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Do You Have E-mail/On-Line Access?
<br />If Not, We Need to Know
<br />The Minnesota Department of Health has mandated that
<br />newsletters can no longer be printed and mailed. However,
<br />exceptions may be made, and we need to hear from people
<br />who do not have this access and will continue to need a
<br />paper copy mailed to them.. We have also been making the
<br />Waterline available on-line and providing e-mail notification
<br />when a new issue is posted.
<br />Please fill this out and return to the address listed below.
<br />__ I do not have access to the on-line version of the
<br />Waterline and need a printed copy mailed to me.
<br />I would like to receive e-mail notification each time a
<br />new issue is put on line and would like to be taken off the
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<br />_ I would like to receive e-mail notification each time a
<br />new issue is put on line but would like to remain on the
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<br />E-mail address:
<br />Please print the name and address as it appears on the
<br />mailing label on your newsletter:
<br />Exam Refresher Format Is Changing
<br />By Cindy Cook and Mark Sloan
<br />MDH Certification Officers
<br />Effective immediately, we are changing the style of the
<br />classroom-style examination preparations.
<br />For the past several years, we have been teaching
<br />material out of the Study Guide to help prepare operators to
<br />take the exam. Often, operators have shown up at these
<br />sessions without any prior preparation or studying.
<br />It is expected that operators should be working toward
<br />their certification in advance of the exam. This will include
<br />studying and taking advantage of a multitude of exam-prep
<br />materials in the form of videos, CD-ROMs, online classes,
<br />and other trainers. Additionally, we have two training
<br />centers and remote exam sites at Ely and St. Cloud that have
<br />excellent teachers and programs.
<br />Exam schedules will not be reduced. However, different
<br />people may be doing the refresher sessions, which will be in
<br />a different format.
<br />The operators will be offered training but the new format
<br />will require the operator to be more responsible, more
<br />self-reliant, and it will instill in operators a sense of
<br />professionalism, thus making them better operators, people,
<br />and better able to protect public health and save the world!
<br />If anyone has questions, feel free to call or e-mail Cindy at
<br />651-201-4696, Cindy.cook@health.state.rrul.us, or Mark Sloan
<br />at 651-201-4652, mark.sloan@health.state.mn.us.
<br />Survey Reveals Training Needs
<br />You may also clip or copy the mailing label and include it
<br />Return to:
<br />Stew Thornley
<br />Minnesota Department of Health
<br />P. O. Box 64975
<br />St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0975.
<br />$5.21 Fee to Become $6.36 Fee
<br />The Minnesota Legislature has approved an increase in
<br />the drinking water service connection fee from $5.21 to $6.36,
<br />effective July 1, 2006.
<br />The drinking water service connection fee was established
<br />in 1993 to help fund program activities related to compliance
<br />with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. These activities
<br />include sanitary surveys, sample collection and analysis,
<br />compliance determination, wellhead protection, enforcement,
<br />and various technical assistance services.
<br />The fee had not changed since it was established in 1993;
<br />however, new federal Safe Drinking Water regulations
<br />have continued to be implemented. Program expenses were
<br />exceeding the revenue generated by the fee, and in order to
<br />continue providing the services necessary to help water
<br />utilities remain in compliance with the Safe Drinking Water
<br />Act, an increase in the fee was needed.
<br />Utilities are advised to inform the people that handle their
<br />customer billing about this change.
<br />Those with questions may contact Doug Mandy at the
<br />Minnesota Department of Health at 651-201-4647.
<br />Minnesota American Water Works Association (AWWA)
<br />conducted a training needs survey this past summer.
<br />Surveys were sent to 731 superintendents of municipal
<br />water systems in the state; 215 were filled out and returned
<br />(better than a 25 percent return rate, which is very good).
<br />From the survey, the section learned that there is a desire
<br />for more training, including stand-alone workshops (apart from
<br />the normal district schools held within the section each year),
<br />with the most sought-after topics being basic water
<br />treatment, wells, filters, hydrants, sampling/testing, pumps,
<br />OSHA regulations, and maps and records.
<br />The Minnesota Section Education Committee discussed
<br />this in October, and it will be brought up at the next meeting
<br />of the Minnesota Training Coalition. Meanwhile, individual
<br />districts within Minnesota AWWA are using the survey to
<br />help plan their schools. Here are the upcoming Minnesota
<br />AWWA schools for the spring of 2006:
<br />• Southeast School, Ramada Hotel and Conference Center,
<br />Rochester, March 29-31.
<br />• Southwest School, Wells, April 4.
<br />• Metro School, Ramada Inn and Thunderbird Convention
<br />Center, Bloomington, Apri15-7.
<br />• Northeast School, Ruttger's Sugar Lake Lodge, Grand
<br />Rapids, April 26-28.
<br />• Central School, Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge, Deerwood,
<br />June 6-9.
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