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Newsletter #138 for December 23, 2014

A Christmas Message from the Singing Sewermen

The UK's singing sewermen from Southern Water share a modern take on the traditional carol We Three Kings. The song encourages people to help avoid blockages and flooding by only flushing the Three Ps down their toilets – pee, poo and paper.

Click here to watch the video.

P.S. Southern Water has several other entertaining videos as well!

EPA Awards $12.7 Million to Help Small Drinking Water and Wastewater Systems Across the Country

The USEPA recently announced a competitive award decision via ASDWA's blog:

"EPA’s Fiscal Year 2014 appropriation directed the Agency to competitively award $12.7 million for training and technical assistance to public water systems and wastewater systems located in urban and rural communities and to assist private well owners. The funding will help provide water system staff with training and tools to enhance system operations and management practices, and supports EPA’s continuing efforts to protect public health and promote sustainability in small communities. Selections for awards have been made and the following organizations will perform the following work:

National Rural Water Association ($4M) & Rural Community Assistance Partnership ($4M)
Provide training and technical assistance for small public water systems across the country to achieve and maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ($1.8 M)
Help small public water systems across the country improve their financial and managerial capabilities to effectively provide safe drinking water over the long-term.

National Rural Water Association ($1.2M)
Assist small publicly-owned wastewater systems and decentralized wastewater systems to improve operational performance over the long term, thereby improving public health and water quality.

Rural Community Assistance Partnership ($1.7M)
Assist private drinking water well owners with information they need to protect their drinking water supply and improve water quality."

Our team operates SmallWaterSupply.org and PrivateWellClass.org in collaboration with the Rural Community Assistance Partnership.

Reading Selections: SDWA Edition

One week ago, on December 16, 2014, the Safe Drinking Water Act turned 40. For this issue's Reading Selections we're sharing some of our favorite articles on the topic:

Remembering Ken Kerri

From the Office of Water Programs at California State University, Sacramento...

Dr. Ken Kerri, founder of the Office of Water Programs, passed on the morning of December 15, 2014. The academic community and the water industry were made better by his energetic contributions over the course of 50 years.

Professor Ken Kerri was a faculty member in the Department of Civil Engineering at California State University, Sacramento, for almost 40 years before retiring from teaching in 1997. During his teaching career, Ken mentored hundreds of civil engineering students. Both the students and faculty recognized his special contributions by awarding him many distinguished honors.

In 1972, Professor Kerri was a pioneer in establishing the Office of Water Programs, which is now recognized as the leading national training program for operators and managers of drinking water and wastewater plants and facilities. Over one million operator and manager training manuals have been sold throughout the world, and some have been translated into many foreign languages. Because of Ken's tireless efforts, this unique training program brings special recognition to the university. As Emeritus Professor of Civil Engineering, Ken continued to be active with the Office of Water Programs, as chief project consultant, further developing the catalog of training materials and looking for opportunities to expand services.

Dr. Kerri also continued to be active in many professional organizations and received numerous awards in recognition of his outstanding service to the profession. In August 2014, the Water Environment Federation inducted Dr. Kerri into the WEF Fellows Program in the category of Education/Research. He was also the recipient of the Distinguished Faculty Award by the Sacramento State Alumni Association. As part of his legacy to the Sacramento State community, he leaves the Ken Kerri Endowment Fund, which will continue to honor a lifetime of achievement and contribution to the field of civil engineering by a man who was deeply committed to and energetic about his lifelong professional endeavors. His presence will be missed and condolences are extended to his family, friends, and colleagues.

SmallWaterSupply.org is a free service, grant-funded to support small community water and wastewater operators with comprehensive resources and information in one easy-to-use place. We also serve the 800+ training, primacy, and technical service organizations, by helping operators get to their information. We aren't buying, selling, or advertising anything. You can call us at 1-866-522-2681 if you need assistance.

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