ConnectionThe Wyoming

Winter 2019

Miles Edwards – A Special Soul

A Simple Thank You

Duplicity

Winter 2019 – Issue 112

The Wyoming Connection is the official publication of The Wyoming Association of Rural Water Systems. It is

published quarterly for distribution to member systems, water and wastewater Operations Specialists, water

related agencies and companies, legislators and government officials.

Graphic Design/Layout – Donna Uribe, WARWS

Articles, letters, and photos are welcome. Submit to:

Wyoming Association of Rural Water Systems, PO Box 1750, Glenrock WY 82637 “An equal opportunity provider”

(307) 436-8636 TDD 1-800-877-9965 e-mail: warws@warws.comsWeb Site: http://www.

warws.com

Cover Photo – On this morning in the Lamar Valley area of Yellowstone National Park, the temperature had dropped to 24 degrees below zero. This extreme cold is what results in the heavy frost on the bison, some from it’s own breath. It was exactly what I had hoped for all week, but did not experience until my last morning there. I photographed it with an 800mm super telephoto lens in order to maintain the required distance from wildlife in the park. Prints are available of this and other wildlife and landscape images from my website. Joseph C Filer www.josephfiler.com

Contents and FeaturesMiles Edwards – A Special Soul, Dan Coughlin .....................................................42018 is Over, Bring on 2019!!, Mark Pepper ..........................................................6 A Simple Thank You, Ross Jorgensen ...................................................................7Duplicity, Dan Chamberlain ....................................................................................8The Past, Joe Dankelman ....................................................................................10Our Associate Members .......................................................................................11Take a Stroll With Me, Kathy Weinsaft .................................................................12WYOWARN ..........................................................................................................13System Efficiency, Michelle Christopher ...............................................................14Spring Training Conference 2019 .........................................................................16Booth Registration Form.......................................................................................17Conference Registration Form .............................................................................18Preliminary Treatment Part 1, Mark Court ............................................................19Cold Weather Bugs? Rick Allen ............................................................................21Our Western Heritage – Boom, Bust, and Rebirth, Kathy Weinsaft .....................22Operator’s Corner, Mark Court and Michelle Christopher ....................................23Success in Pinedale, Carl Brown .........................................................................24Scrawny Girl’s Cheesecake, Michelle Christopher ...............................................26Your Tank in the Winter, Erin Schmitt ...................................................................28

Stories Along the Trails – Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, Mark Court.....................30

The AssociationWyoming Association of Rural Water Systems is a non-profit association that provides on-site, one-on-one technical assistance and training to small municipalities under 10,000 population and all water and wastewater systems throughout the state. Equal Opportunity Provider.

WARWS Staff Office:

Mark Pepper, Executive Director(307) 259-6903 markp@warws.com

Jane Jeffs, Office Managerjanejeffs@warws.com

Donna Uribe, Administrative Coordinator(307) 258-3414 warws@warws.com

Field:

Ross Jorgensen, USDA Registered Circuit Rider, UMC UFC(307) 251-2803 rossj@warws.com

Michelle Christopher, Circuit Rider UFC(307) 259-8239 mchristopher@warws.com

Kathy Weinsaft, USEPA Training Specialist, UMC

(307) 262-3943 kweinsaft@warws.com

Mark Court, USDA Registered Wastewater Specialist, UMC(307) 262-3974 mcourt@warws.com

Dan Chamberlain, State Small Systems Circuit Rider, UMC (307) 248-8021 dchamberlain@warws.com

Joe Dankelman, USDA Source Water Specialist(307) 439-9065 joed@warws.com

UMC - Utility Management CertificationUFC - Utility Finance Certification

WARWS’ Mission:To provide the assistance necessary to meet the needs of ourmembership and to ensure the protection of Wyoming’s water

~ our most precious resource.

WARWS Board of DirectorsPresident

Erin Martin, Shoshone Utility Organization(307) 330-6144 emartin@easternshoshone.org

Vice PresidentChuck McVey, Town of Saratoga

(307) 329-5807 cmcvey_7@yahoo.com

Secretary/TreasurerRon Overson, Grand Targhee Resort

(208) 705-7899 roverson@grandtarghee.com

National Director Earl McKinney, Rural West, LLC

(307) 250-2742 ruralwestwyo@gmail.com

DirectorDan Coughlin, Sheridan Area Water Supply

(307) 674-2920 dcoughlin@sheridancounty.com

I first met Miles when he dropped in to visit a mutual friend. At the time, Miles was the owner and proprietor of the “Wyoming Coffee Company”, which was a very successful coffee house, lunch, soup and sandwich, evening cultural event place in Casper in the 1970’s “boom”. It was the place to be in those days for just about any one in Casper. One-of-a-kind atmosphere, cuisine, music, art, etc. Customers lined up for lunch, and Miles personally seated them. He took each by the hand and set them with a friend or perfect stranger, didn’t matter. Lots of people got to know each other at the WCC. But, as with a lot of Wyoming’s small businesses, the “bust” brought an end to this part of his life.

Miles worked with me for a year or so at the Brooks Water and Sewer District, in what is now part of the Town of Mills. He got to understand the “water and sewer business” first hand, doing whatever and wherever the operators needed him. That was where he became sensitive to the issues surrounding water pollution, supply, treatment, and delivery to customers.

Following his time at BWSD, Miles found a lady, Karla, to marry and moved to Ithaca, New York, where he worked in public social services, adopted one son and fathered another.

I ran into Miles again in the 1990’s when he was in Casper

Miles Edwards – A special soul

to see his sister, who was dying. We just happened to run into each other. His hair had turned to white, but he looked the same in all respects.

A few years later, Miles, Karla and Gregg moved back to Casper and we took up where we had left off. He tried to start up another restaurant, but the market was not right. With his MBA in hand, he began teaching at Casper College.

Somewhere in that time, he and Karla stumbled upon a rich source of Jasper and Opal and filed a claim. He and Karla worked that claim frequently in the years since. They spent many hours “at the site”, exploring, prying up, sliding, rolling, and dragging the pretty Jasper/Opal rocks which ranged in size from sand to boulders. They acquired used rock cutting and tumbling equipment, but time ran out for them to make that part of their dream together come true. Miles and Karla are “journey” people. It’s the getting there that was important.

In March of 2010, I took the job with the Sheridan Area Water Supply Joint Powers Board and Miles stepped into the vacant position at WARWS. He loved it from the first moment. You whom he helped with Source Water Protection Plans and other things have your own stories and experiences with Miles. But from my point of view, he and WARWS were served very well by his time. He truly was passionate about WATER in all of its physical, political and cultural aspects.

While, I knew about Miles health problems over the years, he only let me see the “tip of the iceberg”. About two weeks before he died, when I visited him at his home, we went out on the back porch under the shade of the apple tree, as was our custom. There he told me that the battle he had waged against cancer was lost, and that his “project was over”. He said he was okay with it, and his family was working through tying things up. He seemed more at peace than I had ever seen him. I think he was. We said goodbye.

But who was Miles Edwards? I guess I knew him as well as anyone, other than his family. To me, he was a genie in a bottle with a leaky cork. Just when things seemed to be quiet, he would pop out with some idea, project, mission or other, and off he would go. Then back in the bottle again for a short respite. Once Miles sank his teeth into whatever he was passionate about, no force on earth would deter his energy toward that goal. Well, there was one – money. You all know that one. But he “pushed the envelope” farther than most of us have the guts to do.

Miles truly cared about people, our country, and the world. He did not just “show up”, he “dug in” to impact the problems he saw and where he thought he could make a difference. He talked about his acquaintance with you

whose programs he worked on with respect, admiration, and affection. I think he made friends with many of you.

I have lost one of the dearest friends of my life. He died peacefully with his family. He did not want a formal service or memorial. But I think he would like it if you toasted his memory in your own way. I will miss Miles. He is a special soul.

Dan CoughlinProject ManagerSheridan Area Water Supply Joint Powers Board

2018 is Over, Bring on 2019!!2018 was a very successful year for Wyoming Rural Water, and also a very difficult year. We said goodbye to a long-time employee, welcomed a new employee, and saw Congress acknowledge the great work that all operators do!

Miles Edwards, our Source Water Protection Planning Specialist since 2009, fought a good battle with cancer, but passed over to a better place in late October. I will miss being able to discuss politics with him and dispelling a few myths that he had heard on some TV channels. I am sure he is looking down upon us and wondering which of his favorite bed ‘n breakfasts or country restaurant would receive the next AO from EPA. He was always disheartened to find out the best place for fried chicken or a great omelet was maybe not the best choice due to various violations! Getting them back in compliance was always a relief to him to be able to add them back to his travel routes.

Please welcome Joe Dankelman to our team. Joe joins us from Big Piney and holds 4 licenses, 1 waste water; 2 waste water; 2 water and 2 distribution. Joe is filling the Source Water Protection Planning program vacancy at present, but we may have more shuffling to do in the new year so his talents will be utilized in many areas.

Congress passed the America’s Water Infrastructure Act championed by Senator Barrasso by an overwhelming bipartisan vote in both houses. In fact, in the Senate, it passed with a vote of 99-1. The act will provide funds for many projects that affect Wyoming and will be extremely helpful with water storage, irrigation, as well as addressing aging infrastructure. Wyoming Rural Water and National Rural Water contributed many comments, suggested revisions, deletions and additions to this legislation, and in the end, we are pretty pleased with the outcome, and that Congress overwhelmingly acknowledged the work of “dedicated water professionals in every community” in operating aging systems, while making sure the water delivered was safe, reliable, and affordable. Thank you Senator Barrasso!!

The new year will usher in a new state administration. Governor elect Gordon has been a very good friend to Rural Water in his time as State Treasurer, so I don’t see any reason why that will not continue with him as Governor. Former State Senator Curt Meier should continue the great work that Mark Gordon accomplished in the Treasurer’s Office, and along with new State Auditor, Kristi Racines, and continuing

Secretary of State, Ed Buchanan, the state should be in a good position to withstand the volatility of the next few years.

We expect to be able to offer a variety of new classes starting in the new year to keep everyone current and moving forward. Cyber Security assessments and techniques/policies to implement cyber activity protection strategies will be a focus, as will the continued focus on rules and new technology, treatment changes etc…. If you have an idea for a class or subject you would like us to present, feel free to email me, Kathy, or let one of the field staff know during one of their visits.

As I write this, the Farm Bill is headed to the President’s desk for signature. I and all of Rural Water are appreciative of the work Congress has done on this reauthorization bill. All Rural Water priorities were included in the reauthorization that drives these priorities for the next 5 years.

I also want to say Thank You to all of our members. It is gratifying to have your trust that we will meet your training needs, as well as provide quality, onsite technical assistance enabling you to provide safe, reliable drinking water to your customers! Mr. P.

The objective is to fill in the empty squares so each row, each column, and each 3x3 block contains the numbers 1-9 with no repeats.

WARWSDOKU

The objective is to fill in the empty squares so each row, each column, and each 3x3 block contains the numbers 1-9 with no repeats.

WARWSDOKU5 1 9 7

6 2 1

4 1 6

1 9 7

7 9 8

5 9 4

9 1 4

7 4 5

3 4 6 8

A Simple Thank YouThis past year has been like other years with its ups and downs, but different. Maybe it’s because I’m another year older. Aches and pains have slowed me down, a little more tired at the end of the day, and the thought of another white knuckle winter driving season has made it seem there was more downs than ups. And, of course, there is always the battle of dealing with those that have very little to no common sense when it comes to operating a water system.

Then, add to this the loss of Water and Wastewater Specialists across the state that I’ve had the great privilege to get to know and could call friends, with the latest being another co-worker, Miles Edwards, our Source Water Specialist in October. Rest in peace, my friends.

Not too long ago I was asking myself, why do I continue and not just retire early, or even semi-retirement, and how escape from what I perceive as pressure would give me the rest I think I need, when all the sudden my cell phone “beeps” at me that I have a text message. This message was a very short “46/50. THANK YOU”. At first I was “what the, who the” and let it go as a wrong number. As my thoughts were sinking back into that cesspool of self-pity, it all the sudden hit me what the message was all about, so I quickly had to reply to the message with “Never a doubt in my mind.” Let me explain.

The day before receiving this short text I spent about three hours on-site with a very anxious individual that was going to test for his first Water Operation Certification, an ABC Well license, the next day, so we were going over some last minute one-on-one training. When I looked at the date and time this message was sent I realized that the operator, who by the way had to travel 125 miles to the testing center, had to have just completed the ABC test. I’m pretty sure this operator was still in the parking lot of the testing center when the message was sent.

You see, that very short text reminded me, in a big way, of why I continue to do what I do after all these years, and I believe it’s the same with most other Circuit Riders across the United States.

Some might say that the timing of this message was a coincidence, but I don’t believe it for a second. The perfect

timing of our Creator always amazes me how he can, and will use such a small note, a simple “Thank You”, to turn my outlook completely around in an instant.

Over the years, I have done dozens of these one-on-one pre-test trainings, and at every one of them the operators were/are stressing over the math, mainly the volume of a cylinder and chemical dosage. I’ve listened to many trainers say “don’t sweat the math because there are only about 8 to 10 questions with math”. Well, I disagree with that statement. For one thing, being comfortable with using the calculations for the math they might see on the test lifts their confidence. But more important to me is that these well system operators know how to properly calculate the amount of chemicals, like chlorine, phosphates, and in some places, fluoride, so as not to harm the public.

I would rather have an operator be able to properly calculate chemical dosage than be able to remember the year the Safe Drinking Water Act was enacted, or what all the different acronyms mean! For goodness sakes, in today’s world of instant information, you can google that stuff on your cell phone in 10 seconds. Remember, most all rural water and wastewater operators spend most of their time during the day working on things other than water and wastewater!

OK, it’s time to get back on track, but then again, seeing that we are on the subject of Operator Certification testing, I need to talk to those that are water/wastewater system managers, clerks, board/council members about a training tool that way too many are not taking advantage of. When I was a Public Works Director, one part of my job was to see that new hires receive the proper training so they cannot only operate our water & wastewater system, but to be able to pass the Operator Certification exam.

The best tool for me managing my budget and preparing the new hire was to have them test after about 4 to 6 months after being hired. I would do this BEFORE spending lots of money on sending them to all the different classes. What this does for both me and the perspective operator is it told us the areas where the new hire was strong, and more important, where he/she was weak.

Now, I knew what classes to look for to give us both the biggest bang for our few dollars we had, and it shows the new hire the areas they need to concentrate on in their studies. A $100.00 test is cheap training.

I bring this up because so many systems will only pay for one test, and the perspective operator is on the hook for any additional testing. Whenever I get the opportunity to visit with a dicesion-maker, I go over this and recommend that a water system be willing to pay for the 1st test to see what experience and knowledge the new hire has as a training guide and pay for the successful test. I’m telling you, this works!

OK, back on track this time for sure. As I stated earlier, I have done dozens of one-on-one pre-test trainings over the years, on-site at the water system, and try to schedule with the system to do this as close to the testing date as possible. Sometimes these “sit-downs” are only a couple of hours long, and others go until I see the “glaze-in-the-eyes” that tell me this person is in information overload and they are not quite ready to test.

I started doing this with those very small systems with limited resources, and because I teach classes of 20 to 40 people at our conference, and looking out over the class I can see the ones I’ve lost because I have a limited amount of time to get information out.

So, in closing, to all those Operations Specialists I’ve received a text or phone call from after you had passed your exam, it is I that needs to say THANK YOU for brightening up my day by letting me know how your exam experience went. - Ross

DuplicityI suppose we’re all loaded with it. Some, very obviously, lean against it. Some embrace it as a method of gaining position. Some become so stuck in it that they lose sight of the objective. We’re all prone to it as we navigate in complicated relationships, expectations, and decisions. I’ve observed for many years: Thank God for rationalization; for without it, we’d all be insane.

I’ve found, over the years, that it is far easier to make specious arguments or cover intentions with a smile than it is to be forthright and deal to others from the “top of the deck”. Forthright people make easy targets as they are predictable. Predictable is vulnerable. But truth is a pesky thing. It tends to hang around and persistently speak to anyone who cares. I believe anyone who believes that truth is revered has precious little experience in telling it. History is littered with the bones of people who spoke truth that indicted the beliefs or actions of others. Unfortunately, for many, belief does not equal truth.

Enter science. Facts and math never lie. Some facts tend to go the way of Continental Drift and what a doctor friend pointed out as the egg’s journey from being a reasonable dietary staple, to “liquid death”, and back again. You find your personal favorite. People finding themselves stuck in the trap of duplicity are generally not malicious. Duplicitousness tends to be the norm from which honest people struggle for extrication.

Over a year ago, I saw a parked vehicle at a gas station that had two bumper stickers that caught my eye. On the driver’s side the sticker read, “Resist”. On the passenger side the sticker read, “Coexist”.

As I walked by, that nagging voice in my head said, “You’re looking at something that is too blatant to ignore.” As I mused at what I was looking at, I first hoped that the conundrum was the product of a husband/wife team and not a single individual. Then I hoped that there was not a marriage living out in real time the dichotomy expressed by the bumper stickers.

I then whipsawed back to hoping it was not a single individual who, by then, I assumed was clinically schizophrenic. I wondered about waiting to see who got into the car, but

then thought it may present more questions than answers. At last, I settled on it being a simple metaphor for the human experience. As I tell our kids, “Balance is fiction, but the struggle for it is what your life is made of.”

My time at Wyoming Rural Water is coming to a close. Mark Pepper took a leap of faith and hired me nine years ago for the final eight months of a program year. I have since worked in two other programs, the last as Wyoming Small Systems Circuit Rider for over seven years. All he asked was that I not talk politics along the way. I’ve tried to do that, but at times with limited success. It’s my duplicitous nature. I once heard Alan Simpson say, “If you don’t like politics, try living somewhere that doesn’t have any.” I concur.

I cannot better summarize these past nine years than to say that it has been a love affair with Wyoming: early morning sunrises on Togwotee; sunsets in Newcastle; brilliant moon-lit nights on the Bighorns and Green River Basin; white-knuckled dark drives through Shirley Basin and Elk Mountain in winter conditions; spectacular springs on the greening Red Desert; and on and on. Nearly 300,000 miles and thousands of meetings with water operators, business owners, agency representatives, regulators, mayors, staff, etc. have been the crown jewel of my experience.

When I have felt unsure of being able to reach a destination because of weather, or have sent our children out on treacherous winter roads or in questionable cars to go to school, I have always known that if there were trouble, I knew someone that I could call. Often, people have offered me a place to stay in such times. But the real jewel was in knowing that anyone would have willingly responded. If anyone doubts the goodness of people, they should work as a Circuit Rider in Wyoming.

Let me express two thoughts at this intersection of my life –Thank you for accepting me in all of my failings. I have worked hard to bring value to the people who pay the bills. It

is easy to love those whom you serve. I have always worked to represent all that is fair and right, as I was able to see it.The second is sort of a corollary to the first – I’m sorry for not being more diplomatic, at times, in my press toward things for which I feel passionately. I hate injustice, even though I know that I’m not the final arbiter. I suppose this blanket apology is directed mostly toward regulators. I don’t envy your position, but I do respect your burden and knowledge. It has never been personal—even in my greatest frustrations. I realize that I see a few systems and their problems at a time, while you have to deal with nearly 1,000. I tip my hat to you and thank you for looking out for the safety of Wyoming’s citizens.

Thank you for welcoming me into your offices, both in person and by phone, and allowing me to attend the Governor’s Task Force meetings on small systems. Thank you for deferring as often as you did to move the ball forward for system owners.And so you can see my duplicity in sharp focus: wanting to be grateful and caring while seeking forgiveness and healing when I was less than charitable.

I could have never imagined that I would have this experience in the last working decade of my life. But if someone had sat me down and described the pathway of my 43 working years, I would have never believed it—any of it.

God speed to all of you! My hope is that Wyoming, being one small town with very long streets, allows me to see many of you along the trail. Always, Dan

The PastThe Love Canal environmental disaster marked what would be the start of the EPA’s Superfund program. As a direct regulatory response to this disaster, as well as to other hazardous waste sites across the country, Congress enacted the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) on December 11, 1980. This law, known as Superfund, gave the EPA a mechanism to ensure that those parties responsible for environmental damage pay for the cleanup, and, if there is no viable responsible party, to use public funds to address those sites which pose the most serious environmental threats to residential communities.

This example shows just how important protecting our Source Water can be. In the case of the “Love Canal”, the contamination started when the Hooker Chemical Company started using this partially constructed canal as a chemical dump site, with government sanctions included. The dumping of these chemicals started in 1942, and continued until 1953. In that time frame, approximately 21,800 tons of toxic waste were deposited in the 16-acre ticking time bomb.

Other entities involved in the dumping were The City of Niagara and the United States Army. The Army may possibly have used this dump site for disposing parts of the Manhattan Project, and other chemical warfare material. To make matters worse, the Hooker Chemical Company capped the site off with clay and sold the land to the Niagara Falls School Board for one dollar in 1953. In a laughable attempt to absolve the company of any future liability, they included a seventeen-page warning in the property deed.

From the late 1950’s through the 1970’s, local residents repeatedly complained of odors and substances surfacing near or in their yards and on the school playground. The city, responding to these complaints, visited the area and covered the “substances” with dirt or clay. In 1976, David Pollak and David Russell from the Niagara Falls Gazette started testing water from several test sump pumps around the area, and the rest is history, so to speak.

In hindsight, building a school on top of a toxic dump site was a really bad idea. The snow melt from an unusually harsh winter in 1977 seeped into the buried 16-acre canal and forced chemical waste into groundwater and to the surface, into yards and basements. Children playing in the park returned home

with chemical burns. There were oozing barrels reported to be seen surfacing from the ground. At this point, covering this disaster with clay was over, or was it?

By 1978, Love Canal had become a national media event with articles referring to the neighborhood as “a public health time bomb”, and “one of the most appalling environmental tragedies in American history”. President Carter declared a federal emergency in 1978 and 1980, which led to the evacuation of some 900 families and the bulldozing of an elementary school and two streets built on the canal and the start of figuring just what to do with the 21,800 tons of World War II-era chemical byproducts it holds.

Fast forward to the present:

In the Love Canal “Containment Area”, 40 acres of well-manicured grassland now hides approximately 20,000 tons of some of the deadliest toxins ever created by the chemical industry: dioxin, lindane, benzene hexachloride, chlorobenzene and dozens more compounds. To this day, 5 million gallons of leachate a year drips into the drainage trench around the waste pit, which is tracked by 150 monitoring wells. The Leachate is then pumped to an onsite treatment facility. This site uses several series of filtration, including activated charcoal, in the treatment process. Then the treated water is pumped into the local sewer system.

The cleanup at Love Canal has centered on containing the waste under a “Thick Clay” cap, and high-density polyethylene liner surrounding it, that includes a drainage system. So much for throwing some dirt on the problem. To be fair, I just do not see anyone wanting this mess to deal with. This area is now deemed safe again, and has since been resettled as “Black Creek Village.” As of March 18, 2004, the EPA has taken this site off the Super fund list since it has been deemed safe. There will be ongoing debate on both sides as to what “Deemed Safe” means, but that story is for another time. As for myself, I will not be relocating anywhere near that Town.

Some good things did come out of this disaster. The first being the 1980 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act—better known as Superfunds. These help fund clean-up projects across America. Two Clean-up projects are right here in Wyoming. One in Cheyenne at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base, the other at Mystery Bridge RD/US Highway 20 in Evansville. However; maybe the best thing is an enhanced public awareness to protect our most valuable resource “Water”.

Ref :h t tps : / / cumul i s .epa .gov/supercpad/S i teProf i les / index .cfm?fuseaction=second.Stayup&id=0201290#Stayuphttps://www.bu.edu/lovecanal/canal/https://www.emagazine.com/epa-declares-love-canal-clean-removes-site-from-superfund-list/

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Team Lab Chemical CorpTim Swanson 800-522-8326

Tedder Valve CompanyJohn Tedder 303-884-4846

Timber Line Electric & Control Kim Evezich 303-697-0440

Twin D EnterprisesDave Denny 866-337-9263

USABlueBookJohn Schwartz 800-548-1234

Veris Environmental, LLCMike Scharp 719-775-9870

WenckMark Stacy 970-223-4705

WWC EngineeringJessica Dais 307-672-0761

Wyoming Ground Water AssnJade Slaymaker 307-267-3806

Yellowstone WaterworksCavin Noddings 406-633-2316

Take a Stroll With MeAn electronic stroll that is. I love our web site, and when you realize all that is available to you, I think you will fall in love with it too. The place to begin any stroll is at the trail head, and for www.warws.com, that would be our home page, which gives you all the paths that are available.

The first tab or path you may want to explore is the Welcome page. Here you will find our mission statement, a brief history, and the sort of help that is available from the association. If you are receiving this magazine, then you are a member. Your membership is as good as the amount of help you receive when you are in need. Ask! Make your membership truly gold worthy. This page will give you some ideas of all the things available to you as a member. Also available from this page are several Quick Links that are really handy. Links to the National Association, USEPA Region 8, the Scholarship program, fleet program, and Water University can all be found here. In addition, you will find the latest WARWS news posted here that might include anything and everything of importance to you as a professional operator and a member of the association.

The ‘ABOUT’ tab takes you to the story of the Association and each of its programs. Ever wonder what a Circuit Rider, Waste Water Specialist, Trainer or Source Water Specialist actually does? This is the place to find that information. I am betting that there are things we do you hadn’t even thought about, and may well need for your own professional development or to meet the needs of your system. Use us! If you aren’t sure how to get a hold of us, all staff and board contact information is available at this tab. Met someone at conference or can’t recall how to contact a vendor that you now need to speak to? We have your back. All Associate members and Voting members with contact information are listed here. Think of it as an electronic extension of your roll-a-dex.

Moving on to the ‘TRAINING’ tab, you will find buckets of info on all that is available to meet any CEU needs that you may have, as well as other training of interest. It begins with an update on upcoming conferences. It seems like we begin planning for spring conference the day after fall conference ends. This page is where you can find the dates, costs, hotel information and registration page. Vendors, there is information just for you on this page as well. Don’t forget to read about how to enter the Best Tasting Water Contest and then enter your system at Spring conference. There will

also be updates on any Board of Director positions available for the Association. Make a difference and consider running for the board for your region.

The next trail you can follow from the ‘Training’ tab is DEQ training information. This is a very important page. This is where you get your EGov account so you can check your hours, enter training, and see what systems are designating you as an operator. It is also possible to search for contract operators in your area here. Check this page and check it often. There is other valuable information on the DEQ site including study material for exams and guidance on core topics and rule training. Also, from here you can easily get to the EPA Drinking Water Online site and the Drinking Water Watch Database. So much information so little time!

Membership is priceless, but you can find out the yearly cost and become a member or renew at the ‘Join Us’ tab. Have you ever thought about writing an article for the connection? If you haven’t, please do. The publication dates and deadlines for submittals are on this page as well.

Looking for a job or a candidate to fill one? How about equipment? Do you have any that you need to sell or purchase? There is a tab for that! If you submit job openings or equipment needs, WARWS will post on our web site under the ‘Job and Equipment’ tab. Make this tab your first stop if you need help, human or mechanical.

The ‘Download’ tab is the heart of the web site. It is deserving of it’s own article, and it will be getting one in the next edition of the Connection. Suffice it to say that the e-tools are divided up into 5 different categories:

• Administration/Management

• Solid Waste

• Stormwater

• Wastewater

• Water

When you are trying to find documentation or templates, check here first. You will find such things as O & M Manuals and Vulnerability Assessments/Emergency Response Plans.

If you need a Consumer Confidence Report posted, this is where it will be. More than 10 systems a year take advantage of this cost saving opportunity. If you didn’t know this was an option, it is, and we would be glad to get it posted and provide you with the link to give your customers.

There is a whole big world out there and you can get to a large part of it from our ‘Links’ tab. If you can’t figure out how to get to a web site or need something electronic, check our links. They are here to reduce your electronic frustration and give you a sense of all that is available. Check this tab often because more links will be added over time. If you have suggestions of links that you find useful but aren’t on our page, please send them on. It would be wonderful to have a one stop shopping link page with everything at our electronic fingertips.

Prices change for membership, conferences and training classes. The store tab gives you the prices of everything we have available.

Thank you for the stroll. I have truly enjoyed it. If you have any suggestions about things you would like to have available on our web site, please give me a call. In the mean time, don’t forget we have a date for the next Connection article to take a stroll around our downloads. If you can’t wait that long for another stroll, give me a call and we can step out into cyberspace together.

WYOWARN is a group of Wyoming water and wastewater utilities that cooperatively prepare for the next natural or man-made disaster by bridging political and jurisdictional boundaries through training, protocols and agreements so that utilities can respond to disasters by sharing personnel, tools and equipment.

Why do we need WYOWARN?Water and wastewater systems provide for public health, sanitation and safety. When water and wastewater systems fail, the well-being of communities quickly deteriorates. Without clean water and ways to remove and treat wastewater, communities become susceptible to disease and illness. The lack of water constrains emergency services such as medical response and fire fighting. In these conditions, people become frustrated and fearful.

Restoring service restores hope and the ability of a community to respond to natural of man-made disasters.Neighboring utilities already have the trained staff familiar with Wyomiing Water Quality Rules and Regulations. They are familiar with western water systems and are already prepared for and accustomed to Wyoming weather. They already have the specialized equipment needed for testing, pumping, or repairs and may have backup supplies of pipe, valves, chemicals, generators, etc., readily available.

While it is already the Wyoming way to lend a hand to our neighbors when they need it, having procedures and responsibilities spelled out ahead of time prepares us for the day when we need it. That is what WYOWARN is about – preparing utilities to help each other in the event of an emergency.

Not a member yet? Join WYOWARN!1. Visit the WYOWARN website at www.WYOWARN.org and click on “Become a WYOWARN member Today!”.2. Download the Wyoming Mutual Aid and Assistance agreement.3. Obtain necessary permissions to sign the Mutual Aid Agreement4. Sign and return the agreement to:

Wyoming Association of Rural Water SystemsPO Box 1750

Glenrock, WY 82637or e-mail a scanned copy to:

markp@warws.com

System EfficiencyOne of most important things to monitor in any utility is efficiency. Pumping and the associated electrical bill often comprise the highest portion of a utility’s budget. Improving the efficiency of a system can save the utility money by reducing unnecessary pumping, additional chemicals, etc. That money could be used in critical infrastructure projects which may make the system even more efficient, or perhaps… improving operator salaries??? Improving system efficiency not only reduces costs through saving power and chemical expenses, but it can increase revenue by tracking un-metered water and also conserve resources during times of drought.

While improving system efficiency probably sounds like something that gets engineers involved with highly technical spreadsheets, new pumps and volt meters, it actually can be quite simple. One way to determine how efficient a water distribution system is to calculate water loss. Consider this: if a system pumps 1,000,000 gallons per month, but only is able to bill for 500,000 gallons, that system is only 50% efficient, and those 500,000 gallons sold have to cover the pumping costs of the entire million gallons produced. If it can be determined where that water is going, whether it be through unmetered usage or leaks, then steps can be made to correct the issue.

A simple spreadsheet can be created that tracks total gallons of water pumped in a month, versus total gallons sold. Other items that this spreadsheet should include are production water (backwashes), fire hydrant usage, and any other water that does not get billed for. Wastewater systems are no different. Rather than using raw water, determine how much water a lift station is moving on a monthly basis. If the main lift station in town pumps twice the amount of water that the water system is producing, it may be an indicator that there is a significant amount of inflow and infiltration into that collection system. Reducing leaks in distribution systems and I&I in collection systems reduces the amount of wear and tear on pumps, thus cutting maintenance expenses.

Calculating efficiencies is fairly simple. The equation is total gallons sold/total gallons pumped x 100%. To determine unaccounted for water, the equation is 1-(metered water/total water entering system). The EPA recommends having less than 10% unaccounted water.

Improving system efficiency in water treatment facilities is crucial to reducing operating expenses. As systems become more efficient, raw pumping costs are reduced, chemical expenses and the associated pumping can be reduced, filter run times are optimized with minimal run-to-waste, and backwash costs are reduced, including sludge and solids handling.

Improving treatment efficiency starts with inspecting the system. Is it operating correctly? Are the correct dosages of coagulants and other treatment chemicals being used? Jar tests can reveal excessive dosages that are wasting money and possibly shortening filter run times. Are there extended periods of plant upset that require prolonged wasting periods? Calculating filter and backwash efficiency can give you the first clues into how the treatment facility is performing. A common goal for backwash efficiency is to use no more than 10% of the raw water pumped for backwashing. Similarly, no less than 10-15% of filtered water should be ran to waste. Any more than that, and it’s time to evaluate the treatment system.

When evaluating the treatment system, review any collected data. This includes raw turbidity and other raw water quality parameters, coagulant chemical and dose, plant flow rates, water temperature, ambient temperatures, sludge removal cycles, backwash cycles and flow rates, etc.

Walk through the plant, watching each process to see if it is behaving as expected. Are sludge removal cycles happening when the SCADA says they are? Are the scrapers actually moving, and the waste valves opening? Are backwash cycles evenly cleaning the media? Are there areas of the media that are stagnant, while others are wild boils? Simple observations can make a world of difference. This is where regular observations are helpful. Has that valve always made the pipes shake wildly, or is that something new? Knowing what is normal in the plant, and what’s not is one of the keys to efficiency.

Sometimes all that is needed to improve system efficiency is a little operator tweak here, and a slight adjustment there. Other times, reviewing system efficiency can reveal critical components that are taking their last breaths as useful pieces of equipment. Long term trends showing the decrease in system efficiency can be a great way to justify expensive capital investments to both your board of decision makers and the public. Sure, no one wants their road torn up while the water and sewer mains get replaced, but it’s much easier to understand why when they are shown how much that leaky pipe is costing the system, and in turn, them.

Improving the efficiency also increases resource conservation. The western U.S. has seen drought conditions for the last 19 years. Sure, there’s been some really wet years, but those precipitation events have not been enough to balance out the lack of precipitation during the rest of the years. As reservoir and ground water levels continue to drop, increasing system efficiency and resource conservation will be imperative.

If a system has 35 million gallons in a reservoir, but 40% of the water treatment process is used as backwash or ran to waste, only 21 million gallons are available to their customers as usable water. If that process can be improved to 15% used in backwash or ran to waste, there will now be nearly 30 million gallons available. Increasing the efficiency of the treatment system could make the difference between having to implement water restrictions on the customers of that system or not.

As operators of a utility, we all work with limited resources. Increasing the efficiency of our systems will help tight budgets, increase consumer confidence, and allow us to provide “Quality on Tap.”

Spring Training Conference 2019

April 16th - 19th, 2019

Host – Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center 800 N Poplar St, Casper WY 82601 (307)266-6000Reservations: www.ramkotacasper.com - $80 rate

Includes complimentary hot breakfast buffet, Manager’s reception Mon-Thurs 5:30-6:30pm

Make a DifferenceOne WARWS Board of Director position will be up for election during the Spring Conference. The Southeast Region includes Converse, Niobrara, Carbon, Albany, Platte, Goshen and Laramie counties. To be eligible to sit on the board, you must be an employee or official representative of a member system. Board responsibilities include quarterly meetings, two of which are done at conferences. The other two by phone. If interested, submit a letter-of-intent to Mark Pepper, or email markp@warws.com.

The Best Tasting Water in WyomingWe invite every system attending conference to enter “The Best Tasting Water in Wyoming” contest. The winning system will be hosted (airfare, room, and meals, for one representative) in Washington D.C. at the National Rural Water Rally 2020 by the Wyoming Rural Water Executive Director and Wyoming National Director. The delegation will meet with officials from the USDA Rural Development, USEPA and will visit with Wyoming’s US Senators and Representative to discuss water issues facing systems in Wyoming. To enter, bring 1/2 gallon of your water, in glass and on ice to the registration booth when you check in.

Putting the Pieces TogetherSoar into Spring with WARWS at our 28th Annual Technical Conference, and get a bird’s eye view of how all the parts of your system work together. ‘Putting the Pieces Together’ is the theme for this year’s conference. Water and wastewater systems have more pieces and moving parts than is easily imagined. Owners, operators, and decision-makers are often forced to try to put this puzzle together without even having a box with a picture on it. This year’s conference will be the box with the picture. By the time you leave conference, you will have a much better idea of what the pieces of your system are, how they fit together, and how to maximize your efforts to make them fit easily and work together most efficiently.

We will have everything you need to do this, from classes, to vendors, to knowledgeable staff to ask questions of. The classes will be extensive, and cover everything from rules, to cyber security, system resiliency in the face of manmade or natural disasters, pumps, motors, well efficiency, disinfection, alternative treatments, valves, water reuse, and other classes too numerous to discuss, but all important parts of your system. There is even a whole other track of classes especially designed for decision-makers. If it has to do with water, wastewater, or utility management, we’ve got it covered.

Talk and network with your fellow operators and learn what challenges they have faced this year and how they met them.

Vendors galore will also be available to help you find just the right technology and equipment to make those pieces fit together. There is technology available today that didn’t even exist as a twinkle in its Creators eye five years ago. Our industry moves at light speed, which makes putting together this puzzle even more challenging. Spring conference is an excellent way to keep up with all the information available and find out what resources are available to make the pieces fit.

You are an important piece of this puzzle, and you need some down time to process all that you will be learning. While you are taking a breath, there will be great food, 50/50 tickets, raffles and the ever popular ‘Game Night’. Join us in Casper and get all the pieces put together. Kathy Weinsaft

Exhibit Hall – 8’ x 8’ space, 6’ skirted table, pipe and drape, 2 chairs, wireless internet, meals for two. If you have more than 2 representatives, a fee of $40 per representative will be charged.

1st, 2nd, 3rd request for booth # _____, _____, _____Note: Some booths are numbered the same as the sleeping room right behind it. If you choose one of those booths, you

must also take that room. Reserve the room by emailing Karin East dos@ramkotacasper.com.

ASSOCIATE MEMBER – EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION by 3/15/19:Member Exhibit Hall ___ x $450 _____

ASSOCIATE MEMBER – REGISTRATION after 3/15/19Member Exhibit Hall ___ x $575 _____

NON-MEMBERS – EARLY BIRD by 3/15/19 (Includes one year non-advertising membership @ $325)Non-Member Exhibit Hall ___ x $775 _____

NON-MEMBER – REGISTRATION after 3/15/19 (Includes one year non-advertising membership @ $325)Non-Member Exhibit Hall ___ x $900 _____

NON-MEMBER (Does not include membership)Non-Member Exhibit Hall ___ x $990 _____

Please print legibly or type:Company Name: ___________________________________________________________________________Mailing Address: ____________________________________________________________________________City/State/Zip: _______________________________________________________________________________Telephone: __________________________________ Fax: ________________________________________ Type of Product/Service: ______________________________________________________________________Name(s) and emails of those attending: ___________________________________________________________ _____________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Wyoming Association of Rural Water Systems28th Annual Spring Conference – BOOTH REGISTRATION

April 16th - 19th, 2019 Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center, Casper, WY

• Donations for door prizes will be accepted and appreciated Total $ _______• Refund Policy: No refunds after 3/15/19

SPONSORSHIPS Available – You do not have to be an Exhibitor to be a sponsor (Company names will be listed in conference program and on signage) Break/Food Sponsor ___ x $250 = _____ Game Night (Food and prizes): ___ x $100 = _____ Meals for representatives ___ x $ 40 = _____ Sponsorships packages available: email Mark Pepper – markp@warws.com

Host Hotel: Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center – $80 room rate

800 N. Poplar, Casper, WY 82601www.ramkotacasper.com or call 1-307-266-6000

Return this form with payment to: WARWS, PO Box 1750, Glenrock, WY 82637 or

Fax: (307) 436-8441 or Register on-line: www.warws.comFor more information call our office at (307) 436-8636

If paying with a credit card, please complete the following:Name (exactly as it appears on the card): ______________________________________________________________Billing Address: _________________________________________________________________________________Card Number: __________________________________________________ Expiration date on card:_____________

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION28th Annual Technical Conference

April 16th - 19th, 2019Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center, Casper WY

Name for Badge: ___________________________________________________________________________________

Your Employer: _______________________________________________ 5 Digit Operator ID# REQUIRED _______

Your Title or Position: _______________________________________ Daytime Phone: ________________________

Billing Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip: _____________________________________________________________________________________

Bill my employer: _____ Pay with credit card: _____ E-mail confirmation to: _________________________________

Personal address to receive our magazine (do not complete if you already are receiving it: ____________________________Personal email to receive notifications:___________________________________________________________________

I plan to attend only the Pre-Conference on the 16th (No Fee) ________

FULL REGISTRATION April 16th - 19th (Includes Pre-Conference, all classes, Exhibit Hall, meals and breaks, and Certification processing)

Member – Early Bird, payment included (By 3/15/19) .............................................................. $395 _____Member – After 3/15/19 ............................................................................................................. $445 _____Non-Member Early Bird, including a new Individual Membership through 12/31/19................ $505 _____Non-Member after 3/15/19, including a new Individual Membership through 12/31/19......... $555 _____Decision Maker / Clerk .............................................................................................................. $150 _____

I plan to bring a water sample for the ‘Best Tasting Water in Wyoming’ contest (circle one) – YES NO

If paying with a credit card, please complete the following:Master Card or Visa Number: _________________________________ Expiration date on card:__________Name (exactly as it appears on the card): _______________________________________________________Billing Address: ____________________________________________________________________________

Host Hotel:Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center – $80 room rate

800 N. Poplar, Casper, WY 82601Reservations: www.ramkotacasper.com (307) 266-6000

Return this form with payment to:WARWS, PO Box 1750, Glenrock, WY 82637 (307) 436-8636or Fax (307) 436-8441 or Register on-line: www.warws.com

One-day only registrations Member Non-member Wednesday only: (classes, lunch, Exhibit Hall, Game Night) ..................... $200 $225 = $ _______

Thursday only: (classes, lunch, Exhibit Hall)............................................ $200 $225 = $ _______ Friday only: (buffet breakfast, classes) ...................................................... $150 $180 = $ _______

Total $ _______Additional meal tickets, for guests, will be available at the Registration BoothRefund policy: No refunds after 3/15/19. Amount can be credited to a future event

Preliminary Treatment Part 1In this 2-part article, we will be discussing the preliminary processes of wastewater treatment and the benefits it provides in the overall treatment of wastewater. Those benefits also include overall cost savings. Many of our systems, especially lagoon systems, could greatly benefit with the installation of better more effective preliminary treatment devices.

The HeadworksAfter the wastewater has traveled through the collection system, it enters the wastewater treatment processes where organic and inorganic matter, as well as pathogens are removed from the waste stream. The first stage of the treatment process is the preliminary treatment. This process may include screening, grinding, grit removal and pre-aeration. There are many benefits of an adequate preliminary treatment system as it homogenizes sewage, removes large untreatable materials, and reduces the inorganic solids in the flow.

A headworks system comes in many different variations. They should consist of a bar screen, comminutor, a grit channel, and a flow measuring device, such as a parshall flume.

Most of the lagoon systems in our state have very little to no preliminary treatment systems in place. With the drinking water side, it is preached to protect the water system at the source. This should also be practiced on the wastewater side as well, with an effective pre-treatment program, an adequate collection system, and of course, a preliminary treatment process that will result in avoiding costly problems at the treatment plant, such as premature wear to pumps, line blockages between lagoon cells, and excessive solids build up.

ScreeningThe very first stage in most preliminary treatment processes is screening. This process is extremely important, and yet most of our lagoon systems lack a screening system. Over the years, I have conducted numerous lagoon sludge profiles and the material that is most commonly getting past the preliminary stage into the lagoons are the flushable wipes.

I know we have all heard the term, “You can pay me now or pay me more later”. In fact, Mr. P has used this phrase

more than once in his articles. That phrase cannot be truer than it is when it comes to screening. The cost to purchase, maintain, and operate a bar screen is much less than the cost to dredge a lagoon.

When I began working for WARWS in 2004, the national average cost to dredge a lagoon was approximately $100 per dry ton. Today, those costs are in excess of $850 per dry ton. If you put that into perspective of most lagoon systems in our state, the cost to dredge will well exceed $100,000. In many cases, systems dredging costs could easily exceed $1,000,000.

Screens are designed to remove large objects such as sticks and rags which may damage or plug pumps and piping, or which are aesthetically undesirable in the effluent. Screens can be manual or automatic and come in many variations. There are two types of bar screens that are used in preliminary treatment: course screen and fine screen.

The course screen, also referred to as the trash rack or bar screen is made of vertical steel bars that are spaced between three-quarters of an inch up to 6 inches apart. The screen is usually installed at an angle up to 15° to facilitate manual cleaning.

The fine screen is also referred to as micro-screens. It can be used to serve two purposes. They can be employed to remove rags and sticks, just as the bar screen. They can also remove smaller solids that would normally be removed by the primary clarifier.

In smaller systems, they can be used as a substitute for the primary clarifier. For lagoon systems, micro-screening can help to reduce the solids loading on the system, thus expanding the time between dredging, as well as reduce overall dredging costs. A common fine screen is the rotating micro-screen. This device is placed into a tank where raw

sewage flows into that tank through a rotating drum. The screenings are dewatered and automatically placed into a container or dump truck for disposal.

Maintenance RequirementsDuring periods of dry weather, course trash racks should be cleaned daily. During storm periods, they should be cleaned two to five times a day to maintain a free flow through the process. Failure to clean the screens can result in the following:

1. The wastewater stream may go septic upstream of the screening process.

2. Blocking of the screen could result in a surcharge of the sewers lines upstream of the screens.

3. Once the screens have been cleared, a shock load to the system may upset the plant hydraulics.

Screening DisposalDisposal of screenings may be buried, incinerated or digested. The digesting process can be quite costly, so burial and incineration are the most common methods. It is common for small plants to dispose of screenings by burial at the plant site or at the landfill. Before burial disposal, it is required the screening pass the paint filter test as required by EPA9095B, and may also be subject to a TCLP. This test method is used to determine compliance with 40 CFR 264.314 and 40 CFR 265.314. When burying screenings, odors may be prevented by mixing the screenings with an equal volume of “milk of lime”. An earth covering of one to two feet will usually provide for the best results for microbial activity.

GrindingThe next stage of preliminary treatment is usually grinding. Comminutors, barminutors and masurators are names used by different manufacturers to identify shredding or grinding devices. These devices are used to shred and grind large materials into small enough material to pass through the screens of the grinding unit. In my experience, too often systems with lagoons want to install grinding and shredding equipment to tackle the flushable wipe and shop towel problem.

First off, these devices will rarely shred these materials into fine pieces because they lack rigidity and usually just pass through the grinder/shredder.

Second, as previously mentioned, these materials become part of the sludge blanket and increase the volume of dry tonnage of solids which will drive up dredging costs. In the long run, it is more economically manageable to remove these waste products and dispose of them in smaller quantities from the front end of the process than it is to wait

twenty to thirty years and dispose of them all at once from the back end of the process.

Grinders and shredders should be installed with a by-pass that is equipped with a bar screen to facilitate removal of settled materials and allow inspections of the equipment components, such as the cutting edges. Grinding devices are normally operated continuously and are usually located after the bar screen but before the grit removal units.

In the first part of this “Connection” article we discussed the headworks, screening and grinding in the preliminary treatment process. In Part-2, we will further examine preliminary treatment of the grit removal and pre-aeration processes.

Cold Weather Bugs?Tis the season to be jolly, according to the TV advertisements I am seeing at this time of year (Today, November 13th). One thing that is a definite is understanding that when water temperatures get cold, your bugs may not be so happy.

One thing that has continued to show up year after year for the last 25 years in the environmental business, especially the wastewater industry, is the idea that you need different bugs in winter than in summer. Although, I would be one of the first to agree that temperature does affect how bacteria work and how fast they work, I am not one to recommend winter and summer bugs. We all know that nitrogen bugs like water temperatures over 40 degrees and do their best work at around 77 degrees. Phosphorous accumulators reportedly quit cell dividing at temperatures above 68 degrees and become less effective.

There are many reasons for my reluctance, but most stem from the practices I have seen used over the last 25 years by some sales people to get you to buy more than one container of bugs. I have seen summer bugs, winter bugs, grease bugs, sludge bugs, collection line bugs, grease interceptor/trap bugs and lift station bugs. And the list goes on. Sometimes these myriad of formulas are all offered by one company. Granted, there are specific bugs for specific situations, like petroleum hydrocarbon remediation, but you as the consumer need to understand what you are buying.

Recently, in Wyoming, a sales person told the operator at a municipality that they should be using his winter/cold weather bugs because his label did not say “DO NOT FREEZE” like his competitor! And in his opinion, because the “do not freeze” statement was on the label, it meant that the product did not perform in cold weather. In reality, I know most of you are aware of what happens when you freeze a container that is full of liquid! The container breaks and the liquid will run out on the floor. Also, many bacteria may not survive when they are frozen solid. Our experience has shown that you can lose between 75 and 85 percent of the bug diversity and populations, when bacteria solutions are frozen solid or dehydrated.

Do your bugs need hats, coats, gloves and long underwear? Not really, but you need to be aware that your bacteria will perform differently when temperatures change. Due to these changes in efficacy, you should consider Bio-Augmenting your system year around, but most definitely in the colder months.

Now the question arises, is the use of cold weather bugs being driven by ambient or water temperatures. If it is ambient temperatures that make the determination, then in places like the Rocky Mountain West, you could be adding cold weather bugs one day and warm weather bugs the next.

If it is water temperature that drives the use of cold/weather or warm/weather bugs, then you will have to monitor your water temperatures daily before deciding which formula to use. And at what depth of your system do you need to know the temperature? Do you need to know the surface temperature or the sludge layer temperature? Or do you need both? In my opinion, you would need to know the temperature at the bottom, where most of the activity is occurring during the winter.

Over the years, I have been on many lagoons that were showing biological activity even when they were completely iced over. We have seen gas bubbles bumping up against the ice, which is one indication you may be getting biodegradation of contaminates, such as nitrogen compounds.

As long as your system does not freeze solid to the bottom, then some of your bacteria will survive. They may be dormant and may need to be jump started in the spring with addition of Bio-Augmentation or Bio-Stimulation processes. When the temperatures get really cold, bacteria will do what we humans do, sit on the couch in front of the fire, drinking hot chocolate and watch the game.

A reminder for you is this: there is a significant difference between Bio-Augmentation and Bio-Stimulation. Remember the difference is Bio-Augmentation is the addition of live biological colonies to your system to improve populations. Adding live bacteria makes sense, due to the fact that at certain times of the year your bacteria populations will change due too many environmental challenges.

Challenges, like not enough food, bacteria have died from some contaminate, temperature, pH, no oxygen, too much oxygen, your system gets a toxic hit, and the list goes on. Bio-Stimulation is the addition of food sources to your system to keep the bugs supplied with the food they prefer or need.

All this being said, I highly recommend having a supply of bacteria on site, for when you will need it to either restart your plant or supplement the bacteria, you either do not have or do not have enough of to get the job done.

And remember, if you are going to add bugs, I always recommend only live bugs in a liquid solution. Contact us if you need more information on good bugs and not so good bugs.

If you need more information or have any questions, contact Rick Allen, 970-586-3391 or via email at rick@biolynceus.com. © BioLynceus, 2018

Boom, Bust, and RebirthThere is still a lot of life in them there hills, whether they are considered ghost towns or not. Last September, I spent a lovely fall day touring and hiking South Pass, one of Wy-oming’s most famous Ghost towns. Part of the town is now a historic site and has 20 to 30 perfectly restored buildings. In fact, I would venture a guess that it is in a better state of repair now than it ever was in it’s boom days. Situated in a small valley along the banks of Willow Creek on the south-eastern end of Wind River Mountains, South Pass City got it’s start in the summer of 1867, when gold was discovered in the Wind River Mountains.

A large vein was found at what would become the Carissa Mine, and the miners flooded in, bringing their families with them. Within two years, South Pass City boasted over 250 buildings, 1,000 people, and 250 claims. The town hummed with excitement and activity. It’s half mile long main street boasted numerous hotels, restaurants, general stores, two newspapers, doctors, a bowling alley, and dozens of saloons, brothels and poker establishments.

The mining district continued to boom, growing to as many as 3,000 residents, as miners looking for investors and news-papers promoting further settlement in the area, exaggerated the amount of gold in the region. The settlement was so significant that it became the county seat of Dakota Terri-tory, Carter County, when the area was still part of Dakota Territory.

Boom and bust is nothing new in Wyoming, and all Wyo-mingites know that booms will end. It didn’t take long for the bust of the mining bubble in South Pass. Just two years after it’s establishment, the decline began. Hitting a slump in early 1869, many miners became discouraged about the absence of large gold deposits and the lack of outside capital to sufficiently develop properties. By 1875, fewer than 100 people remained in the area.

Both South Pass and the area around the town were historic. The first large emigration westward occurred over the pass in 1843, some 24 years before gold was discovered. Over 1,000 people made this arduous 2,000 mile journey which became known as the Mormon Trail. 13 miles southeast of South Pass marks the location of one of the most disastrous events along the Mormon trail.

The Willie Handcart Company found themselves engulfed by early winter storms and severe temperatures. They were exhausted and starving by the time they became snowbound

on Rock Creek. Thirteen members of the company perished in a single night and were buried in a mass grave.

The entire community is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. South Pass is not only historic for its build-ings, but it’s residents did some pretty darn historic things themselves. William Bright, a local saloon and mine owner, served in Wyoming’s first territorial Legislature. During this session he introduced the first women’s suffrage bill. The bill passed in December 1869, and Wyoming became the first state in which women could vote.

Just three months later, history would be made again when South Pass resident, Esther Hobart Morris, became the first woman to hold public office in the nation, when in February, 1870, she was appointed as Justice of the Peace. During her brief eight month tenure, she tried 27 cases.

Over the next century, the population of South Pass con-tinued to decline. Many of the town’s homes, mercantile stores, hotels, and saloons fell into disrepair. A few busi-nesses continued to operate in South Pass with the last of the pioneer families finally moving out in 1949.

During the last 20 years, steps were taken to renew the com-munity and to develop it as an historic site for tourism. It currently consists of two areas; South Pass City, where a handful of residents live, and South Pass City Historic Site, where more than 30 historic structures have been restored and preserved.

There are guided tours, or you can take your own interpre-tive tour of these buildings and the Clarissa Mine from May 15th thru October 1st.

If hiking is your thing, there are trails galore, including a three-mile Volksmarach trail where you can observe abun-dant wild life and some glorious vistas. For birders, many species call this area home at different times of the year, and anglers will be delighted by the blue ribbon fishing for brook, rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout in many of the area’s streams and lakes.

South Pass really does have something for everyone. So this winter, as you are daydreaming about the coming spring, be sure to put this ghost town on your must see list and experi-ence calendar for the coming year.

It is, after all, part of our western heritage

Our Western Heritageby Kathy Weinsaft

pump to suck up rocks.d. The keyway that holds the impeller on has been damaged, causing the impeller to come loose on the shaft.e.

2. True or false – it is an accepted practice to re-use lead gaskets on gas chlorine cylinders

3. Galvanic cells occur when a. Mineral-rich water creates tubercles in ductile iron pipeb. Stray electric currents corrode buried infrastructurec. Two dissimilar metals are in contact with each otherd. Single celled organisms create an indestructible shell for protection

4. Why is flushing part of an effective distribution maintenance program?

a. Flushing reminds customers where their water comes fromb. Flushing keeps the fire hydrants exercisedc. Flushing helps locate clogged storm drainsd. Flushing improves water quality by reducing water age

5. Calculate the pressure of an elevated standpipe that is 17 feet in diameter, and 25 feet tall. The overflow is at 23 feet.

a. 9.96 psib. 53.13 psic. 32.2 psid. 16.43 psi

Operators Corner

Wastewater Questions by Mark Court 1. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits for secondary treatment plants typically have monthly effluent limits for five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and total suspended solids (TSS) of:

a. 10 and 30 mg/L respectivelyb. 20 and 30 mg/L respectivelyc. 30 and 30 mg/L respectivelyd. 30 and 20 mg/L respectively

2. What is regulated by 40 CFR Part 503?a. biomass productionb. stabilizationc. sludge use for landfillingd. biosolids used for land application

3. The list of 126 priority pollutants can be divided into four groups. They are:

a. Volatile organic compounds, volatile inorganic compounds, hydrocarbons, polychlorinated pesticides.b. Heavy metals and cyanide, volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, polychlorinated by-phenylsc. Heavy metals and cyanide, volatile inorganic compounds, poly-carbonated hydrocarbons and semi-volatile inorganic compoundsd. Trihalomethanes, cyanides and heavy metals, herbicides, polychlorinated hydrocarbons

4. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, (OSHA), was created to protect

a. Public health and welfareb. Water quality and biotac. Worker safety and healthd. Public safety and health

5. Name two processes that remove water from sludgea. Clarification and flocculationb. Conditioning and thickeningc. Dewatering and flocculationd. Dewatering and thickening

Water Questions by Michelle Christopher

1. A pump is making loud noises that sound like a hammer pounding on the impeller. This is most likely

a. Typical operation, no cause for alarmb. Cavitation, the formation and collapse of a gas pocket or bubble on the blade of an impeller.c. The inlet screen has been removed, causing the

WW Ans1. c2. d3. b4. c5. d

W Answers1. b2. false3. c4. d5. a 23/2.31=9.96

Success in Pinedale By Carl Brown

Utility success can be measured by this formula: Excellent service + reasonable cost = success. Simple to state, hard to achieve.

Fair and adequate rates take care of the “reasonable cost” factor. We can all achieve that.

Following is the utility rate setting success story of Pinedale, Wyoming. Actually, this is not the “happy ending.” Rather, this is an early chapter leading up to, what we all hope will be, the happy ending. But, hey, it might stretch out to be one book in a long series of books that may, or may not, end happily – a rate setting cliff-hanger, a saga. How it ends is all up to the folks in Pinedale. Pinedale folks, thanks for being such good sports.

Located high on the side of a mountain at the headwaters of the Green River, Pinedale operates a water system that serves 1,124 customers and a sewer system that serves almost as many.

Pinedale’s water source is a pristine glacier-carved lake. A creek (a small river, really) flows out of that lake and runs through town and then into the Green River. That creek teams with trout (verified with my aquatic wildlife sampling device). I want to go back – to help Pinedale some more, of course.

Pinedale’s sewer system is gravity collection going to a three-cell lagoon – low-tech, cheap and effective; great for their situation.

“Cost-to-Serve” Rates

These recover costs from those who cause them:

•Equally shared costs should go into a basic minimum charge – think “billing costs” – they are the same for every customer.

•Peak flow capacity-related costs should be added to the basic minimum, probably on a meter size-basis.

•Variable costs should go into a unit charge.

It’s more complicated than that, but you get the idea. When designing any rate structure, you should be able to show that it is in a cost-to-serve structure. In whatever ways it is not, you should show good reason for diverging.

It’s a Wonderful Life

I travel around the Country and help cities and districts set fair and adequate rates. (Just about) everybody likes rates like that. They just need to be shown how to get them. That’s my job. In my travels, I meet lots of wonderful people who have their hearts in the right place. Occasionally, I meet some wonderful fish, too.

Pinedale has invested about $10 million over the last few years in its utilities, mainly to improve and upsize its distribution and collection systems. That debt brought Pinedale to the rate analysis table.

I mean no slight when I say this, but rates-wise, Pinedale started its climb up the rates evolutionary tree at the very bottom. Example: Residential water customers were being assessed flat rates. (In water, flat rates are so rare that, if they were a bird, they would be on the endangered species list.) Customers paid their flat fee and got to use all the water they wanted. Hence, the reason such rates are rare. Since use is effectively free, Pinedale folks do like to use water.

Three residential customers (on town-sized lots!) averaged over 1,000,000 gallons per month. Hook a generator up to those water meters and I bet those homes could generate their own electricity! Dozens of customers averaged over 200,000 gallons per month. The average use for all residential customers was 41,000 gallons per month. But, of course, Pinedale still has the class of user I respectfully call the, “little old lady, widowed, retired, living alone on Social Security.” She uses 3,000 gallons in a month when the grandkids come around. Otherwise, she cuts way back.

Wyoming RATES Program

Pinedale took advantage of the Wyoming RATES Program, which started in 2012. (Visit https://gettinggreatrates.com/ and click the “Wyoming” link.) The program is a collaboration between the Wyoming Association of Rural Water Systems and my firm, GettingGreatRates.com. The key feature of the program for most folks is the 25 percent discount off the firm’s fees for member systems. But, along the way, they come away with great rates (usually) and free training. The term “win-win” is over-used, but this really is a win-win-win program.

The Rural Water Perspectiveby Kathy Weinsaft

My technical assistance journey with rate setting in Pinedale began in July of 2015. The Mayor at the time was in an Operator Basic’s class that I was teaching. During lunch, he approached me and asked if I would take a look at the town’s rates and rate structure. After making a site visit and reviewing the available data, my recommendation was the community needed a more in-tensive and in-depth rate analysis than I could perform for them. That’s where Carl came into the process.

I learned a couple of valuable lessons myself from this experi-ence:

1. The structure of the rates can be even more important than the rates themselves because –2. Rate setting is a journey, not just a destination.

If the current rates are far from where they should be, it will take time and several adjustments to get them to the destination. The sooner you start, the sooner you will arrive. Start Now!

All that use (the big users, not the “little old lady…”) ran the costs up for the utility. So, the utility had to compensate by raising the flat fee over the years. Result: High volume use and a high flat fee. The “little old lady’s…” bill went up but she still conserved water anyway. Back then, she and the million-gallon per month customers paid the same bill. Was that fair?

In 2016, Pinedale started the process of switching from flat rates to rates built on cost-to-serve principles. That includes a basic minimum charge, a more reasonable usage allowance (less than infinity) and a unit charge for all volume used above the usage allowance.

The switch was scary to some folks and, surprise, the prospect of having to pay unit charges angered some high-volume customers. Imagine that? The two town council meetings in which we talked about the recommended rates were, I’ll call it, “interesting.”

Therefore, Pinedale moved slowly into metered rates. They opted for a high minimum charge, $53.69 per month, and a high usage allowance, 40,000 gallons per month. Thus, almost all residential customers are only paying the minimum charge – effectively, a flat rate. Since the minimum charge is so high, the unit charge started off at $0.19 per 1,000 gallons. (After 272 rate analyses, now, I thought I had seen just about everything. I had never seen a nineteen-cent unit charge before.) The rates are still bad for the “little old lady…,” but they are getting better.

Just six months after making the initial rate adjustments, the town’s engineer called to ask about ratcheting down the usage allowance some more and ratcheting up the unit charge. As unit charges go up, high-volume customers’ bills will go up, too. But, not really. Most will discover they don’t really need to use that much water. They will conserve and manage their bills downward again. Those customers have options. The “little old lady…” does not.

Sewer rates are making a similar climb up the rate setting tree, with a minimum charge of $38.66, a 40,000-gallon usage allowance and a fourteen-cent unit charge. That unit charge broke my record low set by, yes, Pinedale’s water rates. That is like breaking the world 100-meter dash record in the same race where Usain Bolt ran even faster.

The two sidebar tables show a big upside of the rate adjustments, much higher revenues and a quick payback of the analyst’s fees. The revenue increase will enable Pinedale to pay all its operating and debt costs and build appropriate reserves. That will take them to the adequate rates part of the happy ending. They are still working on the fair rates part.

Take Home MessageFor most utilities, rate setting is not a jet airplane ride and then you get off at great rates – success and a happy ending. Rather, it is a slow road trip. Pinedale is taking the scenic route, but they are getting there.

Carl Brown is President of GettingGreatRates.com, which specializes in water, sewer and other utility rate analysis. The firm also serves as the RATES Program rate analyst for the Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, North Dakota, Virginia and Wyoming rural water associations. Contact: (573) 619-3411; carl1@gettinggreatrates.com

Scawny Girl’s Cheesecakeby Michelle Christopher

Sometimes in life, you run out of fuel. Not only in the internal combustion engine that carries you down the road, but also in your body’s fuel tank.

Hikers have a great term for this – bonking. While other people hit walls, run out of steam, or some other elegant idiom, hikers bonk. This gem of the English language comes from the sound your body and pack make when hitting the ground, never to move again (for the foreseeable future).

While bonking can be reduced with good training and preparation, it’s best to have a few quick and dirty remedies stashed away. On-trail bonking is easily solved by the holy

grail of hiking energy bars – Snickers. Those babies have an excellent sugar/protein/fat ratio that will get you to your camp site.

The bonk that comes at the end of a long hard day is an entirely different matter. Perhaps it has to do with the mental aspect of collapsing in a smelly heap, realizing you have to do it all again tomorrow, but the end of the day bonk requires more octane than a simple candy bar can provide. Enter no-bake cheesecake. No-bake cheesecake is the ethanol-free 91-octane of bonk fuel. It’s also fast, cheap and easy. (Fortunately, I don’t believe “you are what you eat!”)

This year’s big adventure took John, Sherman and I from the South Fork of the Shoshone River, over Deer Creek Pass, through the Thorofare, past the Parting of the Waters and out through Turpin Meadows. That’s 84 miles in four days, for anyone who’s counting. On the evening of Day Three, we bonked.

Perhaps it was the three ice-berg strewn river crossings, or the relentless up-and-down nature of the Thorofare trails, but that evening, we crashed. Fortunately, I noticed that the spring was leaving our step after wading the waist deep Thorofare River and set Operation Cheesecake into action. I dug the dehydrated peaches out of the depths of my internal food bag, added water to the Ziploc and stowed them in the cooking pot. While John was filtering water, I put the cheesecake together and had it waiting while I grilled the day’s catch. One five-pound fish, two pots of tea and a peach cheese cake later, we were re-fueled and ready for the adventure that remained.

No-Bake Cheesecake At Home Instructions:Purchase no-bake cheesecake. If you are not planning on serving a crowd, re-package accordingly (one package serves eight people, so figure half of the package will serve two ravenous hikers). These usually come with filling and crust packages, and toppings if you get one of the flavored versions. I get the plain variety and create my own toppings.Using the package instructions, add powdered milk to the filling package. Usually it’s 1 cup milk per package, and 1/3 cup powdered milk per cup, so 1/6 cup for a half-package cheesecake, but read your package’s instructions! After you determine the amount of water needed for the filling, write on the Ziploc with a permanent marker.

Package squeeze butter in plastic bottle – I figure 1.5 Tbsp butter per serving, so in this case, 3 Tbsp.

Package toppings – I’m a fan of dried fruit, but feel free to use cookies (they’ll crumble perfectly!), sundae toppings or whatever strikes your fancy. The topping for this trip was ½ c dried chopped peaches.

Self Portrait

Find a pan for the cheesecake. I’m a fan of shallow lunchmeat containers, as they are light-weight, sturdy, and reusable.

Trail Instructions:If you have dried fruit for the topping, begin rehydrating it several hours before you plan to eat, or as soon as you remember to. More time, is of course better, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t be delicious if you just put the dried fruit on the cheesecake without soaking it! However, soaking it will leave you with fruit flavored water to make the cheesecake with, which of course is sheer serendipity. So, if you’ve got the time, cover the fruit with water in the Ziploc, and place somewhere it won’t get squashed – like a cook pot.

Mix squeeze butter and crust mix together. Press into pan and set aside. Mix filling together, using water, or fruit-liquid. I’m a major fan of making sure the Ziploc is well sealed and mashing/shaking the baggie. Spoons are just too messy for this, and I haven’t succumbed to packing a whisk – yet.

Pour filling in to pan and wait. Usually it takes 15 minutes-ish to set up, but ambient temperatures play a huge role in this. When the filling is set, add the toppings and devour.

6 5 1 2 3 9 4 7 8

8 7 3 5 6 4 2 9 1

4 9 2 8 7 1 5 3 6

5 1 9 7 4 8 3 6 2

3 4 7 6 9 2 8 1 5

2 6 8 3 1 5 9 4 7

9 2 6 1 8 3 7 5 4

7 8 4 9 5 6 1 2 3

1 3 5 4 2 7 6 8 9

Take the next stepExpand your skill set and get your Utility Manage-ment Certification through Wyoming Rural Water. The Utility Management Certification is part of Water University. It is the first certification to recognize an individual’s knowledge and ability in management of a water or wastewater utility. The UMC has become a standard for recognizing management expertise and advancement potential.

Starting this winter, Wyoming Rural Water will be offering an introductory class to the Utility Manage-ment Certification. The class will be four hours and good for all licenses, but it will not be considered core. The class will be free, but if you choose to obtain the certification, there will be a registration fee to National Rural Water of $250, which includes the cost of testing. Upon completion of the UMC class and successful outcome of testing, 10 CEU’s can be credited to your license.

WARWS will be offering other UMC classes through-out the year with topics ranging from technical oper-ations, regulations, financial viability, utility manage-ment, and environmental protection. Classes will be held throughout the state, but if you are interested in having a class in your area, please email me at kweinsaft@warws.com or give me a call at (307) 262-3943.

Your Tank in the WinterBy Erin Schmitt, media director for Pittsburg Tank & Tower Group

Scan the horizon of most towns and cities and the highest point will likely be a water tower. Though they aren’t lofted high in the air, ground storage tanks are also generally hard-to-miss landmarks. However, for something so visible, there’s a lot going on inside a storage tank that’s hidden away out of sight. If there’s something amiss with the interior of the tank’s container, many people wouldn’t know until visible degradation mars the tank’s exterior.

An icy tank creates quite a dilemma. A tank in upstate New York froze this past winter was set to undergo repairs. When the contracted crew arrived, the tank had still yet to thaw, even though several methods had been attempted. In the end, after a wasted effort and money, the crew had to wait until warmer weather to return and finish the work.

According to AWWA, there are three issues that cause freezing. Two of these – static water conditions and overflow – are operational problems. Improper specification, which can be things like the vent design or the level of insulation on the tanks or on the piping and riser is the third issue.

Static water conditions mean that the water isn’t turning over efficiently, letting it stagnate and leaving it vulnerable to freezing. This is more common in fire protection tanks that aren’t used often except in emergencies. Water is pumped in and out of a potable water tank with greater frequency, so it is less susceptible to stagnating. Potable water tanks can be equipped with mixing systems that help circulate the water and keep it from freezing.

Water at the top of a tower can become stagnant if it is not mixed regularly. Many water suppliers adjust their elevated tank levels in the winter to better keep the water moving and warm. Mixing systems keep the water inside a potable water tank circulated so that there is always a fresh, unfrozen water supply delivered to customers. As a tank is being filled, mixers keep the water from stratifying. One mixer type, hydrodynamic mixing systems, has bottom valves that are like check valves. So, when water fills the tank, the water doesn’t settle at the bottom. Instead, it goes through a series of valves throughout the length of the inlet pipe and dispenses water at different levels. When water leaves the tank, the check valves at the bottom opens up and lets the fresh water travel through the system. Mixing systems circulate warmer water to the top of the tank, thus preventing freezing. Tank usage varies, but if the water is turned over once or twice a day, the movement of the water alone will prevent the liquid from freezing solid.

Freezing can also occur when tanks overflow, particularly if water is trickling out steadily. The escaping water will immediately freeze the overflow pipe in extremely cold

weather. If water is still pumped into a tank after the overflow pipe is frozen, the water tank spill out through the roof hatch and vent. The tank will then freeze and potentially build up enough pressure to burst (M42, 2013). When freezing occurs, ice expands and may place hoop stress loads on the steel and seams. This may, in turn, cause the tank to yield or burst.

It’s not uncommon to insulate the fill and outlet pipes and the riser, particularly in northern areas prone to cold weather. Potable water tanks themselves are not insulated. A general rule of thumb would be that anything north of the Mason-Dixon line or the Ohio River would need to be insulated and heated in some manner to prevent the tank from freezing in cold weather. Anything below this line would be up to the owners’ discretion.

It’s not feasible to insulate or heat an elevated tank, although components of the tank can and often should be insulated. Depending on the size of an elevated tank, given the volume of water involved, it would have to remain very cold for an extended period of time for the tank to freeze substantially. Even then, it’s usually only the top one or two feet that freeze – although this can still create problems. When the ice breaks off, it can knock holes in pipes or rip the interior ladder off the wall.

The ground insulates the bottom of a ground storage tank, providing it with some thermal protection. Lofted high in the air, an elevated tank does not have thermal protection. It’s exposed to the sun, wind, rain, sleet, snow and other forms of precipitation. Aerators or bubbler systems can be placed in elevated tanks. These air compressors that sit on the ground have piping that’s spiraled in the bowl at the bottom of the tower. In the wintertime, the air moves up through the water to keep it circulating and prevent freezing.

Operators should lower their elevated tank’s water level so that the tank is turning over regularly, thus preventing ice from forming. Changing water levels helps circulate warmer water into the tank while expelling out colder water and helping break up any surface ice that’s formed. Tanks are most likely to freeze or develop ice overnight. People are asleep and less likely to draw water from their taps for drinking, cooking, bathing or washing.

How much a tank is used can determine if ice forms. If only a half or a third of the tank is used, while the rest of the water remains stagnant, layers or blocks of ice can form during extreme cold.

Chunks of ice can damage a tank’s interior. Ice can scrape the interior lining, which is a protective coat that prevents water from interacting with the tank’s steel. Metals, such as steel, that come into frequent contact with water are prone to rust and corrosion. Ice is also capable of prying cathodic protection cables, level gauges, and interior ladders loose. As it states in M42, “Ice buildup on an interior ladder can impose loads on the tank wall plates that are sufficient to pierce or rupture the tank container.”

If your tank freezes, seek out a tank company or a tank design consultant for advice. Thorough inspections should

be conducted on the freeze damaged tank once the warmer weather has arrived. The tank should be drained for this inspection. The inspections should reveal if there are any holes or leaks that need to be plugged. A thorough evaluation of the ladders, piping, and overflow should also be done.

Electric heaters or steam generators can be used to thaw out a frozen tank. A much cheaper alternative is to wait for the sun to unthaw the tank when the weather is warmer.

References

1. AWWA (American Water Works Association). 2013. AWWA Manual 42 – Steel Water Storage Tanks. Denver, Colo. AWWA.

Stories Along the TrailsFort Laramie Treaty of 1868

by Mark Court

In the last issue of the Wyoming Connection, you read about the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851 and what was expected by all parties that were involved in an attempt to make peace between the United States Government and the native people on the plains. This treaty was short lived and more fighting would continue. Seventeen years later at the same location, another gathering would occur in another attempt to establish peace and a better understanding of each other’s way of life.

The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, also known as the Sioux Treaty of 1868 was an agreement between the United States and the Oglala, Miniconjou and the Brule band of Lakota people as well as the Yanktonai Dakota and the Arapaho Nation. This treaty would be divided into seventeen articles and would establish the Great Sioux Reservation including the ownership of the Black Hills. It would also set aside additional lands as unceded Indian territory in the areas of South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska and Montana.

The treaty established that the United States Government would hold authority to punish not only white settlers who committed crimes against the tribes but also tribe members who committed crimes and who were to be delivered to the government rather than face charges in a tribal court. As part of the conditions of the treaty, the government would have to abandon all forts along the Bozeman Trail. The treaty also included provisions that were designed to encourage a transition to farming and move the tribe closer to the white man’s way of life. The treaty protected specific rights of third parties not partaking in the negotiations and effectively ended Red Cloud’s War.

The members of the treaty included the government-appointed Indian Peace Commission. The final signatories were Red Cloud himself as well as others who accompanied him. The agreement was short lived as animosities would soon arrive and neither side would fully honor the terms of the treaty. By 1876, open war again broke out and escalated. By 1877, the U.S. Government unilaterally annexed native lands that were under the provisions of the treaty.

Article IArticle 1 called for the cessation of all hostilities stating all wars between the parties to this agreement shall forever cease. If crimes were committed by white settlers, the government agreed to arrest and punish the offenders and reimburse any losses suffered by injured parties. If any Sioux committed any crime toward any white, black or Indian, the government could pay damages taken from the annuities owed to the tribe.

Article II:Article 2 changed the boundaries for tribal lands and established the Great Sioux Reservation which included areas of present-day South Dakota west of the Missouri River. It also included the Black Hills that was set aside for absolute and undisturbed use and occupation of the Indians. In total, the treaty allocated a quarter of the Dakota Territory. The land was smaller and moved them further eastward to take away access to prime buffalo land which was intended to encourage the Sioux to become farmers.

The Government also agreed that no parties, other than those authorized by the treaty would be allowed to pass over, settle upon, or reside in the territory. What remained unstated in the treaty that was not placed in the reservations was to be considered United States property and not Indian territory.

Article III:Article 3 allotted up to 160 acres of tillable land to be set aside for farming for members of the tribes.

Article IV:The government agreed to build a number of buildings on the reservation such as: • Warehouse Store-Room • Agency Building • Physician Residence • Carpenter Residence • Farmer Residence • Blacksmith Residence • Miller Residence • Engineer Residence • School House • Saw Mill

Article V:The government agreed that the agent for the Bureau of Indian Affairs shall keep his office open to complaints, which he will investigate and forward to the Commissioner. The decision of the Commissioner, subject to review by the Secretary of the Interior, shall be bindings on the parties.

Article VI:Article 6 laid out provisions for members of the tribes to take legal individual ownership of previously commonly held land, up to 320 acres for the heads of families and 80 acres for any adult who was not head of the family. This land may be occupied and held in the exclusive possession of the person selecting it and of his family as long as he or they may continue to cultivate it.

Article VII:Article 7 addresses education for those children aged 6 to 16 in order, as the treaty states,” insure the civilization of the Indians entering into this treaty”. The tribes agreed that both male and female would attend school. The government agreed to provide a schoolhouse and teacher for every 30 students.

Article VIII:In this article, the government agreed to provide seeds, tools and training for any of the residents who selected tracts of land, and agree to farm them. This was to be in the amount of $100 worth for the first year and up to $25 worth the second and third years.

Article IX:At any time after ten years from the making of this treaty, the government has the privilege of withdrawing the physician, farmer, blacksmith, carpenter, engineer and miller. In such case, the government must provide $10,000 annually that must be devoted to education and moral improvements of the tribes. All decisions of this article must be managed by a local Indian agent under the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

Article X:Article 10 provided for an allotment of clothes and food. In addition, for each family or lodge that moves on to the

reservation, they were given one good cow and two oxen. In addition to the food, clothing and livestock, the sum of $10 for each person engaging in hunting and $20 dollars for each person engaged in farming. These appropriations shall be given annually for a period of 30 years.

Article XI:The provisions of this article stated that the tribes agree to withdraw opposition of the railroad construction, military posts and roads. The article also states that the tribes will not attack or capture white settlers or their property. The same guarantee protected third parties defined as persons friendly with the United States. The government also agreed to reimburse for damages caused by the construction of the railroad on reservation lands. The amount would be determined by three disinterested commissioners appointed by the President. It also guaranteed the tribes access north and west of the Black Hills as hunting grounds.

Article XII:Article 12 required that no treaty for the cessation of any portion or part of the 1868 Treaty Territory shall be valid unless executed and signed by at least three-fourths (3/4) of all adult male Indians occupying or interested in the same.

Article XIII:The government agreed to furnish the tribes with a physician, teachers, carpenter, miller, engineer, farmer and blacksmiths.

Article XIV:The government agreed to provide $100 in prizes for those who, in the judgement of the agent may grow the most valuable crops for the respective year.

Article XV:Article 15 states that once the promised buildings were constructed, the tribes agreed to regard the reservation as their permanent home and will make no permanent settlement elsewhere.

Article XVI:Article 16 stated that the country north of the North Platte River and east of the summits of the Big Horn Mountains

would be unseded Indian territory. The agreement stated that no white settlers could occupy in that region without consent of the tribes which included 33,000,000 acres of land outside the reservation which was previously set aside in the 1851 treaty as well as an additional 25,000,000 acres. As part of this the government agreed to close forts associated with the Bozeman Trail.

Article XVII:The treaty agreed to be construed as abrogating and annulling all treaties and agreements between all respective parties.

The United States vs Sioux Nation of IndiansAs history has proven, the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 had been broken time and time again. Likely the biggest violation of the treaty came during the Black Hills Gold Rush of 1875 when white settlers occupied and settled in Sioux Territory. The broken treaty would lead to further battles between the tribes and the United States. These broken promises led to the Battle of the Little Big Horn, Wounded Knee as well as other battles.

In 1980, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the government had illegally taken land in the Black Hills that was granted in the 1868 treaty by abrogating article two of the agreement during negotiations in 1876 while failing to achieve the required signatures of the adult male population that was required to do so. It upheld an award of $15.5 million for the market value of the land in 1877 along with 103 years of interest at 5% for an additional $105 million. The Lakota Sioux refused to accept payment and continued to demand the return of the territory from the United States. Today, the Sioux interest has compounded to well over $1.3 billion.

In 2018, the South Dakota Legislature passed Senate Resolution1which reaffirmed the legitimacy of the treaty. A similar bill was signed into law by Wyoming Governor Matt Mead calling for the federal government to uphold its federal trust responsibilities and calling for a permanent display of the original treaty on file with the National Archives and Records Administration.

Close-up of the clarifiers. Notice the sugar wafer observation decks!Overview of the North Pole Water Treatment plant, where safe, clean drinking water doesn’t happen by magic, or accident. The treatment train inclused dual clarifiers, a

flocculation chamber, inclined plate settler and mixed media filtration.

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North Pole Water Treatment Plant built by Michelle Christopher when she had a few hours to kill.

TEDDER VALVE COMPANY

1054 Snow Lily Court Castle Pines, CO 80108

Cell: (303)884-4846 rmvco@aol.com

John Tedder CLA-VAL Service

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Glenrock, WY82637