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CA-NV AWWA Opens Long-Awaited
Northern California Training Facility
An entourage of CA-NV officers and
trainers met on October 17, 2012 to
explore the design possibilities for
a permanent training facility in northern
California. Randy Valenzano, one of the
many backflow training instructors within
the Section, discovered a vacant delicatessen
in an industrial park that would be ideal
for a new backflow training facility. After
a complete makeover, this 2,800-squarefoot
facility will serve as both a backflow
training center and a “leader-led” teaching
classroom, complete with Internet access
and audiovisual capabilities.
The training center is located at 3920 West
Capitol Avenue, which has easy access from
Interstate 80 as you enter West Sacramento
from east or west. The facility has ample
parking behind the building or on the
street. The layout will include a reception
area, training classroom that will seat 40,
backflow laboratory, Section satellite office,
men and women’s restrooms and an outside
courtyard. With two walls constructed
almost completely of windows, the facility
will be inviting to students, while the backflow
lab is in its separate training area.
As of April 1, the contractor began demolishing
the existing deli counter and suspended
ceiling, adding a new ceiling and
8 SOURCE summer 2013
walls and installing drains in the concrete
slab in anticipation of the aggressive
northern California training schedule
planned for this summer. Construction was
completed and AWWA occupancy granted
on May 28. Randy Valenzano will serve as
the primary backflow trainer at the facility,
with guest appearances by Glenn Reynolds,
myself and other instructors from the Water
College. The built-in office for staff, instructors
and exam proctors will provide an ideal
space for storing records, transacting registration
at the computer workstation and a
satellite office for members of the Section
management staff when they’re in northern
California. The classroom will have a ceilingmounted
LCD projector for video projection,
high-quality folding tables and chairs to
allow various classroom teaching configurations
and a large white board on the back
wall. The state-of-the-art backflow lab will
feature epoxy-coated concrete floors, backflow
test racks, water, power and drainage,
all designed by a backflow specialist.
Classes scheduled for this year include
T1-T2 Math Review, T3-T4 Math Review
and Backflow Tester. The classroom will
be ideal for multi-week training courses
such as Introduction to Water Distribution
Systems and Water Treatment Systems.
Northern California utilities can schedule
their operators to attend these IACET
(Int’l Assn. for Continuing Education and
Training) courses in order to meet the educational
requirement for certification.
The Section is planning an Opening Day
event. Date and time will be posted on
our website. S
Scott Rovanpera is CA-NV
AWWA Education Director
and Water Treatment Plant
Superintendent for the City of
Benicia, CA.
By Scott Rovanpera
CA-NV AWWA Chair Jacques DeBra and
other Section members inspect the former deli
that has been refurbished as the northern
California training facility.
2013 Water Education Seminar at Two Locations
The one-day seminar will take place on the following dates: In Northern California on Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at Cal State University
East Bay, Oakland Center, Oakland and Southern California, Wednesday August 14, 2013 at Santiago Canyon College in Orange.
Topics will include Water Distribution, Water Resources, Water Quality, Water Treatment, Business Administration and Safety.
Registration is $110 for Section members, $125 for non-members before July 15. After July 15, $125 for members and $140 for
non-members. Register six individuals and get the seventh person free. See the CA-NV AWWA website, www.ca-nv-awwa.org, click
on Events or contact Amando Apodaca at aapodaca@ca-nv-awwa.org.
Don’t miss this once-a-year event!
/www.ca-nv-awwa.org
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