Highlights of the 2017 AWWA Annual Conference

American Water Works Association
Image: awwa.org

A wastewater treatment firm headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, RMC Water and Environment focuses on creative big-picture solutions and environmentally friendly practices. Recently, Leslie Dumas, a senior water resources engineer at RMC Water and Environment, presented at the American Water Works Association 2017 Annual Conference on the topic “Implementing SGMA: An Update on California’s Foray into Groundwater Regulation.”

The AWWA 2017 Annual Conference, titled “Uniting the World of Water,” brought water professionals together from across the country to the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia from June 12 through 14. The event included networking opportunities and continuing education programs, as well as an extensive exhibition hall of products for water management.

The conference offered workshops such as “Planning and Applying the Latest Practices in Computer Modeling,” which guided participants in how to apply the latest advances in computer modeling technology to creating water distribution systems. Several committee meetings also took place at the conference.

To learn more about the AWWA, or for information about next year’s conference, visit www.awwa.org.

Eligibility Requirements for the Clair A. Hill Scholarship

Clair A. Hill Scholarship
Image: acwa.com

RMC Water and Environment supervises seven offices throughout California from its headquarters in Walnut Creek. The company offers an array of water resource management and environmental engineering solutions to clients. Further, RMC Water and Environment is a member of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), a coalition of 430 public offices that serve the water-related needs of 90 percent of the cities, businesses, and farms in California.

The ACWA operates the Clair A. Hill Scholarship, a $5,000 lump sum awarded to one student per year to cover some of the tuition cost of an undergraduate degree program focused on a subject related to water resources. To attain eligibility, students must reside in California at the time of their application and attend a college or university with accreditation from California State University or the University of California.

Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation, one of which comes from a college professor or previous employer, in addition to official transcripts from all current and previous colleges. In addition, applicants must be juniors or seniors at the time of receipt of the award and must commit to a full year of tuition relevant to the year of the scholarship.

Sustainable Silicon Valley’s East Palo Alto Project

Sustainable Silicon Valley (SSV)
Image: sustainablesv.org

An environmental design and analysis firm, RMC Water and Environment works with private and public entities on large-scale water reuse and wastewater projects throughout California. Further, RMC Water and Environment partners with Sustainable Silicon Valley (SSV), which aims to bring countries, cities, and leading research and technological groups together to solve key sustainability problems. Beyond this, SSV aims to create a surplus of renewable energy in California by 2050, a goal that it hopes to accomplish via initiatives such as the East Palo Alto Project (EPAP).

According to SSV, East Palo Alto residents spend approximately one-fifth of their after tax income on energy. The EPAP hopes to create a framework of stakeholder engagement and technology use that will lower the costs of energy for those in the region while establishing key metrics and protocols for similar sustainable energy projects in low-income communities throughout the United States.

As part of EPAP, SSV will conduct energy and water audits on selected homes and engage in an educational program to benefit residents. Further, SSV will measure, analyze, and report water savings made via the application of new technology.

The CASA Awards Program

CASA Awards Program
Image: casaweb.org

RMC Water and Environment, headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, is a design and engineering firm focused on solving complex problems related to the state’s watersheds. To further its work, RMC Water and Environment retains membership in the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA), a leading association focused on regulatory and legislative issues related to wastewater management.

Each year, CASA presents awards in recognition of the work of California’s leading water companies in the categories of Innovation & Sustainability, Organizational Excellence, Public Outreach and Education, and Outstanding Projects.

All CASA members are eligible to compete for these awards, and may submit one application in each category per year. The project should ideally have reached completion within the 12 months prior to application, although previously submitted projects that did not win an award may be presented for consideration again.

Selection of award recipients occurs in July of each year and is overseen by the CASA Awards Committee, which includes CASA staff and the previous year’s recipients. All applicants receive notification of their outcomes prior to the award announcements at CASA’s annual conference in August.