Pacific Northwest Pollution Control Association

Programs: Conferences and workshops: annual conference and workshops provide water/wastewater and other public health, municipal, and regulatory professionals with water pollution control education including the latest issues, technology, and research pertaining to management of wastewater facilities, energy conservation, and environmental protection. Wastewater professionals are tasked with huge responsibilities for maintaining service, safety, and cost efficiency while protecting the public from potential health hazards from inadequately treated wastewater. Pncwa training provides the skills and knowledge to reduce both risks and expenditures. In 2014, there were 800 attendees at the annual conference; 51 attendees at the public communications workshop; 25 attendees participating in leadership development workshops; 3 webinar trainings were offered ("biogas utilization," "plc basics," and "co-digestion") with a total of 65 attendee stations; and 117 individuals were awarded ceus (continuing education units).

newsletters: quarterly newsletters relative to educational programs and activities of pncwa. Promotes the technical development of members and advances of science needed to protect the water environment and highlights challenges and successes in the pacific northwest region. Focus topics in 2014 were green infrastructure, stormwater, automation, asset management, biological nutrient removal, and filtration. Mailed out to approximately 1,600 (members and a few profession-related non-members) and is available electronically on the pncwa website (open access).

public education: 1. Annual workshop for communication professionals to learn how to best communicate with the public on issues that are highly scientific, sometimes highly misunderstood, and often regarding a subject not often talked about (issues surrounding wastewater). In 2014, there were 51 attendees. 2. Provide judging volunteers for the international science and engineering fairs (isef) in oregon and washington used for stockholm junior water prize (sjwp) selections. Present 100 award to each state winner in our three- state region that participates in the certified isef program. Select and support state winners to attend the national stockholm junior water prize (sjwp) competition. 3. Adopt-a-school grants: fund 6th-12th grade water curriculums in exchange for providing a classroom presentation from a water professional and/or treatment facility tour. Seven schools received funding in 2014 with grants totaling 5,000. Provided winners with water source book activities and wastewater utility partner. 4. Encourage awareness of the resources available on the wef (water environment federation) website. These water resource materials are targeted to the general public (water service consumers), educators and k- 12 students, college students and water quality professionals. 5. Fulfilled requests from 3 schools by providing a total of 5 water quality monitoring kits for participation in the world water monitoring challenge program.

membership services: in addition to the training opportunities provided to its 1,450 members that help build professional excellence for established professionals, pncwa focuses on the issue of workforce sustainability (having a trained workforce to take the lead as retirements increase in the field). Leadership training and different areas of support for students and young professionals are part of this effort as well as a newly established scholarship fund to encourage education in the water quality field. In 2014, a total of 4,500 was awarded in pncwa environmental stewardship scholarships with each of 3 recipients receiving 1,500 to help cover costs in their educational pursuits regarding water quality. The scholarship committee raised a total of 14,186 in contributions in 2014 through fundraising activities at our annual conference. Also, a robust awards program is in place to honor excellence in the field. Two pncwa young professionals were supported in attending the wef/awwa (water environment association/american water works association) young professionals summit. Operations challenge is an event where wwtp operators' skills in maintenance, pump, safety, and lab events are tested. Four operations challenge teams competed at the pncwa annual conference. Two pacific northwest teams were given travel support to the national operations challenge competition at weftec with one of the teams placing 3rd overall in their division. A 1,337 donation was made by pncwa to werf (water environment research foundation) to support water research. Three pncwa representatives (one from each member state) were supported in attending the wef/awwa fly-in in washington dc, an an event designed to engage legislators and their staff in critical water topics with people from their local communities. A mentoring program pairs mentors and protgs who commit to working together over the course of at least a year.