Download - Water Environment Association of Texas

Official Publication of the Water Environment Association of Texas 

On Your Mark . . . 

Get Set . . . 

Go CReWSers! 

Plus . . . 

• Turning Groceries into Safe Water 

• Dr. Tim Kramer and Companion 

Killed in Small Plane Crash 

• Gloya Breakfast Speaker Alan 

Plummer 

• Texas Water 2007 Conference 

Registration 

• Texas Water 2007 Golf Extravaganza 

• Operations Challenge Teams Work 

Together 

• Tech Talk 

System Assessment— 

Key to Successful Rehab Programs: 

Case Study in Marshall, Texas 

Texas Commission on 

Environmental Quality (TCEQ) 

Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) 

Initiative: Frequently Asked 

Questions 

January 2007 

Volume 24 Issue 1

January 2007 Texas WET 3 

Leadership for the 

Water Environment 

in Texas 

January 2007 

Volume 24 Issue 1 

Table of Contents 

Texas WET is published six times 

a year for the Water Environment 

Association of Texas. 

2619-C Jones Road 

Austin, Texas 78745 

512-693-0060 / Fax 512-693-0062 

WEAT Staff and Volunteers 

Editor 

Cheryl Smith 

Executive Administrator 

866-406-WEAT 

cheryl@weat.org 

Advertising 

Bill Goloby 

713-641-9169 

PFCompany@aol.com 

Layout and Design 

Donna Diggons, DPDzine 

832-715-1242 

ddiggons@dpdzine.com 

WET Tech Talk 

Richard Eason 

512-261-6222, ext. 14 

reason@lakewaymud.org 

WEAT Website 

Bruce Wiland 

512-444-3188 

wiland@worldnet.att.net 

Texas WET issues are published 

in January, March, May, July, 

September and November. 

Deadline for submitting articles 

is the 7th day of the month 

preceding the issue month. 

Regular Features 

A Message from the President......................................................... 4 

A Message from the Executive Director ........................................... 5 

Highlights from the Executive Office .............................................. 6 

Calendar of Events ........................................................................ 6 

Watermark Awards ........................................................................ 7 

WEAT Section Activities ................................................................. 8 

2007 WEAT and WEF Awards State-Level Nominations..................... 9 

WET Tech Talk 

System Assessment—Key to Successful Rehab Programs: 

Case Study in Marshall, Texas ...................................................10 

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) 

Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) Initiative: 

Frequently Asked Questions......................................................18 

New Members ...............................................................................16 

Intergovernmental Affairs Regulatory Digest....................................21 

All Things YP ................................................................................27 

WEAT Mission Statement, Officers and Committees.........................28 

Professional Directory ....................................................................28 

Special Features 

Turning Groceries into Safe Water................................................... 5 

University Forum Chair Dr. Tim Kramer and 

Companion Deborah Giant Killed in Small Airplane Crash ......... 7 

Plummer to Speak at Gloya Breakfast during Texas Water .................22 

Texas Water 2007 Conference Registration Form ..............................23 

Texas Water 2006 Golf Extravaganza ...............................................24 

Biosolids/Odor and Corrosion Call for Papers ..................................25 

Texas Operations Challenge Teams Work Together 

to Bring Championships Home.................................................30 

On the Cover: The TRA CReWSers getting ready to compete in the Safety 

Event, which they won. Left to right: Steve Price, Jake Burwell, Dale Burrow 

and David Brown. 

Update Membership Info Online: Don’t miss your mailings. Update your 

membership information online at www.weat.org. Go to membership, then 

update your membership profile. You will need your membership ID number 

(8 digits on WEF WE&T and WEF Highlights mailing label). Your password is 

your last name.

4 Texas WET January 2007 

A Message from the President 

By Paul Roach, President 

WEFTEC.06 is complete. I hope all of you had an 

opportunity to experience this outstanding Conference. 

At the time of this writing it appears that the show had 

about 18,000 attendees, placing in the top five WEFTECs 

in terms of attendance. Before the Conference started, 

records were set for exhibits and exhibit space. 

WEFTEC.06 was a rousing success by many measures. 

WEAT stepped up and did its part. Under the leadership 

of Donna Long and Robert McMillon, the Local 

Arrangement Committee (LAC) performed the key roles 

of the host association. The backbone of this effort was 

borne by the many volunteers. I would like to thank 

each of the volunteers for their hard work and their 

employers for sharing them with us. Each of the volunteers 

received a one-day pass to the exhibits. 

Some LAC Highlights 

Local Host Booth—Two to six volunteers per shift 

personally helped attendees find technical sessions, 

restaurants, or local transportation. 

Lifestyle Program—A dozen volunteers helped make 

the Lifestyle Center in the Hyatt a great place for guests 

to come. When it was announced that this would be 

the last time for the Lifestyle Program, everyone 

expressed their disappointment. 

WEFTeach—Fifty middle-to-high school teachers from 

Fort Worth and other North Texas Committees were 

presented with curriculum and teaching aids to essential 

water topics. Programs such as “Sewer Science” will 

be supported by WEAT volunteers for years to come. 

Water for People—A Monday night gala supported by 

sponsors and attendees as well as a raffle for a Dallas 

Stars-donated signed hockey jersey yielded over $26,000 

for Water for People. This organization develops community 

water and sanitary facilities in developing countries. 

WEFTEC Golf Tournament—A Sunday golf tournament 

was held at Texas Star in Euless to support the 

Water Environment Research Foundation. $3,500 was 

raised from sponsorships and registrations. 

Local Interest Program—Six papers were presented 

on Trinity River issues and five papers on reuse projects 

around the state in two program sessions arranged by 

the LAC. 

Public Relations Support—The LAC supported WEF 

in providing press releases and briefings to promote 

WEFTEC.06 to the media. 

WEAT Reception—A reception held Sunday night 

celebrated WEAT’s Outstanding Member Association 

of WEF Award and WEAT’s five operation’s challenge 

teams. WEAT was recognized among the 78 member 

associations in WEF for its performance in seven rigorous 

categories of association work. 

Operations Challenge—By now you have probably 

heard about WEAT’s success in Operations Challenge. 

Trinity River Authority repeated as Division I Champs 

and San Antonio Water System and Dallas Water 

Utilities finished first and second in Division II. Austin 

finished third in the Division II Safety event and the 

Brazos River Authority was recognized for their outstanding 

uniforms. These awards were even more 

remarkable considering the first year status of three 

of the teams. 

Outstanding MA Award—WEAT accepted the Outstanding 

MA Award on Tuesday evening. Through the 

efforts of its volunteers at WEFTEC, WEAT more than 

validated its selection for the award. 

Without the leadership of the following people 

all this would not have been possible: 

LAC Co-Chairs: Donna Long, Dallas Water Utilities 

and Robert McMillon, CDM. 

Volunteers: Denise Davis, Alan Plummer Associates 

Inc. 

Local Host Booth: Rhonda Harris, ProOps, Inc. 

Lifestyle Program Co-Chairs: Kay Smith, Chiang, 

Patel & Yerby, Inc.; Sonia McMillon; Mary Koblitz; 

and Rosie Longoria 

WEFTeach: Karen Bick, EPA Region 6 

Water for People Gala: Rhonda Harris, ProOps, 

Inc., and Betty Jordan, Alan Plummer Associates 

Inc. 

WEFTEC Golf: Jim Altstaetter, Alan Plummer 

Associates Inc. 

Local Interest Program: Betty Jordan, Alan 

Plummer Associates Inc. 

Public Relations Support: Mary Gugliuzza, City of 

Fort Worth 

WEAT Reception: Cheryl Smith, WEAT and Angela 

Monroe, Texas Water Utilities Association 

Operations Challenge Liaison: John Bennett, 

Trinity River Authority


A Message from the Executive Director 

By Carol Batterton, Executive Director 

80th Session of the Texas Legislature 

In preparation for the 80th Session of the Texas 

Legislature, several of WEAT’s officers and I, along with 

representatives of the Texas Association of Clean Water 

Agencies (TACWA), have visited with staff in several key 

offices in the Texas Capitol. The focus of our visits has 

been to introduce our organizations and to promote 

Water is Life and Infrastructure Makes It Happen as 

our message to the legislature. 

The key points in our Water is Life message are: 

• We are concerned about wastewater infrastructure 

funding, and we know it is an issue for the legislature; 

• We want members of the legislature to understand 

the issue and have facts; 

• We are doing our part to educate the public; and, 

• WEAT and TACWA are available to help with anything 

related to wastewater utilities. 

WEAT and TACWA will be jointly sponsoring a 

briefing and luncheon for legislators and their staff on 

February 8, 2007, to further explain the Water is Life 

initiative. This briefing will give members of the 

legislature and their staff the opportunity to meet with 

WEAT and TACWA members and learn first hand about 

some of the issues facing wastewater utilities in Texas. 

As of this writing, a limited number of bills have 

been filed related to wastewater issues. Rebecca Cobos 

has done an excellent job summarizing these bills in 

her Government Affairs Committee column in this 

issue. If you are interested in seeing the full text of any 

bill, remember to go to www.capitol.state.tx.us. 

TCEQ Stakeholder Meetings 

TCEQ has announced that they will be conducting 

stakeholder meetings on the Chapter 217 Design Criteria 

for Sewerage Systems rules. Meetings are scheduled 

for Odessa, Austin, Houston, and Dallas. WEAT members 

participated extensively in the development of 

these draft rules and we will continue to follow closely 

the progress of this rule package. You can download a 

copy of the draft rule at www.tceq.state.tx.us/permitting/water_quality/stakeholders/design_criteria_stakeholder_group.html. 

Please let me know if there are any 

issues related to these draft rules that you feel WEAT 

needs to specifically address. 

Turning Groceries into Safe Water 

By Patrice A. Melancon, 

Texas Section Water For People Co-Chair 

Did you know that you can support Water For People 

every time you buy groceries Yes, it’s true! Think about 

how many times you go to the grocery store. Most of us 

go at least once a week. And with a couple of simple 

actions, 1% of your grocery bill could be donated to 

Water For People. There are currently two grocery 

chains with programs—Randalls and Kroger. With 

Randalls “Good Neighbor” Program, you sign up for a 

Randalls card and simply let the Customer Service desk 

know that you want to link your card to Good Neighbor 

#9981. Each time you shop, swipe your Randalls 

card (which you know saves you money anyway) and 

1% of your bill is donated to Water For People. Just like 

that! With Kroger, you show a card with a bar code that 

designates Water For People and 1% of your bill is 

donated. Unfortunately, Kroger cards are not available 

through the local stores; they must be obtained 

through each organization that establishes an account. 

I do have Kroger cards available. If you would like a 

card, please contact me at melanconpa@cdm.com and 

I’ll get one in the mail to you right away. 

These programs have been in place for several years 

now and are already showing returns. Over the last 

3 years, we have averaged about $120 a year from the 

Randalls card. Over the last 2 years, we have averaged 

over $150 a year from the Kroger card. I realize that 

doesn’t seem like a lot. But in the countries where 

Water For People works, it actually can do amazing 

things. Just look at the list below! 

• $250 trained an entire village on safe health and 

hygiene practices in the Ntenje village in Malawi. 

• $125 covered the cost to build a composting latrine 

in Bolivia. 

• $50 purchased enough chlorine to safely disinfect 

the water for 25 people for one year in Guatemala. 

As you can see, every little bit counts in our efforts. 

Who knows how much money we might raise if we just 

spread the word. 

If you buy groceries, and I know all of us do, and 

you are interested in supporting Water For People in 

this way, I encourage you to act now through your 

local Randalls or your local Kroger. It WILL make a 

difference.


Highlights from the Executive Office 

By Cheryl Smith, Executive Administrator 

As you read this first issue of Texas WET for 2007, 

let’s look over this past year at what YOUR association 

has done. WEAT gives you a quality magazine six times 

a year, educational and networking opportunities, a 

voice in the legislature and preserving and enhancing 

the water environment in Texas. As you know, with the 

Water Environment Federation bringing WEFTEC to 

Dallas and the AWWA conference held in San Antonio, 

WEAT had to compete with educational dollars from 

members. WEAT did manage to offer the following 

workshops and conferences: 

• North Texas Section Seminar—Recent Advances in 

Wastewater Operations in Dallas, February 

• Optimizer Clarifier Workshops in Austin and 

Houston, March 

2007 

Calendar of Events 

Jan. 18 WEAT Strategic Planning Meeting, Fort 

Worth, TX 

Jan. 18 Houston/Galveston Section Meeting, 

Houston, TX 

Jan. 19 WEAT Executive Board Meeting, Fort 

Worth, TX 

Jan. 23 Central Texas Section Meeting, Austin, TX 

Feb. 13 North Texas Section Annual Seminar, City 

Place in Dallas, TX 

Feb. 15 Environmental Challenges and Innovations 

Conference: Gulf Coast 2007, sponsored by 

Texas Association of Environmental Professionals, 

Houston, TX 

March 1 WEF Awards National Level nomination 

deadline 

April 10–13 Texas Water 2007, Fort Worth, TX 

July 1 WEF Quarter Century Operators’ Club 

deadline 

July 15 Bob Derrington Scholarship Fund deadline 

Oct. 13–17 WEFTEC.07, San Diego, CA 

Nov. 1 WEF MA Awards and WEAT Awards deadline 

• Texas Water 2006 in Austin, April 

• Advancing Asset Management in Your Utility in 

Dallas, May 

• Cutting Through the FOG (Fats, Oil and Grease) in 

Dallas, September 

• WEFTEC in Dallas, October 

Not only did YOUR association offer all the educational 

opportunities, each active section has a program 

with speakers and networking opportunities at their 

local section meetings. (See Calendar of Events or website 

for meeting schedule.) 

At this year’s WEFTEC held in Dallas, the Local 

Arrangements Committee really worked hard to help 

make WEFTEC successful. The following are happenings 

at WEFTEC.06: 

• WEAT sent five teams to WEFTEC this year, the most 

teams competing from one state in the history of 

Operations Challenge 

• All five teams won awards at Operations Challenge 

• Operations Challenge Teams took 1st place overall in 

Division I and Division II 

• WEAT’s Operation Challenge Teams mentored the 

Argentina team and the Young Professionals provided 

interpreters 

• WEAT’s TRA CReWSers won the Spirit Award and the 

Brazos Basin Boys won the best uniform 

• WEAT was honored as the 2006 Outstanding 

Member Association Award 

• WEAT raised over $27,000 for the Water for People 

Dessert Gala and Fundraiser 

• The WEAT Texas Reception had the largest attendance 

ever 

• WEFTEC.06 had a record number of exhibit space 

sold 

As you can see, 2006 was a good year and we are 

expecting 2007 to be even better. WEF is asking all 

members to provide current email addresses due to the 

WEF Highlight going from print to email. WEAT would 

like to stress the importance of email addresses. This 

year brings the 80th legislatures into session and Carol 

Batterton, WEAT’s Executive Director, is right on top of 

everything. If you wish to receive the latest information 

on legislative happenings, we must have a current 

email address on file. 

Wishing you and yours a very safe, healthy and 

prosperous New Year.


University Forum Chair Tim Kramer and 

Companion Deborah Giant Killed in Small Airplane Crash 

Timothy 

Kramer 

On Saturday evening, December 9, Texas 

A&M Civil Engineering Professor Tim 

Kramer and his companion, Deborah Giant, 

were killed in a small airplane crash near 

Edgewater, Maryland. 

Dr. Timothy Kramer, 49, of College Station, 

and Deborah Giant, 50, of Bryan, were 

the occupants of a single-engine Cessna 210 

that crashed between two small hills by 

Beards Creek, a few hundred yards short of Lee Airport’s 

runway in Maryland. The cause of the accident, shortly 

before 6 p.m., has yet to be determined. Preliminary 

information indicated that the plane clipped some treetops 

as it approached the airport. 

Kramer had been a pilot for about 20 years and had 

“thousands of hours” in the air, said his brother, Kent 

Kramer. He had been flying to New York with his girlfriend, 

Giant, intending to see an opera, the brother 

said. 

Dr. Tim Kramer had volunteered to take over the 

leadership of the University Forum after Dr. Bill Rixey. 

Dr. Kramer’s first University Forum was at Texas Water 

2005. Dr. Kramer will certainly be missed by all his 

students, colleagues and friends. Dr. Bill Rixey has 

graciously volunteered to oversee the program for Texas 

Water 2007. 

The civil engineering department at Texas A&M 

mourns the sudden and tragic loss of one of its faculty 

members. Dr. Kramer joined the Zachry Department of 

Civil Engineering in 2001 as an Assistant Professor. He 

was an outstanding teacher, gifted mentor and advisor, 

and accomplished researcher. He was respected and 

highly regarded by his students and colleagues. He was 

a friend to all who knew him and gave selflessly to a 

number of student and professional organizations. 

A memorial service was held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, 

December 14, at Christ United Methodist Church 

in College Station, Texas. Information about a memorial 

fund for Dr. Kramer is posted on the department’s 

website at (www.civil.tamu.edu). 

WEAT would like to acknowledge the Baltimore Sun 

for its contribution to this article. 

The Watermark Award 

Sponsored by American Water Works 

Association—Texas Section 

and Water Environment Association of Texas 

The Watermark Award for communications excellence 

recognizes Texas Section AWWA and WEAT members 

who have produced top quality communications. 

Effective internal and external communication is 

essential to a member’s ability to provide excellent 

service. Today’s water resource professionals must 

communication with a variety of audiences to achieve 

success. Through these awards, Texas Section AWWA 

and WEAT hope to heighten awareness among all water 

resource professionals about the importance of effective 

communication. 

Who can enter Any member of the Texas Section 

of AWWA or WEAT is eligible to enter. 

Why enter If you’ve produced high quality, effective 

communications, we want to reward you. Encourage 

media to enter Watermark Awards for Media Excellence. 

For general rules and entry form: Visit the websites of 

TAWWA at www.tawwa.org or WEAT at www.weat.org. 

Entry deadline: February 15, 2007 

For more information: Call Mary Guliuzza, 

(817) 392-8253


WEAT Section Activities 

Abilene Vacant—rep needed 

Amarillo Vacant—rep needed 

Austin 

Representative Lynne Moss, 512-346-1100 

The Central Texas Section of WEAT met on November 

14, 2006, where Susan Butler of CH2M Hill was 

the guest speaker. Ms. Butler provided an overview of 

alternative project delivery approaches in Texas, with 

an emphasis on the impacts of potential legislative 

changes. The evening also included a short business 

meeting, and a social gathering followed by a buffet 

dinner. 

Ms. Butler holds a Master’s of Public Administration 

degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and 

has more than 18 years experience in water resources, 

municipal, and strategic planning and project implementation. 

She is employed at CH2M Hill’s Austin 

office and has expertise in a wide range of planning, 

public involvement, policy analysis and regulatory/legislative 

issues. 

Meeting sponsors were: CH2M Hill, Black and 

Veatch, and KBR. CH2M Hill is an employee-owned 

environmental consulting, construction and operations 

management firm. For more information, visit 

www.ch2m.com. Black & Veatch is a global engineering, 

consulting and construction company, and serves 

Texas clients from offices in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, 

San Antonio and Houston. See www.bv.com for details. 

KBR provides a broad spectrum of services in support 

of water resources development and waste/wastewater 

utility infrastructure. For more information, visit 

www.kbr.com. 

The Central Texas YP last gathered on December 7 at 

Sherlock’s Pub. Chair Ryan Bell is pleased to report that 

attendance at YP gatherings has increased with each 

meeting. He encourages all young engineers in the area 

to become involved – the more the merrier! Please contact 

him at 512-338-1704 or rbell@kfriese.com for more 

information. 

The next Section meeting is scheduled for January 

23, 2007, and will feature a presentation by Orren West 

and Jody Slagle with the City of Austin on the 

Hornsby Bend biosolids composting operation. The 

evening will also include a social gathering followed by 

a buffet dinner. As always, the meeting is open to anyone 

interested in water and wastewater issues. 

Beaumont/Port Arthur 

Representative Karin Warren, 409-785-3006 

Bryan/College Station Vacant—rep needed 

Corpus Christi 

Representative Foster Crowell, 361-857-1801 

Dallas/Fort Worth 

Representative Dawn Anderson, 214-638-0500 

Del Rio/Uvalde Vacant—rep needed 

El Paso 

Representative David Ornelas, 915-594-5730 

Harlingen/Brownsville Vacant—rep needed 

Houston/Galveston 

Representative Dr. Bob Hill, 281-367-3556 

Section Meetings: Many thanks to Mr. Trent Slovak 

with Malcolm Pirnie for giving an excellent presentation 

at our November meeting entitled “Texas PE Code 

and Ethics Jeopardy.” Please join us on January 18, 

2007, when Mr. Roger Whitney will speak on what’s 

new for wastewater operations at the City of Houston. 

Please visit the section’s web site at 

www.weat.org/southeast for the latest news from the 

Houston/Galveston Section. The web site has contact 

information for the officers, planned activities, and past 

newsletters. 

Laredo Vacant—rep needed 

Longview/Tyler/Texarkana 

Representative Brandy Germany Smart, 903-509-1552 

Lubbock 

Representative Dr. Andrew Jackson, 806-742-2801 

Midland/Odessa 

Representative Debbie McReynolds, 915-335-4625 

Port Lavaca Vacant—rep needed 

San Angelo Vacant—rep needed 

San Antonio 

Representative Don Vandertulip, P.E., 210-541-9166 

The San Antonio Section Executive Board met on 

November 8, 2006 to finalize our year end Christmas 

Party. The San Antonio Christmas Party was held 

November 29 with 90 members and guests attending a 

dinner at The Scenic Loop Café. David Chardavoyne, 

CEO for the San Antonio Water System, gave a presentation 

entitled “SAWS 2007 Outlook and Beyond.” 

Attendees each donated a toy to the Marine “Toys for 

Tots” Christmas Drive. Two Marines, recently returned 

from service in Iraq, attended the dinner and accepted 

the toys from our Section. 

The next Joint Section meeting is scheduled for 

Thursday, January 25, 2007. Rachel Corbani will give 

a presentation on Tank Inspection Projects. 

Waco 

Representative Trey Buzbee, 254-761-3168 

Wichita Falls Vacant—rep needed


WEF Awards National Level 

Submit Your Nominations by March 1 

Honorary Membership to a person of acknowledged 

eminence in Federation objectives and activities 

Charles Alvin Emerson Medal to the member whose 

contributions to the wastewater collection and treatment 

industry most deserve recognition 

Richard S. Engelbrecht International Activities Service 

Award to the member who demonstrated sustained and 

ongoing contributions over a period of five years or more 

toward furthering and improving Federation activities in 

the international field 

Outstanding Achievement in Water Quality Improvement 

Award to the water quality improvement program 

that best demonstrates significant, lasting, and measurable 

excellence in water quality improvement or in prevention of 

water quality degradation in a region, basin, or water body 

Industrial Water Quality Achievement Award to the 

industrial corporation and/or its engineering firm that best 

demonstrates significant, lasting, and measurable excellence 

in water quality improvement or in prevention of water 

quality degradation by innovative design and operation of 

an industrial wastewater, pretreatment, or source prevention 

program 

George J. Schroepfer Medal to the member professional 

engineer who has demonstrated excellence in conceiving 

and directing design of a wastewater facility project to 

achieve both cost effectiveness and environmental objectives 

Gordon Maskew Fair Medal to the member university 

educator who has made documented worthy accomplishments 

in training and development of future engineers 

Public Education Award to the person, member association, 

or any other who has made significant contribution 

to public awareness of water environment issues via public 

education programs 

George Bradley Gascoigne Medal to the author(s) of 

a published article which presents the solution to an operational 

problem within a wastewater treatment plant 

Philip F. Morgan Medal to the member who has made 

valuable contributions to in-plant study and solution of an 

operational problem 

Thomas R. Camp Medal to a member who demonstrates 

a unique application of basic research or fundamental principles 

through the design or development of a wastewater 

collection or treatment system 

Collection System Award to an individual for contributions 

to the advancement of state of the art wastewater 

collection 

Hazardous Waste Management Award to the member 

whose efforts have promoted quality technical and/or 

management performance in the field of Hazardous Waste 

Management 

Young Water Environment Professional Award to the 

young professional WEF member whose contributions to 

wastewater collection and treatment most deserve recognition 

Innovative Technology Award to an Associate Member 

of WEF who has introduced new innovative products or 

services related to the construction, operation, or maintenance 

of water pollution control facilities 

For full criteria and submittal of nominations, please 

contact: 

Betty Mayo, WEAT Awards Committee Chair 

5710 LBJ Freeway, Suite 270, Dallas, Texas 75240 

Phone: 972-387-3339 FAX: 972-387-9399 

E-mail: hydronic@dallas.net


WET Tech Talk 

System Assessment—Key to Successful Rehab Programs: 

Case Study in Marshall, Texas 

By 

Leigh Cerda, P.E., David Koberlein, P.E., GSWW, Inc. 

Brian Breeding, Director, City of Marshall 

Background 

The City of Marshall’s program to eliminate dry and 

wet weather overflows and reduce inflow and infiltration 

entering the wastewater collection system is not 

unlike other programs initiated in response to an EPA 

Administrative Order. With a wastewater collection system 

consisting of approximately 212 miles of pipe, Marshall 

is a small-medium size municipally owned collection 

system with aging infrastructure. Graph 1 displays 

the wastewater collection system footage by pipe size in 

Marshall, Texas. 

Marshall’s wastewater collection system consists of 

predominantly 6-inch pipe (61%). Clay is the primary 

pipe material found in the system, with some concrete 

and ductile iron. Vegetation is abundant in this area of 

east Texas, with deep roots. The older clay pipe joints 

present an excellent opportunity for roots to enter the 

wastewater pipe, and over time, grow larger. Root intrusions 

are a key problem for Marshall’s wastewater infrastructure, 

causing blockages and resultant overflows, as 

well as damaging the structural integrity of the pipe. 

Swampy areas and soft soil conditions in Marshall, 

located adjacent to the Texas and Louisiana border, 

contribute to shifting joints. Many pipe segments were 

found to be structurally sound, though each joint was 

severely offset, causing poor hydraulic flow conditions 

and resulting in sewage back-ups and overflows. The 

existing pipe materials and soil conditions were factors 

considered when developing a system assessment and 

rehabilitation program. 

The approach used was to identify and remedy the 

infrastructure issues associated with the overflow areas 

while building an in-house staff to pro-actively maintain 

the system. A key component to the program is an 

accurate assessment of the infrastructure deficiencies 

and selecting applicable rehabilitation methods. The 

City of Marshall and GSWW worked cooperatively as 

an extended team with leadership support. 

System Assessment 

In the interest of time and budget, the evaluation of 

Marshall’s system was divided into four phases. 

Through this approach, the wastewater infrastructure 

could be investigated in sections while prioritizing the 

areas according to overflow susceptibility. Areas with 

repeat overflow problems could be evaluated early in 

the program, allowing time for a complete review of the 

problem, followed by rehabilitation method selection, 

construction and evaluation. Figure 1 displays an 

overview of the system, with Phase 4 study areas (B, C, 

M and N). 

The program, as outlined, consists of the following 

phases: 

1. Development of In-house Cleaning and Television 

Inspection Program 

2. Root Removal Program 

3. Study and Evaluation Phase 

a. Inflow and Infiltration Study 

b. Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Studies (SSES) 

i. Phase 1 

ii. Phase 2 

Graph 1. Wastewater collection system footage, percent by pipe size. 

Figure 1. System map with Phase 4 study areas (B, C, M and N).


iii. Phase 3 

iv. Phase 4 

4. Rehabilitation Phase 

5. Post Rehabilitation and Evaluation 

A six-year schedule with the EPA required an aggressive 

approach to ensure that all phases were complete 

and that compliance with the AO was achieved. 

Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Studies 

The SSES phase included the collection of data for 

each component of the wastewater collection system. 

Information collected consisted of the following, as 

listed by component: 

• Inspected Pipeline Listing—Includes an inventory of 

all of the collection lines and service lines inspected 

during the internal manhole inspection process. 

– Manhole ID 

– Manhole Location 

– Connecting Manhole(s) 

– Flow Direction 

– Pipe Diameter 

– Pipe Material 

– Line Clock Position 

– General Line Condition 

– Specific Condition Information Regarding Pipe 

Joints 

• Inspected Manholes Listing—Includes an inventory 

of all of the inspected manholes located during the 

data collection process. 

– Manhole ID 

– Drainage Basin ID 

– Manhole Location 

– Indication of a Map Correction 

– Manhole Status 

– Surface Cover Around Manhole 

– Indication of Ponding 

– Manhole Depth 

– Information Regarding the Type of Manhole Cover 

– Information Regarding the Construction Materials 

– Information Regarding the Condition of Various 

Manhole Components 

– Information Regarding Active Inflow and/or Infiltration 

Locations 

– Digital Photograph of the Area Surrounding the 

Manhole 

• Smoke Tested Sewer Mains—Includes an inventory of 

all of the collection lines that were smoke tested during 

the data collection process. 

– Upstream and Downstream Manhole ID 

– Upstream Manhole Location 

– Line Length 

– Pipe Diameter 

– Predominant Surface Cover Over the Sewer Main 

– Line Length Completely Smoke Tested 

– Indication of a Smoke Leak 

– Comments from the Field Inspection 

All data was collected on scannable data forms or 

electronically, downloaded and compiled for analysis in 

a project database. 

Data Management 

Managing data collected in the study phase of any 

system evaluation is critical to ensuring all available 

information is processed and analyzed to develop recommendations. 

GSWW’s data management software, 

GSWorks, was utilized in the City of Marshall program. 

Picture 1 displays the introductory screen from the Data 

Management Module. 

GSWorks is a Microsoft Access based program that 

serves as a central point for data collection, management, 

reporting, and integration. GSWorks is menu 

driven, simple to use and customized to meet a specific 

project need. GSWorks utilizes Microsoft Access and 

Visual Basic technology, thus allowing data to be 

imported and exported to a wide variety of popular programs. 

This data portability allows the end user to have 

flexibility with their data; now and in the future. Picture 

2 displays the introductory screen of the Smoke 

Testing Data Management Module. Chart 1 describes 

the data path from collection in the field to engineering 

analysis as followed in GSWorks. 

Picture 1. GSWorks Data Management Module. 

Picture 2. GSWorks Smoke Testing Data Management Module.


Recommendations are developed from the 

analysis of collected data with system defects 

categorized by inflow and infiltration sources 

and structural and maintenance issues. 

Rehabilitation 

The success of any system assessment program 

is measured by the improvements 

achieved through the rehabilitation phase. 

Accurate rehabilitation method selection is 

only achieved through the evaluation of data 

collected in the system assessment phase. For 

example, a clay pipe may be found to be a 

candidate for pipe bursting, with numerous 

cracks and root intrusions; however, site conditions, 

such as the pipe aerially crossing a creek, 

changes the rehabilitation to open-cut construction. 

All of the necessary information to 

determine the feasible rehabilitation method 

did not exist in the closed-circuit television 

image of the interior of the pipe in this example. 

The collection, management and review 

of all available information is critical to any 

wastewater collection system rehabilitation. 

Evaluating the goal of the rehabilitation, 

structural restoration, hydraulic improvement, 

or inflow and infiltration removal, is the first 

step in rehabilitation method selection. This is 

determined through the system data collected 

and assessing the cause of the associated system 

problems. 

• Is the line undersized for the flow volume 

being transported 

• Is the structural condition posing imminent 

threat for failure and resultant overflow 

• Is extraneous water entering the infrastructure 

(I&I) causing wet weather overflows 

Referring to rehabilitation selection flowcharts 

(Chart 2 and 3) a series of questions are 

asked to achieve appropriate method selection. 

After recommendations for rehabilitation 

have been made for segments identified in the 

system assessment phase, the design, contracting 

and construction phase are initiated. 

Design is completed to the extent necessary for 

the rehabilitation method selected. 

• Open-cut Rehabilitation—Design phase consists of 

site survey and collection of geotechnical data 

(where necessary), design calculations and complete 

set of design plans, specifications and contract documents. 

• Trenchless Rehabilitation—Design phase consists of 

review of existing above ground (above ground visual 

survey) and below ground (closed circuit television 

inspection) conditions, rehabilitation method specifi- 

Chart 1. Data path for GSWorks Wastewater Collection System Data Management. 

Chart 2. Mainline rehabilitation method selection flowchart. 

cation, testing requirements and material selection 

and contract documents. Dependent upon trenchless 

rehabilitation method. 

Trenchless rehabilitation was utilized where feasible 

in Marshall for the tangible and intangible cost savings. 

Tangible cost savings can be defined as the costs associated 

with construction, while intangible costs are associated 

with disruption of service (traffic, customer 

inconvenience). Many of the segments identified for 

rehabilitation are in residential areas, crossing property 

lines or located under permanent structures. Traditional


Chart 3. Manhole rehabilitation method selection. 

open-cut methods were not feasible under such conditions 

without the design of mainline and service line 

realignment and customer inconvenience. 

Method Specification 

While selecting the appropriate rehabilitation 

method is key, the technical specification component 

is critical to ensuring quality is achieved. There are 

numerous sources to reference in drafting technical 

specifications: 

• ASTM International (originally American Society for 

Testing and Materials) 

• NASSCO—National Association of Sewer Service 

Companies 

• NASTT—North American Society for Trenchless 

Technology 

• ASCE—American Society of Civil Engineers 

• Louisiana Tech University Trenchless Technology 

Center Publications 

The American Society for Testing and Materials publishes 

both material and installation method specifications 

for rehabilitation processes. For Cured In Place 

Pipe: 

• ASTM D5813—Standard Specification for Cured-In- 

Place Thermosetting Resin Sewer Pipe 

• ASTM F1216—Standard Practice for Rehabilitation of 

Existing Pipelines and Conduits by the Inversion and 

Curing of a Resin-Impregnated Tube. 

• ASTM 1743—Standard Practice for Rehabilitation of 

Existing Pipelines and Conduits by Pulled-in-Place 

Installation of Cured-in-Place Thermosetting Resin 

Pipe (CIPP) 

ASTM specifications are published for use 

and reference in the industry. Referring to 

ASTM specifications in a technical specification 

ensures that industry standards and testing 

are applied. 

The contractor and field superintendent are 

also important to the rehabilitation process. A 

project resume and associated references is 

requested in the contract bid phase including: 

• Length of time method has been in use 

• Length of product installed to date 

• Contractor time and installation experience 

with method 

• Superintendent time and installation 

experience with method 

Bids for the Marshall 2004 Trenchless Rehabilitation 

program were received on May 4, 

2005, with Heller Company, based in Little 

Rock, Arkansas, the apparent low bidder. Bid 

tabulations were developed and the bid review 

phase began with the review of the method, 

contractor and superintendent qualifications. References 

provided were verified by interviewing each contact 

listed and asking objective questions regarding 

prior experience with the contractor’s work. 

1. Was the project completed on time If no, was the 

time extension justified 

2. Was the project completed within budget If no, 

why 

3. Did the finished work meet the project specifications 

and the satisfaction of the engineer/owner’s 

representative 

4. Was any testing performed Did the finished product 

meet all testing requirements 

5. Was their communication throughout the project 

by the contractor’s representative to the engineer/owner’s 

representative 

6. Were customer issues/complaints addressed by the 

contractor to the satisfaction of the customer and 

owner 

All contacts interviewed provided positive responses 

to each question in regard to the quality of work provided 

by the Heller Company. Following reference verification, 

submittal requests were provided to Heller 

Company that included product and process submittals 

and performance work plan, as outlined in the contract 

technical specifications. Each product and process submittal 

was reviewed for contract technical compliance. 

Performance Work Plan (PWP) 

Heller Company was required to submit a Performance 

Work Plan (PWP) prior to bid award, which 

required providing:


• Products to be used 

• Installation Plan 

• Resume of Superintendent assigned to job 

• Quality Assurance and Quality Control Plan. 

The purpose of the plan was to review the contractor’s 

approach to the project prior to signing the contract, 

issuing notice to proceed and arriving on the jobsite. 

This process ensured that a plan of work had been 

developed and reviewed by all, minimizing unforeseen 

delays in the field. 

Construction Phase 

Construction phase began with site mobilization and 

inspection of equipment and materials. Cured in place 

pipe (CIPP) rehabilitation of the larger pipe diameter 

segments required that the resin wet-out process be performed 

at an off-site factory facility. To ensure quality, 

project representation during the liner wet-out at the 

factory facility was required. The wet-out of the 15-inch 

CIPP liner for the Marshall Project was performed at a 

facility in Houston, Texas, and mobilized in a refrigerated 

truck to the installation site. The inspection began 

with the evaluation of the felt through the liner wetout 

and loading into the truck. 

Once the liner arrives on site, the inversion, cook-out 

and cool down processes are monitored for adherence 

to the technical specifications. Picture 2 displays the 

liner inversion process from an elevated tower constructed 

on site. 

The majority of the trenchless rehabilitation performed 

in Marshall involved the application of Pipe 

Bursting technology. Pipe bursting was selected due to 

predominance of small diameter pipe in the system 

(61% 6-inch and 18.7% 8-inch pipe) and the existence 

of structural deficiencies and roots, conditions conducive 

to pipe bursting. Unlike CIPP, pipe bursting 

requires the excavation of pits to facilitate the installation 

of the pipe. 

Inspection of rehabilitation projects is a continuous 

process, from initial inspection, through installation, to 

final inspection and site clean-up. Issues encountered in 

the field are addressed expeditiously and without delay 

when project representation is available to answer questions. 

Project contact lists were exchanged at the Construction 

Kick-off meeting and project status reports 

and schedules distributed throughout construction. Project 

inspection and communication allowed for the 

development of a working relationship between the 

contractor, owner and engineer and acquired knowledge 

of expectations early in the project. The combined 

effort of City of Marshall, GSWW and Heller Company 

project representative communication resulted in a 

project completed ahead of schedule and under budget. 

Picture 3. 15-inch CIPP wet-out at Houston facility. 

Picture 4. 15-inch CIPP inversion. 

Picture 5. Pipe-bursting pit excavation.


Post Construction 

The contract documents include the requirement of a 

two-year warranty following final project acceptance. 

The post construction phase includes: 

• Scheduled post inspection at 12 and 24 months. 

• Inspection includes above ground and below ground 

evaluation 

• Maintenance of construction and post-construction 

Inspection Records 

• Established procedures for addressing issues found 

during post inspection, dependent upon rehabilitation 

method 

– Repair 

– Replacement 

Performing scheduled inspections during the warranty 

period ensure that the rehabilitation process 

applied is a permanent remedy to system deficiencies 

and that the product will have longevity in the system. 

Conclusions 

With all four study phases and trenchless rehabilitation 

work complete, the City of Marshall confidently 

approaches their compliance deadline. This program 

demonstrates that even in a small to medium-sized 

system, city resources can be mobilized to pro-actively 

develop a program to maintain a wastewater collection 

system through hands-on training and education. The 

City of Marshall leadership embraced new concepts and 

technologies throughout the project, where time and 

money could be saved in the program. The Owner-Contractor-Engineer 

team works when the time and effort is 

put forth to develop working relationships and mutual 

trust. 

About the Author(s) 

Leigh Cerda is a Senior Project Manager with GSWW, 

Inc. Ms. Cerda has over 14 years experience in the 

water and wastewater industry with expertise in system 

assessment and rehabilitation methods. David Koberlein 

is a Project Manager/Associate with GSWW, Inc. 

Mr. Koberlein has over 20 years of experience in water 

and wastewater systems including planning, design and 

assessment; specialization in software development for 

system assessment and analysis. Brian Breeding is the 

Director for the City of Marshall Utilities and Public 

Works. Mr. Breeding has over 20 years experience in the 

operation, maintenance and management of utilities, 

instrumental in the City of Marshall’s EPA compliance. 

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WEAT Welcomes New Members for 

Brian Adams 

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Eastman Chemical 

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District 

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Sponsor: Donna Long 

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Sponsor: Joe King II 

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Center 

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Sponsor: David James 

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CDM 

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System 


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TCB 

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System 


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LCRA 

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& Newnam, Inc 

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Station 

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System 


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G. Gonzalez 

Engineering 


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Industries, Inc. 

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System 


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Company Texas 

Operations 

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System 


James Scott Harris 

Harris Equipment 

and Safety Services 

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Sponsor: Mary Evans 

Tom Harris 

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Victor J. Harris 

City of Bryan 

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Patrick D Hartigan 

City of Austin— 

Watershed 

Protection 

Austin, TX 

Alvin Henson 

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Mike Hodnett 

City of Plano 

Health Dept. 

Plano, TX 

Mark Hoelscher 

Henkel Corporation 

Austin, TX 

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Gary Burton 

Engineering, Inc. 

Tyler, TX 

Daniel Edwards 

Hooton 

Arlington, TX 

Nosa Irenumaagho 

City of Dallas— 

DWU 

Dallas, TX 


Sherman Irish 

City of Houston 

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Chris Johnston 

L F Manufacturing, 

Inc 

Giddings, TX 

Jill Jordan 


Dallas, TX 


Robert L Joseph 

DOI US Geological 

Survey TX Water 

Center 

Austin, TX 

Kip C Kalisiak 

Dallas, TX 

Rudy E Kilian 

Dallas, TX 

Robert Kopp 


Carrollton, TX


August through December 2006 

Cheryl Kunz 

Aqua-Aerobic 

Systems, Inc. 

Rockford, IL 

Jaime Kypuros 

Tetra Tech 


Ed Lamb 

City of Garland 

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Council of 

Governments 

Arlington, TX 

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Irving, TX 

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San Antonio River 

Authority 


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City of Dallas/ 

WW Collection 

Div. 

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Murfee Engineering 

Co., Inc. 

Austin, TX 

Betty M. Mahan 

Biozyme 

Remediation 

Technologies, Inc. 

Plano, TX 

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System 


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City of Denton 

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McCannon 

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Yerby Inc 

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Ft. Bend County 

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Public Works and 

Engineering 

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Dist. #2 

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Dallas, TX 

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San Jacinto River 

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Tanya Will 

Arlington, TX 

Mandy Woodbury 

Freese & Nichols, 

Inc. 

Fort Worth, TX


WET Tech Talk 


Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) Initiative: 

Frequently Asked Questions 

This information is reprinted from flyers handed out by the TCEQ at the Capacity, Management, 

Operations & Maintenance (CMOM)—Success Stories/Lessons Learned Conference held in 

Austin on August 28–29, 2006. The conference was sponsored by the US EPA, Region 6, in 

association with TCEQ, WEAT and the City of Austin Water Utility. 

What is the SSO Initiative 

Sanitary sewer systems that are properly designed, 

operated, and maintained will collect and transport all 

of the sewage and industrial wastewater that flow into 

them to a wastewater treatment facility for appropriate 

treatment. However, SSOs can occur if there is significant 

inflow and/or infiltration (I/I) in the collection 

system, the collection system is not properly operated 

and maintained, and/or the system lacks adequate 

capacity to collect, store and/or treat flows for treatment. 

An SSO is an unauthorized discharge of 

untreated wastewater from a collection system or its 

components (e.g., manhole, lift station or clean out) 

prior to reaching a treatment facility. 

Projects resolving the problems that cause SSOs are 

usually lengthy and expensive. These factors may cause 

reluctancy to begin corrective actions causing the recurrence 

of SSOs. Sometimes the corrective action may be 

delayed until required by the TCEQ enforcement 

process. 

While the TCEQ recognizes that total elimination 

of SSOs is unlikely, action can be taken to address SSOs 

before they cause an impact to the environment. The 

goals of the initiative are to: 

• Reduce the number of SSOs that are reported each 

year in Texas; 

• Address SSOs before human health and safety or the 

environment is impacted; 

• Address SSOs before they become enforcement issues. 

Who can participate in the initiative 

Wastewater treatment facilities with sanitary sewer 

systems and facilities consisting entirely of sanitary 

sewer systems (i.e., subscribers) can participate in the 

initiative. The Field Operations Division Regional staff 

may identify some facilities that are good candidates for 

participation during on-site compliance investigations 

and/or file review investigations. This identification will 

be based on: 

• Self-reported data indicating flow limitation violations 

and significant noncompliance with other 

effluent limitations; 

• SSO history (number and volume); 

• Previous Notices of Violation (NOV)s for SSOs; 

• SSOs occurring in impaired watersheds; 

• SSOs with the potential to impact human health and 

safety or the environment; 

• Repeated complaints regarding SSOs; and 

• SSOs with corrective action requiring longer than six 

months to complete. 

Facilities currently under a compliance plan for 

addressing SSOs that is being monitored by regional 

staff can be included in the initiative if the current plan 

covers or is revised to cover all of the required elements. 

Facilities currently under formal enforcement action 

for SSOs are not eligible for inclusion in the initiative. 

Participation in the initiative is not, however, limited 

to those facilities identified by agency staff. 

Facilities may also elect to participate in the initiative, 

and, in those cases, should contact the local TCEQ 

Regional Office to discuss that option. 

How will participation in the initiative 

benefit my facility 

• Participation keeps the facility from formal enforcement 

for most continuing SSO violations, as long as 

the SSOs are addressed by the SSO Plan; 

• Participation allows the facility to spend resources on 

correction as opposed to having to pay penalties 

associated with an enforcement order (in addition to 

the monies required to complete corrective action); 

and 

• Participation ensures the SSOs addressed by the SSO 

Plan will not affect the facility’s compliance history 

rating. 

What can we expect if we agree 

to participate 

Meeting with the Regional Staff 

Following an investigation by regional staff where 

SSOs have been documented, the facility will be notified 

by letter of the opportunity to participate in the 

initiative. A meeting will be held within the next 30 

days to further discuss the initiative. The investigator


may also discuss the investigation findings and explain 

the initiative during the compliance investigation exit 

interview. In that case, another meeting may not be 

required. (Note: If a facility has not been contacted by the 

regional staff but would like to discuss participation in the 

initiative, the facility can call the region office to arrange a 

meeting.) 

During the meeting regional staff will: 

• Discuss the investigation findings, if applicable; 

• Explain that in order to participate in the initiative, 

the facility must agree to conduct a sanitary sewer 

system evaluation of the wastewater system in order 

to determine the scope of the problem and develop a 

plan for improving, updating and repairing the 

wastewater collection system. The plan must include 

a time line for completing each specific task; 

• Discuss the required elements of the SSO Plan; and 

• Provide Small Business and Local Government 

Assistance (SBLGA) technical assistance materials. 

After the meeting, regional staff will send a letter 

that will confirm the facility’s participation and will: 

• Advise the facility of the SSO related investigation 

findings; 

• Identify the minimum requirements of the SSO Plan; 

and 

• Establish a 30-day deadline for submitting the initial 

plan for corrective action. The plan should include 

the date for completing a sanitary sewer system 

evaluation and the date the plan will be finalized. 

Generally, up to 180 days will be allowed for the 

plan to be finalized. 

If the facility does not elect to participate in the 

initiative, a Notice of Violation (NOV) will be issued 

for any SSO violations noted during the investigation. 

[Note: If a facility contacted the region to request the meeting 

(i.e., an investigation was not conducted by the region 

office), and the facility decides not to participate in the 

initiative, any SSO violations will be evaluated during the 

next compliance investigation and a NOV will be issued 

at that time.] 

Evaluation of the SSO Plan 

After the SSO Plan is finalized, regional staff will 

review and determine if additional information is 

needed. If not, a letter approving the plan will be 

mailed to the facility. At that time a copy of the plan 

will also be forwarded to the Enforcement Division for 

inclusion in the SSO Agreement. If additional information 

is required to complete the SSO Plan, the investigator 

will send a letter describing the information 

needed to complete the plan and will allow up to 

30 days for the revised SSO Plan to be submitted. 

Monitoring Compliance with the SSO Agreement 

Enforcement Division staff will incorporate the SSO 

Plan into the SSO Agreement and track compliance 

with the technical requirements included in the 

agreement. 

What should be included in the SSO Plan 

The SSO Plan cannot exceed ten (10) years and 

should include the following elements: 

• Description of the cause of the SSOs and interim 

measures that will be taken to mitigate the effects 

of continuing SSOs; 

• Comprehensive evaluation of the sewer system; 

• Description of the corrective measures, with milestones 

to address continuing SSOs; 

• Provisions for the improvement and/or development 

and implementation of an Operations and 

Maintenance Program to ensure continued permit 

compliance; 

• Time line for completing each milestone; 

• Description of the source(s) for funding; and 

• Provisions for evaluating the effectiveness of the 

improvements. 

Where can I get assistance 

with developing a plan to address SSOs 

The Small Business and Environmental Assistance 

Division (SBEA) will be available to assist the municipalities 

in addressing their SSO problems by providing: 

• Information on funding sources; 

• Guidance on the development and implementation 

of a fats, oil, and grease management program; and 

• Guidance on the development and implementation 

of a Capacity, Management, Operation and 

Maintenance Program to reduce environmental 

impact, improve compliance, reduce costs and reduce 

risks. 

Contact SBEA at 512-239-3100 or the Small Business 

& Local Government Assistance Hotline at 1-800-447- 

2827 or by email at sbap@tceq.state.tx.us for additional 

information. 

Do I Continue to Report SSOs to the 

Agency if I Participate in the Initiative 

Yes, the noncompliance reporting requirements contained 

in the permit provisions and/or the Texas Water 

Code will remain in effect. Site-specific notifications 

will continue to be required. 

What happens if additional SSOs occur 

while we’re participating in the initiative 

Participation in the initiative excludes the facility 

from formal enforcement for the SSO violations, as long


as the SSOs do not result in a documented impact to 

human health and safety or the environment and are 

addressed by the SSO Plan. 

Should an SSO result in a documented impact on 

human health and safety or the environment, that 

event will be reviewed individually to determine if 

continued participation in the initiative is appropriate. 

Depending on the outcome of that review a separate 

enforcement action might be processed to address the 

SSO resulting in the documented impact according to 

current investigation and enforcement protocol. 

What if my facility chooses 

not to participate 

Participation is entirely voluntary. If agency staff 

document SSOs at a facility not participating in the 

initiative, an NOV will be mailed and compliance will 

be monitored through standard investigation and 

enforcement protocol. Protection from formal enforcement 

for continuing SSO violations would not be 

afforded to the facility. 

Is there anything that can cause my facility 

to be dropped from the initiative 

Yes, if a facility fails to respond appropriately with 

any required time schedule without a prior approved 

variance from the time schedule, participation in the 

initiative may be rescinded. If your participation in the 

initiative is rescinded and SSOs have been documented 

at your facility, an NOV will be mailed and compliance 

will be monitored through standard investigation and 

enforcement protocol. Protection from formal enforcement 

for continuing SSO violations would not be 

afforded to the facility. 

Since participation is, in part, based on 

reported SSOs, how will the TCEQ handle 

facilities that do not report SSOs 

Facilities that do not report SSOs will be advised 

of the reporting requirements. A copy of the noncompliance 

notification form and the regulatory guidance 

RG-395 titled “Unauthorized Discharges and Sanitary 

Sewer Overflows” will be provided to the facility representatives, 

and an NOV, or Notice of Enforcement 

(NOE) if appropriate, will also be issued for failure to 

report the SSO (Texas Water Code, Chapter 26, Section 

26.039) and for failure to prevent an unauthorized discharge 

(Texas Water Code, Chapter 26, Section 26.121.) 

The facility will not be eligible to participate in the 

initiative. 

NORTH TEXAS SECTION ANNUAL SEMINAR 

February 13, 2007 

City Place in Dallas, Texas 

The seminar will highlight the following topics related to Water Reuse: 

• A National Perspective on Reuse, State Regulations/ 

TCEQ Perspective 

• Tech & Health Issues associated with Reuse 

• Pricing and Funding of Reuse Projects 

• Interagency Partnering 

• Importance of Public Relations/Education 

• User Agreements and Contracts 

• Water Rights and several Case Studies 

Cost: $95 for early registration, $105 for regular registration. Includes 

lunch, two breaks and speaker’s presentations. 

Sponsorships are available at $250 and include one full registration. 

Registration is available online at www.weat.org. For questions, 

contact Chamindra Dassanayake (CD) at CDassanayake@pirnie.com.


Intergovernmental Affairs Regulatory Digest 

By Rebecca Cobos, Intergovernmental Committee Chair 

On the Federal Front 

Congressional Election’s Impact on Water Quality Legislative 

Agenda. Under a Democratic-controlled Congress, 

advancement of the following water-related legislation 

is a possibility: 

• Reaffirmation of Congressional intent that the Clean 

Water Act covers all U.S. waters, not just navigable 

waters 

• Regulations controlling the use of perchlorate, a contaminant 

of many drinking water wells in California 

• Reauthorization of state revolving fund programs for 

wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects 

• Establishment of a trust fund for water infrastructure 

projects 

• Action addressing security issues at water treatment 

facilities 

• Action on water supply issues, including facilitating the 

funding process for assistance to western rural towns in 

constructing large water infrastructure projects 

• Re-institution of “pay-as-you-go” budget rules requiring 

the offset of increases in program spending by 

reduction of expenditures in other programs or by 

increases in revenue 

• Reauthorization of the Farm Bill, which authorizes 

programs administered by the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture and includes agricultural conservation 

programs 

EPA Development of Nanotechnology Program. EPA is 

inviting participation in the design and development of 

a stewardship program to help the agency better understand 

the potential risks and benefits of nanotechnology. 

Nanotechnology is the science of creating or modifying 

materials at the atomic and molecular level to 

develop new or enhanced materials and products. The 

stewardship program complements the agency’s new 

and existing chemical programs under the Toxic Substances 

Control Act (TSCA). Additional information is 

at http://epa.gov/oppt/nano/index.htm. 

EPA 2007 Blue Ribbon Water Quality Trading 

Awards—Call for Nominations. The EPA has initiated a 

recognition and leadership program for excellence in 

water quality trading. Trading enables facilities with 

higher pollutant control costs to comply with regulations 

by purchasing pollutant reductions from another 

source for less cost. The program will allow EPA to identify 

trading programs that align with EPA policy, work 

with those programs against water pollution, promote 

trading, and create a network of trading leaders in the 

U.S. EPA plans to announce its selections in the spring 

or summer of 2007. Additional information is at 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/trading.htm. 

What’s New at TCEQ Rulemaking 

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality 

will be holding four stakeholder meetings during 

December 2006 and January 2007 regarding the current 

draft 30 TAC Chapter 217 Design Criteria for Sewerage 

System rules. The chapter applies to any person who 

proposes to construct facilities which will collect, transport, 

treat, or dispose of domestic wastewater. The 

meetings will be held in Odessa, Austin, Houston, and 

Dallas at the following locations and dates. Each meeting 

is scheduled for 9:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. 

Odessa Meeting 

Austin Meeting 

December 12, 2006 December 14, 2006 

Municipal Plaza 

Waller Creek Center 

119 West 4th Street 625 East 10th 

Houston Meeting 

Dallas Meeting 

January 9, 2007 January 11, 2007 

North East Harris County Center Central Wastewater Plant 

10918 1 ⁄2 Bentley 

Executive Director Party Status. Rulemaking was 

approved on November 30, 2006. Further defines the 

executive director role in participating in contested case 

hearings. 

Continued on page 22


Plummer to Speak at Gloyna Breakfast during Texas Water 

Alan H. Plummer, Jr., Founder and Chairman of the 

Board of Alan Plummer Associates, Inc., will speak at 

Gloyna Breakfast at 7:00 A.M. on Thursday, 

April 12, at the Texas Water 2007 Conference 

in Fort Worth. Please note that the 

Breakfast has moved from its old slot on 

Friday to its new slot Thursday morning. 

The Breakfast honors the long and distinguished 

career of Dr. Earnest F. Gloyna, 

Emeritus Professor of Environmental Health Engineering 

at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Gloyna’s 

teaching, research and professional practice have 

touched an unusually large number of students, educators, 

engineers and the public leadership not only in 

Texas but throughout the world. 

Mr. Plummer, a graduate of Lamar University, did his 

graduate work in Environmental Health Engineering 

with Dr. Gloyna and other professors at UT Austin. He 

Intergovernmental Affairs, from page 21 

Legislative Roll 

Prefiled Bills of Interest for the 80th Legislative Session 

Senate Bill 99 relates to colonias and state-funded projects 

for colonias. It expands the definition of a colonia 

to include areas inhabited by 11 or more people. It adds 

the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and 


to the list of agencies that must report to the Secretary 

of State on the progress of state-funded projects in providing 

water or wastewater services, paved roads, and 

other assistance to colonias. It prohibits state agencies 

from releasing state funds for a project unless each 

political subdivision in which a project is located submits 

to the state recent demographic information relating 

to each colonia served by the project. It requires the 

colonias initiative coordinator to appoint a colonia 

ombudsperson in certain areas. It also requires institutions 

of higher education with community, rural, or 

urban development programs to create partnerships 

with governmental agencies and counties relating to 

the development of alternative technologies to assist 

colonias with inadequate water or sewer systems. 

House Bill 33 relates to rates charged by a water and 

sewer utility. It limits the authority of a utility to implement 

a rate change under certain conditions until the 

regulatory authority issues a decision on the change. It 

includes rate case expenses and fair return expenses in 

the ratemaking limitations prescribed to a regulatory 

authority. It also changes criteria related to the process 

for changing rates. (Note—provisions address primarily 

the private sector.) 

House Bill 147 authorizes TCEQ to permit a municipally 

owned facility to use any portion of the administrative 

penalty imposed upon the utility to improve 

deficiencies in the utility’s facilities instead of requiring 

payment. 

founded Alan Plummer Associates in 1978 and served 

as its President and CEO until 2005. He is a registered 

professional engineer in five states and a board certified 

environmental engineer in the American Academy of 

Environmental Engineers. 

Mr. Plummer has extensive experience with water 

reclamation projects and was active in developing the 

Region C Water Supply Plan that covers 16 counties in 

the North Central Texas area. He has provided engineering 

services for a number of the Texas major water 

reuse projects. He serves on the Water Environment 

Federation and American Water Works Association 

Water Reuse Committees and is past president of the 

Texas Section of the WateReuse Association. 

During the breakfast, Mr. Plummer will make a 

presentation reviewing the developments in the relationship 

between wastewater and water supply in our 

industry. 

House Bill 149 relates to rates charged for water or 

sewer services by an entity that takes over a nonfunctioning 

water or sewer system. It requires TCEQ to 

establish a procedure by rule for a utility to charge reasonable 

service rates and immediately bill customers at 

those rates for the purpose of cost-recovery for services. 

TCEQ must provide a streamlined process that the utility 

can use to request a ruling from the agency on the 

reasonableness of the rates charged and that will allow 

consideration of costs incurred for making services 

available and bringing the nonfunctioning systems into 

compliance with TCEQ rules. The agency must also provide 

a time period, determined through consultation 

with the utility, under which the utility can bring the 

nonfunctioning systems into compliance with TCEQ 

rules without penalty. 

House Bill 328 relates to the procedure for the disannexation 

of territory from a municipality. It allows registered 

voters of an annexed area to submit a petition to 

the governing body of a municipality to require disannexation 

of the area under certain conditions related to 

the municipality’s failure or refusal to provide services. 

The petition is required to contain a number of signatures 

of area registered voters that is more than 50 percent 

of the number of area voters in the latest municipal 

election. The governing body is required to certify 

the petition’s validity. If it is valid, then the municipality 

is required to disannex the area within a certain 

time after the date the petition is certified, unless the 

municipality requests the area remain annexed by 

bringing a cause of action before a county district court 

of the area. 

Thanks to Natasha Rosofsky, Legislative Assistant for 

the City of Austin, for her contribution to this article. If 

you have any questions, you can reach me at 

rebecca.cobos@ci.austin.tx.us.


All Things YP 

By Heather Harris and Trooper Smith 

Young Professional Activity Highlights 

Texas Water 2007 

If the organization you work for is anything at all 

like the one I work for, the first of the year is the time 

to begin preparations to ensure you will receive funding 

for the conferences you would like to attend throughout 

the coming year. Well, it’s January, and we are here 

to tell you that, if you go to one conference this year, 

Texas Water 2007 in Fort Worth will give you the 

most bang for your buck. How can we make this claim 

Well . . . 

The Young Professional Committees of both WEAT 

and TAWWA have joined forces once again to provide 

numerous incredible opportunities for the YPs in 

attendance at Texas Water 2007 in Fort Worth. First, the 

conference will host the fourth YP Technical Session 

on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 4. Presentation 

topics are still in the works, so, if you have anything 

you’re dying to hear more about, be sure to let us know. 

Also of interest to the Young Professionals of our 

organization, the University Forum, a paper competition 

held amongst college students for the chance to 

win scholarships, and the first ever WEAT-sponsored 

student design competition, with a chance to win a 

trip to WEFTEC 2007! 

On the evening of Wednesday the 4th, please be 

sure to join us for the annual YP Meet and Greet: a 

better way to get to know your peers across the state 

in a relaxed setting. 

Oh, and in case you were unaware, in addition to the 

chance to attend these incredible YP-geared activities, 

you will be at the Most Important Water Conference 

in our five-state region, where the best of the best in 

the water and wastewater business come together to 

exchange ideas. You will be immersed in the latest 

advances in the industry, surrounded by industry 

experts, and within walking distance of thousands 

of top-of-the-line exhibits from across the continent. 

Why wouldn’t you do everything you could to join 

us Note that opportunities to volunteer during the 

conference, in exchange for FREE attendance, will be 

available. Information should be forthcoming from 

your YP Section Representative. 

If you would like more information on any of 

the above, please feel free to contact Heather Harris 

(Heather.Harris@ch2m.com) or Trooper Smith 

(tws@freese.com), your WEAT YP Co-Chairs. We 

look forward to seeing you in Fort Worth! 

—Heather and Trooper


Water Environment Association of Texas 

Mission Statement 

The Water Environment Association of Texas is an open association of water environmental professionals, 

practitioners and operations specialists with a broad range of expertise working together to: 

1 Meet the needs of its members for professional growth and development; 

2 Educate the public on water environmental issues; 

3 Benefit society through protection and enhancement of the water environment. 

Executive Committee 

President 

Paul Roach 

214-638-0500 

President-Elect 

Raj Bhattarai 

512-972-0075 

Vice-President 

Brad Castleberry 

512-322-5800 

Secretary 

Jody Zabolio 

972-219-1228 

Treasurer 

David Briggs 

512-346-1100 

Member-at-large 

Steve Clouse 

210-233-3774 

WEF Director 

Betty Jordan 

817-284-2724 

WEF Director 

Foster Crowell 

361-826-1801 

Past WEF Director 

Ron Mayo 

972-387-3339 

Executive Director 

Carol Batterton 

830-990-1029 

Historian 

Joe King 

972-735-3000 

Past President 

Richard Eason 

512-261-6222 

PWO Representative 

John Bennett 

817-430-4657 

Committee Chairs 

Audit & Budget 

Robert Smith 

214-752-8300 

Awards 

Betty Mayo 

972-387-3339 

By-Laws 

David Jackson 

817-735-7300 

Ethic Education 

Robert McMillon 

817-277-7591 

Government Affairs 

Rebecca Cobos 

512-322-3663 

International Liaison 

Ron Carlson 

817-277-7591 

Management Review 

Raymond Longoria 

214-217-2252 

Manufacturers & Reps 

Nita Bailey 

936-539-1747 

Membership 

Jennafer Covington 

972-980-2188 

Nominating 

Richard Eason 

512-261-6222 

Professional Development 

Betty Jordan 

817-284-2724 

Public Education (co-chairs) 

Karen Bick 

214-665-7539 

Cathy Henderson-Sieger 

972-262-5186 

Resolutions 

Jim Taaffe 

817-594-2277 

Safety 

Kim Lutz 

512-341-3333 

Specialty Conferences 

Randy Bush 

214-360-9929 

Student Sections 

Jody Zabolio 

972-219-1228 

Texas Water Exhibits 

Rhonda Harris 

214-821-7393 

Texas WET Advertising 

Bill Goloby 

713-641-9169 

Water for People 

Phil Spitzer 

214-346-2800 

Young Professionals 

(co-chairs) 

Trooper Smith 

214-920-2500 

Heather Harris 

512-453-2468 

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Texas Operations Challenge Teams 

Work Together to Bring Championships Home 

By John Bennett, PWO Representative 

By now I am sure that you know some basic facts 

about the Texas Operations Challenge Team’s performance 

at the Water Environment Federation’s National 

Competition at WEFTEC.06: 

1. WE are the two time Division I National 

Champions, TRA CReWSers 

2. WE are the Division II National Champions, 

Power SAWS 

3. WE finished Second Place in Division II, Dallas 

Aqua Techs 

4. WE sent more teams to this competition than 

any member Association, five total 

5. OUR Teams won 10 individual awards 

6. WE received recognition for the “Best Uniforms,” 

Brazos Basin Boys 

7. WE received recognition for the “Most Supported 

Team,” TRA CReWSers 

8. OUR teams all finished in the Top 20 

9. WE accomplished all of this with two teams 

having never competed at the National Level, 

Power Saws and Brazos Basin Boys, and one team 

that made major personnel changes just prior to 

the competition, Austin Dillo XXpress. 

10. WE had the loudest crowds, the most colorful 

tables, and the best supported teams in the 

entire competition. We even had a mini pep 

rally at the Texas Reception! 

I am certain that you have heard me say, “The goal 

of the Operations Challenge program is to promote 

professionalism in our industry through training, hard 

work and dedication to your utility.” I have written 

many times about the number of “A” level Wastewater 

WEF Quarter Century Operators’ Club 

The Water Environment Federation honors 

operators of wastewater treatment plants for their 

service and dedication in a difficult and dangerous 

field by presenting qualifying members with membership 

in the Quarter Century Operators’ Club. 

Application deadline is July 1. For criteria and 

an application, please contact: 

Betty Mayo, WEAT Awards Committee Chair 

5710 LBJ Freeway, Suite 270, Dallas, Texas 75240 

Phone: 972-387-3339 Fax: 972-387-9399 

E-mail: hydronic@dallas.net 

License’s that have been received by members of this 

program. I have told you about the members that have 

gone on to become Supervisors, Managers and Directors 

of their utility. I have even shared with you the personal 

and professional gains that I have received by 

being a member of this outstanding program. But, what 

I have never been able to tell you until this year is what 

it is like to see our Texas teams truly come together and 

work as a team with a common goal to represent Texas. 

In years past it was not uncommon for a few teams to 

help each other out, share practice equipment and 

maybe a secret or two, especially if they were in a 

different division. This year was different. This year, the 

Texas teams joined together to be the unified face of 

Texas. They practiced together at Trinity River Authority’s 

facility in Dallas, then traveled to San Antonio to 

work at the San Antonio Wastewater System’s plant. 

They freely shared their time-saving secrets. They gave 

each other advice. Their efforts paid off. 

This support and dedication to each other is best 

summarized in the words of Orren West, Dillo XXpress 

Coach. “This year was great because we seemed to go 

from being concerned about helping each other out 

‘too much’ to an attitude of whatever it takes. We 

wanted to make a showing and represent our state. Yes, 

each team wanted to win, but everyone was willing to 

work together for a common goal. Together the teams 

accomplished that goal. It didn’t seem to matter if you 

were a team that had something to gain and little to 

share, or a team that had something to share and little 

to gain.” 

I am sure that you have noticed how I have said 

“WE” or “OUR” throughout this article It is because 

everyone involved in the Operations Challenge Program 

has taken a personal interest by committing time, 

training, sponsorship, effort, support and dedication to 

this program. This program, and all of the accolades it 

receives, is a result of teamwork. Teamwork is contagious, 

and I am very proud to say that it is catching on. 

The support that the Teams receive from the Water 

Environment Association of Texas Board and its members 

is incredible and just another example of why the 

WEA of Texas was selected as the Member Association 

of the Year for 2006! 

Due to the Success of the CReWSers and the Power 

Saws, they will receive automatic rebirths to next year’s 

Operations Challenge National Competition in San 

Diego. Once again, this will enable WEAT to send up to 

five teams to WEFTEC.07. WE can trust OUR teams to 

be prepared, put in their best effort and work together 

to make us all proud. WE must find the resources to 

send them. After all, it is all a team effort and something 

WE all benefit from!

Right (left to right): TRA CReWSers David 

Brown, Dale Burrow and Jacob Burwell are 

installing the repair piece on the collection 

event. 

Below: Carl Krueger with Power SAWS 

practicing hole saw with BRA coach (Carl 

won the Texas Shootout at Texas Water 

2006). 

Right (left to right): 

Power SAWS Fred 

Winter (coach), Roland 

Gutierrez, Andrew 

McBride (captain), 

Gilbert Aguilar, Carl 

Krueger and (kneeling) 

Anthony Woolfork 

(alternate). 

Above: TRA CReWSers Dale Burrow and David Brown at the new 

laboratory event. 

Left: CReWSers preparing for the safety event. 

Below: Power SAWS running the pump maintenance event with 

Austin and BRA watching

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