vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office Of
Compliance
(2224-A)
EPA-305-F-98-010
August 1998
Partners In Healthy
Drinking Water Grants
OVERVIEW
ipport thi£e pilot projects'that assisted small ari
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Two of thejiprojects,Colorado and'lQwa, focused on tfi§ iojafr&Jif&rm ruIe^TGR), whicjs w^~JeJ|ctedl>ISaseof i;^,
^ impor-fanicCiCdetecting the presence of|>StehtiaI microMoSglSal cpntaminatioB to dnni|ng9vatst liistoripajly, a la%e
i-^prmftntaorprXf emai^and veryjsmall public'wafer sy^nns have problems complying with the monltoringsand reporting"; -^
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equirements of the _ . ,
difTerer^peedsrof ^a|i,v|^mer canyillage| ^"Alaska; the^Alasfca project focussd pXa^vaneJx of more slte-
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speci
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECTS
Colorado Department of Health and the Environment
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment identified 153 small public water systems (mentees) which
were chronic total coliform rule (TCR) noncompliers. Approximately 30 large systems (mentors) were selected to assist the
smaller systems. These large systems (mentors) included: the Colorado Rural Water Association (CRWA), and public water
systems that had excellent compliance records.
The type of assistance provided included: I site visits and phone calls to identify problems and'remind operators to take
samples; assistance with sampling and analysis; and training. '
RESULTS '- ' • . ' '•.-''• '
After assistance was provided, 62% of the non-compliant community systems ( public water systems that serve people year-
round in their homes) came into compliance, and 59% of the non-community systems (parks, trailer parks, seasonal parks,
rest areas, etc.) achieved compliance.
Small systems (mentees) who remained in compliance for one year received free training opportunities. Twenty-six large
systems (mentors) attended the annual Colorado Rural Water Conference, and 103 small systems (mentees) attended local
training courses sponsored by the Rural Water Association or AWWA. ,
Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa Rural Water Association
Iowa's project used two mentoring approaches: creating mentoring relationships between employees of Iowa's larger,
regional rural water systems and very small systems operators; and providing assistance to very small systems by using
Iowa Rural Water Association (IRWA) circuit riders as mentors. All,small systems (mentees) who were chosen had re-
•ceived "failure to monitor" notices in several of the preceding monitoring periods.
RESULTS , ' ' ••.'••.'..•'..'-
280 systems received technical assistance; 89% of the systems that received assistance did not receive "failure to monitor"
notices in the subsequent monitoring period. • ;
continued—
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Other Non-mentoring Projects
• TCR Calendars (1996 and 1997): Calendars were mailed to all small water systems in Iowa and to those who requested one
(approximately 2500 systems). Feedback indicated that operators liked having one place to record their sampling informa-
tion and stickers to mark the sampling days and lab results.
• TCR Brochure'. This brochure summarized the TCR monitoring requirements; approximately 2500 were distributed. They
were mailed to a targeted audience, private labs, related agencies, such as Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
regional offices, as well as affiliated groups that agreed to promote the teleconference.
» TCR Teleconference: The teleconference provided training on how to meet the requirements for bacteriological water testing.
Iowa held two teleconferences with a total of 325 participants. Survey responses from 97 participants following the first
teleconference indicated a high level of satisfaction with the TCR teleconference.
* TCR Video: This tool was used to provide training to small systems owner/operators on how to take TCR samples and was
distributed to all mentees.
Alaska Water Wastewater Management Association
This project was designed to offer technical assistance to remote village operators with the goal of improving understanding of
their water and wastewater systems and operator technical skills. The Alaska Water Wastewater Management Association
(AWWMA) worked closely with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) to choose systems with one
or more of the following characteristics: new operators; non-compliers; financially strapped; and interested operators. Systems
in noncompliance were matched with large systems (mentors) who were in compliance, had more expertise in water treatment,
and were located nearby.
Four remote village operators participated: Angoon, Yakutat, Hydaburg and Port Alexander. Mentors visited the villages to
become familiar with their systems. In some cases, the operators traveled to mentor communities to observe and participate in
the operation of the larger, more complex systems.
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RESULTS
Angoon: Relationship was'established between large (mentor) and small systems (mentee). Mentors continue to assist mentee
by telephone with water quality monitoring requirements. The system was given assistance with completing lead and copper
rule test samples. The small system operator (mentee) has progressed from no certification to a utility superintendent with
level II water treatment certification.
Yakutat: The village requested assistance with understanding the Pesticide/Herbicide testing requirements. Mentor traveled to
Yakutat and reviewed system. Provided simple regulatory explanations and assisted with sampling and forwarding samples to
lab in Anchorage. Mentor arranged for Yakutat maintenance crew to travel to Juneau to work with Juneau crew. This type of
training is typically hard to afford. Mentor has maintained relationship with mentee and continues to assist with monitoring
requirements.
Hydaburg: A large system operator (mentor) assisted the small system operator (mentee) with ADEC reporting requirements
and assisted in completing a waiver application package by providing clear explanation of what needed to be done. The
mentor also provided on-site assistance to repair a flow meter and turbidimeter. Mentee now knows how to do these repairs on
his own. Mentor provided sampling instruction for total coliform and provided mentee with a video to demonstrate the pro-
cess. Mentor provided explanation of Lead and Copper Rule testing requirements that would need to be completed. Mentor
Instructed mentee on proper backwash procedures for water filters and polymer injection rates for optimum filter performance.
Mentor also provided advice on how to improve collection rates for city utilities.
fort Alexander: This project increased assistance to this community that had already begun several years earlier. Mentor
provided remote assistance on water quality reporting and monitoring requirements; later provided on-site assistance to identify
needed system upgrades and daily operations corrections. Efforts to correct specific problems through one-on-one training of
the mentee operator by the mentor were successful. For example, one mentor assisted a mentee with repairing a flow meter
and now the mentee can perform the repair unassisted. Another mentor provided instruction on how to optimize filter perfor-
mance and how to conduct proper TCR sampling.
For more information, call Carolyn Young at (202) 564-7062.
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