Tracking Progress: Design Review Project Status and the Importance of RFI Timelines

The Engineering Section supports the WQCD mission by ensuring drinking water and domestic wastewater infrastructure is safely designed and operated. To help stakeholders navigate the review process for drinking water and domestic wastewater projects, we are highlighting our online tracking tools and the importance of timely responses to Requests for Information (RFI).

Enhanced Project Visibility

The Engineering Section maintains a public-facing Project Status Page that tracks every design application currently in our system. This tool is designed to give you full visibility into your submittal's journey. By using this page, you can identify:

• Your Review Team: Quickly identify the assigned Review Engineer and the Quality Control (QC) Engineer for your specific project.
• Active Projects: See which projects are currently under review by our engineering staff or if we are waiting for more information from the applicant.
• Backlog/Awaiting Payment: Projects only enter the backlog once invoices are paid (if applicable). These are queued and awaiting staff availability.
• Historic Projects: This includes a record of projects that have been completed, closed, or canceled.

By checking these status updates regularly, you can better estimate your project’s timeline and ensure the "ball" isn't accidentally left in your court.

Why Timely Responses Matter

A critical part of the technical review is the Request for Information (RFI), which our engineers use to seek clarification or additional details to ensure the design meets Department Design Criteria.

To keep our review queue accurate and focused on construction-ready projects, we are implementing a new administrative update:

• Important: If a project remains in an "Awaiting More Info" status for more than 120 days without communication, the project will be flagged and may be closed out in the future.

What this means for you:

• Project Closure: If an RFI goes unanswered for over four months, the project will be flagged for potential closure. Additional communications will be sent to the applicant alerting them of the need to respond.
• The Resubmission Requirement: If a project is closed, it cannot be "reopened." To move forward, the applicant must resubmit a new design application, which includes paying new application fees (if applicable) and restarting the review at the back of the current queue.
• Stay Updated: We will always notify entities before closing a project for lack of response, but the best way to avoid delays is to respond to RFIs as soon as possible.

Keeping the Queue Moving

Responding promptly helps us all. Idle projects make it difficult to forecast workloads and assign resources to those ready for construction.

Our ask to you:

• Check your status: Regularly visit our Project Status Page.
• Respond Promptly: Aim to address RFI comments as soon as they are received.
• Stay in Touch: If you anticipate a delay in responding to an RFI, contact your assigned reviewer to keep the Department updated.

We value your partnership in protecting Colorado’s water resources. Let’s work together to keep the application process flowing smoothly.

➽ Clayton Moores, Engineering Section Manager

New Limited Series Training: An Introduction to the New Monitoring Schedule Tool

Are you experiencing difficulties with the updated Monitoring Schedules? Do you need some assistance understanding and using this essential tool? The Local Assistance Unit will be hosting FREE training sessions focused on navigating the new Monitoring Schedule webpage and its associated tools. Participating operators can earn up to 0.1 training units. 

This webinar will cover:

• A general overview and associated resources
• Navigating and printing your Monitoring Schedules 
• Troubleshooting, tips & tricks

You can register for this FREE training by clicking on one of the available dates below and filling out the associated registration form. After registering, you will receive an email with information on how to access the course. 

This training opportunity will only be offered for the following sessions:

Dates and Registration	Time (MST)
April 21, 2026	12 - 1 PM
May 11, 2026	11 AM - 12 PM

Please contact us with any questions at cdphe.wqdwtraining@state.co.us.

For other training opportunities and resources, please visit our website: Training opportunities

➽ Elicia Vigil WIIN Program Coach 

Coming Down The Pipe: More Wastewater Content on AquaTalk!

Since 2019, the Aqua Talk blog has been a hub for the Water Quality Control Division (WQCD) of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to relay important information to drinking water operators, decision makers, and system representatives. 

The WQCD will now seek to broaden those efforts by also making sure this space is an information hub for wastewater professionals as well! 

With that in mind, we wanted to provide the following resources and updates from the Clean Water Program:

• A tutorial has been created for applying for the Domestic Discharges to Surface Water Permit. We realize the permit application can be complex, so last year we contracted Indigo Water Group to create this tool to help applicants better understand the application’s complexities. This should help make applications more complete and correct, leading to fewer issues for stakeholders. 
• WQCD has contracted with CRWA to develop and deliver test prep and cyber/physical security trainings free of charge to water professionals. Check their site for upcoming announcements on when these trainings will be scheduled and where at https://crwa.net/! 
• The WQCD offers Quarterly Clean Water Webinars (Clean Water being the half of the division that deals with waste water, storm water, ground water, surface water, etc). These webinars are open to the public and the next one is scheduled for Thursday, Apr. 16, 2026, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• The Division’s Local Assistance Unit (LAU) has expanded to include a Clean Water Coach, Joe Sturgeon (joseph.sturgeon@state.co.us). He delivered the Wastewater MRT at the CRWA Conference in March and will be working with the Rocky Mountain Section of the American Water Works Association (RMSAWWA) over the next few months to deliver talks on Operator Ethics at their Action Now events. If you're interested in attending check their website at https://www.rmsawwa.org/action-now to see if an Action Now event is coming to a town near you!

Please keep watching this space for more information that’s geared towards wastewater systems! We’ll have more information available on trainings and other goings on at the division soon. 

➽ Joe Sturgeon, Clean Water Training Specialist, Local Assistance Unit

Deep Dive into Water Disinfection: Keeping Water Safe

Colorado requires all public drinking water systems to have continuous chemical disinfection, except for two suppliers that meet strict standards to retain disinfection waivers and hand-pumped wells at campgrounds. Continuous disinfection is part of a multi-barrier approach to ensuring safe drinking water is available to your consumers.  

Disinfection of drinking water inactivates (i.e., kills or prevents pathogens from replicating) waterborne pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses. The amount of microorganisms needed to cause an infection varies widely between pathogens. The median infectious dose for Salmonella typhosa is 1,000,000 organisms (but can be much less for infants), Hepatitis A virus is between 10-100, and Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium are less than 10 organisms. Disinfection does not completely eliminate all living organisms in the water, but does significantly reduce potential acute waterborne disease risk. The pathogen risk reduction is expressed in terms of “log inactivation”. For example, a 3.0 log inactivation value means that 99.9% of microorganisms of interest are inactivated. 

Disinfection can be accomplished using either chemical oxidants, such as free chlorine, chloramines, or ozone, or by photo-inactivation with ultraviolet light. Most Colorado water systems use free chlorine as their main disinfectant. Disinfection with chlorine or chloramines provides a persistent disinfectant residual in the distribution system. This disinfectant residual can provide defense against harmful organisms that enter the distribution system through backflow events, pipeline leaks, low pressure events, or other contamination pathways. 

Regulation 11: Colorado Primary Drinking Water Regulations requires that systems maintain a minimum disinfectant residual concentration of 0.2 mg/L at the entry point and 0.2 mg/L in the distribution system. These two requirements are the same for groundwater (GW), groundwater under the direct influence of surface water (GWUDI), and surface water (SW) systems. Each source type has additional disinfection requirements outlined below: 

• GW sources are considered protected groundwater and are expected to have limited or no pathogens. GW systems must comply with the Groundwater Rule through either triggered source water monitoring in the event of a total coliform positive sample or by certifying that the GW treatment process always provides 4-log (99.99%) inactivation of viruses. 
• GWUDI and SW sources likely have pathogen sources in the water (e.g., beavers, point discharges). Pathogenic organisms are expected and GWUDI/SW systems must meet pathogen log removal/inactivation requirements in the Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWTR). The required treatment is based on three target pathogens:
• Cryptosporidium: 2-log (99%) removal. 
• Higher levels may be required based on LT2 source water monitoring.
• Giardia lamblia: 3-log (99.9%) removal/inactivation.
• Viruses: 4-log (99.99%) removal/inactivation. 

For SW/GWUDI systems: filtration and disinfection are two complementary critical barriers for protecting public health. Drinking Water Policy 4 outlines the removal credits for various filtration types (e.g., conventional filtration, direct filtration). The disinfection treatment must be designed and operated to provide any remaining log inactivation required in the SWTR. These processes work together to ensure that drinking water is safe for the public. 

Next time, we will discuss disinfection log inactivation and the critical parameters for design and compliance demonstration. 

Below are some resources that will give more specific information about the requirements outlined above. If you have questions, please contact Melanie Criswell at melanie.criswell@state.co.us. 

Resources

• Quick guide: Disinfectant residual 
• Quick guide: Minimum disinfection for groundwater 
• Drinking Water Policy 4 (DW004): Surface water treatment rule performance assessment, proper operation and fostering improved operations
• ​Drinking Water Policy 4 - Policy guidance
• Additional information about disinfection is available at the division's Revised Total Coliform Website

➽ Melanie Criswell - Lead Service Line, Corrosion, and Emerging Contaminants Engineer

Thank you to Colorado’s Certified Operators

To Colorado’s Certified Operators: Thank You for What You Do

From all of us on the staff of Colorado’s Water and Wastewater Facility Operators Certification program, we want to take a moment to speak directly to you – the certified operators who keep Colorado’s water systems running safely, reliably, and with professionalism every single day. 

Quite simply: what you do matters, and it matters a lot.

Every time a community turns on the tap expecting clean, safe drinking water or flushes a toilet without a second thought, it’s because of your expertise. Behind the scenes, often unnoticed and sometimes underappreciated, you protect public health and safeguard the environment across our beautiful state. Colorado’s quality of life depends on you.

A Profession Built on Skill, Commitment, and Trust

Water and wastewater operations are not “just jobs.” They are professions that demand technical knowledge, sound judgment, adaptability, and a deep sense of responsibility. From managing complex treatment processes and regulatory requirements to responding to emergencies at all hours, operators are asked to do more with less and to do it flawlessly. 

Obtaining certification isn’t easy, and it isn’t meant to be. It represents your commitment to learning, accountability, and excellence. When you earn and maintain your certification, you demonstrate to your community, your employer, and your peers that you are a trusted professional. We see the effort that goes into studying, testing, continuing education, and staying current in a field that is constantly evolving. 

Showing Up When It Counts

Whether you work for a large utility on the Front Range or a small system in a rural mountain or plains town, your role is critical. During wildfires, floods, droughts, freezes, power outages, and equipment failures, operators are among the first to respond and often the last to leave. You show up when conditions are difficult, when systems are stressed, and when communities need stability the most.

In recent years especially, operators have navigated staffing shortages, aging infrastructure, tightening regulations, and increasing public expectations. Through it all, you’ve kept systems compliant and water safe. That resilience does not go unnoticed. 

More than Compliance

While regulations and certifications are part of the job, the heart of this profession goes beyond compliance. It’s about stewardship – of water resources, public health, and future generations. It’s about pride in doing work that truly serves people.

We also recognize that many of you mentor new operators, share knowledge across systems, and contribute to a culture of professionalism in Colorado’s water sector. That willingness to teach, learn, and support one another strengthens the entire industry. 

Our Commitment to You

As a program, we see our role as partners in your success. Our goal is to support a fair and credible certification process that upholds high standards while acknowledging the realities of the work you do. We continually work to improve guidance, communication, and outreach, as a strong operator workforce is essential to the strength of our water systems. 

Your feedback matters to us. Your experience in the field helps shape how we do our work, and we value the dialogue we have with operators across the state. 

Operator Certification Program staff can be reached at (719) 225-7339, info@coloradocwp.com, cdphe.facilityoperator@state.co.us, or cdphe.wwfocb@state.co.us. 

You can also find everything you need to know about Colorado operator certification using the Operator Resources webpage. 

Thank You

So, to Colorado’s certified water and wastewater operators: thank you for your dedication, your professionalism, and your service. Thank you for the long hours, the problem-solving, the vigilance, and the pride you bring to your work. Thank you for protecting public health and the environment, often without recognition and always with integrity. 

On a personal note, I (Jessica Morgan) also want to share my gratitude as I prepare to step away from public service after nine years, including three and a half years with the Water and Wastewater Facility Operators Certification program. It has been an honor to serve the operator community and to support the important work you do every day. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have worked alongside such knowledgeable, committed professionals, and I will carry a lasting appreciation for this field and the people in it. 

We are proud of the operator community in Colorado, and we are grateful to work alongside you – supporting a profession that is as essential as it is honorable. Keep doing what you do. Colorado is better because of it. 💧

➽ Jessica Morgan, Liaison for the Water & Wastewater Operator Certification Board 

➽ Larisa Oringdulph, Program Director of Colorado Certified Water Professionals

Arsenic Water Quality Standards

 

Right now - arsenic is regulated in wastewaters statewide due to water quality standards that were conceived of over 20 years ago. Because arsenic can be quite detrimental to human health and for surface waters that are a source of drinking water, it is important to protect the drinking water supply by adopting protective standards.

Colorado has surface water standards to protect both drinking water (water supply) and fish ingestion. The surface water standard for water supply is 20 nanograms per liter (ng/L). This is quite low, and comparable to the PFAS maximum contaminant levels proposed by EPA (4 nanograms per liter).

The Safe Drinking Water Act regulates arsenic at 10 micrograms per liter (ug/L), or 10,000 nanograms per liter as a maximum contaminant level (or MCL). Also, the practical quantitation limit, or PQL for arsenic currently stands at about 1 micrograms per liter. Having such large discrepancies between the water quality standard, the drinking water MCL, and the PQL creates challenges in implementation of standards within the permitting framework.

The division worked with stakeholders and the commission throughout the 2010s and the early part of this decade to implement statewide temporary modifications because of uncertainty in what the standard should be, and the challenges presented by these discrepancies. While being an interim solution that is unique to Colorado, this solution is only temporary. Each time we extend it, we have to get it approved by our partners at EPA Region 8. Colorado has utilized the temporary modification tool since 2011 (Reg. No. 38.79) to recognize the underlying, use-based standard as a goal while using the level generally deemed to be technologically feasible to set permit limits (i.e., 0.02-3 ug/L). Currently, the arsenic temporary modification is scheduled to expire in 2029. 

As part of the Water Quality Roadmap, the division is currently scoping out what implementation of the protective arsenic standards will look like in the permitting framework. Keep informed of our progress through our quarterly roadmap meetings, which will also offer regular stakeholder input opportunities. The next Roadmap meeting will be held on March 5, 2026.

➽ Tyson Ingels, Watershed & Engineering Program Manager

Coaches' Classroom: Public Notices: Division Tools and Templates to Cover All Your Bases

The public notification rule establishes requirements for public water systems to communicate any problems about the water to anyone using the water they produce. Specifically, problems related to meeting drinking water standards, failing to test the water, or other situations related to protecting the health of consumers all require public notice and must meet the requirements in the Colorado Primary Drinking Water Regulations (Regulation 11).  

Resources
Public Notice Templates are a great tool for efficiently meeting the regulatory requirements. The templates can be generated using our online public notice generator tool. Using the generator tool ensures that your public notice contains the 10 required elements of a public notice, as well as any specific required language.  

Choosing the correct violation category
There are three tiers of public notice:  

• Tier 1 is required for the most immediate potential public health impacts.
• Tier 2 is for situations with potential to have serious effects, such as exceeding a maximum contaminant level.
• Tier 3 is for violations and situations that may not directly impact public health. 

In addition to the tier levels for public notification, public notices may have different language requirements depending on the specific violation. Field-based violations are those that are identified during sanitary survey inspections. When creating a public notice for a field-based violation, you will select the violation category that lists “sanitary survey identified violations - Tier 2 or 3” (see image below). The template will contain instructions and a link to the Public Notice Health Effects Language for Sanitary Survey Tier 2 Violations chart, which provides the language required to be entered for each violation found on your Sanitary Survey findings letter. You will also need to add the description of each violation, the date the violations need to be corrected, and the steps you are taking to correct them in the table provided in the template you generate. Once completed, you are ready to deliver the notices to your customers per the tier requirements. After you distribute the public notice(s), please submit a final copy, along with a certificate of delivery to the drinking water portal.   

Consumer Confidence Reports to Meet Public Notification Requirements
Community public water systems are required to complete a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) each year.  Under some circumstances, a Tier 3 public notice requirement can be met using the CCR. 

1. The CCR must fall within 1 year of learning of the violation.
2. The CCR must be delivered using a direct delivery method.
3. All 10 public notice elements must be included.

While Tier 2 violations can’t be satisfied with the CCR, all unresolved violations and significant deficiencies are required to be reported on the CCR, this includes those listed on a corrective action plan for a Sanitary Survey deficiency. 

Want to learn more?
If you are interested in learning more about field violations during a sanitary survey and how to complete your public notice requirements, sign up for one of our upcoming free Sanitary Survey Preparation Trainings. If you have more specific questions about health-based violations and PN requirements, join us for our Monitoring and Operating for Regulatory Compliance (MORC) training. All of our training is free and offered in virtual or face-to-face formats.

➽ Angela Green Garcia, Drinking Water Training Specialist