National Water News
Rutt Wipe, Inc., is pleased to introduce its original blaze orange toilet paper. A must have for every hunter, the blaze orange TP, which is specifically designed to protect your assets, is a hunter-safe alternative product that eliminates the appearance of flashing your household white TP in the woods – a potentially dangerous activity, as that bright white can easily be mistaken for the same anatomical area of a whitetail deer.
“White TP poses a serious danger to hunters,
Q: So when is a fire hydrant more than just a 150 pound piece of metal?
A: When it’s a scholarship application, of course!
The Water Division of the Wentzville Public Works Department has awarded $4,000 worth of scholarships to three students in the Wentzville School District…….
http://wentzville.patch.com/articles/wentzville-students-win-fire-hydrant-scholarships
MRWA has added another phone “app” to its line of smart phone applications for the water and wastewater industry.
The “Well Disinfection” app which calculates the amount of chlorine bleach needed to disinfect a well, has been added to the lineup. It follows the “Tank and Pipe Disinfection” app that automatically instructs you on how much chlorine to add to achieve various levels of chlorine saturation and the “Water Loss” app that tells you how much water is leaking based on the size of the leak and pressure of the main.
Both the Android and Iphone apps can be accessed by simply typing MRWA in the respective app search boxes.
Here’s the link to the android apps: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=mrwa&c=apps
Here’s the link to the iphone well disinfection app: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/well-disinfection/id523507180?ls=1&mt=8
The first Equipment Rodeo of the season, sponsored by Crown Power, was held at the Missouri Rural Water Association (MRWA) annual Technical Conference and Trade Show in Columbia May 9, 2012.
This year, MRWA will recognize the top 10 qualifiers at each of two conferences: the Technical Conference and the Boot Heel Expo, which will be held August 28 and 29 in Poplar Bluff. Those qualified include anyone attending the two conferences, with the audience primarily made up of water and wastewater utility operators and managers. 
At the Fall Conference during the last full week of October in Lake Ozark, those 20 top performers will compete against one another for the title of “MRWA Equipment Operator of the Year”.
There were a total of 14 participants at the Technical Conference, and almost 50 others tried out the two mini excavators and the backhoe.
MRWA Mapping Specialist Howard Baker set up a course that would challenge the best operators in Missouri. The course consisted of a football, basketball, T-handle bar, trashcan, and a trough.
The purpose of the competition was to test eye-hand coordination, smoothness of operation, speed for completion of tasks, and overall dexterity when operating heavy equipment.
Baker said, “It was astounding how quick some of the (completion) times were in this year’s event.”
The winners were as follows: 
Roger Barker of Daviess County (PWSD) 3 captured 1st place with a remarkable speed of 1 minute 27 seconds,
Ron Brockhaus of Johnson PWSD 2 with a time of 1 minute 33 seconds,
Josh Edson of Clay PWSD 8 rounded out the top three with a time of 1 minute 58 seconds.
The top prize included a trophy and $150; the 2nd place winner was awarded $75; and the 3rd place spot took $25.
The top 10 that qualified for the Finals from the first competition include:
Gary Morrison of Johnson County PWSD 2,
Josh Edson from Clay County PWSD 8,
Rex Brinker also from Clay County PWSD 8,
Willie Hon from the City of Hamilton,
Ron Brockhaus of Johnson County PWSD 2, 
Steven Fuller of Flynn Drilling,
Heath Hogan of Hogan’s Incorporated,
Frank Charles from the City of Urich,
Roger Barker of Davies County PWSD 3,
Kenny Johnley of Flynn Drilling.
The Boot Heel Expo in August will focus on technology; so operators in southeast Missouri are encouraged to attend and learn about the latest technology in the water and wastewater industry and compete in the Equipment Ro
deo.
The Missouri Rural Water Association is a non-profit organization serving the needs of water and wastewater utilities in Missouri. Its primary services include training and technical assistance.
Competitions of this sort challenge operators to become proficient in their work and help create an atmosphere of fun, while providing education that will improve their knowledge and skills.
Ripley County Public Water Supply District (PWSD) 1 officials enjoyed the fruits of victory today with a pizza lunch provided by the Missouri Rural Water Association (MRWA). The MRWA staff attending the luncheon came bearing other rewards, as well, for the District’s win of the Great American Water Taste Test!
The District won the annual water taste test April 18th when its water sample was named the “Best Tasting Water in Missouri”.
Other rewards commemorating the taste test win included an MRWA plaque, a Senate Resolution from State Senator Robert Mayer of District 25, and a House Resolution from State Representative Steve Cookson of District 153. 
The next journey for Ripley County PWSD 1 will be a trip to Washington, D.C. next February during the National Rural Water Association’s annual Rural Water Rally. The MRWA will provide accommodations for District Manager Rodney Hoefer to accompany MRWA management and board members to the rally.
Part of the business conducted during the Rally is a nationwide taste test. Hoefer will hand-deliver a sample of the district’s water to compete with other states for the best overall water in the country.
Missouri’s entry during the February 2012 event was the City of Puxico in Stoddard County, which captured 3rd best tasting water in the nation!
The MRWA is hopeful that Ripley County PWSD 1 will bring home the gold next year in Washington D.C.!
[Caption for attached picture: From left to right - Ripley County PWSD 1 Manager Rodney Hoefer, Office Manager Judy Davis, Operator Joedy Roam, and Board Members Jeff Friday, Shane Hastings, Gary Mathis, and Ben Pulliam (in front). Not shown in the picture is District Board Member Marvin Nesbit, who could not attend the gathering.]
Letters from Osama bin Laden‘s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, released in a de-classified report today, show that top al-Qaida leadership debated the use of chlorine gas in terrorist attacks.
Read more: http://newsok.com/osama-al-qaida-considered-chlorine-gas-terrorism/article/feed/378205#ixzz1tvGUgUQJ
The Missouri Rural Water Association (MRWA) awarded $1,000 May 2nd to Tina-Avalon School, which serves Livingston and Carroll Counties. The school captured first place in the MRWA annual video contest. The entire student body assembled to pay tribute to the production team: multimedia students Tori McCracken and Lacey Rucker. Susan Rucker was the sponsoring teacher.
This year’s theme was, “Careers in the Water Industry”.
MRWA Deputy Executive Director Randy Norden, who officiated at the presentation, explains the purposes of the contest: “Increase awareness of the drinking water and wastewater industry among Missouri’s youth …” and help them “… realize that the water industry is another possible career venue, all the while giving them the chance to demonstrate their creativity and exercise their multimedia skills”.
The school will apply the winnings to offset general expenses for its chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America.
This marks the second consecutive year that Tina-Avalon has bested all other entries. Perhaps the secret to the school’s success was the internal scrutiny that video productions underwent, as Norden describes. “They made five different videos; then held an internal judging to narrow (the selection down) to the one they entered.”
Attending the award ceremony were MRWA Region 1 and Region 3 Directors Roger Barker and Dennis Knipmeyer, respectively; and water district representatives from one of the sponsoring utilities: Deandra Germann and Shirley Shifflet of Carroll County Public Water Supply District (PWSD) 1.
Also sponsoring the school’s entry was Livingston County PWSD 3, although no one from this district was available to attend the gathering. The victory celebration included pizza for all members of the multimedia class, courtesy of the MRWA.
“They commented that they really knew nothing about the existence of the drinking water and wastewater industry,” Norden says, “and did extensive online research to find information. It was an eye-opening, learning experience for them.”
Grades 9-12 from schools across the State are invited to submit videos. Water systems sponsor schools by alerting them to the contest and encouraging their participation.
While the primary mission of the MRWA is to provide training and technical assistance to water and wastewater utilities in Missouri, it directs some of its educational activities to the next generation of community leaders and involved citizens.
“Some of these young adults will be city council members or water district board members,” says MRWA Video Contest Facilitator Jim Enterline. “This gives them an early taste of what public water systems do in order to ensure safe water at every tap.”
As for the students at Tina-Avalon, there’s no question in their minds as to what the near future holds: “They plan to maintain their championship next year!” Norden concludes.
On Thursday, April 12, two Braintree Water and Sewer Department workers, Michael Paige and Edward Moschella, while performing routine maintenance to the water system in an East Braintree neighborhood, spotted a diamond wedding ring deep in the sewer line. Upon removing it, they immediately had it cleaned and disinfected before delivering it to Human Resources Director Karen Shanley accompanied by a letter detailing the date, time, and location the ring was found.
Shanley, upon receiving the ring and letter met with Mayor Joseph C. Sullivan who asked …
http://braintree.patch.com/articles/town-of-braintree-workers-save-wedding-ring-from-sewer-line
Iran is recruiting a hacker army to target the U.S. power grid, water systems and other vital infrastructure for cyberattack in a future confrontation with the United States, security specialists will warn Congress Thursday.
“Elements of the IRGC [Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps] have openly sought to pull hackers into the fold” of a religiously motivated cyberarmy, according to Frank J. Cilluffo, director of theHomeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University.
Ameren Missouri is seeking court approval to test the groundwater of property owners near the utility company’s Labadie power plant to prove that the water is not contaminated.
In a motion filed this week in a lawsuit over a proposed landfill in Labadie, the utility company said that it recently installed groundwater monitoring wells near the plant and that tests confirmed that the groundwater complies with state and federal regulatory requirements.
http://www.emissourian.com/news/top_stories/article_7517ebab-1a68-5f94-997f-01301121f0d4.html
Allgeier Martin & Associates
Bartlett & West
Douglas Pump Service
Electric Controls Co
Engineered Systems Inc
Engineering America
Ford Meter Box Co
Gonzalez Companies
Hach Co
Hawkins
Haynes Equipment
Larkin Group Inc
Midwest Coating - TNEMEC
Municipal Equipment Co
PDC Labs Inc
Ponzer-Youngquist Inc
R.E. Pedrotti Co Inc
Schultz & Summers Engineering
Sensus
Sequoyah Software & Consulting
TG Rankin Co
Utility Solutions Associations
Missouri Rural Water Association is your source for keeping your system up to date and running efficiently.
MRWA Circuit Riders can assist you with any situation which may develop.
Give us a call at 1-800-232-6792