What's Up With Water

March 30, 2020 Podcast

ARWA was featured in this podcast!
Your "need to know" news of the world's water from Circle of Blue including a story on the coronavirus and small utilities (including ARWA!). - Listen -

Circle of Blue is informing the world’s most important decisions about water, food, and energy in a changing climate.

2020-2021 Educational Scholarship Awards

Applications for the 2020-2021 Scholarships are due April 17, 2020. ~ Learn More ~

May is time for ARWA to offer assistance to young graduates who are interested in continuing their goals to include a higher educational degree or certification.

2020 ARWA
Awards of Excellence

Our annual Awards recognize water and wastewater operators, managers and others for excellence. The 2020 award winners will be recognized at the Awards Luncheon at the rescheduled Annual Conference in July!

- Conference Information -

ARWA's 42nd Annual Technical Training Conference

July 5 - 8, 2020 - Mobile
 

We rescheduled the conference!

Conference Information

Special Note on CCRs

ADEM changed the Consumer Confidence Report Certification Form. To monitor the update and get a copy, go to their website at this link: adem.state.al.us/programs/ water/drinkingwater.cnt

Need assistance with your CCR preparation?

Learn about our
CCR Preparation Services

Job Opportunities!

 

More Job Opportunities

There are more great opportunities on our Classifieds page.

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2019 State Drinking Water Taste Test Winner

Congratulations to
Perdido Bay Water, Sewer & FPD

The 2020 Water Taste Test will be July 7, 2020 at the conference.

Conference Information

ARWA Apprenticeship Program is a Reality!

At the 2018 Annual Technical Training Conference, the ARWA and the DOL adopted the Standards of Apprenticeship for the job of Wastewater System Operator with the ARWA.  We are taking applications to sponsor apprentices who wish to become Wastewater Operators. Read more about the new apprenticeship program .

Roby Visits Alabama

Thursday, April 5, 2018, Mike Albares, Legislative Director for Congresswoman Martha Roby, Alabama's 2nd Congressional District Representative, joined the Alabama Rural Water Association's Executive Director, Kathy Horne, on a tour of a couple of rural water systems in the 2nd District. These systems are similar in the fact that they both serve rural Alabamians and have both been able to benefit from Federal and State funds made available to support rural water utilities provide vital services to the people of Alabama. Read more .

NRWA Emergency Response Training

ARWA Hosts Training in Orange Beach

Waterline, Spring 2018, By Rob White IV, ARWA Deputy Director - Each year, members of the National Rural Water Association’s Emergency Management Committee join together for a day and a half of emergency response training. This year Alabama was chosen as the host state for this event, and what better place to go than Orange Beach for such an occasion? Read the story, 2018_NRWA Emergency Response Training .

Operator Certification Exam Location Changes

The Alabama water and wastewater operator exams are administered at one of the Computer Based Test (CBT) Exam Centers owned and operated by a company called PSI/AMP. (Formerly Applied Measurement Professionals, PSI has acquired AMP.) This article describes the process and provides the new locations. Operator Certification Exam Location Changes

Nitrogen Conversion

Mike Baumgartner, ARWA Wastewater Technician, Waterline, Summer, 2018. - The oxidation of nitrogen in wastewater treatment is done in three steps. The first step is not talked about much. The process is Ammonification. This is the oxidation of amino acids and urea to Ammonium / Ammonia. The second step is the conversion of Ammonium to Nitrite (No2). Lastly, the process of de-nitrification is the conversion of Nitrate (No3) to Nitrogen Gas and ultimately released to the atmosphere. There are two types of bacteria that are in play. Nitrifying bacteria are called “Nitrosomes” and De-nitrifying bacteria are called “Nitrobacter”. - More -

Importance of Work Orders

Robert White, IV, ARWA Deputy Director, Waterline, Summer, 2017. - Every once and awhile, the ARWA gets a call from a system that has experienced a dramatic turnover of employees or decisionmakers and has fallen into an area of danger that might jeopardize system operations. - More -

 

Don’t Let Your Data Retire

David Brooks, Circuit Rider, ARWA Energy Circuit Rider, Waterline, Summer, 2017. - He was at the shop 15 minutes before anyone else every morning, mainly because he liked the coffee made his way and the truck warm before we left. He was always looking out the passenger window as we rode the system, always looking for leaks. He could tell you the story behind almost every repair he’d ever made on the system. - More -

Using the Microscope

Mike Baumgartner, ARWA Wastewater Technician, Waterline, Summer, 2017. - One of the most important tools used in process control of an activated sludge plant is the microscope. Because microorganisms follow distinct patterns in all activated sludge systems, it is possible to determine the operating characteristics of various biological systems by performing microscopic exams. - More -

Oxygen and Utilization

Mike Baumgartner, ARWA Wastewater Technician, Waterline, Spring, 2015. - Dissolved oxygen or D.O. is a term we use in the wastewater business quite often. It is one of the big three parameters we control in order to have a successful process. The other two are control of organics (food) and population of microorganisms. Let’s discuss D.O. and how it is utilized.

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Immunizations for Utility Personnel

Mike Baumgartner, ARWA Wastewater Technician, Waterline, Spring, 2014. -Lately, I have been asked about immunization or vaccination needs for wastewater operators. First, I can only share my experiences while working for a municipality in our neighboring State of Florida. The immunization program was part of the safety section of the policy manual.

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