2016 Leadership Conference. A total of 115 members and 20 guests (along with WQA staff) recently participated in WQA’s 2016 Leadership Conference. The event took place August 29-September 1 in Newport, RI, with the highest attendance in more than 13 years. As in previous years, important committee and task force meetings took place along with social networking opportunities and work sessions for WQA’s highly dedicated volunteers.
2017 Leadership Awards. Each year, WQA members have an opportunity to nominate their peers for one of several awards recognizing individuals for their service to the water treatment industry. Nominations are evaluated against each individual award criteria. Therefore, please include as much information as possible about the individual and the reasons they should be considered for a particular award. The information you supply is critical in assisting the awards panel’s decision-making process. Award recipients will be announced during the Opening General Session of the WQA Convention & Exposition in March 2017, in Orlando, FL. Nominations will be accepted through Friday, September 30. To nominate an individual, please visit the website or download a nomination form there. For additional information, please contact Lynn Mathers, [email protected].
Boil Water Notices. Thanks to the Investing in Your Future Campaign, the Water Quality Research Foundation (WQRF) continues to help position our industry as a credible resource to consumers, public health officials and others. The first study made possible from Campaign funds was the Boil Water Notices (BWN) in the US Study.
Understanding trends in boil-water notices are important for improving human health risk assessments as well as risk communication and perception among consumers. The study found the majority of notices were precautionary for possible microbial contamination of the distribution system due to leaks, breaks and low pressure events. The report concludes that due to the randomization of these events, an appropriate risk management method is installing POU or POE devices certified for microbiological reduction. As consumers start paying closer and closer attention to their water, it is important for our industry to be well-educated on this topic and prepared to explain the need for sanitization of any existing treatment systems that may be required after these events.
John Keener, President of Toledo Water Conditioning, has front-line experience with being such a resource for consumers, including when the Microcystin-LR contamination occurred in Toledo, OH back in 2014. He was a heavily involved dealer in the Boil Water Notices research task force because he says, “This is our time, this is our opportunity to help educate the public and provide final barrier solutions.” WQA members can download the full study and executive summary here. Steps for proper sanitization of treatment equipment after a BWN event is available for members in the WQA Knowledge Base.