What's New at PA-AWWA and the Water Community

To stay abreast of the latest happenings, events, and more, please bookmark this page and visit as often as possible. It is our goal to keep our members up-to-date and informed.

Just in: Save the date: Help us celebrate ACE 12!!!

PA-AWWA, Chesapeake Section-AWWA and Virginia Section-AWWA Joint Reception at ACE 12 in Dallas, Texas

Monday, June 11, 2012
5PM-7PM
Sheraton Dallas (Hdq. Hotel)

Sponsorship Opportunities

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Western Berks Water Authority showing support for PA-AWWA
Get PA-AWWA Hats for $12 and Vests for $20
Sponsored by Cabela's

If interested in purchasing any items, please contact Nancy Dinger nancydinger@paawwa.org  or Patty Chila  pchila@paawwa.org or call 717-774-8870.

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Pennsylvania American Water and Cumberland County Recycling & Waste Authority collaborate on Pharmaceutical Collection Program...Set collection record in Cumberland Co.!!!
Click here for more information

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August 23, 2011
What to Do During an Earthquake

Stay as safe as possible during an earthquake. Be aware that some earthquakes are actually foreshocks and a larger earthquake might occur. Minimize your movements to a few steps to a nearby safe place and if you are indoors, stay there until the shaking has stopped and you are sure exiting is safe.

If indoors

• DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building.

• Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture.

• Stay in bed if you are there when the earthquake strikes. Hold on and protect your head with a pillow, unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall. In that case, move to the nearest safe place.

• Use a doorway for shelter only if it is in close proximity to you and if you know it is a strongly supported, load bearing doorway.

• Stay inside until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that most injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location inside the building or try to leave.

• Be aware that the electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on.

• DO NOT use the elevators.

If outdoors

• Stay there.

• Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires.

• Once in the open, stay there until the shaking stops. The greatest danger exists directly outside buildings, at exits and alongside exterior walls. Many of the 120 fatalities from the 1933 Long Beach earthquake occurred when people ran outside of buildings only to be killed by falling debris from collapsing walls. Ground movement during an earthquake is seldom the direct cause of death or injury. Most earthquake-related casualties result from collapsing walls, flying glass, and falling objects.

If in a moving vehicle

• Stop as quickly as safety permits and stay in the vehicle. Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses, and utility wires.

• Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped. Avoid roads, bridges, or ramps that might have been damaged by the earthquake.

If trapped under debris

• Do not light a match.

• Do not move about or kick up dust.

• Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing.

• Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort. Shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 11-Aug-2010 14:41:22 EDT

Compliments of: Erik A. Ross
Gmerek Government Relations, Inc.

The Locust Court Building

212 Locust Street Suite 600

Harrisburg, PA 17101

(717) 234-8525

(717) 919-3534 (Cell)

(717) 234-8812 (Fax)

eross@ggrgov.com 

www.ggrgov.com

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 AWWA announces winners of ACE11 student poster sessions...Second Place goes to Jessica M. Wilson of Carnegie Mellon University...Congratulations Jessica!!!

June 29, 2011
Deirdre Mueller, AWWA

(WASHINGTON, DC) – The American Water Works Association (AWWA) today announced winners of its annual student poster session. The session was held during AWWA’s Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE11) in Washington, DC, June 12-16.

First place was awarded to Amy Borello of the University of Florida, for her poster titled “Photochemical Removal of Aqueous Mercury in the Presence of Humic Acid”.  Borello represented the Florida Section of AWWA.

Second Place was awarded to Jessica M. Wilson of Carnegie Mellon University, for her poster titled “Source Water Quality and Drinking Water Disinfection By-Product Speciation in the Monongahela River Basin”.

Press Release
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Two East Pennsboro High Seniors Awarded Pennsylvania American Water "Stream of Learning" Scholarships
 
Photo: Michael Salvo, PA. American Water, Scholarship winners Rachel Couch and Wasiullah Mohamed, and East Pennsboro Principal Craig Robbins.

Click here for press release

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American Water  Celebrating 125th Anniversary

As part of American Water's 125th Anniversary, we have partnered with EPA and the Student Conservation Assn to produce a TV public service campaign to encourage people to practice water conservation. These public service announcements (PSAs) are really funny, featuring celebrities sharing easy tips on how everyone can do their part to use water wisely and start making a difference.

In the Harrisburg market, the stations that have agreed to run the PSAs are WGAL8, Fox43 and CBS21, as well as on TV stations in the Pgh, Philly, and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre markets. The attached release has more details, and you can watch the the PSAs at http://www.savewatertoday.org

Click here for more information

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Breaking News...Gene Koontz elected AWWA Vice President...Congratulations Gene!!!

AWWA Streamlines article:
http://www.awwa.org/publications/StreamlinesArticle.cfm?itemnumber=56099
 

Gene Koontz

Gene Koontz became a water professional because "the work sucked me in — it was so interesting and challenging."

He was fresh out of college with an engineering degree and two job offers — one with a consulting firm close to home and the other a temporary construction assignment far away. He chose the job in the small water and wastewater section at Gannett Fleming. After 35 years, he hasn't left.

During his first 10 years with Gannett Fleming, Koontz developed a niche as the expert in water quality and treatment issues. When giardiasis outbreaks in Pennsylvania in the 1980s led to the rapid construction of some 200 treatment plants in the state, Koontz helped Gannett Fleming engineers design about 35 of them.

Koontz recalls that it was a hectic time, but extremely rewarding. He likes starting with a blank slate and coming up with a project to solve a problem.

Solving problems keeps him motivated, and meeting people maintains balance for him — in his career and in AWWA. "I need the intellectual challenge and the congeniality of others," said Koontz. "I am passionate about what I do," which he reflects is a good thing since he has stuck with it all these years.

His position with the consulting firm has taken him from general engineering assignments to water quality and treatment projects and six years ago to his current role as the senior vice-president overseeing the firm's environmental group.

Although he doesn’t work on technical issues as much anymore, he still is a problem solver. "And the good side of moving into company administration is that I can better control my time to allow for AWWA activities," he said.

His boss and mentor Jim Long, who was very involved in the association, recruited Koontz. Active in the Pennsylvania Section and eventually its chair and director on the AWWA board, Long was Koontz's mentor in AWWA as well.

Koontz started volunteering as a member of the Section's water quality committee and served two terms as its chair. He has served as the Section's chair, as well as on the Section's water utility council and strategic planning committees. He is now the Pennsylvania director on the AWWA Board of Directors.

Although he thinks of his father and Long as two of his heroes, his greatest admiration is reserved for Abraham Lincoln. Well read in American history, Koontz is still impressed at the ability of that imperfect man to bring the best — often most difficult and self ambitious — men together for a common cause and endeavors that have stood the test of time.

Although he says his wife would say he is a confirmed workaholic, he tries to take time to spend with his family and to travel with them. He brought his young children to the second AWWA conference he attended, and now it became a frequent family vacation — first the AWWA annual conference and then some personal days exploring the area.

In addition to travel — even travel not connected to an AWWA event — Koontz also gets recharged reading American history and playing a round of golf.

Read Koontz's answers to a set of questions from the Nominating Committee.

Mary A. Parmelee, Editor

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