New Classes!
Industrial User Surveys
Wednesday, September 10 – Waterbury
4 TCH (Wastewater)
Instructors from Hoyle, Tanner & Associates will describe how a municipal wastewater system can survey its industrial users to get information about their discharges. Learn how to create a survey, get useful responses, review results, and make changes that may help to minimize the likelihood of upsets to the wastewater treatment process.
This class is being provided free of charge by the City of Barre as part of the settlement of an enforcement action with the Agency of Natural Resources.
De-escalating High Intensity Situations
Tuesday, September 23 – Essex
3 TCH (Water & Wastewater)
Water and wastewater workers may encounter tense and potentially volatile situations while working along roads or on private property. In this class, participants will learn verbal de-escalation techniques to prevent violence. Topics include identifying behavioral signs to identify risk, skills and techniques that can help to de-escalate high intensity situations, staff communication and documentation, and the role of respect as a protective factor.
Easy Actions to Improve Your System’s Security
#3: Create a Visitor Log
This summer, we’re featuring easy actions you can take in just a few minutes to improve your system’s security.
If your facility doesn’t already do this, start requiring all visitors (vendors, contractors, members of the public, etc.) to sign in when they arrive. Record their name, company, contact information, the date and purpose of their visit, and a photocopy or scan of their driver’s license or other ID.
This way, if you ever experience a security issue, you’ll have a record of everyone who has been to your facility and may have had the opportunity to observe security vulnerabilities.
Comment on Water Supply Rule Changes
The Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection Division (DWGPD) has proposed changes to the Water Supply Rule and the public comment period is currently open.
The major change is including the text about PFAS standards from the Code of Federal Regulations rather than references to CFR citations, but does not alter Vermont’s approach to PFAS. This is because of “unprecedented uncertainty created by the federal administration’s recent announcements forecasting changes in its approach to addressing PFAS,” according to DWGPD.
There are also changes to the timeline of sampling and compliance, design specifications for granular activated carbon (GAC) and anion exchange resin (AIX) treatment, plus other minor changes not related to PFAS.
View the annotated version or clean version of the draft rule (PFAS standards start on page 44).
Send comments to ben.montross@vermont.gov by Friday, August 22.