HO 2
Online Training
Program
10 SOURCE summer 2013
Three Safe Drinking Water Actrelated
issues may reach a climax
this quarter. AB 145, which would
transfer the State’s Safe Drinking Water
Program (ODW) from the Department of
Public Health (CDPH) to the State Water
Resources Control Board continues to move
forward. CDPH plans to issue its new Cr-6
regulation on July 1, 2013, and the California
Department of Conservation Division of
Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources has
requested comments on its discussion draft
regulations on hydraulic fracturing.
AB 145
Recent (as of 1 May) efforts by the Section
and the Association of California Water
Agencies (ACWA) staff to improve the proposed
AB 145 have included CA-NV Chair
Jacques DeBra’s testimony on April 30, 2012
before the Assembly Environmental Safety
and Toxic Materials Committee. DeBra
advocated revising AB 145 so that it would
improve disbursement of Drinking Water
State Revolving Fund (SRF) without moving
the Drinking Water Program from CDPH to
the State Water Resources Control Board.
Apparently the majority of the committee
members were not convinced by Jacques’
testimony—or by others who echoed the
refrain not to “Throw the baby out with the
bath water.” Based on this hearing, AB 145
will continue to move forward as proposed,
unless something changes the minds of a
majority of senators or assemblypersons.
Water suppliers who believe that moving
the Drinking Water Program from CDPH
to the Board would not be prudent should
contact their elected representatives and
share their perspective before this legislation
is enacted. (Editor’s Note: Chair DeBra’s
report on the AB 145 hearing can be found in
this issue under Heads Up.)
One of the underlying issues that led to AB
145 is inadequate resources in disadvantaged
communities. Section leadership is
exploring strategies to provide support to
these communities. One suggestion would
be using the expertise of retired CA-NV
members, students or other volunteers to
help address these community water systems’
needs. So far the Section hasn’t taken
any formal action on this, and if you’re
interested in exploring the idea, you might
want to let the office know.
California Cr-6 Regulation
The CDPH is scheduled to issue its Cr-6
regulation about the time this issue of
Source arrives in your mailbox. This longanticipated
California-specific regulation
will be the subject of a one-day technical
program during the 2013 Fall Conference
in Sacramento (a very relevant location!).
Invited presenters will provide information
on the new regulation and its likely impacts
on water suppliers including cost of compliance,
as well as experience dealing with
public perspective and reaction to treating
water supplies containing Cr-6.
Hydraulic Fracturing Discussion
Draft Regulation
Section leadership in collaboration with
the ACWA staff is also hard at work on
hydrofracking issues. On behalf of the
Section, Executive Director Tim Worley
co-signed a letter that was sent to the Division
of Oil, Gas and Thermal Resources
(DOGGR) in late April. The letter, which
was originally drafted by Christopher
Gabelich from the Metropolitan Water
District and co-signed by Danielle Blacet
of ACWA, conveys both organizations’
concern regarding the need to: 1) protect
groundwater supplies and 2) notify the
public about the type and amount of
chemicals used for hydrofracking, as
well as when and where hydrofracking is
conducted in a local area. Anyone interested
in current information on this issue
should read the University of California,
Berkeley’s report, Regulation of Hydraulic
Fracturing in California: A Wastewater and
Water Quality Perspective. S
Craig Thompson, P.E., BCEE,
is AWWA CA-NV Section
SDWA Committee Chair. He is
a 26-year veteran of Kennedy/
Jenks Consultants in the San
Francisco office, where he is a
Principal Engineer specializing in water
quality issues, water treatment plant design
and operational support.
drips & droplets
Announcing Our
Newest Offering:
Water Service
Connections
From tapping the main,
through curb stops and
meters, this course
describes the how’s
and why’s of service
installations indoors,
outdoors, and all types
of climates.
Want to know more?
For more information, visit
the online training webpage
at www.ca-nv-awwa.org,
or contact Tyler Johnson
at 909-291-2112.
/www.ca-nv-awwa.org
