Arizona

At the AWQA’s annual meeting on December 6, a new slate of officers were appointed and announced. These new elected officers include, Bret Scott, Pristine Water, president; R. Leigh DeGrave, Water Tec International, vice president; Dave Crissman, All About Water-Ecowater, secretary; and John Spalding, Spalding Salt, treasurer.

Crissman has served the past four years as president. David Perry continues as executive director.

— David Perry, Executive Director, AWQA

Michigan

Michigan dealers and the Michigan WQA are pulling for Michigan HB 4003 to pass the house. This bill will allow domestic dealers to pull a permit and install water treatment devices without a plumber's license.

Judith Scranton introduced HB 4003, on behalf of plumbers, with solid support from the State Plumbing Division and more.

It passed the House almost unanimously and is now sitting in the Senate Economic Development, International Trade, and Regulatory Affairs Committee. The legislators will be in session through December, and it is believed that the bill will pass in the other house by the end of 2002 and will be signed by the Governor in early 2003.

— WQA.org website

New Jersey

The state DEP has laid out guidelines for arsenic removal. These guidelines include two one-cubic foot backwashing filters installed in series. The recommended medium is Adedge Technologies AD 33, which also removes lead.

There should be two sample ports and the units should be backwashed every 12 days. The guidelines state that the lead tank should be replaced with the lag tank annually, and a fresh tank installed in the lag position.

The medium converts the arsenic into an environmentally friendly ferric arsenate.

Also, the summer drought has prompted new regulations. New rules will dramatically increase the protective buffers around vital streams, wetlands and reservoirs from 50 to 300 feet.

These rules are expected to go into effect in about a year and will alter ways to treat storm water, and will recommend new ways to meet that goal, including porous pavement and innovative uses of vegatation.

— Byron Miller, President, New Jersey WQA

Texas

Texas Water Quality will be having certification classes in Round Rock, TX, on January 17 and 18 at the Wingate Inn.

These sessions will not only have the basic, intermediate and advanced classes, but a class and TCEQ certification test is also being offered for Spanish speaking members.

TWQA is also offering a great class for business owners and/ or their sales people, "Strategic Planning for the Small Business Owner,” something brand new to the organization and sponsored by Alamo Water so the cost is minimal. The Board of Directors meeting will also be on Jan 17 at 10 a.m. at the Wingate. Call Debbie at 210-680-2300 for details.

— Debbie Cunningham, Member, TWQA