more information on
the Snow Conference see pages 13-16 or visit our website at www.
apwa.net/snow.
The great historian Arnold Toynbee was once asked if he
could condense all of history into a few sentences. He re-
plied he could do it in two words: “challenge and response.”
So it is with our lives. It is filled with everyday challenges
and our responses to them.
I was traveling to Toronto going through Customs. There
was a delay and the Customs officer decided to tell me a
funny story. One day a man came through with his small
son. He asked the man if he had anything to declare. The
man said “no” with a suspicious look on his face. So the of-
ficer followed with, “Do you have any cigarettes to declare?”
The man said “no.” The officer asked, “Any alcohol?” Again,
the man said, “no.” At that point, the man’s son shouted
enthusiastically, “But he’s getting warmer, huh Daddy!”
Some responses are better than others!
A man had successfully run a neighborhood grocery store
for many years. But then one day progress arrived. Two
new—and much larger—stores would open on the same
block. They would offer bigger selections...specials...sales.
“You had better sell!” his friends and family cautioned. Oth-
ers were less kind: “Don’t you know anything about busi-
ness at all? Get out now, before you lose everything.” The
man did not believe in giving in to competition or criticism.
So, when the big day came and the larger stores opened, the
small-time merchant made the best of this situation. Each
of the larger stores posted huge banners—one at the front of
the block and one right behind the man’s store. The banners
trumpeted: “Grand Opening Today!” The merchant posted
his own banner sandwiched between the signs of the two
large stores. His simply read: “Main Entrance!”
Positive responses and positive people often cope better with
the grit and grind of everyday living.
In Stuart Crainer’s book The 75 Greatest Management Deci-
sions Ever Made he tells the story of Malden Mills, which
is the perfect example of excellence of character. In an age
of diminishing loyalty and relentless downsizing, it stood
for traditional corporate values. Loyal employees worked
alongside trusting management. Customer retention and
employee retention both registered a staggering 95 percent.
The company, based in Lawrence, Massachusetts, had re-
mained steadfastly—some said foolishly—loyal to its home
12 APWA Reporter February 2008
base. Then on December 11, 1995, a fire ripped through the
company’s factories, leaving more than a dozen people hos-
pitalized and the company, it seemed, in ruins.
Malden Mills chief Aaron Feuerstein, the grandson of the
company’s founder, immediately announced that even with
no production capacity and no immediate hope of produc-
ing anything, he would continue to pay the company’s
2,400 employees and pay their health insurance. It was esti-
mated that paying the company’s employees for 90 days and
their health care for 180 days cost Feuerstein $10 million.
His decision appeared to be bad business at the time, even
though it was highly moral.
In the end, Malden Mills was back to virtually full capacity
within 90 days. A total of $15 million was invested in a new
infrastructure. The committed and grateful workforce per-
formed so well that productivity and quality shot up. Before
the fire, 6 to 7 percent of the company’s production was
“off quality”; that number was reduced to 2 percent after the
fire. Feuerstein said the company’s employees paid him back
nearly tenfold. Feuerstein’s act was one of loyalty, honesty
and morality—old-school thoughts that are still relevant in
today’s world.
Positive responses and positive people with moral integrity
are the heart and soul of any team. Ohio State University did
a study and found 50 reasons why people lose their job. The
first 15 reasons had nothing to do with job skills or exper-
tise…but they all had to do with attitudes and our ability to
get along with other people.
In the 1980s I worked for a hunger agency called World Re-
lief. I visited a hospital in Calcutta, India which was run by
an extraordinary leader, Mother Teresa. She was humble, but
had a powerful presence. The two most important require-
ments she demanded from her staff were a joyful attitude
and a loving commitment to those they served.
Today more than ever we need to produce an environment
driven by positive people with inspiration, commitment,
loyalty, integrity and joy-filled passion. Albert Schweitzer
once said, “Sometimes your light goes out, and sometimes
your light is blown into flame again by an encounter with
another human being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to
those who have rekindled this inner light.”
The challenge we each face every day: Do we light up peo-
ple’s lives or do we blow out their light?
See you in Louisville. Hopefully, there will be no snow!
John Cassis can be reached at johncassis@comcast.net.
 Online Registration Now Open!

Join more than 1,000 public works professionals from streets, roads, and
transportation departments from all across the Snow Belt of the U.S. and
Canada. It’s the only place you’ll find this much experience and knowledge of
snow fighting and winter road maintenance under one roof.
The American Public Works Association is the public works community’s top
resource for information and expertise on winter operations. APWA’s Snow
Conference combines four days of quality education programs and technical
tours with opportunities to network with manufacturers, distributors,
consultants and other public works professionals.
Not only does the Snow Conference have the best variety of vendors, it also
features the best technical and educational program out there with dynamic
keynote speakers and more than 40 education sessions, roundtables, and
technical tours to choose from. This education program will help you stay
abreast of the latest state-of-the-art practices and procedures in snow & ice
control and winter road maintenance. You’ll come away with specific ideas to
fine-tune your winter operations program.
Come get informed, inspired, and motivated at the
48th annual North American Snow Conference!

The Snow Conference exhibit floor just keeps getting better! More than 120
companies will showcase everything you need in equipment, technology,
products and services for snow & ice removal and winter operations. Visit
www.apwa.net/snow for a current list of this year’s exhibitors.

American Public Works Association Presents:

2008 APWA North American Snow Conference

April 13 - 16, 2008

Kentucky International Convention Center, Louisville, Kentucky

Hosted by the Kentucky Chapter of APWA
 Sunday, April 13 Tuesday, April 15
General Sessions & Keynote Speakers

Opening General Session Closing General Session

Catching a Second Wind How to Succeed, Stay Sane, and Have
Speaker: John Cassis Fun at Work: A Survival Guide for the
Motivation, management and
Road Weary
building a winning team often
Speaker: David Rabiner
become simple steps when the
Too much work? Testy
situation is viewed with an accurate
constituents? Office politics?
perspective. John shares humorous
Nasty commute? In his most
stories and ideas on how to sit
popular program, the closing
back, take a deep breath and
speaker, David Rabiner, shows how
“Catch a Second Wind” while
small shifts in attitude can make
turning life’s challenges into
big differences in our success,
opportunities. Attendees will gain a renewed sense of passion and
emotional well-being, and the
purpose for their work, which is crucial in building an effective team
amount of fun we have at work.
environment.
Men and women in the public sector, whether department heads or
front-line supervisors, have all raved that this program is not only
With his diverse background, John is a modern-day renaissance
great fun, it gives them tools they can use immediately to get along
man. He played baseball for the California Angels organization,
better with just about everyone.
was the inspirational speaker for the Chicago Bears from 1983-95,
served as minister to a small church in Colorado, addressed issues
David Rabiner is a speaker and trainer based in Portland, Oregon.
of world hunger as director of special projects for World Relief and
Since 1993, he has worked with more than 1,600 groups in 44
became a professional golfer in 2002.
states and 12 countries. His client list includes more than 300 city,
county, and other government agencies and the associations that
Monday, April 14
represent them. As a former city and county employee in Oregon,
General Session “Talk Show” he knows firsthand the challenges of navigating public politics,
Weathering the Storm – Don’t Go Out maintaining goodwill with demanding citizens, and leading and
Unprepared managing public sector employees.
Talk Show Host: Allison Martin, Mayor’s Office, Louisville,
KY
Talk Show Guests: Diana Clonch, Ohio Department of Exhibit Dates & Hours
Transportation, Columbus, OH; Greg Hicks, Metro Louisville Sunday, April 13
Public Works and Assets, Louisville, KY; Jonathon Gano, City 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
of Springfield, MO; Bruce McPhail, City of Winnipeg, MB;
Larry Schneider, City of Ft. Collins, CO Monday, April 14
9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
This year’s “talk show” features panelists who have seen their share
of extreme winter weather storms as well as crossed paths with the Tuesday, April 15
media during or after the storms. Attend this interactive session to 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
find out about cutting-edge communication with citizens and media
during winter weather. Find out what actions were taken in these
major storm events and the lessons learned. Hear strategies and
realistic expectations of snow removal. Come armed with questions
for the panelists.

www.apwa.net/snow
 2008 APWA North American Snow Conference

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. 3:00 – 4:15 p.m.

Snow Conference at a Glance

Lunch on the Exhibit Floor Closing General Session
April 13 How to Succeed, Stay Sane, and Have Fun at
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Work: A Survival Guide for the Road Weary
Roundtable Discussions
2:30 − 3:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m.
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Education Sessions Buses depart for Kentucky
Education Sessions
Cold, Hard Facts: Count the Costs of Deicing Derby Night at Churchill
Materials 3:00 – 3:30 p.m. Downs
RWIS Development in Kentucky Refreshment Break on the
ODOT District 4 MPT – The Ultimate Snow & Exhibit Floor
Ice Fighting Machine 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
3:45 – 5:00 p.m. Education Sessions
April 16
Opening General Session
Catching a Second Wind
8:00 – 11:00 a.m.
5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Technical Tours
Exhibit Opening & Welcome
Reception April 15 Tour 1
Airport Snow Removal Equipment
Tuesday Exhibit Hours:
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Tour 2
7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Louisville Underground

April 14 Donuts & Dialogue

Start your day with a selection of
great education sessions accompanied
Exhibit Hours: by donuts and coffee.
9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
7:30 – 9:00 a.m. Coffee Break on the
General Session “Talk Show” Exhibit Floor
Weathering the Storm – Don’t Go Out
9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Unprepared
Education Sessions
9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Coffee Break on the 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Exhibit Floor Non-compete Exhibit Time
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Education Sessions Lunch on the Exhibit Floor
10:00 – 11:15 a.m. 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Education Sessions Education Sessions
1:45 – 2:45 p.m.
11:15 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Education Sessions
Non-compete Exhibit Time

!PRIL¬ ¬¬s¬+ENTUCKY¬)NTERNATIONAL¬#ONVENTION¬#ENTER¬,OUISVILLE¬+ENTUCKY

 2008 APWA North American Snow Conference

Conference Location Note: There are a limited number of rooms available in the APWA group block for the

General information
night of Saturday, April 12 due to the Thunder Over Louisville event.
and Hotels Once the block sells out, your rate may be much higher for Saturday night.

Exhibits, education sessions, and onsite If you will be arriving in Louisville on Saturday, plan to arrive in the morning or as early
registration will be located at the Kentucky in the afternoon as possible. Traffic will be heavy all day, with street closings near the
International Convention Center. riverfront beginning early afternoon and highway closings before the fireworks begin.

Special APWA room rates are available at
the official Snow Conference hotels – the
Marriott Louisville Downtown and the Galt
House Hotel & Suites, both located within
walking distance of the convention center
and connected by pedway. APWA will not
be providing shuttle service.
Make your hotel reservations early! Special
APWA room rates are offered on a space
available basis until March 14, 2008. Rates
do not include tax, currently 15%.
Marriott Louisville Downtown
(across the street from convention center,
connected by pedway)
280 West Jefferson Street
Louisville, KY 40202
APWA Room Rate: $139
Cutoff Date: March 14, 2008
Toll Free: 800-533-0127
Hotel Direct: 502-627-5045
Online: www.marriott.com/SDFLM
Group Code: apwapwa
Galt House Hotel & Suites
(four blocks from convention center,
connected by pedway)
140 North 4th Avenue
Louisville, KY 40202
APWA Room Rate: $122 standard room or
$132 executive suite
Cutoff Date: March 14, 2008
Toll Free: 800-843-4258
Hotel Direct: 502-589-5200
Online: www.galthouse.com
Group Number: 215794

Register before March 15 and save $50 on a full registration!

Full Registration includes entrance Exhibit floor passes are available for
into the exhibit hall, all education sessions Monday and Tuesday only and do not
and roundtables, Sunday reception on the include lunch.
exhibit floor, Monday and Tuesday lunch
Guest/Spouse Registrations are
on the exhibit floor, refreshment breaks,
available at a special rate, and include
the Tuesday evening Kentucky Derby
entrance into the exhibit hall and education
Night event at Churchill Downs, and the
sessions, plus the Tuesday evening Kentucky
Wednesday morning technical tour program.
Derby Night event.
One-Day Registrations are available
See the registration form for individual
for Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. Sunday
categories and rates. If your city has an
includes the reception on the exhibit floor.
APWA agency membership, please note that
Monday and Tuesday include lunch. Tuesday
individuals must be listed on your agency
does not include the Kentucky Derby Night
roster to receive the member registration
event, but you may purchase a ticket with
rates.
your registration.
You must have a full registration to
participate in the Wednesday technical tour
program.

Online registration is available at www.apwa.net/snow.

!PRIL¬ ¬¬s¬+ENTUCKY¬)NTERNATIONAL¬#ONVENTION¬#ENTER¬,OUISVILLE¬+ENTUCKY

Water’s Number One at the Box Office

Colene Vogel
Technical Services Program Manager
American Public Works Association
Kansas City, Missouri

he Water Resources Management Committee made
some big plans for Congress last year. They put to-
gether a little thing they called the Stormwater Sum-
mit. They wanted Congress attendees to have the
chance to share ideas on all aspects of stormwater manage-
ment: regulations, program administration and public edu-
cation, as well as the technical aspects of system design and
construction.
The one-day event took place on Workshop Wednesday.
With so many great workshops going on, the committee
had hopes of attracting at least 75 attendees to the Storm-
water Summit. More than 200 came. Their pride in an event
well done quickly turned into “now what?” as planning for
Congress 2008 began hot on the heels of the Congress 2007
wrap-up.
When the credits rolled for Stormwater Summit ’07, the
name at the top read Bill Spearman. Bill is closing in on the
end of his third term on the Water Resources Management
Committee and he’s a past member of the Congress Program
Review Committee. He took the lead on the Summit and
definitely deserves top billing.
three months (generally, December through February). This
year’s deadline is March 3.
These people got involved! They are the members of the Wa-
ter Resources Management Committee:
• Joe Superneau, Chair, Springfield, MA
• Keith Duncan, Norman, OK
• Mary Meloy, Bend, OR
• Matt Singleton, Grapevine, TX
• Bill Spearman, Columbia, SC
• Tom Trice, Bloomfield Hills, MI
The At-Large Director acting as Board Liaison to the com-
mittee is George Crombie. The staff liaison is Colene Vogel.
The committee is always looking for input from APWA
members and chapters. If you’d like more information on
what the committee’s up to or how to reach them, just go to
apwa.net and select “Technical Committees.”
Colene Vogel is also the staff liaison to the Solid Waste Management
and Facilities & Grounds Committees. She can be reached at (816)
595-5221 or cvogel@apwa.net.

As for 2008, sequels are always a challenge. Who will write

the screenplay? Will there be a new director or cast changes?
There will definitely be a new location. Will the audience During the week of
December 10, APWA
return or have they had their fill of the story? And, there’s President Larry Frevert
always a chance that a blockbuster could spawn a whole and his wife, Carol,
franchise that continues for years to come. along with Region VIII
Director Ann Burnett-
After much discussion, the committee decided to cover green Troisi and her husband,
Bob, attended the
infrastructure and flood control issues at the next Summit.
San Diego/Imperial
They also decided that it was important to make sure that Counties and Northern
the sessions are information exchanges and not just presen- California Chapters’
tations. Attendees need an opportunity to share their expe- holiday luncheons.
Both President Frevert
riences and ask questions. When everyone is participating
and Board member
and involved, everyone benefits. Burnett-Troisi spoke at
the luncheons. In the
Speaking of participation and involvement, would you like photo at left, Northern
to be considered for membership on the Water Resources California Chapter
Management Committee or another committee? Members President Lauren
Warren presents a
of APWA’s Technical Committees are appointed by the Presi- recognition to outgoing
dent-Elect and serve two-year terms. Appointments are made Chapter President Phil
from a list of nominees. Nominations are made online, usu- Harrington.
ally by the individual but sometimes by a chapter or Board
member. Nominations are open each year for approximately

February 2008 APWA Reporter 17

Leading by example: the importance
of diversity
A speech by Jelynne LeBlanc Burley
Jelynne LeBlanc Burley, Deputy City Manager, City of San Antonio, Texas; Jason E. Cosby, Assistant Director,
and Alyssa M. Lopez, Senior Management Analyst, Department of Public Works, City of San Antonio, Texas

n September 11, 2007, Jelynne LeBlanc Burley, Depu-

ty City Manager for the City of San Antonio, provided
an inspiring speech at the Congress Diversity Brunch
speaking of her achievements throughout her career.
From the great state of Louisiana, Ms. Burley began her career
with the City of San Antonio in 1984 and has served such
departments as Budget and Research, Parks and Recreation,
Public Works, Development Services, International Affairs
and the Office of Military Transformation. While serving as
Special Projects Manager in the Office of Dome Development
she was responsible for project management and design coor-
dination, sports franchise negotiation, and administration of
the Small, Minority, and Woman-Owned Business Advocacy
Program for the Alamodome.

During her tenure with the City, Ms. Burley has delivered
more than $550M in capital projects in the past 23 years.
While obviously facing many different challenges during this
time, she mentioned that when she reflects back on her career
Jelynne LeBlanc Burley speaks with Kenneth Emezium, Supervising
she did not see them as challenges but rather as opportunities Civil Engineer, City of Berkeley, Calif., following the Diversity Brunch
to improve herself into what she has become today. at the San Antonio Congress.

Ms. Burley realizes the importance and value of education.
She has a B.A. from Southern University and an M.A. from
Trinity University. She is also a 1999 graduate of the Con-
struction Executive Program at Texas A&M University as
well as a part-time instructor at Trinity University.
Working for the public sector, Ms. Burley understands the
importance of both work experience and civic participation.
She expressed the importance of having high-quality expe-
riences in work that allow you to build competence, cred-
ibility and confidence, and elaborated on the importance
of participating in community functions and organizations.
For example, she is in the Rotary Club of San Antonio, San
Antonio Area Girl Scouts Nominating Committee, Texas
City Management Association, Urban Management Assis-
tants of South Texas and is on her third term on the Na-
tional Forum for Black Public Administrators Board of Di-
rectors. Ms. Burley also finds time to participate in various
volunteer community events throughout the city. These ac-
tivities and associations have allowed her the opportunity to
understand her work and see the benefits it has on the city.
She is blessed and humbled to work for the greater good of
the community.

Diversity “The true measure of an individual is how he treats

a person who can do him absolutely no good.”
Awareness − Ann Landers, syndicated columnist
Corner 1918-2002

18 APWA Reporter February 2008

Being successful in her career is the product of being able to
get the career and social support that mentors, sponsors and
special peers provide. Being active in the community and
professional organizations also provides a great opportunity
for networking. By partaking in such activities and meeting
new people, she has been able to experience new cultures
and different thought processes and has provided an excel-
lent opportunity to learn a new way of doing things and
enhancing what she has already learned.
Jelynne LeBlanc Burley can be reached at (210) 207-6543 or
jburley@sanantonio.gov; Jason E. Cosby, a member of APWA’s
Road Safety Subcommittee and former member of the Diversity
and Membership Committees and National Committee on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices, can be reached at (210)
207-7785 or jcosby@sanantonio.gov; and Alyssa M. Lopez
can be reached at (210) 207-5862 or alyssa.munoz.lopez@
sanantonio.gov.

Her advice is to stay engaged in new

methods of learning. Read books and

Simply beautiful.
journal articles to discover new tech-
nologies that might assist you in your
work. This Congress was a perfect ex-
ample of how you and your employees
can network and learn the latest and
greatest public works has to offer.

Amidst getting an education, gaining

new work experiences, joining new Looking for a
organizations and volunteering in the
community, it is also important for you
fresh, natural
to take a step back and look at the big- solution to
ger picture. Ask yourself if you are do-
ing everything you can to add value. treating urban
Are there areas that allow room for im- runoff? Check
provement? Do not sit back and make
excuses for not accomplishing your out the future
goals. This is the time to figure out how of stormwater
you can make it happen. If you are an
employee looking to advance in your treatment today.
career, ask yourself what you need to
do to move up. Do you need additional
certifications or different work experi- Drop-in-place construction
ences? If you are in management, ask
yourself what opportunities are avail-
able for your staff to achieve their in-
Filterra offers you value and performance in a small and shallow footprint.
dividual goals. How can you assist in
ensuring that they have the tools neces-
You’ll appreciate low capital costs, increased buildable space, and user-
sary to grow within the organization? friendly maintenance.

Ms. Burley closed her speech by ex-
pressing the importance of com-
mitment to yourself and your
organization. Among all of her ac-
complishments, she has two more—
she has raised two very proud and in-
dependent children. This is proof that
it can be done and you can have it all.
Take charge of your own career as this
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February 2008 APWA Reporter 19
APWA Book Review

Preparing Sewer Overflow

Response Plans: A Guidebook for
Local Governments
55 pp • 1998 • APWA • CD-ROM
included

This publication offers APWA members

and other wastewater collection system
owners and operators response plans
to address sanitary sewer overflows
(SSOs). APWA believes that following
a thorough and effective response plan to minimize any
health risks or damage to private property or the environ-
ment from SSOs is an important part of the overall manage-
ment of a sanitary sewer system. This Guidebook is designed
to assist communities to do just that.

In practice, addressing SSOs within a watershed context will

mean applying management strategies such as assessing all
environmental problems within a watershed comprehen-
sively, both point and non-point sources, and prioritizing
management efforts based on fixing the worst problems first
in a cost-effective manner.

The Guidebook is designed to help local system owners and

operators plan for effective SSO response. In the best man-
aged systems, SSO management does not end with the im-
mediate response. The flow chart (above right) illustrates a
systematic approach in which operation and maintenance
and capital improvement planning are applied to the man-
agement of SSOs. APWA encourages its members and other wastewater col-
This publication covers: lection system owners and operators to develop and imple-
ment SSO response plans using this document as a guide,
• Objectives; organization of plan; sewer overflow tracking and to use the referenced SSO management flow chart and
the watershed management concept as long-term tools to
• Overflow response procedure
improve their systems and the quality of their communities’
• Public advisory procedure water resources.

• Regulatory agency notification plan To obtain your copy, please call the APWA Bookstore at (800)
848-APWA, ext. 5254. Or, for more information on purchas-
• Media notification procedure ing this publication and other American Public Works As-
sociation books, please visit the APWA Bookstore online at
• Distribution and maintenance of SORP
www.apwa.net/bookstore.
The publication also contains several appendices and ta-
bles, suggested reading material, information on calculat-
ing overflow rates and volumes, example response plans,
flow charts, scripted news releases, and other valuable and
useful information.

20 APWA Reporter February 2008

 or more information about these programs or to register online, visit www.apwa.net/Education.
Program information will be updated as it becomes available. Questions? Call the Education Department
at 1-800-848-APWA.

2008
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13-14 PSMJ’s Public Works Project Management Bootcamp – Washington, DC

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April
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February 2008 APWA Reporter 21

No good deed goes unpunished
Doing the right thing when confronted with ethical dilemmas
John Lisenko
Retired Public Works Director
City of Foster City, California
In November 2007, the APWA Leader-
ship and Management Committee con-
cluded its series of articles on public
works leadership and management issues
entitled “The Baker’s Potluck.” This was
the third series of articles (the first being
“The Baker’s Dozen,” the second being
“The Baker’s Menu”) that discuss various
leadership and management topics of in-
terest to APWA members. The committee’s
new series is entitled “Recipes for Success”
and touches on a variety of leadership and
management topics. Along with each arti-
cle is an actual recipe for a favorite public
works dish submitted by a member. Each
recipe is a favorite from the members in
their department. Give them a try.
Good people do not need laws to tell them
to act responsibly, while bad people will
find a way around the laws. – Plato
When I do good, I feel good; when I do
bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion. –
Abraham Lincoln
When the topic of ethics is mentioned
in the media, it is usually in connection
with someone getting caught breaking
a law. Recent examples include use of
performance-enhancing drugs by ath-
letes, insider trading by corporate ex-
ecutives and various moral lapses by
prominent politicians. To categorize
these as ethical issues is somewhat
misleading, since ethics isn’t so much
about what we have to do (obey the
law!) but more about what we ought
to do when presented with alternative
courses of action, all of which may be
legal, but have varying consequences
to ourselves and to others.
As a guideline for what we ought to do,
we may refer to a set of values that are
22 APWA Reporter February 2008
generally accepted in our society, such
as courage, compassion, tolerance,
honesty, loyalty, trustworthiness, fair-
ness, responsibility, civility, profession-
alism and respect.
We may also rely on the Golden Rule:
Do unto others as you would have
them do unto you. Applying these val-
ues to a given set of circumstances can
help us decide what we ought to do,
but finding that answer can be chal-
lenging when several different values
are in conflict, and we need to choose
between them.
Circumstances that present us with
several possible outcomes that we must
choose from based on our system of
values are called ethical dilemmas. As
public works practitioners we encoun-
ter ethical dilemmas on a daily basis.
Here are some examples:
Loyalty. Within our organization, one
might ask “Loyalty to whom?” Faced
with the decision whether or not to re-
port a rule infraction that we witness,
our loyalty to our fellow employees
may come into conflict with our loy-
alty to our supervisor. If our supervisor
is more concerned with meeting the
ends and not the means, and the su-
pervisor’s methods of achieving orga-
nizational goals involve circumventing
rules and procedures, then our loyalty
to our supervisor may conflict with or-
ganizational loyalty. Our loyalty to our
organization may be in conflict with
our loyalty to the public if the organi-
zation’s policies are not consistent with
our view of what’s right (the “Whistle-
blower’s dilemma”). The risk we take
in doing the right thing in these situ-
ations can result in consequences to us
that range from loss of friendship to
loss of employment.
Outside our organization, when we
interact with other public agencies
on a regional basis, we may face the
dilemma of staying loyal to the inter-
ests and policies of our agency while
recognizing that some of those may be
in conflict with the greater good of the
region. If you are on a regional com-
mittee or board, one way to resolve this
dilemma is to advocate for your local
interest, but vote on the basis of what’s
best for the region.
How many people have to get killed
before you do something???? – the
Traffic Engineer’s dilemma. How do
you respond to citizens’ concerns about
safety that result in requests for (stop
sign, speed bump, speed limits, signal,
traffic calming…you name it) and do
so in a professional manner, balancing
a variety of interests? Add the political
pressure from councils and commis-
sions that are trying to satisfy a vocal
minority, and the job becomes more
complex, adding a personal dimension
to the decision-making process. Often
a traffic engineer must take a stand
that represents sound engineering
principles and safety for the majority
of the traveling public without having
the tangible support of that majority.
It’s a stand that requires a certain de-
gree of personal courage balanced with
compassion for the emotional stake
of the vocal minority. The old adage
“It takes two fatalities, one injury and
three dead cats to warrant a signal…”
isn’t the answer, but neither is the in-
stallation of unwarranted traffic con-
trol devices that ultimately defeat the
purpose they are intended for by breed-
ing contempt for the law.
Doing unto others: customer ser-
vice and the use of public funds.
Lending a helping hand to a citizen in
the course of our job is part of customer
service. How far you extend that hand
is not always clearly defined. We have
to strike a balance between individual
service (which can be highly time-
consuming) and service to the public
in general, which tends to represent a
more efficient use of public resources.
Requests for individual service are usu-
ally accompanied by emotional appeals
to our compassion and desire to apply
the Golden Rule, while our primary
mandate to do proactive asset manage-
ment is predicated on rational and logi-
cal decisions that are oriented to long-
term goals and objectives, as opposed to
more immediate gratification. Agencies
with limited resources (and in today’s
environment, that’s most public agen-
cies) that fail to address this dilemma
end up devoting inordinate time to
“reactive” maintenance in response to
individual needs and not enough time
to systematic and proactive asset pres-
ervation.
sition of devil’s advocate, demanding
of them a high degree of professional-
ism, patience, courage and integrity.
Who’s your buddy? Public con-
tracts, public funds and the per-
ception of misuse. Much of what
we do in public works is predicated
on developing good working relation-
ships with our vendors—consultants,
contractors, sales people, and the like.
Good relationships achieve a number
of desired outcomes, including timely
conflict resolution, clear and open
communication and, most important-
ly, efficient use of public funds. Know-
ing how to maintain objectivity and be
fiscally responsible, while at the same
time trying to maintain good personal
relationships with your contractual
partners, is not always an easy task and
can involve resolving ethical conflicts
between values such as friendship, fair-
ness, responsibility and loyalty. While
we may believe that our relationships
are on sound ethical grounds, in the
public sector perception is as impor-
tant if not more so than reality. If the
same vendor seems to be getting the
work over and over again, even if there
is a seemingly objective procurement
process, then it is highly likely that
someone will think there is something
fishy going on. At that point, you are
guilty until proven innocent, a no-win
position to be in. For this reason, and
also because familiarity can breed con-
tempt, it is a good idea to periodically
reevaluate long-term contractual rela-
tionships.
Ethics is doing the right thing
when no one is looking. While
many of our actions receive public re-
view and scrutiny, a goodly portion of
our daily activities are monitored by no
one but us. Most public works activi-
ties are geared to long-term benefits,
and the consequences associated with
whether we do the right thing or not
may not surface for a long time. Since
public works is a mostly monopolistic
activity, not even the market can deter-
mine whether we’ve done a good job or

Environmental ethics…and the

use of public funds. Environmental
ethics is a complex subject, that, in ad-
dition to other values, asks us to con-
sider man’s place in the universe and
your quality
how that fits within the balance of na- DOT
ture. From a public works perspective, CERTIFIED
the ethical dilemma is precipitated by
the fact that environmental impacts are CAL-TRANS
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works projects and activities (which are
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primarily for man’s benefit). Because
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before an activity or a project is ren-
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seldom aware of, or is asked to resolve
this dilemma involving the use of their
tax dollars. That leaves it up to what
is often an acrimonious “environmen-
tal process” which often places public
works managers in the unenviable po-

CEMENTECH “QUALITY”
February 2008 APWA Reporter 23
APWA FEB08
not—we’re the only game in town! This
puts an added burden and responsibil-
ity on the public works professional to
set both the standard for performance
and also be the judge of it.
Ethics codes and courses, mission
statements rules, and regulations.
Many public agencies and profession-
al organizations have codified ethi-
cal standards, sometimes as a formal
“Code of Ethics,” sometimes embedded
in a Mission Statement or in a State-
ment of Professional Conduct. There
are also numerous ethics courses that
are offered (mandatory in California
for all elected and appointed officials).
For the person whose upbringing has
included a grounding in basic morals
and values, these codes and standards
are a confirmation of those values, but
not very helpful in resolving ethical di-
lemmas that require us to select from
options that all appear to be consistent
with the basic value system.
Order Custom Bulk
Ethics courses tend to emphasize how
to avoid doing the wrong thing rather
than how to select the right course of
action from several acceptable alterna-
tives. Learning what constitutes conflict
of interest and what type of gifts should
be reported does not provide us with
guidance on how to deal with the more
subtle pressures and behaviors that may
influence our decisions on important
matters such as selecting consultants or
dealing with contractors.
Organizational culture. A more
important influence than mission
statements or ethics codes on how em-
ployees will resolve ethical dilemmas is
organizational culture. Organizations
that profess their virtues through eth-
ics codes and mission statements but
do not “walk the talk” send mixed mes-
sages to their employees. Whom the
organization perceives as “the Enemy”
will often determine staff attitudes and
how the organization interacts with
its external environment much more
than any expressed intent to give good
customer service. The “Enemy” may
be “those greedy developers” or “those
outsiders—the commuters who irre-
sponsibly drive through our town,” or
it may even be the public—“those un-
grateful whiners who want the service
but don’t want to pay for it.” These
blanket generalizations, sometimes ut-
tered out of a legitimate feeling of frus-
tration, influence attitudes and beliefs
and translate into actions by employ-
ees who, in the course of doing their
job, are trying to do their best to re-
solve ethical dilemmas under the pres-
sure of time and limited resources.
Neither customer service training,
team building or process “reengineer-
ing” can alter an organizational culture
until all levels of the organization ad-
mit to and are willing to openly con-
front the biases and prejudices that are
embedded within.
So what can we do?
First, we need to recognize that the
situation is an ethical dilemma. This
recognition is usually characterized by

Editorial Reprints
an uneasiness in the pit of our stom-
ach, a vague feeling of discomfort or
anxiety, or perhaps even annoyance
and anger. These feelings are like the
Now that you have been yellow light at the intersection. They
featured in the APWA are a warning to us that the decisions
that follow need to be made carefully,
Reporter, why not leverage and not based solely on our emotional
this opportunity to promote response to the situation.

your product or service with Next we need to identify what category

the dilemma falls in:
custom reprints?
• Is it a “personal cost” ethical di-
Custom reprints are available in quantities of 100 or lemma wherein your job, reputa-
more and are printed on high-quality, gloss-coated tion, friendship, etc. may be on
paper stock in black & white or full color. Custom the line? Or, is it a:
reprints make great handouts at trade shows, inserts for
• Right vs. Right dilemma, where
media kits and direct mail pieces. Custom PDF’s are also
one or more positive values are in
available for posting on your website. conflict?

Call our reprint department at Following is a checklist that can be used

to help arrive at an outcome that will
(800) 259-0470 for complete details. leave you feeling good about yourself:

• See which values apply to your di-

lemma.

24 APWA Reporter February 2008

• Don’t lose sight of the facts.
• Recognize that in the public sector
perception can be as or sometimes
more important than reality. Vi-
sualize the impact of seeing your
decision on the front page of next
day’s paper, and how comfortable
you will be in defending it.
• Sort out the options and look for
the option that has the greatest
potential for overall benefit with
the least harm. Visualize explain-
ing to a child why you did what
you did.
• Step “outside yourself” and try to
analyze the situation dispassion-
ately. One way to do this is to talk
to someone who doesn’t have the
same personal stake in the out-
come that you do. Seek out the
advice of “ethical barometers”—
people in your organization who
are respected because they “walk
the talk.”
• If you’re a “can do” energetic go-
getter, prone to focus more on
ends rather than means, pay atten-
tion to those who ask seemingly
“dumb” questions and work at a
more deliberate pace.
• Listen to your perennial critics and
council “Gadflies.” Although they
may be annoying, irritating and of-
ten irrational, like the “Village Idiot”
of olden days, these folks sometimes
have an uncanny knack for piercing
through the veneer of good inten-
tions and rationalization and iden-
tifying the hypocrisy inherent in
some organizational cultures.
• It helps to remember that it is the
public’s money we are dealing
with, while at the same time treat-
ing it as if it were our own hard-
earned dollars, and not parting
with it too readily in the interest
of resolving disputes, satisfying
individual constituent demands
or otherwise easing the burden of
having to prioritize and make dif-
ficult decisions and choices.
Summary
It has often occurred to me that how
one reacts to a traffic signal provides a
good model for defining ethical behav-
ior. When we approach a signalized in-
tersection, it is clear to most of us that
the red light means stop, a green light
means go. If we go through a red light
we knowingly break the law and risk
suffering the consequences if we get
caught. A green light means we have
unrestricted permission to go (unless
there’s a fire truck heading our way!).
Approaching a yellow light, however,
we have several options—slow down,
speed up, or continue at the same
speed. While many will automatically
slow down (these are the truly ethical
people who invite road rage and rear-
end collisions), a fair number of us will
decide what to do based on the situa-
tion. Our choice will be influenced by
our personality, our frame of mind at
the time, our preoccupation with where
we are going, how late we are, etc. Only
by stepping outside of ourselves can we
appreciate what the yellow light is re-
ally there for—not to be interpreted in
terms of our personal needs and wants,
but in terms of our concern for the
safety of others. It is there to alert us
that we need to proceed with caution,
because our actions could have serious
consequences not just to us, but to oth-
er users of the roadway. Recognition of
this fact puts us on the path to behav-
ing ethically.
The reward for doing the right thing
is not always immediate, nor does it
always come to us from the external
environment. On the contrary, behav-
ing ethically can have negative con-
sequences, such as loss of friendships,
public criticism, negative impacts to
certain members of the public and/or
the environment, and can lead to a lot
of personal agonizing over the alterna-
tives we discarded when we picked the
one we thought best. Sometimes doing
nothing seems like the safest course.
However, doing nothing is seldom an
acceptable alternative, and does not
absolve us of responsibility for the con-
sequences of our inaction. If we want
to make a difference and to contribute
in a meaningful way to our profession,
our families and our community, we
have to wrestle with the ethical dilem-
mas that confront us daily, and make
the best choice we can from those that
are available.
“The sad truth is that most evil is done by
people who never make up their minds to
be good or evil.” – Hannah Arendt
John Lisenko is a retired Public Works Di-
rector with the City of Foster City, Califor-
nia. He occasionally consults and is also
one of the organizers and instructors of
the APWA Northern California Chapter’s
Public Works Institute. He can be reached
at jlisenko@comcast.net.
CHUNKY COWBOY CHILI
1 medium to large onion coarsely
chopped
1 green onion (scallion) sliced
1 green pepper diced
1 pound cube steak cut in ½ inch
cubes
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans
undrained
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste (can be
flavored)
1 bag of shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp chili powder
1 bag of Four Cheese or Nacho
Doritos
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp black pepper
Assorted hot sauces
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
3 tsp sugar
Place ingredients in crock pot in
listed order and cook on low for 3
to 5 hours (depending upon crock
pot or until the savory aroma
overcomes you and you have to
have it now). Stir occasionally
until done.
Don Jacobovitz, P.E.
Public Works Director
Putnam County, FL
February 2008 APWA Reporter 25
 What’s happened to
Czechoslovakia?
Paul A. Hindman, P.E.
Manager, Design, Construction and Maintenance Program
Urban Drainage and Flood Control District
Denver, Colorado
Editor’s Note: Paul Hindman was the
recipient of a 2007 Jennings Randolph
Fellowship for an exchange program with
the Slovak and Czech Republics. During
his visit to the Slovak Public Works Asso-
ciation and Czech Republic Public Works
Association Joint Conference in October
2007, he investigated how the Slovak and
Czech public works professionals have
managed floods and how they have pro-
tected their citizens and property. He has
submitted the following article reflecting
his experiences and will make a presenta-
tion on his findings at the 2008 APWA
Congress in New Orleans.
This is probably the most frequently
asked question I receive from people
when they hear I went to the Czech
and Slovak Republics: “What’s hap-
pened to Czechoslovakia?” The answer
is Czechoslovakia no longer exists. In
1989 Czechoslovakia saw the fall of
communism. This is commonly re-
ferred to as the Velvet Revolution. In
1993 the country was split into two
countries, the Czech and Slovak Re-
publics, which existed prior to the 1918
merger that followed WWI. Since 1989,
both countries have adopted a capital-
istic economy along with a democratic
government. Both countries have fully
embraced democracy and are striving
under the new regime.
The purpose of my trip to the Czech
and Slovak Republics was to investigate
their drainage and flood control facili-
ties and to compare and contrast them
to the ones in my own organization.
The Czech and Slovak region has ex-
perienced flooding since the area was
inhabited in the 3rd century B.C. when
the Celtic migrations occurred. As re-
cently as 2002, a major flood occurred
that caused “…flood damage totaling
26 APWA Reporter February 2008
73 billion koruna (2.6 billion dollars),”
according to Deutsche Presse Agentur. It
was reported as the “…worst flooding
in Prague’s 800-year history” by CNN.
Following the flood, as has happened
throughout their history, rebuilding
occurred and “For the most part ‘life
is back to normal’ said Terezin spokes-
man Roman Cervenka.”
What I discovered on my travels was
both expected and unexpected.
The Expected
Water flows downhill just like it does
in the United States. Public works pro-
fessionals have managed the flow of
stormwater by installing drop struc-
tures and bank protection in devel-
oped areas following sound engineer-
ing principles. Along waterways where
development exists, the grade of the
channel, river or stream has to be flat-
tened to control the degradation of the
waterway. The banks have been stabi-
lized using rock (riprap), man-made
structures made out of concrete, or a
combination of both.
Drop Structure on Vltava River, Prague, Czech
Republic
The Unexpected
The first thing that surprised me upon
arrival to the Slovak Republic was how
every car was new. I didn’t observe any
of the old vehicles that were sold in
the country while under communistic
rule. However, most of the new vehi-
cles are compact in size, unlike in the
U.S. where you find the opposite. The
public works facilities are either old or
new. For example, in Nové Mestro Vad
Náhom, Slovak Republic, we visited
the public works facility for the city. As
shown in the photo, the administrative
offices are typical of other buildings
built in the communistic era, function
over aesthetics. However, in the yard
of the facility is a brand new asphalt
plant that was recently purchased from
a German manufacturer. It rivals any-
thing I have seen in the U.S.
Public Works administrative building, Nové
Mestro Vad Náhom, Slovakia
Another surprising part of the trip was
learning that all the towns and cities
are run by private industry. An elected
town or city council selects a private
firm to provide all the public works ser-
vices which, by contrast, in the U.S. are
performed by public works employees.
In the Slovak and Czech Republics they
have completely embraced privatiza-
tion. Each firm is hired for five years and
their contract is extended if the council
views their service as being satisfactory.
A service that is not the responsibility
of the local public works company is
major drainage. They are required to
maintain and improve the storm sewer
system, but at the point that the outfall
discharges into a waterway, no matter
how small, the responsibility lies with
the federal government. Where the lo-
cal public works company has jurisdic-
tion they take great pride in their re-
sponsibility. This was very evident by
observing the manhole lids which were
personalized for each town or city. One
was even comical and provided a pho-
to opportunity for tourists.
Manhole cover, Bratislava, Slovakia
As stated earlier, the purpose of my trip
to the Czech and Slovak Republics was
to investigate their drainage and flood
control facilities. I was not able to dis-
cuss major drainage with a represen-
tative of the federal government but
I was able to observe a few examples
of their work. In Trenčínské Teplice,
Slovakia, the main waterway histori-
cally traveled through the middle of
town. During communistic rule in the
1950s, a workforce was mobilized that
constructed a rock-walled channel cir-
cumventing the town on the north
side. According to the current public
works director, the channel has nev-
er overtopped and flooded the town.
Each rock was hand placed and mor-
tared in place.
In Prague and Bratislava, they have gone
state-of-the-art and constructed a flood
wall system produced by a German
company. The flood wall is constructed
of aluminum panels and is stored in
nearby warehouses. As the Vltava and
Danube Rivers rise, public works work-
ers remove the panels from storage and
install them along the river walk.
Return Trip
The trip was very enlightening and I
made many new friends. Our fellow
public works professionals in the Slo-
vak and Czech Republics are working
very hard to make their communities
the best they can be. This is a theme
that came through strongly every-
where I traveled. Also, their hospital-
ity and zest for life is far and above
anything I have experienced in the
United States. Therefore, I am already
planning on returning to both coun-
tries to further investigate their public
works improvements and experience
again their rich history.
Paul Hindman is the APWA Colorado
Chapter Delegate and a past president of
the chapter. He is a past member of the
national Awards Review and Congress Site
Selection Committees. He can be reached
at (303) 455-6277 or phindman@udfcd.
org.
February 2008 APWA Reporter 27
Waste management and public policy in the
Czech and Slovak Republics
Bill Bruce
Commissioner, Department of General Services
City of Albany, New York
2007 Jennings Randolph Fellow

Editor’s Note: Bill Bruce was the recipient of a 2007 Jennings percentage of vehicles and equipment that were of a very
Randolph Fellowship for an exchange program with the Slovak small size by American standards. However, many European
and Czech Republics. During his visit to the Slovak Public Works streets and public places are very old with narrow streets
Association and Czech Republic Public Works Association Joint and sidewalks, often hand-laid with small blocks of stone in
Conference in October 2007, he studied waste management and decorative patterns.
waste disposal legislation, regulation, and practices in both coun-
tries. He has submitted the following article reflecting his experi-
ences and will make a presentation on his findings at the 2008
APWA Congress in New Orleans.

Three APWA representatives and I started our tour of the

Czech and Slovak Republics by attending the annual joint
Czech and Slovak Public Works Associations conference,
held this year in Slovakia. We had an opportunity at the
conference to inspect equipment and vehicles on display
by European vendors. One immediate difference was the

Decorative sidewalks installed by hand, of small stone blocks, are

common in every city center.

Landfilling is still the final disposal option for most waste.

We saw the landfill outside the town of Trenčínské Teplice
where we attended the conference, and later the landfill for
Prague, capital of the Czech Republic. Both republics are still
heavily dependent on landfills. However, the per capita vol-
ume of waste generation in Europe is only half of what it
is in the U.S. Also, based on European Union (EU) regu-
lations, all member states have to reduce the landfilling
of biodegradable municipal waste, with reduction targets
Detectable Warning Plates for 2009 and 2016. During our tour of Bratislava, capital
of Slovakia, we were advised that they operate a waste-
When it comes to quality & safety, you’ll know right where we stand. to-energy facility, built just a year and a half ago. Waste-
to-energy plants in Europe are subject to stringent design
and operating standards, and are now more accepted by
the public and less controversial than here in the U.S.—
especially because waste is now identified as a renewable,
“Word on the street is Neenah” locally-produced energy source, in a Europe very conscious
of energy security issues as well as its dependence on for-

800-558-5075 eign energy. Other new technologies such as mechanical/

biological waste treatment, which we have not yet seen
www.neenahfoundry.com here in the U.S., are now operational in Europe.

28 APWA Reporter February 2008


Metal waste cans are still prevalent because many people heat with
wood or coal and need to dispose the ashes.
In general, public policy on waste management in the EU
and member states seems more advanced than here in the
U.S. We are much more likely to rely on free market capi-
talism. Long-haul, out-of-state landfill disposal is becoming
more common here in the eastern U.S. In Europe, waste
management is seen more as a critical resource management
issue, and regulated more like an essential service, as we typ-
Self Assessment
ically regulate the delivery of water or electricity. Most waste
management is provided by what we would call authorities,
operating under rigorous state regulation. These authori-
ties all enjoy flow control and can plan and manage their
systems more effectively because of this fact. As a result of
EU legislation, major appliances, including computers and
electronics, have a disposal cost included in the purchase
price. These funds are used by the federal governments to
subsidize redemption centers for appliances and electronics,
operated at the local or regional level, ensuring maximum
recycling and keeping unwanted items out of landfills.
There is much we can learn from the more environmentally
protective legislation, regulation and practices being applied
in the European Union and its member states, whether your
responsibilities involve fleet management, fuel efficiency
and alternative fuels, green building design, recycling and
waste management, pump efficiency in water and wastewa-
ter systems, urban forestry, energy efficiency of public build-
ings and facilities, or “smart” transportation projects. With
the increasing emphasis on climate change, public works
officials will play a critical role as environmental protection
increasingly becomes a focus in public policy at the federal,
state and local levels.
Bill Bruce can be reached at (518) 432-1144 or brucew@ci.albany.ny.us.
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February 2008 APWA Reporter 29
Balancing CSO affordability while
maintaining existing water and
sewer infrastructure
Joseph Superneau, P.E., Executive Director, Springfield, MA Water and Sewer Commission, and Chair, APWA Water
Resources Management Committee; Robert Stoops, P.E., Chief Engineer, and Joshua Schimmel, Project Engineer,
Springfield, MA Water and Sewer Commission
Introduction
The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission (Commission)
is committed to improving the quality of life throughout
the Pioneer Valley by providing critical water and wastewa-
ter services in support of public health protection, environ-
mental stewardship and sustainable economic development.
Currently, about one-third of the sewer system in the City
of Springfield flows to a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO)
system. The Commission is under its third Administrative
Consent Order (ACO) from the U.S. Environmental Protec-
tion Agency (EPA) to abate wet weather discharges from the
CSOs. This article summarizes the Commission’s significant
efforts to meet ACO requirements while maintaining ser-
vices, addressing the rate burdens of unfunded federal and
state regulatory initiatives, and the resulting economic im-
pacts to a struggling community in western Massachusetts.
More importantly, it supports the necessity of achieving a
balance between regulatory compliance, CSO affordability
and sustainable infrastructure improvements for both water
and wastewater systems. This balance can and must be at-
tained through a partnership approach between regulatory
agencies and local water and wastewater utilities.
Background
The Commission owns and maintains watershed land,
dams, reservoirs, transmission mains, storage tanks, water
and wastewater treatment plants, pumping stations, and
more than 1,200 miles of water and sewer mains. The Com-
mission recently completed a five-year $70 million capital
improvement program that focused on redundancy and reli-
ability through the replacement and repair of its aging infra-
structure while concurrently meeting the ACOs. What lies
ahead is hundreds of millions of dollars in capital improve-
ments to repair and maintain acceptable water and wastewa-
ter service as well as meet CSO regulations.
Drinking Water
In Massachusetts, the Commission supplies drinking water
to a population of approximately 250,000 in the commu-
nities of Springfield, Ludlow, Agawam, East Longmeadow,
Longmeadow, Southwick and Westfield. The annual average
water use is about 36 million gallons per day (MGD). The pri-
mary water sources are the Borden Brook and Cobble Moun-
tain Reservoirs. The Borden Brook Reservoir, portions of the
West Parish Filters Treatment Plant and many miles of large
30 APWA Reporter February 2008
transmission main were constructed in 1908. The Cobble
Mountain Dam and Reservoir were completed circa 1930.
Water flows from the treatment plant to the Provin Mountain
storage facility where there are four 15-million-gallon con-
crete underground storage reservoirs. Tanks were constructed
in 1909 and 1930, and two in the 1960s. Thirty-six miles of
large transmission main carry water to the City of Springfield.
These transmission mains vary in age from 60 years to 100
years old. The distribution system consists of 580 miles of
piping dating back to the 1880s, with the majority of the pipe
installed from the 1930s to the 1960s. In this system, there
are hundreds of miles of unlined cast iron water pipe, which
needs to be cleaned and lined or replaced.
Wastewater
The wastewater collection system in Springfield serves a
population of about 260,000 and consists of approximate-
ly 600 miles of sanitary, combined and interceptor sewers;
12,000 manholes; and 30 sewage pumping stations (includ-
ing seven flood control stations). Wastewater is conveyed
to the Springfield Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility
(SRWTF). The SRWTF treats wastewater from the house-
holds, businesses, and industries within Springfield and
surrounding six member communities, including Agawam,
East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Wilbraham, and
West Springfield. The SRWTF is one of the largest facilities in
New England and provides treatment at an annual average
of 40 MGD.
The Commission owns and is responsible for the 70-year-
old flood control infrastructure that is directly connected to
the combined wastewater collection system along the Con-
necticut River. The flood control system includes seven large
flood control pumping stations, associated piping, valves,
gates and appurtenances.
The Long Term Control Plan (LTCP)
In March 2000 the Commission completed a draft CSO
Long Term Control Plan and Environmental Impact Report
(LTCP). Projects delineated in the LTCP were evaluated based
on effectiveness of CSO reduction vs. cost. The goal was to
identify projects that were at the “knee of the CSO reduction
vs. cost curve.” At the conceptual level of planning, these
projects would provide the Commission with the most cost-
effective CSO control.
CSO control technologies were evaluated for each of three
rivers that receive CSO discharge—the Mill River, the Chi-
copee River, and the Connecticut River. This effort resulted
in a massing of CSO-related information under one umbrella.
Each of the CSOs could now be assessed in terms of how they
functioned as a system vs. individually. Based on the exist-
ing sewer system information and the skeletal flow metering
data gathered, a simple hydraulic model was developed to aid
in analyzing the effectiveness of the various CSO abatement
strategies. The end result was an overall recommended plan
for CSO abatement that resided at the “knee of the curve,”
with an estimated total cost of $140 million. In accordance
with EPA requirements, the LTCP also included a chapter on
affordability. The affordability analysis results showed that
Springfield ratepayers could only afford approximately 1/10
of the proposed CSO program cost.
CSO Abatement
In November 2000, the Commission entered into negotia-
tions with EPA and the Massachusetts Department of Envi-
ronmental Protection (DEP) to develop an affordable phased
CSO program. An ACO would define the initial phase of
work. The information provided in the LTCP was used as
the basis for the specific projects associated with the ACO.
The initial ACO identified Interceptor Relief and Storage for
the abatement of the Mill River CSOs. The Commission pro-
ceeded to comply with the ACO schedule by rapidly mov-
ing through the project design and bidding process. From
the perspective of the regulators, the pace of the response
to the ACO was good. Projects designed to abate CSOs were
progressing. The Commission was content because the ACO
included a specific project that was affordable (at $5.2 mil-
lion) and capable of being implemented.
Aggressive deadlines specified in the ACO required a com-
pressed design schedule. Additional information was gath-
ered through the design phase; however, because of the short
schedule, the recommendations from the LTCP were the
guiding principles for design and construction. As the proj-
ect moved through construction the Commission realized
that although compliance with the ACO was maintained,
there were some fundamental flaws with the approach. Evi-
dence indicated that the LTCP was more of a planning tool
than a guide for final design. Lack of time to thoroughly
investigate existing infrastructure resulted in a litany of
changed conditions and utility conflicts in the field.
Lessons Learned
Given the condensed project schedule, Commission staff
and the consulting engineers worked together throughout

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February 2008 APWA Reporter 31

construction to produce a functional CSO project. Schedule
drove the Mill River Project to the detriment of proper plan-
ning and design. Field changes during construction were the
norm and not the exception. Upon completion, the project
was considered a success by the regulators and the Commis-
sion because deadlines were met, the costs contained and
the annual CSOs to the Mill River were reduced to meet the
regulatory requirements.
The project team performed a post-project review to look
at how to reduce change orders and address other contract
changes. The outstanding factor was scheduling adequate
time for the engineer to completely field verify and evaluate
all critical pipe and CSO regulators, and to perform detailed
flow monitoring to validate the design criteria. To rush forth
to meet an artificial schedule was counterproductive and re-
sulted in multiple change orders.
Moving Forward
The next focus was the Chicopee River CSO project and
Commission staff negotiated an ACO with the regulatory
agencies. The ACO included specific projects from the LTCP
and provided sufficient time for adequate field investiga-
tion, flow monitoring and design. The final ACO specified
the design and construction of a series of three CSO storage
 
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Made in the USA 1883-2008 †ˆˆ’„€„’‚„ƒ LSBOP
tanks or an equivalent project. The storage project was origi-
nally selected because the LTCP estimated optimum CSO
discharge reduction in relation to the capital cost.
In moving from the conceptual plan of a LTCP to the reality
of final design, the engineer needs to provide a more in-
volved study and investigation of existing conditions, in ad-
dition to analyses of various control strategies and options,
prior to final design. It is a serious mistake for regulators and
utilities to apply the conceptual information provided in a
LTCP as the basis for a final design without proper field veri-
fication. To do so potentially results in spending millions
of dollars on a project that may not perform or accomplish
what was intended.
The preliminary design for the Chicopee River CSO Project
included 21 new flow monitoring locations for this storm-
water basin, inspection and measurement of every regulator,
and the inspection and assessment of all sewer pipes. Be-
cause of this level of effort, it became evident that the flow
requirements significantly changed from the minimal flow
monitoring performed at the planning stage (13 flow meters
citywide) to the new monitoring program.
The new hydraulic model indicated that the predicted stor-
age tanks, based on the preliminary data from the LTCP,
were incorrect in number and undersized. Due to the in-
crease in size and number of storage tanks predicted by the
updated model, additional knowledge of subsurface condi-
tions, and identification of many utility conflicts, the esti-
mated construction cost jumped from $14 million to almost
$50 million. This cost did not include the annual operating
and maintenance cost for the storage tanks, which would
have been substantial.
Several alternative approaches were quickly identified that
served the dual purpose of improvements to the existing in-
frastructure while controlling CSOs. A hybrid project was
developed that included targeted separation, new sanitary
sewer, limited storage, and pumping station improvements.
The new project also addressed infrastructure upgrades; such
as replacement of deteriorated sewer and drain pipes, ap-
purtenances, creating added pipe capacity and pump station
improvements that the Commission would have ultimately
completed regardless of an ACO.
The alternative approach would clearly provide a tremen-
dous benefit to our ratepayers. The remaining hurdle was
the original goals for CSO control set forth in the ACO. The
ÞRPQLJLDLLSBOP Commission used the design level hydraulic model to dem-
ÞBQB@Q>?IB>OKFKD onstrate project equality with respect to the estimated an-
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onstrating the proposed change went smoothly because the
Commission had continually maintained contact with the
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local regulatory staff throughout the process.


 

32 APWA Reporter February 2008

The goal should be to negotiate an ACO that did not identi- Since that estimate was prepared, the Mill River Project has
fy specific projects, but rather identified achievable goals for been completed within budget. The Chicopee River Project
CSO control based on overall system needs. The flexibility is under construction with an estimated project cost of $30
to consider cost benefit and affordability should be factored million. The Washburn Street CSO Project, which resulted
into this process. from structural failure of a CSO regulator, was completed
for approximately $8 million and the Clinton Street Project
EPA Affordability Guidance Definition was replaced with a sewer separation project due to escalat-
EPA has established affordability guidance to assess the eco- ing costs. The Connecticut River Phase I Project cost is now
nomic burden of CSO abatement in terms of annual cost estimated at $15 million.
and the long-term impacts upon resi-
dents and businesses. EPA acknowledg-
es that the determination of substan-
tial impact on the wider community
depends on both the cost of pollution
control and the general financial and
economic health of the community.

One of the most critical indicators of

economic health is measured by the
median household income. The me-

Awards Program 2008

dian household income for Springfield
residents has hovered around $30,000
per year (2005 dollars). This is almost
half of the state median of $57,000
(2005 dollars). The EPA substantial im-
pact preliminary screener looks at the
project cost to achieve policy compli-
ance as a percent of median household
income. For the City of Springfield,
this value has been estimated to be ap-
proximately 1.5% through the updated
Preliminary CSO Controls. This value
indicates that the economic burden for
Springfield is already excessive. And,
the Commission’s water and wastewa-
APWA’s Awards Program recognizes individuals, groups and
ter systems still require hundreds of chapters for their outstanding contributions to the profession of
millions of dollars for capital improve- public works. Some of the awards presented include Distinguished
ments over the next twenty years. Service, Young Leader, Public Works Project of the Year, and
During the preparation of the LTCP, Top Ten Public Works Leader of the Year, to name just a few.
costs for the Mill River, Chicopee River
and Connecticut River CSO abatement Each award is listed on the APWA website. Criteria and
programs were estimated at $6.1 mil- nomination forms for the 2008 Awards Program
lion, $15.9 million and $117.6 mil-
are now available online.
lion, respectively. At that time, the
LTCP affordability analysis prepared by
Metcalf & Eddy, Inc. concluded that,
“Springfield will incur widespread so- DON’T FORGET!
cial and economic impact as the re-
sult of implementing preliminary CSO
Nominations are due March 3, 2008!
controls.” The preliminary CSO costs
for the Mill River, Chicopee River and
Visit www.apwa.net/awards08.
the Phase I Connecticut River Projects
were estimated at $35 million through
the year 2011. Nominate Your Award-Winners Today!
February 2008 APWA Reporter 33
What was estimated to cost $35 million in year 2000 and
was determined to exceed the affordability thresholds and
cause widespread social and economic impact, will actually
cost approximately $60 million. And it does not end there.
The balance of the proposed CSO work is now estimated at
more than $180 million. Since 2000, Springfield’s actual me-
dian household income has decreased to less than $30,000
per year. Given the tenuous economic plight of Springfield
residents and businesses, the increased burden of the Up-
dated Preliminary CSO Control projects alone presents an
unreasonable impact to the community.
What does affordability really mean to our
customers?
In 2005 Springfield’s median household annual income was
$29,922, down 1.6% from 2000. A household with a gross
income of $30,000, after payroll deductions of federal and
state taxes, health insurance, retirement and other manda-
tory deductions, brings home a net income of about $20,000.
To the median-income family, this means budgeting about
$10,000 for mortgage or rent payments; $5,000 must be
budgeted for heat, electricity and telephone payments, and
the remaining $5,000 for food. There is no money for other
expenses such as clothing, transportation, cable television,
pets, entertainment, medical care co-payments, or water and
sewer bills.
How do we justify asking people to make real-life choices be-
tween heat, food, medicine, and reducing CSOs to a river they
cannot swim in? Springfield is a poor city where the crime
rate has escalated, public education needs have increased,
and medical issues have worsened. Springfield ranked sixth
worst in the nation for the percentage of its children living
in poverty in 2006, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s
American Community Survey. This climate further hinders
support for rate increases and funding of CSO projects with
little or no benefit to the community.
Cost/Benefit
Money is a critical factor when developing and implement-
ing any environmental project and lines must be drawn
somewhere. If a project costs $10 million to reach a 95%
solution and $20 million to reach a 99% solution, with min-
imum environmental benefit gained, is this sound public
investment? It should be the obligation of both the envi-
ronmental regulator and the public works official to work
together and find this line. For every dollar spent on limited
environmental gain there is one less dollar to invest in other
projects that provide greater environmental benefits.
What does affordability mean for the
Commission?
The Commission is required to meet various laws and regu-
lations promulgated by the state and federal governments.
All of these laws and regulations have costs associated with
compliance. Realistically looking at fiscal projections, there
34 APWA Reporter February 2008
are many factors to consider when prioritizing the financial
needs of an organization, including:
• The costs of essential services and functions within the
organization and the inflation related to those costs.
• The capital replacement/improvement costs needed to
provide sustainable infrastructure into the future.
• The added costs of regulatory compliance.
• The future needs to meet population changes or chang-
es in demand.
• The ability and willingness of the users to pay for the
services.
Financial Reality for a Water and Sewer System
By 2010 the Commission will have borrowed $150 million
in the previous decade: $70 million for much-needed wa-
ter and sewer infrastructure repairs and $80 million for CSO
work. There remains a looming amount of $180 million
needed to complete the identified CSO projects in the Draft
LTCP. Also on the radar screen is another $100 million for
sewer repairs, based on a detailed assessment of the sewers in
one section of the city. The 70-year-old flood control pump-
ing stations require upgrades to the tune of an estimated
$10-15 million.
On the drinking water side, major replacement of a 100-year-
old water storage tank and repairs and replacement of miles
of large transmission pipe are being evaluated. These wa-
ter projects could easily reach $50 million over the next
10 years. And, the Commission is considering a new water
treatment plant at Ludlow Reservoir to meet future water
demands at a cost of $25 million.
The Commission’s FY 2008 annual operating budget is ap-
proximately $50 million, of which about 9% is for debt ser-
vice. In 2010 the annual budget is expected to increase to
$57 million, with an estimated debt service rate equaling
about 16% of the total. If the Commission proceeds down
the road to borrow another $400 million over the next 10
years, the annual debt service would increase about $32 mil-
lion with an additional debt service reserve of $72 million
required to satisfy bond covenants. The debt service would
account for approximately 50% of the operating budget.
Such numbers would be staggering to the City and would
cause financial and political chaos resulting in rigor mortis
for the Commission.
In the last four years, four unexpected projects have devel-
oped which cost over $12 million to repair. The largest proj-
ect was an 8-foot-diameter brick sewer collapse (circa 1880)
which resulted in an $8 million repair. While writing this
article, another sinkhole problem developed around a ma-
jor water transmission main gate chamber and the prelimi-
nary estimate is $4 million to repair. This major transmis-
sion main may need to be removed from service pending
the repair. These types of unexpected emergency repairs will
continue to plague the Commission considering the age of
the system.
Springfield’s case is not unusual. It represents a community
that has an aging infrastructure, which has seen continual
underinvestment in maintenance and upgrades to the water
and sewer systems. The systems now require major capital
repairs and improvements. When considering the rate im-
pacts over the next 10 to 20 years, meeting the repair and re-
placement needs must be a top priority and the Commission
must always have sufficient funds to repair the unforeseen.
Collapse of an 8-foot-diameter brick sewer, circa 1880, resulted in the
reconstruction of the street, all underground utilities and the CSO
regulating chambers at a cost of $8 million.
Environmental Yield
Another significant issue that cannot be overlooked is Envi-
ronmental Yield. The question that should be asked contin-
uously by both the public works official and environmental
regulator is, “If this project is developed and constructed,
and the program is implemented, what will be the mean-
ingful benefits to the environment?” If the question can-
not be answered with a positive environmental result or the
potential benefits are negligible, it is probably not a good
investment of public dollars. Too many projects in the past
have taken on lives of their own without defining the Envi-
ronmental Yield.
The Commission recognized the importance and regional
nature of Environmental Yield for the Connecticut River. In
conjunction with the Cities of Holyoke, Chicopee, and the
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, a study was prepared
to develop a regional water quality model of the Connecti-
cut River. The model simulated approximately 50 CSOs,
stormwater discharges and upstream river conditions from
Holyoke to the Connecticut border. A brief synopsis of mod-
el results includes:
• Fecal loading from the upstream non-point source
runoff and stormwater significantly exceed those
from CSOs.
• After Phase I CSO controls are implemented, water qual-
ity swimming criteria exceedences during wet weather
would reduce only by less than four hours following a
three-month storm.
• Reducing CSO loads would have relatively small effect
on overall river quality.
• If all CSOs were eliminated, water quality goals would
not be achieved during the one-year storm event.
If the Commission were to spend $800 million to eliminate
all CSOs, the river would still not meet water quality stan-
dards because of other point and non-point source contri-
butions and upstream pollutant loadings. Common sense
indicates the need to reduce and eventually eliminate sew-
age from entering the river. However, it is important to bal-
ance the level of spending as it relates to the environmental
benefit that will be achieved. Projects with little or no Envi-
ronmental Yield cannot be undertaken at the expense of all
other necessary sewer, wastewater and water infrastructure
improvements. A community cannot continue to spend
money beyond the point of diminishing returns, simply to
meet absolute regulatory compliance. There should be a vi-
able, continuous reevaluation of where to best spend the
limited resources to realize the best environmental benefit
for our citizens. By continuously asking the Environmen-
tal Yield question, the prudent investment of public funds
and improvements to environmental protection will be op-
timized and the benefits tremendous.
An example would be whether to invest in the replacement
or repair of a critical pump station or force main or to con-
trol a CSO. If the pump station or force main failed, raw sew-
age would flow into the river 24 hours per day for months
on end. If the CSO was not controlled, discharges of diluted
sewage would come and go in wet weather. It is clear that
failure of the critical infrastructure would have greater envi-
ronmental consequences and a higher Environmental Yield.
Environmental regulators must recognize this point as they
work to advance CSO controls.
Conclusions
To quote Winston Churchill, “If you have an important
point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile
driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again.
Then hit it a third time—a tremendous whack.” The point
to be driven home is simple—utilities cannot possibly com-
ply with all the existing regulations together with those
being promulgated and maintain existing water and sewer
infrastructure. Some of the rules require substantial sums of
money to enact and in the end, provide marginal benefit.
February 2008 APWA Reporter 35
In addition, utilities are spending money to comply with
rules that are in conflict with other rules. In some cases, one
regulator may be applying pressure for compliance, which is
in conflict with another regulator’s requirements.
The best solutions for local environmental problems are
site-specific. Several lessons learned during Springfield’s CSO
abatement program include:
• Conceptual information collected as part of the devel-
opment of a LTCP is limited and cannot be used directly
for design and implementation of specific projects.
• The best solutions to environmental problems require
significant research, detailed evaluations, modeling and
in-depth investigation prior to implementation.
• Regulatory compliance and ACOs should allow for flexi-
bility in implementation. After the research, evaluations
and modeling are conducted, the engineering solutions
inevitably change for the better.
• The quality of the river will not significantly improve
if all CSOs are eliminated. Environmental Yield should
be the focus. There is a limited pool of funds available
for competing needs and water and wastewater services
must be maintained through the regulatory implemen-
tation process.
• Infrastructure repairs and improvements must be imple-
mented regardless of the process of meeting or imple-
menting new regulations.
In the future, to implement the lessons learned, utilities
must conduct intelligent, ongoing discussions with regula-
36 APWA Reporter February 2008
tors to define where limited resources can best be used for
the public benefit. Projects and programs should follow a
prioritization process that includes a cost/benefit analysis
and takes into account the overall needs of the Commis-
sion. Public funds must be used for meaningful purposes
and have measurable public benefits consistent with the
amount of funds expended.
The Commission cannot continue to borrow money for
capital projects to meet regulatory requirements and ignore
the needed repairs to the infrastructure. That is a formula for
system-wide failure and is irresponsible to our ratepayers.
Infrastructure system failures result in significant negative
impacts to the community and individuals. The existing in-
frastructure system needs to be maintained in balance with
meeting regulations.
Both public works officials and environmental regulators
have a tremendous stake in improving the environment
and water quality for the next generation. The challenge
is to meet these goals because there is competition with
other state and national programs for the same dollars. One
way to meet the challenge and reach the goal is working
together. Just think of a coalition of public works officials
and environmental regulators jointly addressing Congress
in support of new funding mechanisms and regulations
that make sense while protecting the environment. If this
sounds far-fetched, think it through. The foundation of the
public works profession is to build infrastructure that pro-
tects the public and the environment. The foundation of an
environmental regulator is to ensure that laws and regula-
tions adopted by elected officials are carried out to protect
the environment. There is not a conflict between these two
agendas. A new paradigm is re-
quired by both parties to realize
that working together as a team
provides a foundation for water
quality improvements across
the nation that noticeably pro-
gresses in the coming decades.
Joseph Superneau is the Chair of
APWA’s Water Resources Man-
agement Committee; he can be
reached at (413) 787-6256 x-152
or joe.superneau@waterandsewer.
org; Robert Stoops can be reached
at (413) 787-6256 x-188 or bob.
stoops@waterandsewer.org; and
Joshua Schimmel can be reached
at (413) 787-6256 x-139 or josh.
schimmel@waterandsewer.org.
From rooftops to rivers: green infrastructure
yields economic and environmental benefits
Nancy Stoner, Director, Clean Water Project, Natural Resources Defense Council, Washing-
ton, D.C.; Alexandra Dapolito Dunn, Esq., Assistant Dean of Environmental Law Programs,
Pace University School of Law, White Plains, New York
ost urban and suburban waterways in the United
States are polluted, and wet weather impacts are a
huge part of the problem. While boating or other
non-contact recreation may be possible, many ur-
ban and suburban streams, lakes or coastal waters are often
unsafe for swimming or other direct contact after it rains.
Rainfall carries trash, toxins and bacteria into waterways, in-
creasing the risk of illness for swimmers and making these
waters unhealthy for fish, amphibians and birds. If these
same urban rivers, lakes and coastal waters are clean, they
can become a tremendous community resource, providing
fishing, swimming and other recreational opportunities as
well as a higher quality source of drinking water for cities
and suburbs. However, if polluted, they can be a potential
health hazard as well as an eyesore, lowering property values
and detracting from community revitalization efforts.
As rain comes into contact with streets, parking lots and
rooftops, an environmental chain reaction occurs. This rain
picks up oil, grease and toxins, as well as pathogens, nu-
trients and other pollutants, and deposits them into lakes,
streams and coastal waters. The high-volume, high-velocity
flows cause additional adverse environmental consequenc-
es, including flooding, streambank scouring, riparian habi-
tat loss, flashy streams, increased stream temperatures, and,
because the rainwater cannot soak into the ground, depleted
groundwater resources. These problems will only continue
to grow as our nation’s population increases and, even more
importantly, as development continues to spread across the
landscape—at twice the rate of population growth.
These problematic impacts are exacerbated in the over 770
cities in the United States served by combined wastewater
and stormwater pipes, as these peak wet weather flows cause
Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs). The United States Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 2004 Report to Con-
gress on sewer overflows estimated the volume of CSO dis-
charged nationwide at 850 billion gallons per year.1 Despite
diligent efforts by cities to mitigate the impacts of CSOs,
these efforts can be hindered overall by the failing condi-
tion of the nation’s wastewater infrastructure. This critical
system of underground pipes and conveyances is in dire
1
Report to Congress, Impacts of CSOs and SSOs, August 2004, EPA
833-R-04-001 at ES-5; Report available at http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/cso/
cpolicy_report2004.cfm.
need, as evidenced by its recent D- grade assessed by the
American Society of Civil Engineers.2 As miles and miles of
underground pipes age they become more likely to fail,3 at
the same time that they are taxed further due to increasing
population and development. For example, at our current
rate of investment, EPA has projected that sewage pollution
will be as high in 2025 as it was in 1968—before the passage
of the Clean Water Act—that is, when Lake Erie was declared
dead and the Cuyahoga River was on fire.4
Add to this mix the projected impacts of global warming on
water resources and shorelines. Global warming is anticipat-
ed to have adverse effects on available freshwater resourc-
es. For example, the Natural Resources Defense Council’s
(NRDC’s) recent report, In Hot Water, projects that global
warming will decrease snowpack in the American West, re-
duce water supplies, increase the magnitude and frequency
of floods and droughts, and degrade aquatic habitat by re-
ducing stream flows and increasing the temperature of wa-
terways.5 EPA reports that while data are inconclusive, some
models predict that global warming will increase the fre-
quency of Combined Sewer Overflows by up to 12 percent,
as well as the volume and velocity of stormwater flows.6 EPA
also notes that the costs of adapting existing CSO mitigation
plans to manage the long-term risks associated with climate
change could significantly increase funding requirements,
exacerbating what is known as the “infrastructure gap”—
the difference between available funding and the actually
needed funding.7
2
http://www.asce.org/reportcard/2005/page.cfm?id=103
3
U.S. EPA, The Clean Water and Drinking Water Infrastructure Gap Analysis,
EPA-816-R-02-020 (Sept. 2002) (projects that 47% of sewer pipes will be in
poor, very poor, or life-elapsed condition by 2020, up from 10% in 1980 and
23% in 2000).
4
U.S. EPA, The Clean Water and Drinking Water Infrastructure Gap Analysis,
EPA-816-R-02-020 (Sept. 2002).
5
In Hot Water, pp. 4-16.
6
“A Screening Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Climate Change on
Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Mitigation in the Great Lakes and New
England Regions’’ (EPA/600/R-07/033A); available at http://www.epa.gov/
ncea.
7
Id. at 26.
February 2008 APWA Reporter 37
With global warming, failing infrastructure and a land de-
velopment rate of twice that of population growth, our na-
tion faces a water quality problem that is literally begging
for attention, investment and innovation. Continuing to
use the approaches of the past to deal with these pollution
sources is likely to be both costly and largely unsuccessful.
Public works managers are challenged to change tradition-
al ways of thinking. It is time to revisit the long-embraced
philosophy that the best course is to move stormwater as
rapidly as possible into pipes—recognizing that in many
cases this volume goes untreated into waterways or worse,
causing sewage pipes to exceed capacity and overflow. Fortu-
nately there are alternatives, and one is catching on in pro-
gressive cities and towns across the United States. It is called
green infrastructure, which does not just mean “green” as
in environmentally sound, but instead green as the color of
the vegetation that it relies upon as its principal wastewater
treatment mechanism. The term “green infrastructure” has
many definitions because it is used on a variety of scales—
watershed or subwatershed, neighborhood, or site. In this
article it applies to natural systems or designed or engineered
systems that use soil and vegetation to mimic natural pro-
cesses to protect and enhance environmental quality and
provide utility services.
Green infrastructure in cities, where stormwater-induced
pollution is most severe, includes green roofs, trees and tree
boxes, rain gardens, vegetated swales, pocket wetlands, in-
filtration planters and vegetated median strips—really any-
where where soil and vegetation can be worked into the ur-
ban landscape. Green infrastructure is often accompanied
by other decentralized storage and infiltration approaches,
including the use of permeable pavement and rain barrels
and cisterns to capture and reuse rainfall for watering plants
or flushing toilets. All of these have the benefit of keep-
ing rainwater out of the combined system so that it does
not cause sewage overflows, allowing it to be absorbed and
cleansed by soil and vegetation, and then reused or allowed
to flow back into groundwater or surface water resources.
Green infrastructure benefits include improved water qual-
ity, expanded wildlife habitat, enhanced drinking water
supplies, protected open space and parks, energy savings,
smog reduction, decreased flooding, improved aesthetics
and higher property values. Green infrastructure often saves
taxpayers money as well by not only reducing sewage and
stormwater pollution, but also by minimizing the amount
of water that needs to be conveyed to centralized treatment
facilities, thereby making those facilities more cost-effective
to operate. Use of green infrastructure approaches in addi-
tion to modernization of aging, decaying treatment plants,
collection systems and distribution systems can forestall the
need for even more costly approaches and investments in
the future.
NRDC’s 2006 report, Rooftops to Rivers, reported on the
green infrastructure strategies already employed by forward-
thinking communities that are stretching wastewater infra-
structure investments to achieve more by focusing on multi-
benefit approaches, by leveraging private as well as public
investment, and by weaving green infrastructure controls
into a broad range of ongoing municipal activities, such as
repair and rehabilitation of roads. And both the clean wa-
terways themselves and the green infrastructure that keeps
them clean increase property values, revitalize blighted
neighborhoods, enhance street life and community aesthet-
ics, and provide free recreation.8
In 2007, NRDC, EPA, the Low Impact Development Cen-
ter, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, the
Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control
Administrators, and a whole host of other organizations, in-
cluding the American Public Works Association, joined to-
gether to promote use of green infrastructure in stormwater
and sewer overflow control programs. Since that time, EPA
has compiled and developed a number of green infrastruc-
ture resources that offer information and guidance to com-
munities nationwide.9 EPA also has named a green infra-
structure coordinator at EPA Headquarters in Washington,
D.C., and in each of the ten Regions, making it even easier
for cities to gain information and guidance about green in-
frastructure projects.10
Active green infrastructure programs in several U.S. cities,
including Chicago, Portland and Seattle, have yielded early
and significant success. Green infrastructure offers the ad-
vantage of managing rain where it falls, often preventing it
from reaching the sewer system. Less water in the sewer sys-
tem means less pollution discharged from CSOs or separate
stormwater sewers and lower treatment costs at wastewater
treatment plants. Cost savings have also been gained from
either avoiding the addition of new infrastructure or dimin-
ishing the size and scope of capacity improvements.
An $8 million subsidized downspout disconnection pro-
gram in Portland has saved $250 million in infrastructure
improvements by diverting one billion gallons of rain annu-
ally from the combined sewer system and allowing the rain
to soak into the ground. Seattle’s first Street Edge Alternative
(SEA) pilot project has retained 99 percent of the rain that
has fallen during the five years of monitoring and prevented
it from being discharged to sensitive receiving waters that
are home to salmon.
8
NRDC, Rooftops to Rivers: Green Strategies for Controlling Stormwater and
Combined Sewer Overflows (June 2006).
9
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=298
10
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/greeninfrastructure/gicontacts.cfm#region

38 APWA Reporter February 2008

The benefits of introducing green infrastructure are not con-
fined to water quality. Green infrastructure filters airborne
pollutants, helps to offset urban heat island effects, and
can reduce the heating and cooling demands of buildings.
Temperatures above Chicago’s City Hall green roof average
10-15°F lower than a nearby black tar roof, with the differ-
ence being as much as 50°F in August. The associated energy
savings for the building are estimated to be $3,600 annually.
And one benefit of green infrastructure is often a critical fac-
tor for thriving and sustainable communities: the aesthetic
benefits gained from trees and vegetation.
A further good example of green infrastructure practices is
the restoration of highly urbanized areas by using existing
wetlands for stormwater management, as well as creating
new wetlands for the same purpose. In the Rouge River area
of Michigan, the Inkster Wetlands demonstration project
uses 14 acres of wetlands (approximately nine of which are
constructed) adjacent to the river to naturally treat storm-
water before it enters the river. Prior to the project, “hard
infrastructure” discharge pipes routed stormwater past the
existing wetlands and directly to the river; however, the dem-
onstration project rerouted stormwater through the existing
wetlands which were supplemented with new, constructed
wetlands. The project was completed in 1997 at a cost of
$465,000. The results of a subsequent five-year monitoring
study evaluated the effectiveness of the project at improv-
ing the quality of the stormwater runoff and found that in
addition to dampening stormwater flows, the wetlands also
reduced concentrations of total suspended solids by 80 per-
cent, total phosphorus by 70 percent, and both oxygen de-
pleting substances (BOD) and heavy metals by 60 percent.
These cities that have shown innovation adopting green
practices have also been at the forefront of the policy and
institutional changes necessary to encourage new programs.
Public funding has been critical to the adoption and ac-
ceptance of green infrastructure. Public financing has been
used directly to install pilot projects and subsidize commu-
nity programs and provide grant money for private efforts.
Chicago’s Department of the Environment announced that
it would provide twenty $5,000 grants in 2006 for small-
scale commercial and residential green roofs and received
123 applications. Policy changes have required that green
infrastructure be the first option for new development and
offered financial incentives for green infrastructure retrofits.
Several cities have revised their stormwater regulations to
place an emphasis on onsite retention and treatment and
state a preference for green infrastructure approaches. Cities
have also structured their utility fees to provide a fee dis-
count when green controls are installed.
Another emerging advantage of green infrastructure is its
link with the green jobs movement. Where it is being ap-
plied, green infrastructure creates jobs for architects, design-
ers, engineers, construction workers, maintenance workers
and a variety of small businesses engaged in designing and
building green roofs, rain gardens, tree boxes and other types
of green infrastructure.11 Green infrastructure approaches
can achieve cleaner bodies of water, a greener environment
and better quality of life.
The cities that have shown innovation adopting green
practices are at the forefront of the policy and institutional
changes necessary to encourage new green programs. In
many cities, however, green infrastructure remains a garnish,
not the meal. So, what can we do to eliminate obstacles—
real or perceived—to green infrastructure solutions?
First, we need to refine and make readily accessible user-
friendly models to quantify effectiveness of green infrastruc-
ture solutions and its life-cycle cost, and tools for measuring
economic and environmental benefits realized from the use
of green infrastructure. Measurement of small-scale projects
can be done with general ease. For example, to address lo-
calized flooding caused by runoff from one alley, the City
of Chicago removed the asphalt from the 630-foot-long,
16-foot-wide area and replaced it with a permeable paving
system. The City then measured that, instead of generating
stormwater runoff, the alley will infiltrate and retain the vol-
ume of a three-inch, one-hour rain event. The permeable
pavement requires little maintenance and has a life expec-
tancy of 25 to 35 years. In other areas of the country, studies
in Maryland and Illinois show that new residential develop-
ments using conservation design approaches saved $3,500
to $4,500 per lot (quarter- to half-acre lots) when compared
to new developments with conventional stormwater con-
trols. These developments were conceived and designed to
reduce and manage stormwater runoff by preserving natural
vegetation and landscaping, reducing overall site impervi-
ousness and installing green stormwater controls. Cost sav-
ings for these developments resulted from less conventional
stormwater infrastructure and paving and lower site prepa-
ration costs. Importantly, in addition to lowering costs, each
of the sites discharges less stormwater than conventional de-
velopments. Adding to the cost savings, developments uti-
lizing green infrastructure normally yield more lots for sale
by eliminating land-consuming conventional stormwater
controls, and lots in green developments generally have a
higher sale price because of the premium that buyers place
on vegetation and conservation development. Methods for
predicting the effectiveness of large-scale or large-area green
infrastructure projects prove more challenging and are still
evolving, but absolutely exist today. For example, researchers
at the University of California at Davis have estimated that
for every 1,000 deciduous trees in California’s Central Valley,
stormwater runoff is reduced nearly one million gallons—a
11
http://www.treepeople.org/trees/default.htm (projects creation of 50,000
new jobs from green infrastructure initiative)
February 2008 APWA Reporter 39
value of almost $7,000. EPA, in fact, now has gathered in a Third, the role of regulatory requirements must be ex-
single location a variety of accepted predictive models and plored—both in terms of how they facilitate and also hinder
calculators for green infrastructure, putting these tools in the use of green infrastructure. In the category of facilitation,
the hands of city managers and planners nationwide and research shows that a common driver among many cities us-
helping to debunk the myth that the effectiveness of green ing green infrastructure is, in fact, the need to assure compli-
solutions cannot be measured.12 ance with regulatory requirements. For example, a catalyst
for Portland, Oregon’s active green infrastructure program
Second, we need to identify—and take proactive steps to
is a need to satisfy a number of environmental regulatory
create—sources of federal, state and local funding for green
requirements, including limitations on Combined Sewer
infrastructure projects. The billions of dollars necessary to
Overflows, discharges into groundwaters used as drinking
mitigate water pollution simply and absolutely cannot be
water supplies, and total maximum daily load (TMDL) al-
found at the local level alone. Experience shows that when
locations.
public financing is on the table, entities will pick up the
green infrastructure ball and run with it. As an example However, these same regulatory requirements have shown
(and as previously mentioned), in 2006 Chicago’s Depart- themselves to hinder opportunities for creativity and will-
ment of the Environment announced that it would provide ingness on the part of municipal decision makers to actively
twenty $5,000 grants for small-scale commercial and resi- promote and introduce green infrastructure. For example,
dential green roofs—and received 123 applications. EPA re- models have shown that trees with mature canopies can ab-
cently cataloged a variety of federal programs where fund- sorb the first half-inch of rainfall—but trees can’t be planted
ing for green infrastructure projects may be available.13 with mature canopies. In contrast, a pipe can capture water
Meaningful funding for such projects at the state and local as soon as it is installed and online. Because our regulatory
levels remains generally elusive, but is starting to become and enforcement system revolves around compliance and
more common.14 immediate results, and because green solutions can take time
to come into their own, green infrastructure can be snubbed
There are a variety of other ways to create funding for green
in favor of a tried-and-true hard infrastructure solution that
solutions. These include the creation of stormwater utili-
can produce measurable results to regulators. For example,
ties, similar in function to water and wastewater utilities,
many cities are reluctant to use green infrastructure as part
which then allow for the assessment and collection of user
of their CSO remediation programs because enforcement of-
fees dedicated to a stormwater management program. The
ficials generally prefer to see water quality benefit realized
dedicated funds can then be applied in part to green infra-
expressed in traditional terms, such as percent capture. Per-
structure solutions or they can include incentives to encour-
cent capture through green solutions is seen as unreliable—
age voluntary use of green infrastructure. For example, Port-
and thus, possibly less enforceable. We need to ensure that
land’s River Rewards program provides a credit of up to 35
green infrastructure projects become an acceptable alterna-
percent of the standard stormwater fee for properties that
tive to hard infrastructure solutions in federal, state and lo-
retain stormwater onsite. Another option is dedicating a cer-
cal permitting and enforcement contexts—even if they may
tain portion of collected local tax revenues to a stormwa-
take more time to become fully effective. For example, a tree
ter fund, thereby removing stormwater management from
can take 20 years or more to develop a full canopy that will
volatile and competitive general revenue funding at the lo-
maximize its stormwater retention and other environmental
cal level. These dedicated stormwater funding sources could
benefits, which makes regulators reluctant to include them in
identify a preference for green infrastructure or establish a
long-term control plans for Combined Sewer Overflows; but
funding scale based upon the relative use of green manage-
it can take almost as long to design and build underground
ment techniques. Frankly, the organizational structures and
storage tunnels to retain wet weather flows, and those tun-
possibilities are many—but they have to be entertained and
nels provide no benefits until they are completed. At least
seriously considered, and existing revenue collection mech-
trees provide some stormwater retention, shade, property
anisms may need to be abolished or changed. And while
enhancement, air quality benefits and aesthetics while they
change can be hard, it is far from impossible—especially
are growing. Regulatory and enforcement officials should
when the environment stands to benefit.
focus on the big picture and ensure that the remedies they
seek are the most beneficial over the long haul.
12
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/greeninfrastructure/modelsandcalculators.
cfm
Many stormwater regulations focus on peak flow rate con-
trol and flood control, and not on retention of stormwater
13
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/greeninfrastructure/fundingopportunities. and recharge of groundwater resources. Revision of these
cfm
regulations to require minimizing and reducing impervi-
14
http://www.serconline.org/grInfrastructure/stateactivity.html
ous surfaces, protecting existing vegetation, maintaining

40 APWA Reporter February 2008

pre-development runoff volume and infiltration rates, and provements when a street is already likely to be torn up and
providing water quality improvements can encourage green construction crews are onsite.
infrastructure because it can meet these objectives. New Jer-
Fourth, we need to increase the public’s and policy makers’
sey’s stormwater management standards require 300-foot
awareness and acceptance of green infrastructure options.
riparian buffers and stipulate a preference for non-structural
Although green infrastructure is in many cases less costly
best management practices (BMPs). These standards also in-
than traditional methods of stormwater and sewer overflow
stitute water quantity as well as quality regulations. The wa-
control, it often is easier to continue the habit of investing
ter quantity standards require no change in groundwater re-
in existing conventional controls rather than trying an alter-
charge volume following construction and that infiltration
native approach. It is incumbent on local decision makers,
be used to maintain pre-development runoff volumes and
leaders and citizens to promote and publicize cleaner, more
peak flow rates. Any increase in runoff volume must be off-
environmentally attractive methods of reducing the water
set by a decrease in post-construction peak flow rate. Water
pollution that reaches their communities. Green infrastruc-
quality standards require a reduction in stormwater nutrient
ture presents an opportunity for community outreach and
loads to the “maximum extent feasible” and total suspended
education. Downspout disconnections, rain barrels, rain
solids reductions of 80 percent. If the receiving water body
gardens and green roofs may individually manage a rela-
is a high-quality water, the required total suspended solids
tively small volume of stormwater, but collectively can have
reduction is 95 percent.
a significant impact. Green infrastructure can be introduced
Further, existing local zoning requirements and building into a community one lot or one neighborhood at a time.
codes often inadvertently discourage the use of green infra-
A commonality among cities that have incorporated green
structure. Provisions requiring downspouts to be connected
infrastructure is a commitment from city personnel. Whether
to the stormwater collection system prohibit disconnection
elected officials or professional staff, these city leaders have
programs and the use of green space for treatment of rooftop
recognized the benefits of green infrastructure and have suc-
runoff. Mandatory street widths and building setbacks can
cessfully communicated its value to the public. These cities
unnecessarily increase imperviousness. Stormwater treat-
have also been innovative with their regulations and envi-
ment requirements that favor centralized collection and
ronmental policies, looking for existing and alternative av-
treatment and prescribe treatment options offer little oppor-
enues to encourage adoption of new stormwater and CSO
tunity or incentive to use green infrastructure. Jurisdictions
control strategies. These efforts are often popular because of
should review their applicable stormwater and wastewater
the public’s positive response to the “greenscaping” that ac-
ordinances and revise them to remove barriers to green
companies the programs. As many local leaders have found,
infrastructure use and encourage more environmentally
using green infrastructure in place of or in combination
friendly regulations. Those looking to see what other juris-
with less effective conventional methods of managing water
dictions have done can consult a variety of resources, such
pollution and stormwater runoff can have benefits beyond
as the comprehensive, publicly available compilation of
just economic cost savings and reduced pollution.
ordinances maintained by Pace University School of Law’s
Land Use Law Center in its Gaining Ground database. This Finding an effective approach to achieve urban water quality
resource contains local ordinances on all subjects, including has been elusive. However, it should be clear now that many
low impact development and stormwater management, and cities are developing a track record of success in the green in-
groups them by state, EPA region, and topic.15 frastructure arena. They are demonstrating convincingly that
green infrastructure is an economically and environmentally
It is also critically important to recognize that some of the
viable approach for water management and natural resource
most significant barriers to incorporating green infrastruc-
protection in urban areas. So with that, let’s do what it takes,
ture into existing urban areas are the costs and challenges
city by city, to start enjoying the environmental and quality-
associated with retrofitting these systems into built-out
of-life benefits green infrastructure delivers.
and space-constrained urban areas. For example, green in-
frastructure solutions may be more appealing to developers Nancy Stoner is the Director of the Clean Water Project at the
and cities when they are part of a large investment of capital Natural Resources Defense Council, an organization that uses
for new projects that are projected to substantially overhaul law, science and the support of 1.2 million members to ensure
and upgrade existing infrastructure. For example, it is of- a safe and healthy environment for all living things; she can
ten less expensive to install a green roof when an existing be reached at (202) 289-2394 or nstoner@nrdc.org. Alexandra
roof needs to be replaced, and rain gardens or trees in road Dapolito Dunn is the Assistant Dean of Environmental Law Pro-
median strips are often installed along with other street im- grams at Pace University School of Law, which is nationally rec-
ognized for its environmental law program; she can be reached at
15
See http://www.landuse.law.pace.edu/; look under “browse resources,” (914) 422-4209 or adunn@law.pace.edu.
no password needed.

February 2008 APWA Reporter 41

Water, water everywhere, and not a drop
to waste…
Michael J. Graves
Project Manager and Wastewater Operations Specialist
Garver Engineers
Norman, Oklahoma
he availability of water is vastly becoming a top prior-
ity of municipal planners and utility administrators.
With an increasing population and the subsequent
demand for water resources, a new focus on waste-
water reuse is emerging—and not just in the arid climates
of the deep Southwest. A shrinking freshwater supply and
increasingly stringent discharge criteria have many utility
providers seeing the millions of gallons discharged by their
wastewater treatment facilities as a supplemental supply and
potential revenue.
In June of 2006, the National Drought Mitigation Cen-
ter at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln reported that
more than 60 percent of the United States is experiencing
abnormally dry or drought conditions. More recently, the
PUBLIC SAFETY
ACROSS THE NATION!
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42 APWA Reporter February 2008
southeastern part of the United States has reported extreme
drought conditions, specifically in north and western Geor-
gia. State climatologists and University of Georgia officials
predict little hope of major recovery and say that there is
a good probability that by the spring of 2008 southeastern
Georgia may also experience severe drought conditions.
Water scarcity and expanding metropolitan populations
are encouraging potable water providers to identify and de-
velop additional surface and groundwater supply sources.
Officials are planning billion-dollar projects to move un-
allocated raw water hundreds and thousands of miles for
treatment and distribution to major population centers.
In some instances water utilities are competing for water
rights in neighboring states in an effort to quench their
thirst for water supply reserves.
This quest for more water, and increasing regulatory stan-
dards on sewage plant effluents, has driven municipalities
to consider wastewater reuse as a viable long-term solution
to reduce potable water demand. Reclaimed wastewater has
long been an acceptable product for agriculture and golf
course irrigation, industrial processes and aquifer recharge.
Polished wastewater effluents are also being utilized for in-
direct reuse or discharge to a surface water supply. In order
to realize sustainability in these and other wastewater reuse
alternatives a utility must have confidence in its ability to
reliably produce high-quality wastewater effluent.
Advancing Water Reuse Technology
Over the past 10 years treatment of wastewater with mem-
brane filters has grown. Membrane filtration delivers superi-
or water quality, and with a growing number of installations,
capital and operational costs are more closely resembling
those associated with traditional wastewater treatment pro-
cesses. In addition to the production of reuse quality waste-
water, membranes offer unique advantages during wastewa-
ter facility expansions as a result of their reduced treatment
process unit footprint and operational simplicity.
Membranes are a man-made filter material that provide a
physical barrier. The membrane’s pore size is designed to
capture target pollutants. Table 1 indicates the range of pol-
lutant capture as compared to membrane pore size. Mem-
brane manufacturers offer a number of physical configura-
tions ranging from a flat sheet of membrane material to a
spiral-wound tube or even a hollow core fiber.
 Table 2 represents a comparison of three different wastewa-
Table 1: Spectrum of Membrane Pollutant Capture
ter treatment trains consisting of the following:
Description Pore size (microns) Pollutant Capture
1. Conventional biological process followed by clarifica-
Microfiltration 0.1 – 1.0 Bacteria
tion and granular gravity filtration
Ultrafiltration 0.01 – 0.1 Viruses 2. Conventional biological process followed by clarifica-
Nanofiltration 0.001 – 0.01 Pesticides tion and membrane filtration
Reverse Osmosis < 0.001 Desalination 3. MBR

Most of today’s wastewater treatment facilities employ a bio-
logical process in which the facility itself is an engineered
environment. They are designed to optimize the biodegra-
dation of organic waste and the separation of suspended
solids from the incoming wastewater. If a utility desires
to produce a reuse quality product, or if a discharge water
quality target cannot be met with conventional treatment,
membrane treatment of wastewater effluents is a practical
application to consider. Membrane treatment can also oc-
cur in a combined process with the conventional biological
treatment plant.
This is the concept behind the Membrane Biological Reac-
tor. MBR treatment plants are unique in that the membranes
are integral to the biological process, and in some cases, sub-
merged within the existing biological process tanks. The
MBR scenario offers the previously mentioned capital cost
benefits by eliminating the solids settling (clarifiers) compo-
nent of a traditional wastewater treatment plant. However,
there are also many added operational considerations of the
MBR. Because the membranes take the place of the second-
ary clarification step, operators are no longer burdened with
sludge bulking and the negative impacts of filamentous or
Nocardia bacteria. Operational issues are further enhanced
by the MBR’s ability to operate at higher suspended solids
concentrations, thus reducing sludge yields and the estab-
lishment of a more stable biomass that is potentially resis-
tant to variable organic and toxic loads.
Water Reuse Case Study
MBR applications have dramatically increased and, with
more installations, more confidence has been established in
the MBR’s ability to produce reliable high-quality effluent.
A recent Midwest case study evaluated two pilot-scale MBR
plants that were targeting extremely low-level effluent phos-
phorus concentrations. The pilot project verified that the
target effluent concentrations can be met and effluent water
quality is sufficient for reuse applications.
The proposed treatment process to meet the effluent phos-
phorus goal of 0.037-mg/L was an MBR that integrated bio-
logical, chemical and membrane processes for nutrient re-
moval into an activated sludge treatment process. Further,
the proposed treatment process targeted an effluent nitrate
level of less than 10 mg/L. There are inherent limitations
to minimum effluent phosphorus concentrations that can
be achieved through biological means. As such, the biologi-
cal process was enhanced with a chemical nutrient removal
process prior to membrane filtration. Tertiary phosphorus
removal was achieved by chemical precipitation with a
metal coagulant (alum). The membrane system could then
provide superior solids and precipitate removal and replace
conventional secondary clarifiers and granular filters. The
general schematic of the proposed process treatment train is
provided in Figure 1.

Table 2: Relative comparison of treatment alternatives

Parameter Conventional Conventional MBR
Clarification Clarification
Granular Membrane
Filtration Filtration
Land use 3X 3X 1X
required
Effluent Very Good Excellent Excellent
Quality
Pathogen Very Good Excellent Excellent
Removal
Capital Cost 0.8X 1X 0.9X
Figure 1: Pilot Plant Process Schematic
Processes to 3 3 1
Operate The pilot study was conducted in four phases over a six-
month period. The four phases included:
Operator High High Low
Attention • Phase 1 – Startup: This phase provided the develop-
Operator High Medium Low ment of a microorganism population to establish bio-
Familiarity logical treatment.

February 2008 APWA Reporter 43

• Phase 2 – Optimization: The optimization phase
provided operational time for biological and chemical
phosphorus removal and to allow the membrane pro-
cess to be optimized and finalized prior to entering the
demonstration period.
• Phase 3 – Demonstration: This phase aimed to dem-
onstrate that the proposed process treatment train can
meet all water quality requirements over the full dem-
onstration period. It also demonstrated the proposed
full-scale design parameters.
• Phase 4 – Recovery: This phase aimed to determine if
a recovery clean will restore the membranes to original
condition, as well as test for irreversible fouling of the
membranes.
A detailed monitoring, sam-
pling, and analysis plan was
developed for each phase
of the pilot study to en-
sure proper data collection
and similarity of results.
In general, analytical data
was collected from 24-hour
composite samplers, and an
independent certified test-
ing laboratory performed
necessary testing. Opera-
tional data was collected
via online electronic in-
Hollow Fiber Membrane Module
strumentation, and access to
the data was provided to project team members through a
secure Internet connection. The data was evaluated for the
ability to reliably maintain target effluent phosphorus and
nitrate concentrations. Also, the data was analyzed for am-
monia, COD, TSS, turbidity and total coliform.
Both MBR pilot plants proved to be an effective barrier to
particulate matter, including unhydrolyzed solids, suspend-
ed solids and chemical precipitants. Given the effectiveness
of the membranes, the pilot units operated at an elevated
suspended solids concentration (9,000 to 11,000 mg/L),
thus providing the operational benefits anticipated from a
higher solids concentration.
During the demonstration phase, both pilot units achieved
significant phosphorus reduction. Overall, the pilot units
achieved 99.49% phosphorus removal when comparing pilot
unit influent to the pilot unit’s effluent (membrane perme-
ate). As shown in Table 3, the pilot units comfortably provid-
ed effluent below the extremely stringent phosphorus limit of
0.037 mg/L. Similar to the total phosphorus, the piloted treat-
ment processes achieved nitrate levels well below the target
set for the pilot study. As demonstrated, the pilot units pro-
duced an effluent with less than 7 mg/L nitrate. Table 3 sum-
marizes the effluent water quality from the pilot units during
the demonstration phase as a 30-day running average.
44 APWA Reporter February 2008
Table 3: Summary of Pilot Plant Effluent
Water Quality
Parameter 30-day Running Average
(mg/L)
Total Phosphorus < 0.03
Nitrate < 7.0
Ammonia-N < 0.1
COD < 18
TSS <2
Turbidity < 0.05
Total Coliform < 10 cfu/100mL
Given the water quality achieved by the pilot units, MBR
technology, combined with biological and chemical nutri-
ent removal, should be considered where nutrient require-
ments of NPDES permits are very stringent and/or for reuse
programs. For instance, the Safe Drinking Water Act targets
a drinking water finished turbidity value of <0.1 ntu. From
Table 3, the piloted MBR processes produced an effluent tur-
bidity value an order of magnitude less than the drinking
water standard.
Water Reuse Scenario
With discharge restrictions driving municipalities to pro-
duce near drinking water quality from their wastewater ef-
fluents, a new paradigm may be in order. For most cities, it
seems a shame to expend the effort required to produce a
high-quality effluent only to throw it away. The reality is
that the effluent produced by an MBR plant will have sig-
nificant value. Many municipalities in the arid Southwest
and along both coasts already consider treated wastewater
as a valuable resource and practice reuse in one or more of
the following ways:
• Irrigation (golf courses, ball fields, agricultural crops, etc.)
• Industrial (boiler water, air scrubbers, etc.)
• Commercial (car washes, facility/product washdown, etc.)
• Municipal (firefighting, WWTP washdown, etc.)
• Indirect potable (blending with other raw water resourc-
es prior to WTP)
When assigning a value to this new resource, it is important
to consider at least two key points:
1. Every gallon reused in place of potable water translates
into an additional gallon of finished water capacity
gained (typical Midwestern finished water rate = $2 per
thousand). This is particularly valuable during the high-
demand summer months.
2. Direct sale of effluent equates to raw water purchase by
industrial and commercial non-potable water users (as-
sume raw water rate = 85 cents per thousand).
For illustration purposes, consider the MBR equipment shift to reuse of one of their most valuable commodities—
payback period if a mid-sized municipality were to practice wastewater effluents—is on the horizon.
non-potable reuse of 1.0 mgd of WWTP effluent:
Acknowledgments
• Municipal Reuse = 0.6 mgd for all municipal non-pota- The author thanks the Water Business Line staff at Garver Engi-
ble needs (irrigation of golf courses, city parks and mu- neers for their input to this article.
nicipal complexes, WWTP washdown, etc.)
Michael J. Graves can be reached at (405) 329-2555 or MJGraves@
• Effluent Sale = 0.4 mgd for industrial and commercial garverengineers.com.
users
• Value = [(2.00/1000)0.6M +
(0.85/1000 + 2.00/1000)0.4M]365
= $854,000/yr The American Public Works Association in cooperation with the National
• MBR Equipment Package Cost = Center of Excellence on SMART Innovations at Arizona State University
($1.50/gal)(1mg) = $1.5M proudly present:

•
•
Interest Rate = 3 percent
MBR Equipment Payback Approxi-
Symposium on
mately 2 years

Under this scenario it is evident that

the capital costs associated with ad-
vanced reuse technology can offer a
rapid return on the city’s investment.

Water Reuse Implementation

Before implementation of wastewater
reuse, municipalities should consider The Public Works Role, Strategy and Impact
preparation of a Water Reuse Plan
April 9-10, 2008 • Tempe, AZ
and the associated economic analy-
ses. Such a plan can help educate the
Preparing for Tomorrow
public, develop target users, establish
*OIN¬US¬TO¬EXPLORE¬MITIGATION¬AND¬ADAPTATION¬CONCEPTS¬IMPACTING¬TODAYS¬
a rate structure, determine investment
return and identify the necessary dis-
tribution infrastructure.
Although typically a tougher sale to
the public, the greatest economic po-
tential would be development of the
plant effluent as a source of raw water
PUBLIC¬WORKS¬DEPARTMENTS¬HIGHLIGHTING¬HOW¬LOCAL¬GOVERNMENTS¬CAN¬
IMPACT¬THE¬LEVEL¬OF¬GREENHOUSE¬GASES¬IN¬THE¬ATMOSPHERE¬,ISTEN¬TO¬LESSONS¬
LEARNED¬FROM¬OTHER¬PUBLIC¬WORKS¬PROFESSIONALS¬ABOUT¬ALTERNATE¬METHODS¬
FOR¬PROTECTING¬PEOPLE¬AND¬PLACES¬AND¬REDUCING¬THE¬NEGATIVE¬EFFECTS¬OF¬
CLIMATE¬CHANGE
Speakers
$R¬*AY¬'OLDEN $AVID¬-C$ONALD
$IRECTOR¬OF¬.ATIONAL¬#ENTER¬¬ 2ESOURCE¬#ONSERVATION¬0LANNER
supply. As most utility professionals ¬OF¬%XCELLENCE¬!RIZONA¬3TATE¬ 3EATTLE¬0UBLIC¬5TILITIES
have experienced, when it comes to in- 5NIVERSITY¬4EMPE¬!: 3EATTLE¬7!
direct potable reuse of wastewater the $R¬+RISTIE¬,¬%BI $WAYNE¬+ALYNCHUK¬0%NG
general public is not convinced that 3ENIOR¬-ANAGING¬3CIENTIST¬ 'ENERAL¬-ANAGER¬OF¬¬
%XPONENTš ¬%NVIRONMENTAL¬3ERVICES¬
today’s water supply shortage warrants
!LEXANDRIA¬6! #APITAL¬2EGIONAL¬$ISTRICT
promotion of wastewater discharges
6ICTORIA¬"#
into water supply reservoirs. $R¬0ETER¬3CHULTZ
$IRECTOR¬53¬#LIMATE¬#HANGE¬¬
*ULIA¬!NASTASIO¬%SQ
As source water supplies continue to 3CIENCE¬0ROGRAM¬/FlCE¬
3ENIOR¬-ANAGER¬OF¬¬
7ASHINGTON¬$#
diminish and wastewater effluent re- ¬'OVERNMENT¬!FFAIRS
quirements become more stringent, 'EORGE¬2¬#ROMBIE !MERICAN¬0UBLIC¬7ORKS¬!SSOCIATION
3ECRETARY¬OF¬!GENCY¬OF¬¬ 7ASHINGTON¬$#
wastewater reuse will become more
¬.ATURAL¬¬2ESOURCES
paramount. MBR technology has
3TATE¬OF¬6ERMONT
proven a viable option for production
of reliable reuse quality water. As utili- For more information and to view the symposium agenda,
ties consider ways to offset the stresses visit our website at www.apwa.net/events and click on
on water supplies, it appears a priority the Symposium on Climate Change link.

February 2008 APWA Reporter 45

Bringing water to the people and people to
the water in Singapore
Gerry Miller, Deputy Director of Water Resources, Black & Veatch, Kansas City, Missouri; Nguan Sen Tan,
Director of Catchment & Waterways Department, PUB Singapore; William Lim Chuan Hoe, Deputy Director
of Catchment & Waterways Department, PUB Singapore; James Currie, Managing Director, Black & Veatch,
Singapore; Kin Joe Cheng, Project Manager, Black & Veatch, Singapore
ecessity has been described
as the mother of invention—
which may explain why the
city-state of Singapore has
long been a leader in water resources
management. More than 4.5 million
people reside within a geographic area
one-fourth the size of Rhode Island.
Optimization of water resources is es-
sential for a highly urbanized island
nation surrounded by ocean water,
and PUB Singapore has adopted an ef-
fective multifaceted approach to wa-
ter resources management by adding
new sources of supply while striving to
make the most of existing supplies.
As the national water agency, PUB has
a mission to secure an adequate supply
of water at an affordable cost to Singa-
poreans. Its strategy—“Water for All:
Conserve, Value, Enjoy”—captures the
board’s intent to ensure a sustainable
water supply by diversifying supply
sources and managing demand. The
board obtains water from four sources
and has implemented a public educa-
tion program to bring Singaporeans
closer to water so they will fully realize
its value and embrace conservation.
Four National Taps
As a result of a concerted effort to diver-
sify supply options, PUB now has four
sources of supply. The first “National
Tap” is stormwater. Catchments span
half of Singapore, and total catchment
area will be increased to two-thirds of
the land area with three new reservoir
schemes. The second water source is
imported water from neighboring Jo-
hore, Malaysia.
NEWater is the third National Tap.
PUB’s NEWater program provides a
sustainable solution to Singapore’s
water supply. Advanced treatment of
46 APWA Reporter February 2008
used water with microfiltration/ulta-
filtration, reverse osmosis, and ultra-
violet filtration provides multi-barrier,
dual-membrane treatment for direct
non-potable use and indirect potable
use (mixed and blended with reservoir
water). A continuous public education
and acceptance program is an impor-
tant aspect of NEWater.
Fourthly, Singapore is tapping into
desalination of seawater. The Singa-
pore-Tuas Seawater Desalination Plant
earned distinction in the Desalination
Plant of the Year category at the 2006
Global Water Awards. The 36 million-
gallon-per-day (136,380 cubic-meter-
per-day) seawater reverse-osmosis
(SWRO) plant is the largest of its kind
in Asia and one of the largest in the
world. The plant, designed by Black &
Veatch in collaboration with EPC con-
tractor Hydrochem (a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Hyflux), is one of the
most energy-efficient SWRO plants in
the world.
Singapore’s ABC Waters
Programme
Singapore’s Active, Beautiful, and Clean
(ABC) Waters Programme spans the na-
tion’s water resources and extends be-
yond the functional use of reservoirs
and collection channels. Simply stated,
the ABCs are:
• Active – Introduce new recreation-
al and community spaces for all to
enjoy; bring people closer to our
waters
• Beautiful – Transform utilitarian
canals and drains into naturalized
rivers and streams
• Clean – Treat water close to source;
build people-water relationships to
instill sense of ownership of our
water; public education in keeping
our waters clean
Through its ABC Waters Programme,
PUB seeks to:
• Develop these water bodies into
vibrant, clean and aesthetically
pleasing lifestyle attractions for all
to enjoy;
• Tap ideas, expertise and resources
from watershed managers to de-
velop and manage catchments
and water bodies as new commu-
nity spaces, while protecting water
quality and public safety; and
• Get the community closer to the
water so that they will learn to
treasure it more.
An Education and Community En-
gagement Plan provides the framework
for developing a systematic strategy
for reaching key audiences with spe-
cific key messages critical to the suc-
cess of the ABC Waters Programme. It
is essential for gaining the support and
involvement of the 3P (People, Public
and Private) sectors. Its ultimate pur-
pose is to increase public stewardship
of the water bodies and waterways, as
well as to inform people about the ABC
Waters Programme.
Physical aspects of the plan promote
personal bonding with the local waters
and associated land. They can include
such tangible activities as erecting signs
that indicate the names of waterways,
canals, and major drains; designing and
installing storyboards with interpretive
displays to convey key messages (e.g.,
history, the water cycle); providing ed-
ucation sites at selected locations; and
creating a center to highlight the im-
portance of water for Singapore as well
as PUB’s achievements in addressing
the need for an approach to managing • Natural resources, including ter- • Demographics and urban patterns
and conserving water resources. rain, surface geology and soils, cli- as well as historical, cultural, and
mate, and vegetation; heritage factors; and
Western Catchment Master Plan
In the summer of 2006, PUB engaged • Existing water quantity and quality; • Existing water-based and water-
Black & Veatch to serve as watershed related recreation.
manager for the Western Catchment.
Other companies were engaged to
serve in that capacity for the other
two catchments. The role of each wa-
tershed manager is to prepare a master
plan for its respective catchment and
then implement selected projects over
a three-year period as an initial stage of
the ABC Waters Programme. Selected
projects from the plan completed by
Black & Veatch in June 2007 have been
identified for implementation.

Development of the Western Catch-

ment Master Plan included research and
analysis of many factors, including:

• Principles for successfully integrat-

ing water bodies and activities;

• Principles for sustainable urban Western Catchment area in Singapore (Courtesy of Black & Veatch)
drainage for clean water;

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February 2008 APWA Reporter 47
Singapore has a tropical urban hy-
drology strongly influenced by short-
duration, high-intensity rainfall and
generally urbanized catchments with
extensive impervious paved areas that
are drained by a hydraulically efficient
stormwater collection and conveyance
system. The original natural streams in
the Western Catchment, as elsewhere
in Singapore, have been largely re-
placed by straightened, concrete-lined
channels to enlarge their hydraulic ca-
pacities. Most of the waterways are in-
termittent streams, and the waterways
not separated from the open seas by
tidal gates are subjected to tidal influ-
ence. PUB’s assets in the Western Catch-
ment include seven major water bodies Wetlands are being added to the northern part of Jurong Lake to improve water quality, and
visitors will be able to enjoy the improvements by strolling an adjacent boardwalk. (Courtesy
or reservoirs, four rivers, and numerous
of Black & Veatch)
smaller rivers and major drains.
dragon boating as well as a dock for ments using wetlands.
It is recognized that waterways will not
water play. It will become more beau-
be used unless they are attractive, ac- Pandan Reservoir. The man-made
tiful through the addition of a geyser
cessible, and continuous. For example, Pandan Reservoir is currently a com-
with boardwalks, a promenade, and
improvements largely focus on making petitive water sports area that was
wetlands to soften the edges. And it
waterways more interesting, pleasant, formed through the construction of
will become cleaner through the instal-
enjoyable, satisfying, and fulfilling to a 3.85-mile-long (6.2-kilometer-long)
lation of gross pollutant traps upstream
attract people. The waterways must be earthen dike that is approximately 4.4
of the lake to reduce litter entering the
easily accessible and offer visitors the yards (4 meters) higher than the road
lake, the use of interpretive storyboards
opportunity to follow through to a de- level. As is, the reservoir is not highly
to instruct the public about the history
sired destination. The waterways must visible to the public. Pandan Reservoir
of the lake and the importance of keep-
also contain water beyond their dry provides some wonderful opportuni-
ing the water clean, aeration via the
weather flow channels. ties for development as a major water-
new geyser, and water quality improve-
Two of the six projects in the Western
Catchment Master Plan that have been
selected for immediate development
are briefly described below.

Jurong Lake. Presently surrounding

the Chinese and Japanese Gardens,
Jurong Lake Park has been selected for
transformation. Highlights of the pro-
posals are providing wetlands and a
geyser fountain within the north part
of the lake to improve water quality;
fishing areas; paths and pavilions ring-
ing the lake; visitor facilities including
shelters and a refreshment center; fam-
ily water-based activities in the form of
pedal boats and a children’s fish pond;
significantly increased access from
the eastern and northern sides; and a
historical and science-based focus on
water through storyboards and other
means. The lake and park will become
more active through the addition of ar- One of the improvements planned for Pandan Reservoir is the addition of rowing and kayak-
ing lanes to facilitate more interaction with and appreciation of the water. (Courtesy of Black
eas for fishing and kayaking and mini-
& Veatch)

48 APWA Reporter February 2008

based recreation center in the western
part of Singapore, full of vibrancy and
activity. It can be the place to learn or
improve water sports skills, fish, in-
dulge in remote control model boat-
ing, learn about mangrove habitats, or
simply enjoy a waterside picnic.

In the future, it will become more ac-

tive through enhancements that will
include a viewing deck, car parks, pub-
lic toilets, and changing rooms; the ad-
dition of rowing and kayaking lanes for
training and competition; and facilities
for fishing, sailing and remote-control
boating. Improvements to make the
reservoir more beautiful include the
addition of a floating island to serve as Pandan Reservoir, located in Singapore’s Western Catchment and shown here in existing
a landmark and 455 yard (500 meter) form, is being transformed into a more active, beautiful, and clean water body. (Courtesy of
racing lanes for the rowers; softscap- Black & Veatch)
ing the harsh rock embankments; and Jurong Lake and Pandan Reservoir are ment that can serve as an example for
landscaping and shelters. The reservoir but two elements of the Western Catch- communities worldwide.
will become cleaner through the addi- ment Master Plan, which, in turn, is
but only one piece of a bigger picture. Gerry Miller can be reached at (913)
tion of rock pools along the Ulu Pan-
In many ways and on many levels, Sin- 458-3678 or millergr@bv.com; James
dan canal that will serve as a place for
gapore is moving ahead with a holistic, Currie can be reached at curriejd@bv.com;
fish to hide and breed and will provide
integrated approach to water manage- and Kin Joe Cheng can be reached at
a safe wading area for the public.
chengk@bv.com.

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February 2008 APWA Reporter 49

Implementation of a Membrane Biological
Reactor at Schofield Barracks
Trey Maddox, Engineer Intern, and Karl Santa, Mechanical Engineer, Utilities
Division, Directorate of Public Works, USAG-HI, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
he island of Oahu has a population approaching one
million people. The primary source of drinking water
for the population is groundwater. The groundwater
on Oahu is a natural freshwater resource but this re-
source is limited. Planners have projected that by the year
2020 groundwater sources on Oahu will be fully developed.
Our island water supply is a precious resource that needs
special attention and protection. To extend the life of this
precious resource, we need new creative and innovative
ideas for water conservation.
The large presence of the U.S. Army on Oahu makes them
a major player in the role of conserving our water resourc-
es. One method the Army is using to achieve sustainabil-
ity is upgrading the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP)
WATER—A PRECIOUS RESOURCE
EDUCATION AT YOUR DESKTOP
IN DIMINSHED SUPPLY
at Schofield Barracks to increase the versatility of the reuse
of the wastewater. Successful design and implementation of
the new technological upgrades at the WWTP resulted in
the improved quality of the treated water from R2 quality to
R1 quality. While the R2 quality was constrained to agricul-
tural use, the R1 quality water can be used for irrigation of
golf courses and other large grassy areas in the vicinity. The
increased use of the wastewater alleviates the demand on
the groundwater sources.
The rapid population growth experienced at Schofield Bar-
racks not only requires increased conservation but increased
capacity of the WWTP. The challenge the Army was faced
with was limited space and a limited budget to implement
new technological upgrades of the WWTP. Due to the Ar-
4HURSDAY¬&EBRUARY¬¬¬s¬¬AM¬#34
Retain and reuse more of your groundwater or surface water supply! Hear from
the experts ways to ensure your community a safe, dependable water supply and
prepare for future water emergencies. Find out what critical action one agency
had to take during a water crisis and the lessons learned.

Topics of discussion: Speakers:

s¬ water conservation and watershed protection -ICHAEL¬!¬0RINCIPE¬0H$¬7ATER¬"USINESS¬'ROUP¬,EADER¬
strategies, ($2¬ ¬.EW¬9ORK -ETRO¬$EPARTMENT¬0EARL¬2IVER¬.9
s¬ ADAPTIVE¬mOW¬MANAGEMENT¬STRATEGIES¬ $AN¬3KALSKY¬0%¬3ENIOR¬6ICE¬0RESIDENT¬ ¬7ATER¬3ERVICES¬
'RESHAM¬3MITH¬AND¬0ARTNERS¬!LPHARETTA¬'!
s¬ HOW¬UTILITIES¬ARE¬WRESTLING¬WITH¬3OUTHEAST¬
water issues, -ARTHA¬4ASKER¬$IRECTOR¬OF¬5TILITIES¬#ITY¬OF¬3ALINA¬+3
s¬ how to plan for a crisis
s¬ AND¬MORE
¬

To register go to www.apwa.net/education/cll, or call APWA Education at 1-800-848-APWA

50 APWA Reporter February 2008


Installation of MBR
my’s goals and constraints, a Membrane Biological Reactor
system (MBR) was chosen as the ideal solution.
The operation of the MBR technology involves the use of
hollow strands of porous plastic fiber with billions of micro-
scopic pores on the surface. The pores form a physical barri-
er to impurities while allowing pure water molecules to pass
through and be collected inside the hollow fiber. Implemen-
tation of an MBR would meet stringent reuse water quality
standards while increasing capacity, achieve a cost-effective
and reliable solution, maximize reuse of the existing infra-
structure, and minimize the plant footprint. The new plant
design will increase the flow capacity from 2.3 million gal-
lons per day (MGD) to 4.2 MGD. The increased capacity is
essential for the rapid population growth experienced at
Schofield Barracks. The new MBR system is ideal for the new
stringent discharge and reuse limits, tight budgets, and lim-
ited space the Army is faced with at Schofield Barracks.
Construction of the MBR began in March 2006 and was
completed in November 2006. In the MBR system, the fi-
bers are submerged in an aerated biological reactor. Before
the wastewater reaches the MBR it first goes through a fine
screen that removes larger particles that could damage the
fibers. Following the anoxic zone, the wastewater enters an
aeration zone where the bacteria consume the organic com-
pounds before the wastewater reaches the membrane. After
passing through the membrane the water has been stripped
of contaminants such as bacteria and viruses, suspended sol-
ids, parasites, and some organic macro molecules. This puts
the MBR in the ultrafiltration range. Once the water goes
through the membrane it is sent through UV disinfection
which is the final stage of the process before the water is
considered R1 quality.
The membrane bioreactor has several distinct advantages
over the previous existing conventional activated sludge
system. The benefits of the implementation of the MBR re-
sulted in the following improvements:
• Higher quality effluent (R1) with numerous possible ap-
plications for reuse
• Higher capacity without increasing the plant footprint
• Elimination of secondary clarifiers
• Increased automation
• Modular expandability
• Built-in redundancy
• Higher mixed liquor concentrations (8-10,000 mg/L
compared to 1200 mg/L)
Due to the limited space and the limited supply of groundwater
in Hawaii, the membrane bioreactor was an ideal solution for
the Schofield Barracks wastewater treatment plant. The MBR is
also in line with the Army’s emphasis on sustainability.
On June 5, 2007, Aqua Engineers and the U.S. Army as a
partnership were awarded a 2007 Global Ecomagination
Leadership Award. This was awarded by General Electric as
a result of the successful design and implementation of the
new technological upgrades at the Wastewater Treatment
Plant at Schofield Barracks.
Trey Maddox can be reached at (808) 656-1410 ext. 1104 or-
trey.maddox@us.army.mil; Karl Santa can be reached at (808)
656-2682 ext. 1226 or karl.santa@us.army.mil. Aqua Engineers,
a firm specializing in water and wastewater projects in Hawaii,
can be reached at ae@aquaengineers.com.
February 2008 APWA Reporter 51
Planning for future water needs of
small rural communities in the west
Tena Campbell, P.E.
Project Manager
Bowen, Collins & Associates
Board Member, APWA Utah Chapter
ater in the western United States is a precious
commodity. Many states such as Utah are con-
sidered to be desert climates and providing the
quality and quantity of water to support the
inevitable growth is an ongoing battle. Finding, develop-
ing and sustaining water supplies provides a challenge that
most rural communities struggle to overcome. To maintain
service to development, communities must be constantly
planning ahead.
Planning for the future can be a daunting task. Smaller com-
munities generally do not have the resources needed for
proper planning, and they may become overwhelmed with
the task. Planning is generally triggered after an accounting
of the existing system supplies has been done or an event
has occurred which drives the need for more source, storage
or distribution. The timeframe used for planning is typically
10-20 years for distribution lines, 20-30 years for transmis-
sion lines and 50+ years for supply sources. The following
steps outline the planning process that rural communities
can follow.
Funding the Plan: Most rural communities do not have
the staff or qualified resources required to develop a plan for
their future water needs. This task generally is contracted
out to a consultant who can guide them through the de-
velopment of the plan, but consultants cost money. Fund-
ing can be obtained for small communities through state
and federal programs which are set up specifically for the
rural cities and towns. A few examples are the State Revolv-
ing Fund (SRF) Program and the USDA Rural Development
Utility Funding Program for Rural Communities. These pro-
grams offer loan/grant combinations that are attractive to
small communities. In addition, the Rural Water Association
has state chapters set up that can assist rural communities
with applying for funding at little or no cost. The funding
agencies encourage small and rural communities to devel-
op these plans by providing planning fund options. Most
construction project funding requires rural communities to
have plans in place to qualify for the funds. The consultant
fees for developing the plan for small communities can be
up to $50,000 depending on their complexity. Larger water
systems may spend up to $150,000 for a plan.
Demand Forecast: Once funding is secured and resources
are in place, the planning process can begin. First, a com-
munity must first understand what their current and future
needs will be. Some speculation of future growth is necessary
52 APWA Reporter February 2008
to set the goal for the plan. The Census can help to provide
forecasting numbers. Also, state-operated departments like
the Utah Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget can pro-
vide some assistance with projections. Typical information
used for demand forecasting is water billing data, weather
data, demographic data and economic data. This informa-
tion is used to develop per capita and land use projections.
Evaluate Need for Additional Sources: Once the de-
mand is forecasted, the need for additional supplies can be
evaluated. This involves looking at existing sources and de-
termining their long-term yield. This would include evalu-
ating the annual production, peak production and seasonal
availability of each source. It also includes managing the de-
mand on the existing sources allowing them to last longer.
Management of demand can delay the requirement for de-
veloping new sources by maximizing the existing supplies.
Identify Water Supply Options: After comparing the
existing supplies to the projected demands, the supply defi-
cit can be determined. The community then needs to ex-
amine all possibilities for new sources of supply. These may
include groundwater supplies, new or expanded surface sup-
plies, purchased water from other suppliers, importation of
water through wholesale suppliers, and reuse water. Each of
the available options should be considered and all issues as-
sociated with each option should be evaluated. These issues
may include:
• Regulatory requirements for the source such as cross-
ing state boundaries with supply, development of the
source, and monitoring and reporting.
• Water quality of the source. Determining if partial or
full treatment be required, and if the source be worth
the investment to develop if the water quality is ques-
tionable.
• Proper protection of the new source and any existing
sources in the same area should be considered.
• Public perception and acceptance can play an important
role in getting approval to construct, operate, maintain
and protect the new source.
• Adequate water rights should be available for the source
before considering its development. In the western
United States, the appropriation doctrine of water rights
is used.
• The life of the new source should be evaluated. If it will
only be available seasonally or for a limited number of
years, it may not meet the projected demands.
• The yield of the new source and the potential impacts
on adjacent existing sources must be considered. For ex-
ample, if a groundwater well may influence other exist-
ing wells in the same aquifer, it may not be permitted
for construction.
• The environmental impacts of the
new source can rule it out before it
can be constructed. All potential im-
pacts should be evaluated such as en-
dangered species, wetlands, cultural
menting the plan. A capital improvements program, which
is generally phased, should be part of the plan. It may take
from 10 to 15 years to get the plan funded, studied, designed
and constructed. The plan will be instrumental in applying
for and acquiring funding for the project(s).
Tena Campbell can be reached at (801) 495-2224 or tcampbell@
bowencollins.com. This article was brought to you by the APWA
Small Cities/Rural Communities Forum. For more information
e-mail scrc@apwa.net.

We make
resources, contaminated soils, visual
impacts, streams and lakes.

• The financial issues and economic

feasibility must be evaluated. If

outdoor
a source is too expensive to con-
struct based on its ultimate pro-
duction, then it may be ruled out
as an option.

showers
Identify the Preferred Plan: Af-
ter extensive evaluation of all options
and impacts, the preferred alternative
should be selected. The selection should
be based on which option was the most

low-flow
cost effective, had the least amount of
environmental impact, was most widely
accepted by the public, and was finan-
cially feasible to construct. The selec-
tion team for the preferred alternative
should be made up of representatives
from all interest groups. These may in-
clude staff from the community’s util-
ity and administrative departments,
elected officials, regulators, the public

and/or public interest groups, and en-
vironmental groups. All potential stake-
holders should participate in the deci-
sion process to facilitate acceptance and
a smooth transition through the plan.
An effective way to include the stake-
holders is to develop a committee with
representatives from each group which
will participate from start to finish in
the planning process. The committee
should meet regularly reviewing infor-
mation at each scheduled milestone so
C
retex seals keep Mother Nature’s showers from getting into your sanitary system
through manhole chimneys. By sealing that extra water out, your system gains
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Just as importantly, you protect the environment. By keeping rainwater out, you can
reduce or eliminate system bypassing into rivers and lakes.
Call or e-mail us (info@cretexseals.com). We’ve got the facts, the case studies, and
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they are well informed when the selec-

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completed.
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Once the plan is complete and the E-mail your inquiries to info@cretexseals.com
preferred alternative selected, the rural www.cretexseals.com
community will be tasked with imple-

February 2008 APWA Reporter 53 Cre

AP
"G
Drought of 2007: Drastic times cause
for drastic measures
Layton Meng
PR Manager
Gresham, Smith and Partners
Nashville, Tennessee

s was the case in

most of the south-
eastern United
States throughout
the summer of 2007, Elmore
County, Alabama experi-
enced record lows when it
came to the amount of rain-
fall it received. This lack of
rainfall severely affected
water levels in a number of
lakes in Alabama, including
Lake Martin, which is the
main water supply for the
Central Elmore Water and
Sewer Authority (CEWSA).
After several meetings with
the Alabama Power Compa-
ny, who controls the release
of water from Lake Martin for
power generation, CEWSA
realized that if this situation
was ignored and the drought
The emergency pumps are designed to deliver raw water at a rate of 6,000 gallons per minute. This
continued, they were going floating barge will rise and fall with the lake level, ensuring reliable operation.
to run out of water.
tions. CEWSA elected to work with a local supplier, Hydra-
“To ensure a continuous and uninterrupted supply of water
Service out of Warrior, Ala., who would provide all equip-
to more than 66,000 people, we worked in partnership with
ment and some labor to install the system. After a meeting
water services engineers from Gresham, Smith and Partners
with GS&P, CEWSA and Hydra-Service, a floating barge sys-
(GS&P) to develop a quick, strategic and effective way to
tem was conceptually laid out along with required controls
solve this problem,” commented Robert L. Prince, Jr., gen-
and connections. Understanding the urgency of the prob-
eral manager of CEWSA.
lem, Hydra-Service began fabricating barges the next day.
CEWSA and GS&P started by assessing the situation and
The system was designed to be able to deliver 6,000 gal-
looking at the raw water pump station to determine at what
lons per minute (gpm) to the raw water pump station. The
water level elevation in Lake Martin, the area’s main water
unconventional part was that the static head condition,
supply, the raw water pumps would begin to cavitate. The
typically a fixed quantity in hydraulics, was going to vary
pump’s raw water intake is fed by two intake lines in Lake
from the initial condition to an assumed “doomsday” lake
Martin. The “upper intake” was dry and the lake level was
level when the drought had hit its peak—a level taken to be
continuing to fall to record lows for this time of year, mean-
approximately 18 feet lower than current levels. This was
ing the same fate was possible for the “lower” intake. After
achieved by sizing the pumps for the worst case and utiliz-
much consideration, it was agreed that CEWSA must go for-
ing variable frequency drives to reduce pump speed and flow
ward with the Emergency Drought Intake Plan.
as required.
Emergency Drought Intake Plan The Floating Barge Concept
GS&P considered various pump types, layouts, piping
The barge consists of four separate floats, three of which
schemes and pump feasibilities due to existing site condi-

54 APWA Reporter February 2008

each house a 95 HP submersible pump and the fourth sup-
porting the necessary pipe header. Each pump can handle
approximately 4600 gpm. This means two pumps together
achieve the flow required, leaving the third pump as a back-
up. The associated control panels are set up on shore. Power
is supplied from the existing motor control center with the
existing 1000 kW genset providing backup power. Eighteen-
inch HDPE pipe is suspended just below the water surface by
floats and serves as the raw water line between the barge and
the connection point.
to develop an innovative and non-traditional solution
to a unique problem,” stated Bo Linder, project manager
from GS&P.
After five weeks of efficient teamwork, the conceptual de-
sign, fabrication, delivery and construction were complete
and the system was up and running. CEWSA did not experi-
ence any interruption in their ability to provide water ser-
vice to their customers. Furthermore, this emergency pump
concept, as well as the modifications to the existing infra-
structure, allows CEWSA to operate their existing raw water
pump station in the same manner as prior to the drought. It
also provides easy connections in the future should extreme
drought conditions strike again.

Andy Yarbrough, project engineer from GS&P added, “This

project posed a unique challenge in that we were operat-
ing against a very serious deadline being imposed by nature.
Ultimately, success was a direct result of the collaboration
among all parties involved. Equal input from CEWSA, GS&P
and Hydra-Service led to a reliable solution that maintained
the quality of life for the citizens of Elmore County.”

Layton Meng can be reached at (615) 770-8463 or Layton_

meng@gspnet.com.
Approximately 550 feet of 18-inch high-density polyethylene pipe
were fused together to provide a discharge line for the floating
pump station. A track hoe is moving the line into place for connec-
tion to the existing 24-inch raw water intake line.

The modifications to existing infrastructure were twofold.

The first required an approximately 10-foot-deep excavation
to get to the upper intake line. It was cut and a 24” tee with
a 24” plug valve was installed. The valve was closed and the
pump discharge was hooked up to the tee. This valve al-
lowed the intake screen to be closed off and isolated from
the emergency pumping system. All joints on the upper in-
take line were dug up and restrained to ensure the pipeline
could handle the operating pressures it would see.

The second modification was necessary because of the need

to hydraulically connect the existing wet well, which was
split into two separate wet wells by an internal partition wall,
while isolating the lower intake screen from the system. Dif-
fering water levels in this wet well were not desirable and
would also make the control system very complex. The solu-
tion was to install a 24” plug valve in the lower intake line.
This modification required an excavation approximately 30’
x 40’ and 25’ deep. The excavation required one six-inch
pump to provide the necessary dewatering during the instal-
lation of the plug valve. Nylon covers were custom-made
and placed on the lower intake screen by divers. The line
was cut and the valve was, after much effort, installed and
closed. Mission accomplished.

Success
“The success of this project boiled down to the coopera-
tion of environmental professionals all working together

February 2008 APWA Reporter 55

Water security update
Matt Singleton
Director of Public Works
City of Grapevine, Texas
Member, APWA Water Resources Management Committee
n the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World
Trade Center and Pentagon many security initiatives were
enacted—none more critical than the initiatives that af-
fect the 160,000 public drinking water utilities and the
more than 16,000 wastewater utilities in the United States.
Drinking water and wastewater facilities are vulnerable to
a variety of attacks, including contamination with deadly
agents and physical and cyber attacks. In the event these
attacks were to occur large numbers of illnesses or casual-
ties or denial of service would be the result. Critical services
such as firefighting, health care and other dependent and
interdependent sectors such as energy, transportation, and
food and agriculture would suffer negative impacts from a
denial of this service.
For decades, water sector utilities have been protecting hu-
man health and the environment. EPA has been working
with public and private water sector utilities to secure criti-
cal infrastructure across the nation. This work began prior to
9/11; many of EPA’s ongoing programs support security-re-
lated activities and were carried out under the Safe Drinking
Water Act, Clean Water Act, and the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act. All water sector utility partners continue to col-
laborate to be better prepared to prevent, detect and respond
to and recover from terrorist attacks and other intentional
acts, natural disasters and other hazards.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was estab-
lished immediately following 9/11. The mission is to lead
the unified national effort to secure America. DHS is to pre-
vent and deter terrorist attacks and protect against and re-
spond to threats and hazards to the nation. DHS is to ensure
safe and secure borders, welcome lawful immigrants and
visitors, and promote the free-flow of commerce.
Several programs were promulgated to enhance security for
drinking water facilities. Each facility was to develop a Vul-
nerability Assessment that identified potential areas of ex-
posure to hazards. Then each facility was to develop a Risk
Management Plan which outlined tools to mitigate the haz-
ards. EPA is the lead agency, under the DHS, to ensure these
programs were implemented. EPA (at least Region 6) has be-
gun monitoring facility compliance with the Risk Manage-
ment Plan and, in the event of a deficiency, issuing a Notice
of Violation and a fine.
56 APWA Reporter February 2008
President Bush issued a directive that has taken water and
wastewater utility security to a new level. President Bush
issued the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7
(HSPD-7). This directive charges certain federal agencies
with identifying and prioritizing critical national infrastruc-
ture and resources for protection from terrorist acts that
could cause catastrophic health impacts or mass casualties;
undermine public confidence; or disrupt essential govern-
ment functions, essential services or the economy. In rec-
ognition of the distinctive characteristics of different infra-
structure assets, HSPD-7 divides the national infrastructure
into 17 sectors and assigned protection responsibilities for
them to selected federal agencies. EPA has been designated
as the federal agency for the water sector.
A key requirement of HSPD-7 is that DHS and EPA develop
a strategy to protect all critical infrastructure. That strategy
is called the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP).
It provides the unifying structure for integration of current
and future infrastructure protection efforts into a single
national program to achieve the goal of a safer, more se-
cure nation. The plan can be found at http://www.dhs.gov/
xprevprot/programs/editorial_0827.shtm. Wastewater facili-
ties are now considered a critical asset. Up to now security
efforts concentrated on drinking water systems.
The National Association of Clean Water Agencies
(NACWA) published Protecting Water Infrastructure Assets…
Legal Issues in a Time of Crisis Checklist in the wake of Sep-
tember 11, 2001. Since that time terrorist attacks have con-
tinued around the world and NACWA has partnered with
the American Public Works Association, the Association of
Metropolitan Water Agencies and the Water Environment
Federation to expand, revise and update the issues covered
in the original Checklist. This revision is still in draft form
but will soon be released. The original document can be
found in the NACWA bookstore.
We all rely on clean and safe water. As professionals in the
water and wastewater utility industry it is paramount that
we protect these critical assets. All of the sector’s public
health, environmental and security-related efforts rely on
a multi-barrier approach. Every community water system
must provide an annual “Consumer Confidence Report” to
its customers. We must utilize every tool available to ensure
the most up-to-date and effective security systems.
Matt Singleton can be reached at (817) 410-3328 or matts@
grapevine.texas.gov.
Regional Public Works Emergency
Management Cooperative: a case report
Tim Prince, Chief Engineer, Oakland County Drain Commissioner’s office, Oakland County, Michigan;
Tom Trice, Director of Public Works, Bloomfield Township, Michigan, and APWA Past President; and
Michael Kenel, Senior Management Consultant, CDM, Ann Arbor, Michigan
akland County is located in southeast Michigan and
consists of 61 cities, villages and townships (CVTs).
The population density of the county varies from
several larger cities that border Detroit in the south-
east portion of the county, to a very rural environment in
the northwest. The Oakland County Drain Commissioner
(OCDC) oversees water, wastewater, and stormwater activi-
ties within the county and the Road Commission of Oakland
County (RCOC) oversees the maintenance and operation
of the county’s roads and bridges. Although the larger cit-
ies and townships often have an independent public works
staff, the rural communities are more likely to rely on the
County for public works support. In addition, the Southeast
Oakland County Water Authority (SOCWA) provides engi-
neering support for water public works in 11 of the county’s
larger communities.
Oakland County is providing oversight and coordination of
County and CVT activities in the areas of emergency, as-
set, and information management. The County recognizes
that these three management systems overlap in the areas of
data collection, storage, and distribution, and that CVTs will
need to be able to access a common Information Technol-
ogy (IT) system or network to achieve real-time data moni-
toring across the county. Thus, the County has developed
a common systems approach, requiring that datasets and
operational procedures be standardized across local juris-
dictional lines to provide consistency and efficiency with
newly implemented practices and acquired technologies.
With initial funding by the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security, OCDC selected a steering committee to enhance
public works communication, data sharing, and response
capabilities in the event of a disaster or catastrophic event.
The steering committee includes representatives of OCDC,
the County’s CVTs, SOCWA, and OCIT, the County’s Infor-
mation Technology department. In looking at preparedness
enhancements, the committee relies on an all-hazards per-
spective, recognizing the need to address both natural di-
sasters (e.g., floods, storms, pandemics) and acts of sabotage
(e.g., domestic or international terrorism). Finally, realizing
that emergency preparedness tools and programs are more
likely to be adopted when integrated into everyday work ac-
tivities, the committee’s recommended programs and tools
focus on the more traditional, non-catastrophic events as
well (e.g., water main breaks, debris clearing).
Perceived Needs and Benefits
With climate change and an apparent increase in activism
and political extremism, the number and types of hazards
confronting the public works infrastructure appear to be on
the rise. Although no major acts of international terrorism
have occurred in the U.S. since September 11, 2001, there
continues to be concerns regarding domestic terrorism, ex-
tremist elements within more moderate activist organiza-
tions, and more likely, a devious act being committed by
a disgruntled employee or citizen. In addition, although
hurricanes, earthquakes, and wildfires are more frequently
associated with the southern and/or western parts of the
U.S., the Great Lakes and eastern regions of the country are
becoming concerned with the perceived increased risk of
flooding, droughts, and possible water shortages.
Three independent events suggest that the role public works
personnel are to play in response to a catastrophic event
is about to change. With the collapse of the World Trade
Center towers on September 11, 2001 it became apparent
that public works personnel could be found working with
local law enforcement and firefighting officials to clear away
rubble and search for survivors. During the power outage of
2003 that impacted the northeastern U.S., we found public
works personnel with hand-held lamps guiding motorists
out of the downtown areas of New York City. Operations
were curtailed due to insufficient emergency power backup
at water and wastewater facilities. As the public contacted
public works personnel, law enforcement, or their elected
officials regarding the resumption of services, they often re-
ceived different answers making it apparent that data shar-
ing and communications in times of an emergency lacked
consistency and timeliness. Finally, with Hurricane Katrina,
we experienced such a vast extent of damage that it was clear
public works personnel were going to be engaged in disaster
recovery efforts long after local law enforcement and fire of-
ficials returned to their daily job assignments.
Faced with these challenges, public works personnel clearly
exceeded the call of duty. Risking life and limb, they up-
held America’s longstanding tradition of helping people in
need. Perhaps the real lesson learned from these events is
that we need to invest in the emergency response capabili-
ties of public works personnel just as we are doing for law
enforcement officers and firefighters who currently receive
the majority of security funds. Everyone benefits if public
works personnel have the right equipment, training, and
February 2008 APWA Reporter 57
real-time information enabling them to respond in a timely
and sustained manner.
Smaller communities, having limited or no public works
staff to rely on in an emergency, are perhaps in greatest need
of a regional emergency cooperative that can supplement
their existing capabilities. As local governments experience
less federal and state funding, it becomes even more impera-
tive that communities take full advantage of programs and
tools that can provide optimal emergency preparedness at
the lowest possible cost.
Vision and Strategic Plan
Through facilitated meetings, the steering committee devel-
oped a long-term vision of where it wanted the County and
CVT public works community to be in regards to emergency
preparedness within the next five to eight years. The vision
is for public works to work in concert with the other emer-
gency response agencies within the county, and for the indi-
vidual public works organizations to share resources, skills,
and information so the County can prevent, prepare for,
respond to, and recover from any disaster as quickly and as
efficiently as possible.
Four strategic goals were developed to support the public
works community in reaching its long-term vision. The
goals focus on having a sustainable governance structure
that would oversee: the development of technologies and
procedures in a consistent manner across the various CVT
jurisdictions; the development of standardized emergency
operating procedures that would service as the basis of train-
ing and exercises; the enhancement of emergency notifica-
tion and interoperable communication systems; and the
providing of public works personnel with the technology
and real-time data to best manage an emergency.
The steering committee identified deliverables and/or activi-
ties that would need to be performed for the public works
community to reach their strategic goals. Some 74 deliver-
ables and/or activities were identified. These activities were
grouped into 10 project initiatives which now serve as the
basis of the steering committee’s Strategic Plan for Emergen-
cy Preparedness.
Project Initiatives
The timing and degree to which the 10 project initiatives
are implemented will depend on the availability of resources
and the specific needs of the public works community as the
program matures over the next four to five years. The proj-
ects were designed and described in such a fashion so that
communities would clearly recognize that, by joining the
regional cooperative, they could achieve an optimal level of
preparedness with far less expense than if they were to try to
achieve the same results on their own. The following project
initiatives were identified:
1. Governance: Representatives of the various CVTs would
be selected by the steering committee to oversee the activities
of the cooperative. Specifically the governance board would:
58 APWA Reporter February 2008
• Develop policy statements related to the direction and
operation of the program.
• Set short- and long-term goals and objectives.
• Be responsible for securing funding.
• Approve and monitor performance metrics.
• Approve the scope, schedule, and budget for the 10
project initiatives.
• Assign roles and responsibilities within the coopera-
tive.
A second administrative body, the Technical Council, is
needed to support the identification and adoption of new
technologies in a consistent and efficient manner across the
region. Technical Council members could consist of repre-
sentatives from the County and CVTs recognized for their
knowledge and expertise in specific disciplines including, at
a minimum:
• Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
• Information Technology and System Networks
• Emergency Management and Response
• Online Water Quality Monitoring
• Security System Design and Implementation
• Communication Systems
The Technical Council would guide the governance board
on the adoption of new technologies as they become com-
mercially available, and would develop standards and pro-
tocols enabling the local communities to adopt acquired
technologies for seamless integration across jurisdictional
lines. The Technical Council also would act as a resource to
local communities regarding the selection of specific ven-
dor products and provide cost savings by recommending the
consolidation of purchases.
2. Standardized Supporting Data Sets: The data man-
agement needs of GIS, Asset Management, Emergency Man-
agement, and Computer Maintenance Management Systems
often overlap. For example, geographically locating critical
infrastructure assets on a GIS system can support an emer-
gency management program by enabling emergency person-
nel to arrive promptly at the scene. The physical condition
and repair history for water mains as stored in an asset man-
agement database might be accessed to support a decision to
replace the water main instead of repairing it again. As in-
dividual public works communities obtain and accumulate
this data, it would be prudent to have a standardized data
format and common terminology allowing data sharing and
analysis in a similar fashion across the region.
3. Standardized Operating Procedures: Public works
personnel need to know their specific roles and responsibili-
ties in responding to an emergency. Often these responsi-
bilities differ depending on the nature of the incident (e.g.,
tornado versus water contamination). Incident-specific
emergency operating procedures adopted uniformly by all
participants within the cooperative can enhance under-
standing and expectations during an emergency and serve
as the basis for joint training and exercises. A formalized
method of issuing additional operational procedures when
new technologies are acquired should be implemented.
This ensures the regular communication of what is needed
to achieve optimal performance. It is particularly impor-
tant that such procedures reflect the Incident Command
structure as defined in the National Incident Management
System and that the incident-specific emergency operating
procedures address all hazards that might be expected to
confront public works personnel.
4. Joint Training Program: Joint training can reduce
overall costs, build relationships, promote communication
across jurisdictional lines, and be structured to make maxi-
mum and practical use of standardized operating procedures.
In addition to training on adopted procedures, training is
also needed on the Incident Command System as it applies
to public works operations, and on the deployment of new
technologies as they are adopted across the region. Training,
and possible credentialing of response team members, may
remove the concern often expressed about the preparedness
of personnel providing assistance. The overall training pro-
gram can consist of courses provided by federal and state
agencies, third-party vendors, or members of the Technical
Council and local communities.
5. Communication and Alert Notification: Consider-
able investment has been made to provide local law enforce-
ment and first responders with interoperable communica-
tions and automated alert notification systems. Such systems
are equally important to public works personnel because of
their expanded role in response and recovery operations.
Typically, during the early phases of an emergency, there
is a heightened need for law enforcement and firefighters
to communicate quickly and effectively. Consequently, pro-
tocols may need to assign a lower priority to routine public
works announcements to ensure that emergency communi-
cations are uninterrupted and that the entire system is not
overloaded.
Given the large number of CVTs within Oakland County,
and that multiple points of contact may be needed for some
communities, an automated alert notification system can
reduce call and response times significantly. Commercially
available software packages can systematically send text and
voice messages over an array of communication devices
(e.g., land lines, cell phones, pagers, e-mails) until the tar-
geted recipient acknowledges receipt of the message. Such
systems can automatically translate voice and text messages
into foreign languages. In addition, they often can over-
come the obstacles that occur when individual communi-
ties use incompatible communication devices from different
manufacturers.
6. Drills and Exercises: Building on the standardized
emergency operating procedures and training defined earlier,
drills and exercises complete the cycle. The lessons learned
during the drills and exercises can be used to further refine
the response procedures and training content. A strategy for
conducting drills and exercises is needed if public works per-
sonnel are going to gain the maximum benefit. Experience
suggests that public works personnel receive prior training in
the National Incident Management System and the Incident
Command organizational structure. Staff should understand
the role and responsibilities of the Incident Commander, the
various section chiefs (e.g., logistics, operations), and the
supporting role team members need to play. By conducting
sequentially more complex table-top exercises, the activities
take on real meaning, especially if they are based on some
of the more common disasters likely to be encountered (e.g.,
major water main breaks, inclement weather, power outages)
by public works personnel. Similarly, live exercises are best
received if they start with public works personnel and then
expand to include local law enforcement and first respond-
ers, culminating with more complex incident scenarios in-
volving multiple agencies (e.g., public health, hospitals, and
state government agencies).
7. Mutual Aid Agreement and Response Teams:
WARN (Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network) is a
mutual aid initiative being promoted by the U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency (EPA) and individual state emer-
gency management agencies. WARN proposes that a mutual
aid agreement is signed by the utilities to share resources in
response to an emergency or catastrophic event. A number of
states are expanding the initial concept beyond wastewater
and water utilities to include transportation and other parts
of the broader public works community. Contact names and
equipment lists are provided to facilitate the exchange of
resources. The Oakland County Mutual Aid (OCMA) agree-
ment, developed as part of the Public Works Emergency
Management Cooperative, goes well beyond WARN. OCMA
provides a governance structure that oversees emergency
management practices across jurisdictional lines. In addi-
tion to equipment and resource lists, OCMA looks at issues
related to interoperable communications, alert notification,
sharing of real-time information, and optimizing response
capabilities through the creation of Rapid Response Teams.
Rapid Response Teams are intended to optimize response ca-
pabilities by having a select and limited number of highly
efficient, trained, and equipped response teams dedicated to
specific emergency tasks such as road clearing, underground
pipe installation, and emergency power generation. With a
finite number of teams strategically placed throughout the
county or region, the need for each community or jurisdic-
tion to develop the sole ability to address a catastrophic
event is avoided. Cost savings come from the consolidation
of training, equipment, and exercise requirements.
8. SCADA and Security System Integration: Super-
visory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Access
February 2008 APWA Reporter 59
Control/Video Surveillance Security Systems allow public
works personnel to control and monitor operations at their
individual facilities. In the event of an emergency, person-
nel may need to abandon their work locations and seek shel-
ter at a distant location. The ability to control and monitor
these systems at a remote location provides an added mar-
gin of safety and redundancy. The operation of such systems
on a common regional network allows, with appropriate ac-
cess restrictions, personnel to access real-time data and con-
trol devices at any point along the network. This may prove
valuable in those circumstances (e.g., airborne release of a
toxic agent) where public works personnel are unable to ac-
cess their normal work locations.
9. Contamination
Warning Systems:
Early warning detec-
tion of contaminated
drinking water can sig-
nificantly reduce the
negative consequences
related to a contami-
nation. The EPA has
developed a strategy
for the early detection
of water contaminants Figure 1: A field monitor station
that couples five sur- measuring ammonia, conductivity, pH,
temperature, dissolved oxygen, UV, and
veillance systems with total chlorine
a “Consequence Man-
agement Plan.” Each of the following surveillance systems
is to have clearly defined “triggering criteria” that will signal
an increased level of threat and action:
• Online Water Quality Monitoring (Figure 1)
• Routine Sampling and Analysis
• Public Health Disease Outbreak Surveillance
• Citizen or Customer Complaint Call Centers
• Security Breach Notification System
With each increasing threat level (possible, credible, or con-
firmed contamination event) the Consequence Management
Plan details the appropriate additional investigation and
emergency response measures that are to be implemented.
10. Web-based Emergency Information Portal: A criti-
cal factor in the long-term sustainability of any public works
organization is the ability to retain and build on its existing
knowledge base. This historical problem is further complicat-
ed by the Baby Boomer generation reaching retirement age.
Formal succession plans are needed to avoid “brain drain.”
Hard copies of training materials and operational procedures
that are not used on a routine basis are often stored out of
sight, only to be retrieved in an emergency. With the advent
of computer technology and the Internet, training materials
and operational procedures can be retrieved online during
non-emergency times. A secure and password-protected in-
formation Web portal that contains the following types of
60 APWA Reporter February 2008
information can enable public works personnel to review ma-
terials when their workloads are at a minimum:
• Facility-Specific Critical Infrastructure Protection Plans
• Standardized Routine Operational Procedures
• Standardized Incident-Specific Emergency Operating
Procedures
• Training Announcements and Individual Training Records
• Emergency Evacuation and Shelter Plans
• Location of Emergency Equipment, Spare Parts, and Key
Personnel
In summary, the training and knowledge needed by public
works personnel to respond to relatively infrequent emer-
gency events can be significantly improved by providing a
user-friendly information management system.
Critical Success Factors
Four critical success factors are identified in implementing
the Public Works Emergency Management Cooperative: the
need for top-down commitment, strong leadership, empow-
erment of local public works personnel, and funding.
As with any new initiative, strong senior management and
organizational commitment are needed to promote signifi-
cant change. This is particularly challenging for a regional
cooperative where reporting and organizational structures
are fractionated. It requires that the top managers in each
participating public works community know, accept, and
communicate the contributing roles and responsibilities of
individual public works personnel dedicated within their or-
ganization. Without an ongoing commitment, any attempt
to heighten preparedness will be short-lived.
Equally important is strong leadership from those oversee-
ing the governance of the program. This is particularly diffi-
cult given the often challenging workloads of public service
personnel. In many cases, this problem has been exacerbat-
ed by recent and frequent cutbacks in funding. This concern
can be partially addressed if the cooperative’s governing
board establishes a management system approach, allowing
board members to set policies, goals, objectives, and perfor-
mance metrics demonstrating progress toward the intended
goals. Such metrics must be easily measurable and are most
relevant when directly related to an outcome. For example,
a valid performance metric for the cooperative would be the
amount of time it takes a Rapid Response Team to collec-
tively assemble, fully equipped and ready to respond in a
proficient manner, at a mock disaster site.
Empowering and holding public works personnel account-
able are key ingredients. Frontline personnel often have the
knowledge and practical experience to know what works
well. Their views need to be considered as part of the design
of any particular project or initiative and/or in the setting of
reasonable performance metrics. Provided with the neces-
sary tools, training, and data, their overarching goal is to
implement any project or initiative in a manner that has a
positive impact on the relative performance metrics. Given
the often uncertainty regarding the impact of a project or
initiative on a specific metric, it is often better to adopt a
“continuous improvement” philosophy and acknowledge
the benefit of incremental improvements.
Finally, funding is problematic. Federal grants, the primary
means for funding such initiatives, is often sporadic and spe-
cific to a particular project or need. Ongoing funding may
be needed from the benefiting local governments to address
at least the administrative costs of running the cooperative.
This can be in the form of actual dollars or donated time and
equipment. In addition to providing oversight of the coop-
erative’s activities, the administrative costs also support the
application for federal grants. The solution to the funding
dilemma is most likely to consist of several factors. For ex-
ample, funds from local governments are likely needed for
the administrative costs of the cooperative while more costly
projects should be targeted for federal grants (of which there
are a number of sources). The use of a risk-based approach
could be utilized to prioritize all projects. As funds become
available, projects offering the greatest risk reduction would
be funded first. Finally, it should be accepted that the time
of project completion will be related to the rate that funding
is achieved.
Concluding Remarks
The need for a regional Public Works Emergency Manage-
ment Cooperative is driven by the belief that the pooling
of resources and skills can better attain an optimal state of
readiness at the lowest cost. Getting local governments to
accept this most general premise has not been difficult. By
the same token, it is not difficult to gain acceptance of the
belief that optimal preparedness can save lives and reduce
property damage in the event of a catastrophe. The great-
est contention seems to lie in how such programs are to be
funded and in developing consensus on the optimal state
of preparedness needed. An ongoing funding stream, even
if minimal, is needed to sustain the cooperative over time.
Otherwise, as in the past, we are likely to be confronted with
a program that falls to the wayside, only to be regenerated
after some new tragedy occurs.
Striving for consensus on some optimal state of prepared-
ness might be a moot point. We all have perceptions on
what needs to be done. But lack of time and resources often
limits our ability to implement what is needed. Neverthe-
less, taking the time to agree on a vision and list of support-
ing projects will contribute to a sense of unity and direction.
This is particularly important when dealing with a diverse
and broad number of local communities that want to do the
right thing, but are in need of some semblance of structure
and organization.
Tim Prince can be reached at (248) 858-0958 or ocdc@oakgov.
com; Tom Trice, APWA Past President, can be reached at (248)
433-7732 or ttrice@bloomfieldtwp.org; and Michael Kenel can be
reached at (313) 919-2685 or kenelmf@cdm.com.

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
When you contact an advertiser regarding a product, please tell them you saw their ad in the APWA Reporter. Thanks! – The Editor
Legend: IFC = Inside Front Cover; IBC = Inside Back Cover; BC = Back Cover

Buchart-Horn, Inc., p. 66 Historical Bricks, p. 66 Neenah Foundry Company, p. 28

www.bh-ba.com www.historicalbricks.com www.nfco.com
Burns & McDonnell, p. 67 Holt Technologies, p. 67 NTech Industries, Inc., p. 66
www.burnsmcd.com www.holttechnologies.com www.ntechindustries.com
Cemen Tech, p. 23 Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc., p. 66 O.R. Colan Associates, p. 67
www.cementech.com www.hrc-engr.com www.orcolan.com
Central Parts Warehouse, p. 66 The Kelly Group Inc., p. 42 PacifiCAD, p. 66
www.centralparts.com www.thekellygroupinc.com www.pacificad.com
CIPPlanner, p. 51 LyCox Enterprises, Inc., p. 49 Paragon Partners Ltd., p. 66
www.cipplanner.com www.walknrollpackers.com www.paragon-partners.com
Cretex Specialty Products, p. 53 Magswitch, p. 27 Pulltarps Manufacturing, p. 66
www.cretexseals.com www.magswitch.com.au www.pulltarps.com
Dannenbaum Engineering Company, Manhole Adjustible Riser Co., p. 67 Soil Retention Systems, p. 63
p. 66 www.manholeriser.com www.soilretentionsystems.com
www.dannenbaum.com
Mattern & Craig, p. 36 Upper Iowa University, p. IFC
Designovations, Inc., p. 67 www.matternandcraig.com www.uiu.edu/apb
www.designovations.com
MCP Industries, p. 67 USABlueBook, p. 31
East Jordan Iron Works, p. 32 www.mcpind.com www.usabluebook.com
www.ejiw.com
Metal Forms Corporation, p. 67 WEST Consultants, Inc., p. 67
ESRI, p. 2 www.metalforms.com/ar www.westconsultants.com
www.esri.com/surveyanalyst
M.J. Harden Associates, Inc., p. 66 The Willdan Group of Companies, pp.
Filterra, p. 19 www.mjharden.com 6, 67
www.filterra.com www.willdan.com
National Society of Professional Engi-
Gee Asphalt Systems, Inc., p. 66 neers, p. 1
www.geeasphalt.net www.nspe.org/EJCDC

February 2008 APWA Reporter 61

 Kyle Clark, a student in Kansas City, MO,
asks “Do any public works departments
ever allow advertising on their snow-
plows or street sweepers like you see on
city buses?”
Thanks, Kyle. To my knowledge most public
agencies that are supported by general revenue
tax dollars are not allowed to place paid advertis-
ing on their equipment. City bus services actual-
ly operate with their own revenue stream so they
can set their own guidelines for generating funds. If public
agencies were allowed to do so, the money generated would
go back into the big “city pot” of money and could not be
dedicated specifically to public works.
Public works agencies have been creative in decorating
their snowplows. Several have contests for their residents or
school classes or art groups to paint the snowplow blades.
As you can imagine they are pretty creative. The blades are
then usually put on display prior to the heavy snow removal
season. The paint wears off by the end of the winter, the
plow blades or cleaned and prepared, and another contest
takes place the next fall.
“We are interested in developing mutual
aid agreements for our public works de-
partment, similar to those that police
and fire departments have. Does APWA
have any samples available or anyone we
could talk to about it?”
Yes on both counts. The APWA website Resource
Center (www.apwa.net/resourcecenter then emer-
gency management) has several plans for various
agencies that could give you a good jumping off
point to begin working on yours. Another great
resource would be the public works folks in Gainesville, FL.
They just completed their Accreditation Site Visit, becom-
ing the 48th agency, and the entire Chapter 8, Emergency
Management, was documented as a Model Chapter. This
means they have many great things to share in the art of
public works emergency management. Feel free to contact
Teresa Scott, Public Works Director, at scotta@cityofgaines-
ville.org.
62 APWA Reporter February 2008
“The City of Hayward, CA is looking into
ways to control illegal dumping within
the city limits. Among the options we are
exploring is the use of wireless “flash-
cams” which photograph violators and
warn them that they have been detected. We would
like to know if you have any information you could
share with us about this equipment.” Randall
Smith, Hayward, CA
The equipment is being used for several purposes
in many locations around the country. Phoenix
is using it to record graffiti artists in the act. Oth-
er locations are using it for the purpose you men-
tion, recording illegal dumping as well as surveil-
lance of high crime or indecent exposure areas. Since the
cameras are battery operated and equipped with a flash to
allow for taking photos after dark, it sounds like it would be
ideal for your purposes. The units cost approximately $5,500
each. If you are using the Flashcam and could provide ad-
ditional information, you can contact Randall directly at
randall.smith@hayward-ca.gov.
“Guess the pandemic flu excitement is
over. Haven’t heard anything about it re-
cently. Do we need to worry about it any
longer?”
Not sure I’d agree that it’s “over” because I don’t
think it’s even started in this country yet. Pan-
demic drills have been scheduled in several ma-
jor cities across the country to enable local gov-
ernments and businesses to work through mock
drills to see how well-prepared they would be with commu-
nications and precautions should the flu pandemic actual-
ly occur. Chicago was the first to test their capabilities with
the aid of a computer simulation. About 100 employees of
five city agencies and private businesses watched on pro-
jection screens as the officials decided how to respond to
power outages, staffing shortages at police and fire depart-
ments and a lack of basic supplies at supermarkets. Sorry
to say, the public works department was not one of the
city agencies invited to participate in the drill. Guess basic
services like water, wastewater, operation of traffic signals,
etc. won’t be impacted!
Program organizers did note that
they had not made some major deci-
sions such as what would happen if
the schools were to close. Who would
take care of the kids? Would parents
have to stay home from work? There
are definitely some serious concerns to
DRIVABLE GRASS®
be addressed and public works players
should be in on the discussions. Future
tests of the simulation are scheduled
for 2008 in New York, Los Angeles,
and Atlanta. If you have the oppor-
tunity, step up and insist that public
works be part of the drills!

“I know we’ve joked

about reusing treated
wastewater for years
but with the severe
drought in many
areas, is that getting closer to
happening?”

Yes. I’m not aware of actual

treated wastewater being
used for drinking water pur-
poses, but that may be hap-
pening already. However,
several areas are working on plans to
put highly treated water filtered from
sewer lines back into the ground to
boost drinking water supplies. The City
of Huntington Beach, CA is finalizing
a procedure that would put the treated
water, already filtered extremely well
through a reverse osmosis process so
that it takes out even minuscule viruses, Driveways I Pathways I RV & Boat Areas
through a sterilizing process of heavy Fire Lanes I Swales I Parking Areas
ultraviolet light and hydrogen peroxide,
meant to break down anything left into
harmless elements like carbon and hy-
drogen. The agency believes putting the
water back into the ground will boost
the amount of usable water from city
wells which supply about three-quarters
of the city’s water.

Ask Ann…
Please address all inquiries to:
Ann Daniels
Director of Technical Services -ANUFACTURING s $ISTRIBUTION s $ESIGN s )NSTALLATION
APWA, 2345 Grand Blvd., Suite 700
Kansas City, MO 64108-2625
Fax questions to: Plantable concrete systems ®

(816) 472-1610
E-mail: adaniels@apwa.net
www.soilretention.com
8 0 0 - 3 4 6 - 7 9 9 5
Operations Engineer
Cape Girardeau, MO
Experience in civil engineering or closely-related discipline,
in traffic signal operations/maintenance and street mainte-
nance/construction is required. Preference may be given for
B.S. degree in Civil Engineering and a Missouri Professional
Engineer registration or the ability to obtain within one
year. Starting salary range $45,487.10 to $55,432.00 plus
benefits DOQ. See www.cityofcapegirardeau.org for details.
Send résumé to Human Resources, 401 Independence, Cape
Girardeau, MO 63703. Résumés will be accepted until the
position is filled. EOE/ADA/M/F/V
Director of Public Works
Waukesha, WI (pop. 70,000)
Growing, historic, full-service community located in SE
Wisconsin seeks experienced public works professional to
lead its full-service Public Works Department consisting of
119 full-time employees and $8.9 million operating budget
plus $10.5 million wastewater treatment facility budget and
$5 million annual capital budget. Bachelor’s degree in civil
engineering or related field required plus seven to ten years
increasingly responsible public works management experi-
ence. Professional engineering designation preferred. Ap-
pointed by Mayor and City Administrator with consent of
the Common Council. Residency preferred. Salary range:
$91,000–$119,000 DOQ. Position open until filled. Submit
résumé with salary history and five references to Heidi Voor-
hees, President, The PAR Group, 100 N. Waukegan Road,
Suite 211, Lake Bluff, IL 60044. TEL: (847) 234-0005; FAX:
(847) 234-8309; E-Mail: resume@pargroupltd.com.
Public Works Director
Edmond, Oklahoma
Complete position profile available at www.edmondok.com/
careers. Send résumé to Human Resources, PO Box 2970,
Edmond, OK 73083 or fax to (405) 359-4688.
Assistant City Engineer
Columbus, NE
Description: Professional Engineering position which could
reasonably lead to becoming the City Engineer for the City
of Columbus, Nebraska. Will initially be assigned to develop
the Surface Water Management Program and perform de-
sign work under the direction of the City Engineer. Require-
ments: Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or related field.
Must have passed the Fundamentals Exam, possess at least
two years of civil engineering experience and have the abil-
ity to become Nebraska licensed as a Professional Engineer
within two years. The City of Columbus was recognized by
64 APWA Reporter February 2008
the Nebraska Department of Economic Development as the
“Community of the Century.” Our clean Midwestern com-
munity of 22,000 has more industry per capita than any
other city in Nebraska. The current City Engineer has been
with us for over 30 years and will retire in about a year.
Build on your career experience by coming to Columbus,
Nebraska. Salary $38,424 to $51,876. Apply to City of Co-
lumbus H.R., 2424 14th St., Columbus, NE 68601. Fax (402)
563-1380, e-mail oglevie@columbusne.us.
Assistant Fleet Manager
County of Sonoma, Fleet Operations
Santa Rosa, CA
Grow your career with the County of Sonoma General Ser-
vices Department! In this management-level position, you
will manage staff, operations and related projects of the
Fleet Operations Division. We are seeking an individual
with academic course work in automotive or equipment
maintenance, engineering, public administration, business
administration, and two years of supervisory experience in
automotive or equipment maintenance, including experi-
ence with computerized maintenance systems; and excel-
lent interpersonal, supervising and communication skills.
The salary range is $75,950–$92,334 annually with excellent
benefits, including 3% at 60 retirement package. For a de-
tailed job description, required application packet and to ap-
ply online, please visit www.sonoma-county.org/hr or
contact Sonoma County Human Resources, (707) 565-2331,
575 Administration Dr., 116B, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Appli-
cation deadline February 10, 2008. EOE/AA
Director of Public Works
Evanston, IL (pop. 75,000)
Beautiful lakefront community north of Chicago seeks expe-
rienced candidates to lead its Public Works Department. 196
FTEs and $100 million budget. Home to Northwestern Uni-
versity, Evanston is an ethnically, racially and economically
diverse community. Position is appointed by City Manager.
Qualified individuals expected to have a strong background
in strategic planning, organizing and directing the adminis-
trative, management and operational functions of an urban
public works department. Must have five to ten years in-
creasingly responsible experience in an upper management
position in a community of comparable size and complex-
ity. Requires bachelor’s degree in engineering, public admin-
istration or related field. Master’s degree or P.E. strongly de-
sired. Additional information regarding the position can be
found at the Consultant’s website: www.pargroupltd.com.
Starting salary $115,000–$120,000 DOQ. Residency not re-
quired. Open until filled. Inquire/apply in confidence: The
PAR Group, Heidi Voorhees, President, 100 N. Waukegan
Road, Suite 211, Lake Bluff, IL 60044. TEL: (847) 234-0005;
FAX: (847) 234-8309; Email: resume@pargroupltd.com.
Assistant Director, Operations & Maintenance
Bellevue, WA
The City of Bellevue, WA is seeking candidates for the As-
sistant Director of Operations and Maintenance for the
Utilities Department. This position leads 110 professionals
in the operations and maintenance of regional water, waste-
water, and surface water systems and the performance of
street and walkway/bikeway maintenance activities. Candi-
date should have a bachelor’s degree in a related field, MS
or MPA preferred, and 8+ years of managerial experience in
public utilities or an equivalent combination. Salary range is
$83,357–$115,059 DOE. For more information or to submit
your résumé, go to www.bellevuewa.gov/jobs/. Please sub-
mit résumé by February 15, 2008.
Engineering Division Manager
Travis County, TX
Travis County (Austin, TX) is seeking qualified candidates to
manage the development and implementation of complex
engineering project scopes, schedules, budgets and programs;
direct and supervise technical and professional staff involved
with the maintenance and construction of road and bridge
inventory; and coordinate and work closely with officials,
department heads and outside agencies. Requires experience
and education equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in civil en-
gineering or closely-related field plus five years professional
engineering design and/or analysis experience to include
three years in a management or supervisory role. Registration
as a Professional Engineer in the State of Texas or proof of
eligibility for reciprocity at the time of hire. If licensed in an-
other state, Texas license must be obtained within six months
of hire. $5,923.70–$7,700.82 Monthly CWE + comprehen-
sive benefit package. Open Until Filled. To apply, download
the Travis County Employment Application at www.Trav-
isCountyJobs.org and submit with résumé to resumes.hr@
co.travis.tx.us or direct mail to: Travis County HRMD, 1010
Lavaca Street, Austin, TX 78701. EOE/ADA
Storm Water (MS4) Manager
Dallas, TX
The City of Dallas is seeking a Senior Program Manager for
the Storm Water (MS4) Program. Primary responsibilities
include compliance with the MS4 permit, managing the
storm water utility, and coordinating with other agencies
and City departments. The program has a staff of 52 with
an operating budget of approx. $4.5M and utility fund
of approx. $29M annually. Qualifications: BS in civil or
environmental engineering, water resources, or closely-
related field (advance degree is preferred) and minimum of
six years experience (a minimum of two at a management
level). Experience managing one or more Phase I NPDES and
or TPDES storm water programs is preferred. Hiring range:
$5,717–$7,576 monthly. Send a résumé and cover letter to
Errick.Thompson@dallascityhall.com.
Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent,
$67,371–$90,709/yr.
Lansing, MI
This career position requires a bachelor’s degree in civil,
chemical, environmental engineering or a related field and
six (6) years of experience in either a Class A or B Wastewater
Plant of which three (3) years of experience must have been
in a supervisory capacity in a Class A Plant (or an equiva-
lency). Must be certified as a Class A Plant Operator by the
State of Michigan, and possess a valid driver’s license. Inter-
ested applicants must complete and return a City of Lansing
Employment Application by February 18, 2008. View our
website at www.cityoflansingmi.com for more details or call
(517) 483-4004.
Director of Public Works
Fairfield, OH
The City of Fairfield, Ohio seeks a Director of Public Works.
Fairfield is a full-service, progressive city, located just north
of Cincinnati. It has a vibrant economic base, exceptional
quality of life and encompasses 20 square miles, with a pop-
ulation approaching 45,000. The Director of Public Works is
responsible for overseeing the Divisions of Construction Ser-
vices, Streets and Drainage, Engineering and Fleet Manage-
ment. The City also operates a utility enterprise comprised
of water and wastewater treatment, collection and distribu-
tion. The Director of Public Works reports directly to the
City Manager and is responsible for a total annual budget
of $5.2 million which includes 41 full-time employees. The
five-year capital improvement plan is $47.6 million. Fair-
field holds the distinction of being one of only 45
Public Works Departments in the nation to earn
full departmental accreditation from APWA. The
successful candidate will have a bachelor’s degree in engi-
neering, public administration or a related field. A master’s
degree is preferred. Relevant experience in a city of com-
parable size and complexity may be substituted as appro-
priate. Ohio Engineering licensure or ability to obtain same
a plus. This assignment requires substantial background in
the following: construction management, infrastructure de-
velopment, maintenance of facilities, streets and drainage
systems, engineering design and fleet operation. Must have
excellent leadership, communication and managerial skills
and valid driver’s license. Position offers a highly competi-
tive salary and benefits package. For information about the
City of Fairfield, visit www.fairfield-city.org. To apply, send
résumé and salary history to: H.R. Manager, City of Fairfield,
5350 Pleasant Ave, Fairfield, OH 45014 or e-mail to human_
resources@fairfield-city.org. Résumé submittals preferred by
2/29/08. EOE/ADA
Storm Water Superintendent
Aurora, CO
The City of Aurora is accepting applications for the position
of Storm Water Superintendent.  This position coordinates
and directs the storm drainage maintenance section of the
Water Department under the direction of the Manager of
Wastewater & Storm Drain. For a complete job description
and to apply online go to www.auroragov.org. EOE
February 2008 APWA Reporter 65
 New! TARGET Emergency
Preparedness Series North American
...a pattern of excellence This 3-part Click, Listen & Learn Snow Conference
series will address the ABC’s of
Program/Project Management
readiness and response for public
Right of Way & Real Property Acquisition
works including:
April 13-16, 2008
Appraisal/Appraisal Review
Relocation Assistance • Training and Exercise (12/13/07)
Property Management
Title & Utility Research & Coordination
• Resource Management (1/31/08)
• Reimbursement (3/20/08)
Paragon Partners Ltd.
1-888-899-7498 1-800-848-APWA
www.paragon-partners.com

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Join us to explore mitigation and adaptation concepts
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66 APWA Reporter February 2008

 MCP Industries
Career Opportunities
Manhole adjustment problems?
Mfg. co. having locations in sev-
Need Help?
eral states seeking qualified can-
We Have Solutions!
didates for Sales/Engineer for No.
www.manholeriser.com TX, AR, OK, No. LA. Qualifica-
tions incl. bachelor’s degree (civil
engineering or related field desir-
ADJUSTABLE able). Sales exp. in construction/
RISER CO. INC. infrastructure industries, i.e.,
641-672-2356 • 1-800-785-2526 underground utility contractors,
Fax: 641-672-1038 dept. of sanitation. Desirable to
Oskaloosa, Iowa have experience but willing to
train into position. E-mail résumé
to cholt@mcpind.com.
TM

Mfg. co. having locations in sev-

eral states seeking qualified can-
IN HALF THE TIME
Cut concrete forming time in half didates for Civil Engineer/Pro-
with Poly Meta Forms®. This motional Rep/Sales Engineer for
revolutionary system out
performs wood hands
Arizona. Qualifications incl. bach-
down. Ask about elor’s degree (civil engineering or
our “Sidewalk related field desirable). Sales exp.
Construction Kit”
designed for in construction/infrastructure in-
Public Works dustries, i.e., underground utility
Crews.
contractors, dept. of sanitation.
Desirable to have exp. but will-
Metal Forms Corporation • www.metalforms.com
Phone: 414-964-4550 • Fax: 414-964-4503
ing to train into position. E-mail
résumé to cholt@mcpind.com.

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February 2008 APWA Reporter 67

UPCOMING APWA EVENTS
International Public Works Congress & Exposition
2008 Aug. 17-20 New Orleans, LA
2009 Sept. 13-16 Columbus, OH
2010 Aug. 15-18 Boston, MA
2011 Sept. 18-21 Denver, CO
2012 Aug. 26-29 Indianapolis, IN
2013 Aug. 25-28 Chicago, IL
For more information, contact Dana Priddy at (800) 848-APWA or send
e-mail to dpriddy@apwa.net.
Products in the News
Magnetic Manhole
Lifters from
Magswitch
Magswitch Technol-
ogy Inc. has uncovered
a better way to lift man-
hole covers without the
strain and injury associ-
ated with the standard manhole hook or shovel. Fingers are
broken, back muscles are twisted and pulled, and cities lose
hundreds of man-hours and pay thousands of dollars each
year specifically related to manhole cover injury. The Mag-
switch Manhole Lifters virtually eliminate the chance of
injury by keeping your employees in control of the manhole
cover, and its lightweight design and ease of use will keep
your employees productive and safe. Would you spend one
minute to save thousands of dollars per year? Contact Mag-
switch today for more information, visit www.magswitch.
com.au, or call (303) 242-7010.
CIPPlanner provides fully integrated CPM solution
CIPPlanner Corporation introduces CIPAce 5.3 with
enhanced project management features. CIPAce™ Software
provides a single software platform solution for Capital
Program Management (CPM) on a real-time basis across the
organization. The entire life cycle of the capital program and
each capital project under the program, from initialization,
evaluation to completion, is managed under the CIPAce™
Software solution. All the historical capital planning and
analysis information, capital budget, actual and encumbrance
expenditures, project schedules and resources are managed
by one single solution. As more cities and counties employ
what has been termed a “continuous planning process”
capable of addressing the changes and resultant impacts to
the overall strategic and master plans, there is a greater need
for the new project management features of CIPAce 5.3 and
its fully integrated CPM solution. For more information call
(866) 364-8054 or send e-mail to sales@cipplanner.com.
68 APWA Reporter February 2008
North American Snow Conference
2008 Apr. 13-16 Louisville, KY
2009 Apr. 26-29 Des Moines, IA
For more information, contact Brenda Shaver at (800) 848-APWA or send
e-mail to bshaver@apwa.net.
National Public Works Week: May 18-24, 2008
Always the third full week in May. For more information, contact Jon
Dilley at (800) 848-APWA or send e-mail to jdilley@apwa.net.
Elegant new Shorewood
fixture designed for historic
districts, civic renovations
Sun Valley Lighting introduces
Shorewood, a classically-styled
lantern designed to enhance historic
restorations and new commercial
projects. Shorewood can be wall- or
pole-mounted and features an integral,
self-contained ballast compartment
with “quick disconnect” capability.
This allows the electrical module to
be unplugged and replaced in seconds
during routine servicing or maintenance. The luminaire is
UL-listed for damp or wet locations and houses lamps up to
250 watts. Shorewood features a rounded dome and curved
base with vintage detailing. The wall-mounted model is
31” high and has a 22”-tall scrolled arm that extends 25”
from the wall. The matching pole-mounted Shorewood is
44” high. For more information about the Shorewood, or a
free copy of the new Cityscapes product catalog, contact Sun
Valley Lighting at (800) 877-6537 or email: municipalteam@
usaltg.com. Visit the website at www.sunvalleylighting.com.
Versatile Walk ‘n’ Roll
packer/roller
See the all-new Series 3
Walk ‘n’ Roll packer/
roller, the most versatile
motor grader attached
compactor on the market
today. The Series 3 is available in two sizes: the WR75 has
a 75” packing width and five independent walking beams,
and the WR90 has a 90” packing width and six independent
walking beams. A 36” hydraulic side-shift module is available
as an option. The Walk ‘n’ Roll packer/roller attaches to
the grader’s rear ripper. No Ripper! No Problem! We offer a
Heavy Duty Lift Assembly if your grader doesn’t have a rear
ripper. For more information visit us on the Web at www.
walknrollpackers.com. The Walk ‘n’ Roll packer/roller is
Built with Pride in the USA. And distributed exclusively by
LyCox Enterprises, Inc. – Billings, MT.
 I BUDGET WITH
CONFIDENCE

“We wouldn’t consider buying equipment without using govbidspec.com.”

Danny Davis, road superintendent for Curry County, New Mexico, visits www.govbidspec.com when soliciting bids
for heavy equipment. “We use it to spec the equipment that will best serve our county,” he says. “We won’t buy
anything without it.” The site includes bid specifications for hundreds of machines, generator sets and work tools,
plus Life Cycle Cost forms and Scheduled Maintenance Calculation forms that can be edited, printed and attached to
RFP documents.

“We expect bidders to fill out Life Cycle Costs to the point that we understand what it will cost to own that machine
whether it’s eight, 10 or 12 years,” explains Davis. With a more complete picture of total ownership costs, the county
can budget accurately, manage expenditures wisely and reduce risk. “Life Cycle Cost is the way to go for us because
we get the best piece of equipment for the taxpayer,” concludes Davis. “That’s why we always go with Caterpillar.”

www.cat.com www.govbidspec.com
The National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP), National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) and National Association of Fleet Administrators
(NAFA) endorse the use of Life Cycle Costing as a preferred procurement method.

© 2007 Caterpillar CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow” and the POWER EDGE trade dress, as well as
All Rights Reserved corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.
APWA has launched WorkZone with
NEW features to make your job of
finding or posting a job more powerful.
The enhanced site features include bulk
pricing, mapping function, tailored job search FOR EMPLOYERS:
agents, free internship postings… and more.
Now more than ever, WorkZone is the exclusive
WorkZone is the exclusive site for employers to connect gateway to the most qualified candidates for
with job seekers in a more personal way. Check out the public works positions. Posting is quicker and
major upgrades and benefit from the more easier than ever, and your job openings will
powerful, more personal service. go online immediately--still giving you that
competitive edge.
NEW FEATURES:

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Get the latest jobs & internships delivered to

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your e-mail. Or find helpful tips and other Water

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information to enhance career marketability all

y to lif
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with the click of the mouse.

Bulk Pricing Plan

Employers can save by using the bulk pricing plan. Savings
are based on the quantity of prepaid postings.
Internships
At no cost, APWA provides employers with a new
recruitment vehicle and students with a new path to
careers in public works.
For an additional $250 and a simple click of a button,
gain additional exposure for your position when you
include your job opening in APWA’s Reporter magazine.
APWA’s Reporter reaches more than 30,000 professionals
monthly!

FOR JOB SEEKERS:

Job searching on WorkZone is still free and you can still conduct
targeted searches using keywords, job titles, and locations. You
can even get a map of public works positions near you with our
new map feature powered by Google . ®

Log on to the website at

apwa.net/workzone.

You can search or post jobs directly from the

APWA WorkZone homepage.