Coaches Classroom: New CoWARN website!

Colorado's Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (CoWARN) is a free mutual aid network in which water and wastewater providers offer and receive assistance during emergency events. CoWARN has launched a new website! 

Required Action for CoWARN Members

If you are a current CoWARN member please reset your passwords through the new website to maintain your CoWARN membership. To reset your password please click on this link. If you encounter any issues with your password reset, please use this form to ask for assistance. Due to a high volume of assistance requests it may take 3-5 business days before the CoWARN administrator is able to get in touch and help resolve your issue. Thank you for your patience! 

After you reset your password please take the following action: 

1. Log in using your new password. You will be automatically redirected to the home page.
2. Locate the round red profile button in the top right corner of the page. Click on it to access your profile.
3. On your profile page, you can update your personal information and add your utility. 
4. Once you have made any necessary changes and added your utility, you will be able to access the new website functions.

New Website Functionality

This new website offers new functions:

Member managed activation: CoWARN members can now activate the CoWARN Network for emergency resource requests from their website profile. This feature enables emergency requests to be sent to the membership via email and text communications. Once assistance is received, it allows the Requestor to provide an update to the rest of the membership and close out the request.

Message board: CoWARN members now have access to a free message board where they can share lessons learned, discuss best management practices, and troubleshoot issues related to utility emergency management.

Events page: CoWARN often partners with state and federal agencies to put on emergency preparedness training events for water and wastewater providers. All events offered by CoWARN will be advertised on the events webpage. 

How to become a CoWARN member?

If you are interested in becoming a CoWARN member please go to the join CoWARN website, fill out and submit a mutual aid agreement, and fill out the contact information of the individual creating the CoWARN profile. You will be able to add additional contact information after your profile has been created. 

Thank you for all that you do to protect public health and the environment in Colorado! 

➽ Kyra Gregory Drinking Water Training Specialist and CoWARN Administrator

Aqua Answers - How do I keep everything straight?

Dear Aqua Answers,

As an operator, there’s a lot going on. How do I keep everything straight?

Thanks,

Stacie Indeno

Dear Stacie,

Public water systems need to meet many drinking water regulatory requirements to protect public health. This includes monitoring and reporting. Keeping track of all this information may be overwhelming for operators, owners, and administrators. As a result, we have developed several assistive tools that can help avoid an unnecessary violation. These include the following: 

Monitoring Schedules: 

Your online monitoring schedule is the first and best place to start. This document identifies your system’s testing requirements and deadlines. 

• You can find your system’s online monitoring schedule at the division's drinking water schedule website. You can then search by your system’s PWSID (COXXXXXXX) or “System Name”.
• Your monitoring schedule details your system’s information, including your Facility ID, Sample Point ID, and the monitoring collection period. 
• You should always have an up-to-date copy at all times. This could be an electronic copy or a paper copy kept in your compliance binder. 
• You should always use your monitoring schedule to fill out your chain-of-custody (COD) form. 
• Monitoring requirements are marked as “Sample Result(s) Received” and struck out on your monitoring schedule once they are submitted and processed (excluding total coliform sampling - please see the AIMs tool listed below). Please be aware that it may take us several days to process the data. If data is submitted incorrectly, we will not process the data. The requirement will then remain on the schedule. If there is an error, please contact your assigned drinking water compliance specialist.
• We update the monitoring schedules every Thursday. 

Am I Missing Something? (AIMS) Tool: 

You can use our brand new AIMs Tool to check total coliform sample and chlorine residual submissions. 

• The AIMS tool can identify missing samples or data errors for total coliform samples. If there is an issue with the sample result, the tool highlights the sample in red. The most common issues we see are that 1) the sample is missing or 2) the chlorine residual was not reported. 
• If you are a listed contact for many water systems (e.g., you are a contract operator), you can sort the tool by your name. This allows you to check all your water systems at a glance. 
• We have developed a User Guide: Am I Missing Something? (AIMS) Tool for tips and tricks on using this new tool. 

Reporting Guidance: 

• We always encourage systems to collect their required samples early in the collection period. Our motto is “Sample early and sample often!” 
• Fill out your COD form correctly. By law, we must process the data exactly as provided. If the result has missing or incorrect information, it will not be processed. This will result in a reporting violation. 
• All sample results must include the following information provided by the PWS: 
• PWS ID;
• Facility ID;
• Sample Point ID; and
• Collection Date.
• Except for hand pumps and disinfection waivered systems, all total coliform sample results must also include the measured chlorine residual and labeled as free or total. 
• Please do not add any extra information into the Facility ID or Sample Point ID sections. Adding additional information to these fields will result in a violation since we cannot process the sample result. If you must include more information, use the comment or address field. 
• It is always the water system’s ultimate responsibility to report by the deadline. Even if the lab is in error, we still have to issue the violation to the water system. 
• While not required, most labs submit the drinking water results on behalf of their customers. This is the easiest and preferred method for submitting sample results. 
• We highly encourage you to work with your lab and ensure that they are meeting the reporting deadlines. 
• If your lab is reporting your data, they must report the results to us as a CSV file. A CSV file helps report the data in a tabular format. You can still access these results under “My…Sample Results” in the drinking water portal.
• We have developed more guidance for properly reporting sample results, including: 
• Tips on accurately submitting sample result
• WQCD Guidance and Resources for Laboratories
• Timely reporting guidance document
• If you are submitting a COD for public notice requirements (e.g., Consumer Confidence Reports, public notice for violations, lead consumer notification, etc.): 
• Ensure a representative copy of the notice is included in your submittal. 
• Please be aware that you cannot certify that an activity was completed in the future. Only submit the COD and the representative notice copy after the required action is completed.

Mistakes and Errors: 

1. If you have made a reporting mistake, there are three main ways that you can address the error:
2. Work with your lab to have the data corrected and resubmitted. This is the preferred method and often the easiest for water systems. 
3. Submit a Sample Correction Form with all the correct information. This will help us identify and address the issue. 
4. Submit a copy of sample results with corrected information clearly provided. This is the least preferred option as we cannot readily determine what the issue is with the data.  

**Any corrections must be received by the applicable reporting deadline. If they are received after the deadline, your system will receive a reporting violation.** 

Sampling Reminders:

Sample results must be submitted no later than the first 10 calendar days following the end of the monitoring period. Generally, this is no later than the 10th of the month after the end of the monitoring period. 

• For example, you must collect a disinfection byproduct (DBP) sample every year. Thus, the monitoring period ends December 31st. Your results are due by January 10th.
• As an assistive effort, the department is sending reminder emails regarding potentially missing data around the 7th of every month. The best way to use these reminders is to submit your data early. That allows us sufficient time to process the data. If you received a reminder and your data was submitted early enough, there may be an error. Use the steps above to correct the issue.
• While not required, compliance specialists often send out additional reminders for other requirements. If you are receiving this help, take action! There may be something missing or incorrect.

Finally, if you are not receiving reminders, please make sure your contact information is correct. Your monitoring schedule lists your system’s Administrative Contact, Treatment Operator, Distribution Operator, and Owner. Remember, water systems are responsible to submit a contact update any time there is a contact change. This can be completed by either using the 1) monitoring plan wizard and checking the “01 Contacts” in the template or 2) using the contact update paper form. As always, if you have any questions or need additional assistance, please contact your assigned drinking water compliance specialist. 

Sincerely,

Aqua Answers

Cause for Concern: A Trend in the Submission of False or Misleading Application Information

So, What’s the Issue?

The Colorado operator certification program is seeing an increase in the submission of false or misleading certification application information by those applying to take exams. Colorado Certified Water Professionals (CCWP) office staff are seeing: 

• Expired identification information; 
• Forged education documentation; and/or
• False work experience information, such as:
• Inaccurate start/end dates. 
• False employers. 
• False self-employment information. 
• Misclassification of job roles (such as incorrect percentages applied or claiming small water or wastewater system experience when one’s work history is not reflective of that). 
• Misrepresentation of duties performed.
• Providing false, outdated, or incomplete supervisor contact information. 

Keep in mind that…

Submitting false or misleading application information on any relevant document provided to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (Department), the Water Quality Control Division (Division), the Water or Wastewater Facility Operators Certification Board (Board), or its contractor (CCWP) is grounds for disciplinary action. 

Every time you submit an application through the CCWP Portal, you must affirm your agreement with the Colorado Certified Water Professionals Code of Conduct and with the Terms and Conditions, which includes your agreement to a thorough review of your application material. CCWP staff thoroughly review each and every application submitted by an operator to sit for an exam or to renew a certificate, and are obligated to submit a formal complaint of operator misconduct to the division upon identifying the submission of such false or misleading information. 

Disciplinary action can have serious consequences for an operator, not only negatively affecting their standing in the workplace and the community, but potentially their livelihood as well.

How to Avoid Submitting False or Misleading Application Information?

CCWP staff are extremely knowledgeable and more than happy to assist you in understanding the portal application process or to answer any questions you may have, including whether or not the information on an application is being accurately represented. If you’re not sure whether you’re accurately representing information on your application, don’t hit submit just yet. Contact CCWP for assistance. 

You can reach CCWP staff at (719) 225-7339 or info@coloradocwp.com. 

Set a Good Example and Uphold the Operator Profession

To become certified you had to meet specific regulatory requirements, demonstrate your special knowledge by passing an examination, agree to the Colorado Certified Water Professionals Code of Conduct, which insists that you protect the environment and the public health of the people you serve, and to maintain your certification by obtaining continuing education credit in the form of training units. If you hold an operator certificate, you are a professional and the Board holds operators to a high standard of professionalism. It also views as unacceptable any misconduct that undermines the integrity of the certified operator profession or puts the public health or the environment at risk. 

Be a good example for your fellow colleagues. If you see someone walking that fine line, stand up and say something; don’t turn a blind eye. The Board, CCWP, and the Division are your allies and we’re here to help you be successful, and we all want to uphold the operator profession. 

➽ Jessica Morgan, Facility and Operator Outreach and Certification Board Liaison