News and Views From WV Bureau for Publ ic Heal th, WV Department o f Environmental Protec t ion, and Publ ic Service Commission of WV

The Pipeline

Published Bi-Monthly by the Public Service Commission

201 Brooks Street, P.O. Box 812 Charleston, WV 25323

Web Address: http://www.psc.state.wv.us. Email: dwitt@psc.state.wv.us Telephone: (304)340-0300 Toll Free: (800)344-5113

Fax: (304)340-3759

Contributors James Aucremanne Audra L. Blackwell

Jonathan Fowler Sean Ireland

Charles Robinette Mike Warwick

The information contained in this publication is

based on the current laws, rules, regulations, and policies of the PSC, DEP and DHHR and reflects

the personal or professional opinions of the individual authors. Nothing contained in the

publication should be construed as an adjudica-tion on any specific factual situation or as a formal opinion of the PSC, DEP, or DHHR

unless it is clearly cited as such.

Guidelines for Water Reuse Page 2

Where Can I Get That Gizmo? Page 3

Fundamental Elements For Emergency Preparedness

Page 4

Emergency Rate Relief Page 7

Proposed Public Water System Page 9

Travel Expenses For Board Members and Employees

Page 10

Inside this issue:

September-October, 2005

Prior to his employment with the PSC, Chairman McKinney served as plant manager of Flexsys’ Nitro opera-tions; Chairman of the Chemical In-dustry Committee for West Virginia; member of the Board of Directors for the West Virginia Chamber of Com-merce, West Virginia Manufacturers Association, Chemical Alliance Zone, West Virginia Roundtable and Thomas Memorial Hospital.

He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, where he earned a bache-lor’s degree in chemical engineering, and the University of West Florida, where he earned his master’s degree in business administration.

“Jon McKinney is an outstanding individual who has been a leader and major contributor in West Virginia’s chemical industry for more than a dec-ade, Governor Joe Manchin said. I am pleased that he has accepted this ap-pointment to serve on this state regulatory panel. He will be a tremendous resource and asset as the Public Service Commission moves forward with its work.”

He currently resides in Charleston with his wife Paula. They have two children Lisa and Jason, as well as five grandchildren.

Chairman McKinney is excited to embark on this new adventure and he looks forward to meeting everyone and beginning his tenure as PSC Chair-man.

*****

Please Welcome Our New Chairman - Mr. Jon W. McKinney

Page 2

Guidelines For Water Reuse (Part II) By: By Mike Warwick, P.E., WV Department of Environmental Protection

In the May/June 2005 issue of Pipeline, the first article of a series was published containing passages taken from Chapter 1 of “Guidelines for Water Reuse” dated September 2004 published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It may be viewed online at www.epa.gov/ord/NRMRL/pubs and entering the publication number EPA/625/R-04/108. This article contains passages taken from Chap-ter 2, “Types of Reuse Applica-tions” of the guidelines. Chapter 2 – Types of Reuse Ap-plications Urban Reuse These systems provide reclaimed water for various nonpotable pur-poses, such as: •Irrigation of public parks and rec-reation centers, athletic fields, school yards and playing fields, highway medians and shoulders, and landscaped areas surrounding buildings and facilities

•Irrigation of landscaped areas of single-family and multi-family residences, general washdown, and other maintenance activities

•Irrigation of landscaped areas sur-rounding commercial, office, and industrial developments Irrigation of golf courses

•Commercial uses such as vehicle washing facilities, window wash-ing, mixing water for pesticides, herbicides, and liquid fertilizers

•Ornamental landscape uses and decorative water features, such as fountains, reflecting pools, and waterfalls

•Dust control and concrete produc-tion on construction projects

•Fire protection through reclaimed water fire hydrants

•Toilet and urinal flushing in com-mercial and industrial buildings

In dual distribution systems, the reclaimed water is delivered to the customer(s) by a parallel net-work of distribution mains separate from the community’s potable wa-ter distribution system. The re-claimed water distribution system essentially becomes an additional utility for the community. It is oper-ated, maintained, and managed in a manner similar to the potable water system.

Urban reuse systems are gener-ally interruptible. Fire protection systems, without backup, are the only significant use that is consid-ered non-interruptible. Retrofitting a developed urban area with a reclaimed water distribution system is expensive; however, the benefits of conserving potable wa-ter may justify the cost. A water reuse system may be cost-effective if it eliminates or delays the need to obtain additional water supplies from considerable distances, treat a raw water supply of poor quality, or treat wastewater to stricter surface water discharge requirements.

In developing urban areas, sub-stantial cost savings may be real-ized by installing a dual distribution system as an integral part of the utility infrastructure and by stipulat-ing connection to the system as a requirement of the community’s land development code. Reclaimed water demand for irrigation can be estimated from an inventory of the total irrigable acreage and the weekly irrigation rates, which are determined by such factors as local soil characteristics, climatic condi-tions, and type of landscaping. Wa-ter use records can be used to esti-

mate daily demands, as well as sea-sonal variations.

The most important considera-tions in the design of an urban re-claimed water distribution system are the reliability of service and the protection of public health. Treat-ment to meet appropriate water quality and quantity requirements and system reliability is essential.

Water reclamation facilities must provide the required treatment to meet appropriate water quality standards for the intended use. In addition to secondary treatment, filtration and disinfection are gener-ally required for reuse in an urban setting. Because urban reuse usu-ally involves irrigation of properties with unrestricted public access or where human exposure is likely, reclaimed water must be of a higher quality than may be necessary for other reuse applications.

The reclaimed water reuse(s) will determine the necessary design peaking factors and pressure re-quirements for the distribution sys-tem. Peaking factors will be higher if reuse application hours are re-stricted (i.e. only overnight hours). High pressure users receive water directly from the system at pres-sures suitable for the particular re-use. High pressure uses may in-clude residential and landscape irri-gation, industrial process and cool-ing water, car washes, fire protec-tion, and toilet flushing. Low pres-sure users receive reclaimed water into an onsite storage pond to be repumped into their reuse system. Low pressure uses include irriga-tion water for golf courses and parks, as well as delivery of re-claimed water to landscape or rec-reational impoundments.

Continued on Page 8

Page 3

Where Can I Get That Gizmo? By: Jonathan Fowler, P.E., PSC Engineering Division

As a result of my work here at the PSC, I have had the good for-tune of meeting many talented and dedicated water and wastewater plant operators. These resourceful individuals are often forced to de-velop ingenious ways to keep their treatment systems working, despite the difficulty in obtaining replace-ment parts for equipment which is, in many cases, older than the opera-tors themselves. In the interest of assisting these operators, some ad-ditional sources for parts and sup-plies will be offered.

First, I would say that your local waterworks and industrial suppliers are usually the best place to start when seeking a particular item, valve, switch, relay or other “thing-a-my-bob” which you may need. However, and quite often I would suspect, the local supply house may not even know what you are talking about, much less be able to supply it. In those instances, you are on your own.

A hypothetical situation will serve to illustrate the use of a na-tional supply house to keep your plant up and running. Let’s assume that you know what part you will need to “jerry-rig” that old filter rate control valve and keep the plant running until the new project is finished or until the new valve comes in from the “Outer Mongolia Foundry and Supply Co”. You know the old filter rate valve I’m talking about, the “Acme Standard Valve and Fitting Company” lever-spring- chain (and paper clip) con-trol valve, which has not been manufactured since the end of the Big War and which is all plugged-up and held together by rust and seventeen wraps of good quality duct-tape. (Always buy the best

quality duct-tape, after all, your job may depend on it!)

Being the smart man/woman that you are, and having the good luck to find the original, yellowed and oil-stained maintenance manual for the old filter valve, you have determined that a new air-pressure control regulator is needed and that this regulator needs an adjustable output range of 0-10 psi (that’s not much pressure, is it?). Further, this regulator has to be plumbed to the existing ¼ ” brass control piping on the main valve body and cannot be more that 6 ¼” tall or wide or long, because it won’t fit in that little box under the main valve body. (Why do engineers and con-tractors always seem to put adjust-able controls, which by default must eventually be adjusted, in damp pits underneath or behind everything else?) A tough order to fill! Maybe.

As I said, first check with your local suppliers (water and wastewa-ter specialty suppliers such as Hughes Supply, the C.I. Thornburg Co., Jabo Supply, McJunkin, just to name a few, or a local mine supply house, plumbing wholesaler, etc.). After finding out that they not only do not have this thing in stock but, cannot even get it for 180 calendar days (exclusive of legal holidays and natural disasters), you should next check the national industrial supply houses, which is what this article is all about. So, lets get to it.

Pull out that big blue (or red or yellow) catalog that’s been holding the coffee pot up out of the crud on the lab bench and get to work. What! You don’t have a big blue (or red or yellow) catalog? Well ok, lets get you one, hopefully be-fore you need it. The three main

industrial supply houses with which this author is personally familiar with are (in no particular order); MSC Industrial Supply (yep a blue catalog), W.W. Grainger (a red catalog) and McMaster-Carr Supply Co. (you guessed it, a yellow cata-log). I suggest that you contact these three supply houses and get a catalog from each of them, alter-nately, all three have excellent web sites (I hope that you all have inter-net access by now!). The web sites for each supplier are: • MSC Industrial Supply –

www.mscdirect.com • W. W. Grainger -

www.grainger.com • McMaster-Carr Supply -

www.mcmaster.com Picking one at random, say

MSC Industrial Supply, we then search their catalog (or web site) for regulators fitting our needs. A quick search of the MSC web site shows 283 items when a search for “regulator” is entered. Wow! That’s exciting stuff, isn’t it? Nar-rowing our search, we find six regulators with maximum settings of 30 psi (within our parameters) and can then select MSC No. 00147173 which is made by Marsh-Bellefram (a good brand), which lists at $42.55. But, is it available?

Now, and this is way cool, these suppliers have a place on-line to instantly check stock! Entering a desired quantity of one, we find that MSC has this regulator in stock and can ship it out today (actually they show 14 in stock on the day I wrote this, need a spare?). Cool, didn’t I tell you. So now how do we order this thingy? All of the major industrial suppliers offer at least three ways for

Continued on Page 11

Fundamental Elements For Emergency Preparedness By: Audra L. Blackwell, EI, MBA, PSC Engineering Division

Continued on Page 5 Page 4

"In this world you've just got to hope for the best and prepare for the worst and take whatever God sends." - Anne of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Given the heightened aware-ness around the country in the wake of the Katrina disaster I felt it ap-propriate to discuss here pragmatic elements for affecting an emer-gency preparedness plan to natural disasters for the industry. This body of material is designed to comple-ment another Pipeline article sub-mitted May/June 2005 by James C. Weimer, P.E. entitled “Security and Your Water/Wastewater System Are You Ready? Are you done???” All drinking water and sewerage systems are subject, to a greater or lesser degree, to hazards. Hurricane Katrina has immediately reminded us that emergency preparedness is vital when hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, etc., pose a direct threat which could result in severe breaks in pipelines, water contamination and service interruptions. The im-pact of a natural disaster can cause contamination of water, breaks in pipelines, damages to structures, water shortages, and collapse of the entire system. Depending on the level of preparedness that water system authorities have adopted, repair of the system can take days, weeks, or even months. Entities operating and maintaining these systems should have strategies in place directed at reducing the vul-nerability of the systems and to pro-vide the best possible response once an emergency arises. The emer-gency plan should establish the nec-essary procedures to quickly and effectively mobilize existing re-sources immediately, and, if neces-sary, to immediately request and

communicate the need for out-side assistance.

Vulnerability analysis is the basic tool for meeting both objec-tives. Vulnerability is generally defined as a measure of the sus-ceptibility of an element or com-bination of elements to fail once they are exposed to potentially damaging natural phenomena. It is expressed as the probability that a certain natural or man-made phenomenon will occur. Vulnerability analysis provides a simple approach for addressing the question? “What is the spe-cific vulnerability of each com-ponent of the system to the im-pact of hazards existing in an area?” The outcome will assist in defining the necessary mitigation measures and the emergency re-sponse procedures should a dis-aster occur before mitigation measures are carried out, or if the measures do not prevent damage.

Vulnerability analysis is the basis for establishing mitigation and emergency plans for (i) exe-cution of the mitigation measures for different components of the system, (ii) organization and preparation, and (iii) attention to the emergency. It requires a re-sponse before, during and after the disaster and includes a com-bination of measures with the common objective of reducing the impact on provision of ser-vice and ensuring that drinking water and basic sanitation ser-vices are restored to affected population in a timely manner. Vulnerability analysis should be carried out in institutions and infrastructure if the effects of a natural disaster would cause an emergency situation or place de-

mands on the system that would exceed response capacity.

Once the hazards specific to a particular system or system compo-nent have been identified, vulner-ability analysis assists in determin-ing: (a) the physical shortcomings of system components; (b) weak-nesses in the organization and sup-port provided by the water or sewer utility; and (c) limitations in terms of quantity, continuity, and quality of service. Vulnerability analysis applies not only to the physical structure of the system, but also the organization and management of the utility. For example, for the financing division of the utility, the analysis would determine whether there are sufficient funds to carry out mitigation and emergency measures, or whether resources have to be reallocated to ensure that mitigation and emergency plans are viable and continuous throughout the disaster. Mitigation and emer-gency plans are based on the best possible knowledge of the system’s vulnerability in terms of (i) defi-ciencies in it capacity to provide services; (ii) physical weaknesses of the components to external forces; and (iii) organizational shortcomings in responding to emergencies. Vulnerability analy-sis identifies and quantifies these weaknesses, thereby defining the expected performance of the system and its components when disasters occur. The process also identifies strengths of the system and its or-ganization (for example, staff with experience in operation, mainte-nance, design, and construction, which also have experience in emergency response.

Vulnerability analysis meets five basic objectives:

a) Identification and quantifi-

Page 5

cation of hazards that can affect the system, whether they are natural or derived from human activity.

b) Estimation of the suscepti-bility to damage of components that are considered essential to provid-ing water in case of disaster.

c) Definition of measures to be included in the mitigation plan, such as, retrofitting projects, im-provement of watersheds, and evaluation of foundations and struc-tures. These measures aim to de-crease the physical vulnerability of a system’s components.

d) Identification of measures and procedures for developing an emergency plan. This will assist the water or wastewater utility to supplement service in emergency situations.

e) Evaluation of the effective-ness of the mitigation and emer-gency plans and the implementation of training activities, such as simu-lations, seminars, and workshops.

This article is intended to de-scribe the process involved in plan-ning the emergency preparedness and response program, indicating its content and the steps, in order of priority, necessary to execute the program and keep it up to date. Emergency Preparedness and Response Program

In areas affected by extreme natural phenomena, as in the case of the Gulf Coast, there is a tendency to believe that these are rare events that will not occur with the same intensity for many years. Actually, the consequences of these phenom-ena increase in severity, not be-cause they increase in intensity and frequency, but because the at-risk population and infrastructure con-tinue to grow. How many times did they compare the affects of Katrina to hurricane Camille, which struck

Fundamental Elements For Emergency Preparedness - Continued from Page 4

the Gulf shores in 1969? We must ask ourselves if our resolve to pre-pare ourselves is the same as it was on the day of the 9/11 attacks and if we cannot answer yes, we should immediately review our prepared-ness and emergency response plans.

Because the best time to act is in the first phase of the disaster cy-cle, when preventative and mitiga-tion measures can strengthen a sys-tem by reducing its vulnerability to hazards.

The implementation of mitiga-tion measures not only improves the capacity for emergency response, but protects routine operations and makes the systems themselves more reliable. For example, redundant or “back-up” measures designed for emergencies also safeguard routine operations. Likewise, strengthening routine corrective and preventative maintenance of installations favors effective response during emergen-cies. The image of the utility will be improved by acting in a quick and efficient way in an emergency situation. If an emergency program is to become permanent; top utility officials must be motivated, vulner-ability studies must be completed, and emergency and mitigation plans must be carried out. For the emer-gency preparedness and response program to be successful, it should be included in the institutional plan-ning process. That is, the program should complement the routine cor-rective and preventative aspects of operation and maintenance. To en-sure the success of a program, the utility should: (a) require the broad participation of employees; (b) maintain ongoing promotion and training; (c) carry out simulations and evaluation exercises to test emergency plans; and (d) dissemi-nate information on other incidents (for example, data on damage due

to floods). Emergency Committee

As part of the development of the emergency preparedness and response program, an emergency committee should be established and coordinated with state and local authorities, civil defense, homeland security, or emergency commis-sions according to national and in-stitutional standards. Emergency Response Plan

Once the vulnerability analysis has been carried out, the emergency plan should be drafted. The plan will include the procedures, instruc-tions, and necessary information for preparing, mobilizing, and using the utility’s resources in the most effec-tive way in case of emergency. The plan should be designed to respond to emergencies and disasters with the resources that are currently available within the organization, assuming that an emergency could occur at any moment. In other words, it should not be an ideal, but a realistic plan. With time, as miti-gation measures are carried out and equipment is obtained for emergen-cies, the plan will be modified. The plan should be kept up to date and be available at any time for use by persons involved in emergency re-sponse. Its success will depend on how simple and practical it is to carry out, as well as on the knowl-edge of the persons involved, ob-tained through periodical training and simulation exercises. At a mini-mum, the plan should comprise the following elements:

1. Objective: hazards to which plan is directed

2. Geographic area of applica-tion

3. Relationship to the national emergency plan (National Emer-gency Commission or Civil De-fense Agency)

Continued on Page 6

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Fundamental Elements For Emergency Preparedness - Continued from Page 5

4. Organization: central, re-gional, and local emergency com-mittees, and those responsible for drafting the plan (functions and re-sponsibilities)

5. Description and operation of the system (document, process map, schematics)

6. Emergency operations cen-ters

7. Warning and emergency declarations – Communications plan

8. Personnel plan (training); key personnel and their addresses

9. Security Plan (see James C. Weimer, P.E. article from the May/June 2005 Pipeline)

10. Transportation plan Finally, the forces of nature

should not be viewed as uncontrol-lable, against which no action can be taken. Damage is lessened when measures are taken to strengthen systems and to have predefined re-sponse mechanisms developed in

the event of an emergency. The implementation of programs that continually update disaster mitiga-tion and emergency response plans guarantee a responsible and effective response to disasters. Preparedness is the lifeblood for survival. Please make emergency preparedness your fundamental priority for your water or waste-water utility and the future of those you serve.

*****

“Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don't count on harvesting Golden Delicious. “ Bill Meyer

Emergency Rate Relief By: Sean Ireland, Utilities Analyst II, PSC Water and Wastewater Division

Public service districts, asso-ciations, and municipalities, when faced with a financial hardship or an immediate cash flow constraint, may provide a written request for emergency/interim rate relief during a pending 19A, 42A, 42T, or Mu-nicipal Appeal rate application with the Public Service Commission. Public service districts and associa-tions have had the ability to request emergency rates for many years. The West Virginia State Code, 24-2-4B, was amended, effective June 6, 2003, and the amendments granted municipalities the ability to request emergency/interim rates.

An applicant may indeed qual-ify for a rate increase, but still may not be eligible for emergency relief. If an applicant requests emergency rate relief in its application, Staff of the Public Service Commission will make financial calculations to de-termine whether or not emergency/ interim rates are warranted. If an applicant cannot meet the payments on its operation and maintenance expenses (excluding depreciation), taxes other than income taxes, prin-cipal, interest, and reserve require-ments on long-term debt with exist-

ing operating revenues, then emer-gency/interim rate relief is war-ranted. If the applicant has a nega-tive cash flow after this calculation then emergency/ interim rate relief is necessary. If the applicant has a positive cash flow after this calcula-tion then emergency/interim rates are not warranted. Staff will design the emergency/interim rates based on the criteria above, if applicable, and establish a surplus figure calcu-lated as 1/12th of working capital. The working capital calculation is made at 1/12th of the utility’s op-eration and maintenance expenses. This working capital calculation and resulting surplus figure are in addition to the utility’s operation and maintenance expenses, taxes, and all debt and reserve require-ments. Emergency/interim rates are designed to provide temporary rate relief, but may not cover all the util-ity’s needs. The emergency/interim rates are also subject to refund if they are found to be higher than the final recommended rates. The final rates in the rate case are determined after a thorough field audit and are designed to cover all current opera-tional needs.

The applicant is entitled to request that any known Going Level expense adjustments be con-sidered in determining whether or not emergency/interim rate relief is warranted. An applicant needs to promptly provide documentation of any Going Level expense increases that it wants considered in the emergency/interim rate calculation.

In conclusion, if a utility is experiencing a financial hardship it can request emergency/interim rate relief. In order to verify this finan-cial hardship a utility should be able to show that it not only has a loss on its income statement to justify its emergency/interim rate request, but it cannot pay its expenses, taxes, and all debt requirements, including reserves. When an applicant shows it does not have the financial re-sources to meet these expenditures, then the applicant has justification to request emergency/interim rate relief. If you have any questions regarding this issue, please feel free to contact the Water and Wastewa-ter Division for additional informa-tion.

****

Give thought to all the training opportunities and make sure that the utility staff gets the opportunity to attend some of the training opportunities that are available around the state. Both, NETC and Rural Water Association have many seminars throughout the state. Check out their websites or contact them by phone.

For training-related questions call NETCSC at (800) 624-8301 or (304) 293-4191 and ask to speak with a train-ing specialist. http://www.nesc.wvu.edu

For Rural Water Association, please contact the office at 168 Midland Trail, Hurricane, WV 25526; or call them at (304) 562-8585. http://www.wvrwa.org *****

Tapper Says

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Guidelines For Water Reuse (Part II) - Continued from Page 2

Industrial Reuse Industrial uses for reclaimed

water include cooling water, boiler make-up water, and industrial proc-ess water. Of these uses, cooling water is the predominant industrial reuse application. Power plants, petroleum refineries, chemical plants and metal working facilities all use considerable amounts of re-claimed water. Agricultural Reuse

Agricultural irrigation repre-sents a significant portion of the total demand for freshwater. Crop water requirements vary with cli-matic conditions, therefore the need for supplemental irrigation varies from month to month throughout the year. This seasonal variation is a function of rainfall, temperature, crop type, stage of plant growth, and other factors depending on the type of irrigation being used.

The reclaimed water supplier must be able to accurately estimate the irrigation demands and re-claimed water supplies. Unfortu-nately, the user’s seasonal or even annual water use is seldom meas-ured and recorded. Expert guidance is usually available through state colleges and universities and local soil conservation service offices.

In the absence of actual data regarding use, evapotranspiration, percolation and runoff losses, and net irrigation must be estimated, often through the use of predictive equations. Environmental and Recreational Reuse

Environmental reuse includes wetland enhancement and restora-tion, creation of wetlands to serve as wildlife habitat and refuges, and stream augmentation.

Reclaimed water has been ap-

plied to wetlands for three main reasons:

• To create, restore, and/or enhance wetland systems;

• To provide additional treat-ment of reclaimed water prior to surface water dis-charge; and

• To provide a wet weather disposal alternative for a water reuse system.

Stream augmentation is differ-ent than continuous surface water discharge in that augmentation seeks to accomplish a beneficial end, whereas discharge is primarily for disposal.

Impoundments may serve a variety of functions from aesthetic, non-contact uses, to boating and fishing, to swimming. The required level of treatment will vary with the intended use of the water. As the potential for human contact in-creases, the required treatment lev-els increase.

Uses of reclaimed water for recreational purposes range from landscape impoundments, water hazards on golf courses, to full-scale development of recreational impoundments, including fishing, boating, and swimming. Snowmaking and commercial fish production are other recreational uses for reclaimed water. Groundwater Recharge

The primary purpose of groundwater recharge using re-claimed water include:

• To establish saltwater intru-sion barriers in coastal aq-uifers,

• To provide further treat-ment for future reuse,

• To augment potable or non-potable aquifers,

• To provide storage of re-

claimed water, or • To control or prevent

ground subsidence. Groundwater recharge can be

accomplished by surface spreading, vadose zone injection wells, or di-rect injection. Augmentation of Potable Supplies

Augmentation of potable water supplies with reuse water is less desirable than using a higher quality source for drinking.

Protection of human health must be insured. Development of water quality requirements for pota-ble reuse is difficult.

Indirect potable reuse is the augmentation of a community’s raw water supply with treated wastewa-ter followed by an environmental buffer. The treated wastewater is mixed with surface and/or ground-water, and the mix typically re-ceives additional treatment before entering the water distribution sys-tem.

Direct potable reuse is the in-troduction of treated wastewater directly into a water distribution system without storage or addi-tional treatment.

Several large cities in the west-ern United States (Denver, San Diego, Los Angeles, etc.) currently utilize indirect potable reuse, how-ever there are no U.S. communities that utilize direct potable reuse.

As stated in the previous article the manual contains eight chapters discussing types of reuse applica-tions, technical issues in planning water reuse systems, water reuse regulations and guidelines in the U.S., legal and institutional issues, funding water reuse systems, public involvement programs, and water reuse outside the U.S.

Care must be taken in the plan-

Continued on Page 9

Page 9

Proposed Public Water System Rule Changes By: Charles Robinette, Special Projects Coordinator, DHHR

The Bureau for Public Health (Bureau) is proposing changes to the Public Water Systems rules (64CSR3) for consideration in the upcoming 2006 legislative session. A summary of the proposed changes are: to make some of the definitions and record retention re-quirements identical to the Federal Regulations that are adopted by reference in the same rule, with the addition of a requirement to retain monthly operational reports for five years; a slight change to the bottled water permit requirements; updat-ing the certification of laboratories to correspond to current EPA re-quirements; and, a modification to the federal rules that are adopted by reference.

The adoption of the federal rules by reference is the major change. This change will allow the Bureau to grant exemptions from new treatment techniques and water standards (Maximum Contaminant Levels). An exemption is where the State will give an extension of time for a water system to modify the treatment plant, connect to another public water system, or other activi-

ties so that once the activities are completed, the public water system may be able to comply with the new standard. The exemption is not automatic; the Bureau will follow the same procedure that EPA fol-lows where they have primacy of the rule.

Major requirements to qualify for an exemption are that the public water system had to be in existence at the time the rule went into effect, the only feasible alternative(s) re-quires a capital investment, the pub-lic water system has no feasible means to obtain funding other than through financial assistance, a ca-pacity development study has been conducted and the public water sys-tem is following the recommenda-tions of the study. The level of the contaminant in the finished water cannot result in an unreasonable risk to health (URTH), during the period of the exemption.

Once the Bureau determines that the public water system has met the above requirements, then a public hearing must be held for the customers of the public water sys-tem. A compliance schedule is pre-

pared after reviewing the proposed plan the public water system sub-mitted and taking into consideration the public comment. The original compliance schedule cannot exceed three years; except, systems serving a population 3,300 persons or less may be able to qualify for exten-sions to the three year period, if the public water system is taking all practical steps to meet the require-ments.

No violations (for the rule the exemption was approved) will be issued against the public water sys-tem during the period of the exemp-tion for exceeding the maximum contaminant level or treatment tech-nique. No public notice is required, with the exception of a yearly no-tice to the customers that an exemp-tion is in effect, and if a community supply, this information will need to be included in the annual Con-sumer Confidence Report. If the consumer confidence report is de-livered to each consumer, then the Consumer Confidence Report may be used for both purposes.

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Guidelines For Water Reuse

(Part II) - Continued from Page 8

ning, design, and installation of wa-ter reuse systems. Secondary treat-ment and disinfection of wastewater is required, as a minimum, for all proposed reuse applications. More stringent treatment, with reliable backup systems, will be required for any reuse applications that in-volve human exposure.

*****

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Periodically, the Staff of the Water and Wastewater Division will receive call requesting infor-mation or seeking advice about Board Members and what compen-sation they are allowed to receive especially when they are attending a Mandatory Board Member’s Semi-nar.

First, the individual Board Member must attend all the session(s) of the Seminar and be awarded the certificate for attendance to re-ceive the expenses that will be dis-cussed in this article.

The Board Member must real-ize that they are NOT to be reim-bursed for the time off from their employment. They are to be ad-vised that this time is voluntary and not to be repaid (i.e. Board Fee ($100.00) for each day in atten-dance). The Board Member should either request vacation time from their employer or just take the time off without pay if the employer will allow it.

If you will refer to State Code Chapter 16-13A-4, the Code is very plain in the description of the al-lowable expenses for Board Mem-bers and/or employees. The Public Service District Board should have developed a written policy and have it approved and recorded in the minutes by a vote of the Board.

The Code states “Board mem-bers may be reimbursed for all rea-sonable and necessary expense(s) actually incurred in the perform-ance of their duties as provided for by the rules of the board”. Some Boards take this language very liter-ally and hold those who request reimbursement(s) to the “line”. There needs to be some flexibility in the interpretation of this statute. Other Board(s) set their policy to

reflect the same as that of the state government agencies will receive.

On the first day of January of each year, the Travel Management Office will advise each agency and its employees what the mileage rate will be for the year (i.e. for the year 2005 - 40.5 cents per mile). How-ever, due to the increase in gasoline prices, effective September 14, 2005, the new mileage rate is 48.5 per mile. This means that you will be reimbursed for all miles traveled from the Board office to the desti-nation and vicinity as well as the return trip. Since you are receiving a mileage allowance, you are NOT entitled to claim any gasoline re-ceipt(s).

Meal expense reimbursement is limited to actual expenses for food, service, and gratuities, not to exceed the Authorized Daily Rates as established by the U.S. General Services Administration. The Au-thorized Daily Rate for all state em-ployees is set at $31.00 per day for the majority of travel within the state. It is even broken down further (i.e. 20%-breakfast($6.20); 20%-lunch($6.20); and 60%-dinner($18.60)), if you are to stay over night in a hotel/motel arrangement. In order to determine the appropri-ate Authorized Daily rate for your destination please visit the WV Pur-chasing Division website at www.state.wv.us/admin/purchase/travel. If you travel during the day and return to your home in the eve-ning, all travel is done during the same day, you will be permitted to claim the mileage but you are NOT permitted to claim any meal allow-ance. Receipts for meals over $25.00 are required before any re-imbursement can be considered.. All other incidental receipts are not

needed or required for reimburse-ment.

The payment for a hotel/ mo-tel room is usually taken care of by the person and the Public Service District Board will reimburse the person after the trip with the proper receipt for the charge(s). Please make every effort to be reasonable when making a reservation for a room for your trip. Just because the hotel/motel has a very high priced room doesn’t mean that you are entitled to have it. Let’s remember the condition of the finances of the utility and act prudently in this case.

All state government employ-ees are permitted to make one phone call a day to call home and check on their family. This doesn’t give you “card blanche” to call all your friends or to your business to check on everything. That should be a personal expense handled by the individual out of his or her own pocket.

If the parameter(s) are defined and set, then all those who travel for the utility will know what is permitted as an expense and what is not allowed. With that in mind, there should not be any hard feel-ings when you are denied for an expense that you thought you were entitled to receive. Remember “when in doubt, ask before you de-part” on the trip and get a clarifica-tion from the Board.

*****

Travel Expense(s) For Board Members And Employees By: James Aucremanne, Consumer Affairs Technician, PSC Water and Wastewater Division

Where Can I Get That Gizmo? - Continued from Page 3

you to order from them. First, you can set up an “open account” with them, just like your grandfather (or grandmother, if she was an opera-tor) would have done. This re-quires sending them a lot of finan-cial information, purchase order authorization information, and some sort of verification/credit his-tory data. (Unless they knew your grandmother). All of this is very cumbersome, especially if you’re in a hurry. Second, you can have them ship COD, again this requires a lot of information and requires you to have a check available when the delivery guy shows up at the plant. Not my favorite method ei-ther. Finally, and this is the method I use, you can set up an on-line account using a major credit card. In this case, you enter a little bit of essential data such as your delivery and billing addresses,

your phone number and your credit card information. Whamo! Just like magic, you get an on-line account number and can order whatever you need using the credit card for pay-ment. Of course, this requires that you have a utility-issued credit card available or, have an agreement with your boss to reimburse you for using your personal credit card. (Do you really trust your boss? Oh well, that’s a whole other issue.)

Assuming that you can order on-line (using one of the three means listed above) you should have that regulator-thingy in one or two days or, even the next day if you are in a real big hurry and don’t mind paying extra for next-day de-livery. I have found that I get stan-dard orders delivered to my home-shop (near Charleston, WV) within two days, three days tops, without paying anything extra for rush de-

livery. Often, especially from McMaster-Carr, my order shows up via standard UPS the next day. (How do they do that?)

Anyway, I hope that I have offered you an alternative for find-ing those hard-to-get “gizmos” and “thing-a-my-bobs” that you all need to keep your systems running. By the way, don’t forget to order your blue, red and yellow catalogs and take a few minutes (or hours) look-ing at the wide variety of plant items available from these large industrial supply houses. Good Luck!

***** (Mr. Fowler is a Staff Engineer in the Engineering Division of the Public Service Commission. He can be contacted by email at jfowler@psc.state.wv.us )

Page 11

ENGINEERING DIVISION Earl Melton, PE, Director 340-0392 Victoria Gibson, Secretary 340-0370 CASE CONTROL SECTION David W. Dove, PE, Chief Utilities Manager 340-0436 Audra Blackwell, Technical Analyst I 340-0448 Jefferson Brady, PE, Engineer I 340-0499 Jonathan Fowler, PE, Engineer I 340-0491 David Holley, Technical l Analyst I 340-0328 Joe Marakovits, Technical Analyst III 340-0443 John Mottesheard, Engineering Tech. 340-0466 Jim Spurlock, Technical Analyst II 340-0357 James C. Weimer, PE, Engineer I 340-0476 ASSISTANCE SECTION James Ellars, PE, Chief Utilities Manager 340-0331 Jeff Bennett, Utility Inspector II 340-0313 Ralph Clark, PE Engineer II 340-0455 Ingrid Ferrell, Technical Analyst III 340-0335 Dave Foster, Utility Inspector III 340-0398 Gary Jarrell, Technical Analyst III 340-0428 Craig Miller, Utility Inspector II 340-0353

DIVISION FAX: (304) 340-3759 ***** PSC WEB PAGE: http://www.psc.state.wv.us ***** TOLL FREE (800) 344-5113

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Edward H. Staats R. Michael Shaw

WATER & WASTEWATER DIVISION Amy L. Swann, Director 340-0481 Vickie Miller, Secretary 340-0482 Judith Thayer, Secretary 340-3749 CASE CONTROL SECTION Bill Nelson, Chief Utilities Manager 340-0445 David Acord II, Utility Analyst Supervisor 340-0475 Karen L. Buckley, Utility Analyst II 340-0470 Sean P. Ireland, Utility Analyst II 340-0772 Charles Knurek, Utility Analyst III 340-0460 Randy Lengyel, Utility Analyst III 340-0447 Pete Lopez, Utility Analyst II 340-0823 Scott McNeely, Utility Analyst II 340-0397 Nathan Nelson, Utility Analyst I 340-0488 Steve Wilson, Utility Analyst II 340-0769 ASSISTANCE SECTION Geert F. Bakker, Chief Utilities Manager 340-0467 Conrad Bramlee, Utility Analyst III 340-0471 Susan L. Brown, Utility Analyst II 340-0422 Drema Witt, Admin. Service Asst. 340-0440 INFORMAL COMPLAINTS James F. Aucremanne, Consumer Affairs Tech 340-0379