Watermark > Spring 2003 > Association News

Association News

• Editor's Message: A new era for Watermark
• 2002-2003 Board of Directors
• Technical Planning Committee Chairs
• BCWWA Staff
• President's Message: Past year full of accomplishments
• Safe Drinking Water Week in British Columbia - May 4 -10

Editor's Message: A new era for Watermark

Dena Paige, Editor

Spring 2003 marks the beginning of a new era for BCWWA’s Watermark! In this and subsequent issues, you will see a fresh new look – in the content – the overall breadth and the range of articles has been expanded. In addition, the graphics and the masthead have been improved. We are pleased to introduce a new Watermark publisher – Craig Kelman & Associates. The Kelman organization has great experience and success as publishers of the Western Canada Water and Wastewater Association journal and directory, as well as many other publications. Kelman will produce five issues of Watermark, instead of the current four, including a coil ring, tabbed, multi-purpose directory of who’s who in the BC Water and Wastewater industry. The distribution of the Watermark will be increased dramatically – from 3500 to 5500, with all BCWWA members, First Nations bands, water superintendents, town administrators, irrigation districts, mayors, MPs, MLAs, environmental organizations and engineering groups in BC and the Yukon receiving a hard copy.

As your editor for the past six months, I want you to know that we will continue to make the Watermark a more meaningful and useful publication for our readers. In this regard, I would appreciate your comments and feedback on the new Watermark and any further changes that you would like to see incorporated. We will undertake to print as many Letters to the Editor as possible in future issues.

In this issue, the spotlight is on the two forthcoming conferences; the 31st Annual Conference and Exposition and the Canadian Organic Residuals Recycling Conference. Both are being held, back-to-back, in Penticton this year. The Residuals Conference runs April 23 to 26 and the AGM runs April 27 to 30. We hope to see you in Penticton. As well, we have a feature article on the Environment Operator’s Certification Program,

authored by Chairman Joe McGowan, on the mandate of EOCP and how BCWWA and EOCP work together to deliver a seamless training and certification program to water and wastewater operators in BC and the Yukon. You will also find a comprehensive line-up of courses BCWWA will be offering in concert with EOCP’s certification program in this issue.

All in all, there is something for everyone in this issue of the Watermark. I hope you enjoy this issue and I look forward to hearing from you.

2002-2003 Board of Directors

Back Row. Left to right:
Harlan Kelly – President-elect; Jack Bryden – WEF Trustee; Kevin Ramsay – CWWA Director; Don Degen – Vice President; Mike Nolan – Southern Interior Director; Nelson Porter – Vice Operator Education Chair; Murray McLeod – Canadian Affairs (AWWA) Director; Barry Biddle – Manufacturers, Suppliers and Consultants Director; Dennis Mitchell – AWWA Director.

Front Row. Left to right:
Phil Wong – Secretary; Inder Singh – President; Doug Dolan – Cross Connection Control Director; Del Haylock – Executive Director; Bob Smith – Vancouver Island Director.

Missing: Rick Corbett – Past President; Jim Levin – Treasurer; Bill Harvey – AWWA Trustee; Neal Carley – WEF Director; Greg Bull – Yukon Director; Leo Albrecht – Operator Education Director

Technical Planning Committee Chairs

Back Row. Left to right:
Nelson Porter – Vice Operator Education Chair; Kim Stephens – Water Sustainability Chair; Jack Bryden – WEF Trustee; Barry Biddle – Manufacturers, Suppliers and Consultants Chair; Sean Brophy – Drinking Water Chair.

Front Row. Left to right:
Dena Paige – Watermark Editor; Doug Dolan – Cross Connection Control Chair; Akemi Siu – Industrial Waste Chair; Andy North – Public Private Partnership Chair; Chris Johnston – Watershed Chair.

Missing: Richard Jornitz – Analytical Lab Chair; Rob Hamilton –Marine Wastewater Discharge Chair; Leo Albrecht – Operator Education Chair; Dave Forgie – Wastewater Treatment Chair; John Rowse – Decentralized Waste Management Chair; Sandra Plank – Small Water Systems Chair; Jennifer Crosby – Water for People Chair; Nancy Grenier – Youth Education Chair; Doug MacQuarrie – Membership Chair; Don Enns – Awards Chair; Bob Jones – Utility Quality Improvement Chair.

BCWWA Staff

Left to right:
Vilma Rosa – Membership Cross Connection;
Del Haylock – Executive Director;
Diana Dempsey – Program Administrator;
Xue Wang – Accountant.

President's Message: Past year full of accomplishments

Inder Singh, BCWWA President

It seems like just yesterday that I received the Association gavel from Rick Corbett and started my term as the BCWWA President. About 30 seconds into my mandate, the gavel began its travels; however, I trust it will soon reappear at the upcoming Penticton AGM. The City of Penticton will be an excellent venue for the 2003 Conference as it was in 2001 and Bill Muir’s conference committee has been paying extra attention to all the critical details, to help ensure this year’s conference proceeds like clockwork.

Thanks to the dedicated effort of its volunteers and staff, I am very pleased to report on the various accomplishments achieved by BCWWA over the past year. Not unlike an awards acceptance speech, it will be impossible to recognize every effort; however, I wish to highlight the following:

• We have purchased a new, permanent office in South Burnaby. Staff and committee volunteers now have a place to call their own, with ample room to grow in the future. In addition, an improved comprehensive data base management system has been put in place that allows for tracking member data, events planning, operator education training and course evaluation, annual conference planning, on-line registration and a full range of accounting functions.
• We have established a ‘“Source-to- Tap’” Committee to support the Ministry of Health Services eventual rollout of the new Drinking Water Regulations. This committee will work closely with the Province to establish a “made in BC” model for regulatory compliance modeling.
• In anticipation of new mandatory certification requirements for water operators, BCWWA and the Environmental Operators Certification Program are working hard to co-ordinate efforts to better serve the training and certification needs of operators.
• We are continuing to foster a close working relationship with key representatives in the provincial and federal government. BCWWA will be working closely on partnershipping opportunities with the BC Ministries of Health, and Water, Land and Air Protection and with Environment Canada on organizing training and workshops to help facilitate government initiatives.
• We continue to be proud of our Small Water Systems training program and have submitted entries showcasing its excellence for various AWWA Section awards. Through this program, BCWWA has trained nearly 700 operators at 26 communities throughout British Columbia and the Yukon.
• We are investigating the potential for piloting a training course to remote areas through a WEB based learning method. This will help BCWWA in its efforts to provide a high- quality training product at an affordable price to its members, no matter where they reside in British Columbia, or the Yukon.
• We have reviewed our partnerships with our parent organizations, AWWA and WEF and have developed specific recommendations to help foster strong and healthy relationships. In this regards, a thorough legal review has been completed of our Constitution and Bylaws and the amendments have been presented to the members for ratification at the upcoming AGM.
• We continue to work on improvements in the provision of services in order to maximize the value and benefits accruing from being a member. In this regard, we are pleased to advise that BCWWA has entered into a new arrangement with an independent publisher, which will provide a quality Watermark quarterly magazine, with increased editorial content, and a separate coil bound and tabbed members directory. Our Finance Committee continues to refine and develop policies to ensure that the Association remains on a sound financial footing. In addition to recommending the annual operating budget, the committee administers the investment and reserve funds to facilitate strategic initiatives for the betterment of the Association.
• Through the efforts of our Ad Hoc Communications Committee, BCWWA has been focusing on developing internal and external communications through a more formalized process with key partners, including industry stakeholders and post secondary institutions.
• Strategic Planning for the medium term has also been a priority, and our Executive is assessing the existing BCWWA operating strategy with a view to developing action plans to achieve long term objectives. This long- term strategy will be implemented via a professional business plan.

This is a snapshot of some of the developments of the Association over the past year. These achievements are a direct result of the dedicated effort of the Association volunteers that who sit on the BCWWA Board and lead the various technical and administrative committees, as well as through the capable efforts of hard working staff. I truly appreciate the support and time commitment that our members provide to help maintain BCWWA as the pre-eminent environmental organization in the Province. We will be celebrating our 31st AGM in Penticton and I look forward to raising a toast to the continued success of BCWWA.

Safe Drinking Water Week in British Columbia
May 4 -10

A request has been made by BCWWA to the Ministry of Health Services to proclaim the week of May 4 to 10, 2003, “Safe Drinking Water Week” in British Columbia. The British Columbia Water and Waste Association is encouraging the Ministry to continue to support its efforts in raising the awareness of the citizens of British Columbia of the importance of clean, safe drinking water. The object is for water purveyors to demonstrate, through open houses or other public information venues, the ongoing efforts required to provide clean, safe drinking water. As appropriate, BCWWA participates in and/or encourages these types of activities.

As in past years, this week is being declared throughout North America as a result of the efforts of the American Water Works Association (AWWA), a North American organization dedicated to the provision of clean, safe drinking water through the actions of its member associations and its individual members. As in previous years, we are confident that the BC Medical Health Officers and the Environmental Health Officers fully support this endeavour.