Public Water System Operation

Course List

CPE 101-Fundamentals of Comprehensive Performance Evaluations

Course Description: A Comprehensive Performance Evaluation (CPE) is an evaluation of a surface water plant to determine its performance potential and its current and historical performance. This training raises awareness and lays a foundation for understanding the importance of CPEs. This fundamentals course is the first step in building capacity and familiarizing States with the concept of a CPE, and can help States determine whether they will conduct CPEs or provide oversight to a third party that conducts them. Note that this course is not intended to train students to conduct a CPE. This basic training course addresses the following questions: What is a CPE? How does a CPE work? How do CPEs fit into the bigger picture (e.g., Area Wide Optimization Program)? Why is a CPE beneficial to the State and the water system? States deciding to conduct their own CPEs would progress to CPE 201 and CPE 301, whereas States deciding to have a third party conduct the CPEs would progress to CPE 202.

Sponsored by: Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. EPA, Washington, D.C.

Intended for: EPA Regional and State staff, technical assistance providers and consulting engineers.

Duration: Two to two and a half days. The format of CPE 101 is envisioned to include classroom training (1 to 1.5 days) with a small field component (0.5 day) to expose students to a surface water treatment plant.

For More Information, Contact: Edward Moriarty (ogwdw.mdbp@epa.gov), 202-564-3864

Comments: States deciding to conduct their own CPEs would progress to CPE 201 and CPE 301, whereas States deciding to have a third party conduct the CPEs would progress to CPE 202.

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CPE 201-Introduction to Comprehensive Performance Evaluations

Course Description: The concepts behind conducting CPEs at surface water treatment plants are introduced through a series of classroom presentations, workshops and a three-and-a-half day field exercise at a surface water treatment plant. After the course, a full CPE report is produced based on the findings of the field exercise. Trainees are guided through the process by experienced instructors. The trainees help the instructors with the investigation at the surface water plant and present some of the group’s findings to the plant staff at an exit meeting at the end of the course. The course is structured to have one day of classroom training followed by the three and a half days of field exercise.

Sponsored by: EPA Region 6, Source Water Protection Branch, Dallas, Texas.

Intended for: Field staff responsible for evaluating the operations of a surface water plant to ensure optimal operation and to maintain compliance with applicable drinking water regulations. The course is also useful to State or Regional staff who will be reviewing CPE reports as required under the Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule.

Duration: Four and a half days.

For More Information, Contact: Bill Davis (davis.williamh@epa.gov), 214-665-7536

Comments: Attendance for the classroom portion of the training is unrestricted. The field exercise will be limited to ten people. The course is offered as requested by States or Regions. While the course is free, the requesting Region or State will need to cover travel and per diem costs of two trainers.

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CPE 202-Comprehensive Performance Evaluations - Oversight and Review

Course Description: This course covers the components of a CPE in more detail, helps students establish a procedure to approve third parties, and trains students to understand what to look for in reviewing a CPE report. This course is structured to have one day of classroom training followed by two and a half day field exercise where the trainees are taken through a CPE.

Sponsored by: Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. EPA, Washington, D.C.

Intended for: State staff responsible for establishing and overseeing a third party program.

Duration: Three and a half days.

For More Information, Contact: Edward Moriarty (ogwdw.mdbp@epa.gov), 202-564-3864

Comments: Attendance for the classroom portion of the training is limited by the classroom size. The field exercise will be limited to ten people.

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CPE 301-Comprehensive Performance Evaluations (Progressive)

Course Description: As a follow-up to the Introduction to CPEs training course, up to six trainees are facilitated through two additional drinking water system CPEs. After completion of these additional CPEs, in addition to the one CPE performed in the Introduction to CPEs training, the trainee will independently be able to conduct a CPE. Each session consists of three-and-a-half days of field work at a drinking water system and one report. In these evaluations, the trainees conduct the entire exit meeting and write the reports following the evaluations. With each CPE, the trainee will progressively take on more of the responsibility of conducting the CPE. Instructors are on hand to facilitate, guide, answer questions and keep the process on track.

Sponsored by: EPA Region 6, Source Water Protection Branch, Dallas, Texas.

Intended for: The Progressive CPE Training course is designed for field staff who will be conducting Comprehensive Performance Evaluations. It is also useful to State or Regional staff who will be reviewing CPE reports as required under the Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule.

Duration: Three and a half days.

For More Information, Contact: Bill Davis (davis.williamh@epa.gov), 214-665-7536

Comments: Restricted to individuals who have taken the CPE 201 -- Introduction to Comprehensive Performance Evaluations. Attendance is limited to six to 12 people. The course is offered as requested by States or Regions. While the course is free, the requesting Region or State will need to cover travel and per diem costs of three trainers.

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Developing Technical Capacity

Course Description: This course provides tools to solve technical capacity issues for water systems; reviews the importance of source water and infrastructure adequacy to technical capacity; and describes the benefits of assessing and maintaining water system technical capacity.

Sponsored by: Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. EPA, Washington, D.C.

Intended for: State, Tribal and EPA Regional staff who are implementing or overseeing capacity development programs.

Duration: One day.

For More Information, Contact: Jenny Bielanski (bielanski.jenny@epa.gov), 202-564-3836

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Developing Water System Financial Capacity

Course Description: This course describes the role of finances in water system capacity development; reviews the basic elements of water system technical, managerial, and financial capacity; highlights the importance of rate revenues in building the capacity of water systems; and provides methods for assessing the financial capacity of water systems. This course is also offered as a Web conference.

Sponsored by: Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. EPA, Washington, D.C.

Intended for: State, Tribal and EPA Regional staff, technical assistance providers and water system personnel who are implementing or overseeing capacity development programs.

Duration: One day or 3 hours

For More Information, Contact: Jenny Bielanski (bielanski.jenny@epa.gov), 202-564-3836

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Developing Water System Financial Capacity: Ratemaking and Affordability

Course Description: This course focuses on ratemaking issues related to capacity development. It addresses the role of rates; the ratemaking process; types of rate structures; and rates and affordability.

Sponsored by: Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. EPA, Washington, D.C.

Intended for: State, Tribal and EPA Regional staff who are implementing or overseeing capacity development programs.

Duration: One day.

For More Information, Contact: Jenny Bielanski (bielanski.jenny@epa.gov), 202-564-3836

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Developing Water System Managerial Capacity

Course Description: This module examines issues related to the management structure of a water system. This course covers ownership accountability, staffing and organization, and effective linkages to customers and regulatory agencies. This course is also offered as a Web conference.

Sponsored by: Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. EPA, Washington, D.C.

Intended for: State, Tribal and EPA Regional staff who are implementing or overseeing capacity development programs.

Duration: One day or 3 hours

For More Information, Contact: Jenny Bielanski or Jamie Bourne (bielanski.jenny@epa.gov), 202-564-3836 or 617-918-1610

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Drinking Water Treatment Troubleshooting

Course Description: EPA Region 4 has regularly conducted the Drinking Water System Treatment Workshop since 1995. The Workshop is designed to build experience, and to enhance investigative and problem solving skills. This program is centered around the hands-on drinking water regulator who is called on to assist and help resolve drinking water problems for public water systems. The Workshop has been tailored to build these skills based on specific requests from States to provide training that will allow in-depth professional development in the area of drinking water treatment troubleshooting and plant optimization. The Workshop is conducted by a mix of regulatory and operations experts.

Sponsored by: U.S. EPA Region 4

Intended for: State drinking water program representatives who regulate drinking water facilities and EPA Regional personnel who oversee State drinking water programs.

Duration: Four and one-half days.

For More Information, Contact: David Parker (parker.david@epa.gov), 404-562-9460

Comments: EPA Region 4 is willing to travel to other EPA Regions or States in order to conduct this course.

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Introduction to Capacity Development/Technical Capacity

Course Description: This course reviews the basic elements of water system technical, managerial, and financial capacity and provides methods for assessing the technical capacity of water systems.

Sponsored by: Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. EPA, Washington, D.C.

Intended for: State, Tribal and EPA Regional staff who are implementing or overseeing capacity development programs.

Duration: One day or 3 hours

For More Information, Contact: Jenny Bielanski or Jamie Bourne (bielanski.jenny@epa.gov), 202-564-3836 or 617-918-1610

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Strategic SDWA Planning for Small Systems

Course Description: This course offers approaches designed to assist small systems in understanding the full range of challenges and opportunities they face in the very near future. Acknowledging the increasing regulatory burden to be faced by small systems, the workshops will cover issues such as source water supply and protection; existing infrastructure repair and replacement; system organizational structures; new regulations; technologies for compliance; and financial issues. Specific tools and techniques to assist systems in identifying and prioritizing strategic issues and identifying optimum solutions are also presented.

Sponsored by: Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. EPA, Washington, D.C.

Intended for: System managers and decision makers; consulting engineers; technical assistance providers; State drinking water agency personnel; public utility commission staff; State utility consumer advocate staff; State and Federal financial assistance providers; and contract service providers.

Duration: One day.

For More Information, Contact: Jenny Bielanski (bielanski.jenny@epa.gov), 202-564-3836

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Water System Capital Facilities Financing

Course Description: The Environmental Finance Center at Boise State University has developed a proprietary software tool, CapFinance, to help water systems analyze funding options for renewal and replacement of assets. The output from this easy-to-use, icon-driven software program can be integrated into financial planning and rate-setting as the water supply system strives to meet customer demands, maintain quality of service, maintain compliance with SDWA, and secure the financial resources necessary to fund these efforts. Boise State University has a one-day workshop to introduce water system staff to CapFinance.

Sponsored by: Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. EPA, Washington, D.C., and the Environmental Finance Center at Boise State University

Intended for: System managers and decision makers; technical assistance providers; State drinking water agency personnel; public utility commission staff; State utility consumer advocate staff; State and Federal financial assistance providers; and contract service providers.

Duration: One day.

For More Information, Contact: Jamie Bourne (bourne.james@epa.gov), 617-918-1610

Comments: For more information you can also visit the Boise State University Environmental Finance Center Web site at http://sspa.boisestate.edu/efc/services.htm.

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