Clean Water Current
Pretreatment Professionals Gather in Tacoma for NACWA’s Pretreatment Workshop
(May 29, 2019) - Over 200 pretreatment professionals met in Tacoma, WA May 14 – 17 for NACWA’s annual Pretreatment & Pollution Prevention Workshop, which featured presentations by EPA staff, utilities, and consultants. NACWA extends a big thank you to all the participants, and especially to Member Utility the City of Tacoma Environmental Services Department for being such welcoming hosts!
Jeff Lape, Deputy Director of EPA’s Office of Science and Technology in the Office of Water, kicked off the Workshop with a reflection on the accomplishments of the Pretreatment Program in the past and a discussion of the future role of the Program with the “Utility of the Future” concept, and the increasing efforts to use wastewater to generate energy, recover nutrients, and promote water reuse. Mr. Lape also held a small group discussion on this “Pretreatment 2.0” concept during one of the Workshop’s roundtable sessions.
Jan Pickrel, EPA’s National Pretreatment Team Coordinator, provided an update of the National Pretreatment Program and the effluent guidelines that the Agency is currently studying, including the Electrical & Electronic Components category. Ms. Pickrel also participated in a panel discussion on implementing the Dental Amalgam Rule, which goes into effect for existing sources in June 2020.
As in past years, the roundtable discussions and networking opportunities were popular parts of the Workshop. Participants had the opportunity to discuss issues with others from their EPA Region, along with two additional roundtable discussions on topics of their choice. Small-group networking lunches were also offered.
More than 130 people participated in the training sessions prior to the Workshop. Four all-day training sessions were offered: “Pretreatment 101,” “Advanced Local Limits,” “Industrial Sampling & Quality Control,” and “Improving Your Fats, Oils, and Greases (FOG) Program.” NACWA thanks all of the training instructors, speakers, and participants for their contributions to the Workshop! Take a look at highlights from the event.