Illinois Water Environment Association
NEWSLETTER
Volume 24, No. 2 - Summer 2003 page 2

Presidents's Forum

Mary Johnson
IWEA President

One of the IWEA's most important objectives is to promote water environment education. Many members are currently working on projects that will expand our educational efforts. These projects include student support, public outreach, and continuing education for water environment professionals.

Student Support
The IWEA has long worked with high school students. As it has for the previous eighteen years, Public Education and Student Affairs Committee Volunteers judged the Clean Water Awards for the Illinois Junior Academy of Science State Exposition. Daria Zelasko was the senior division award winner. Zaria is 10th Grade student at Mother Theodore Guerin High School in River Grove. For the first time, the IWEA sponsored the winner in a trip to Dallas to compete to represent the Water Environment Federation for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize. First Vice President, Larry Ziemba, was instrumental in organizing Zaria's participation in the national competition.

The IWEA is also reaching out to college students. Past IWEA President and Director, Greg Cargill, is initiating an effort to form a student chapter at the University of Illinois. This is a cooperative effort with the Illinois Section of the CSWEA. At our last meeting, the IWEA authorized $600 to fund this student chapter. Several members volunteered to work with the student chapter to provide speakers and suggestions for activities. The IWEA is also exploring the possibility of student chapters at other colleges.

And in one more effort to work with students, the IWEA is reviewing how it manages the Sylvanus Jackson Scholarship. This scholarship is available to students studying wastewater treatment plant operations. Past President, Chuck Corley, is exploring the option of setting up an endowment to administer the scholarship. An endowment would help the organization recruit more applicants and relieve committee members of the paperwork associated with the program.

Public Outreach
Once again, the IWEA is participating in the Illinois State Fair. Public Education and Student Affairs Committee Chairman, Fred Dale, is organizing this effort. Member volunteers use our “enviroscape” watershed models to demonstrate the problems associated with agricultural, urban, and storm water runoff. Our Watershed Committee has developed fact sheets on non-point source pollution that will be available at the exhibit. The IWEA State Fair display is part of the Illinois Department of Agriculture Watershed Park.

Our Marketing Committee, chaired by Don D'Adam and Linda Smith-Vargo, has designed a new brochure highlighting the benefits of joining the IWEA. Look for it at the State Fair and other conferences and activities where we meet the public.

Continuing Education
The IWEA scheduled two summer seminars for water environment professionals this year.

The Plant Operations Committee, chaired by Kathy Cooper, sponsored a one-day seminar on July 15, 2003. Dr. Krishna Pagillia was the featured speaker. The morning presentation focused on how to control filamentous bulking problems in the activated sludge process. The afternoon presentation focused on solids/liquid separation issues associated with nutrient removal.

Along with the Illinois Sections of AWWA and the CSWEA, our Association sponsored a Water Infrastructure and Homeland Security Seminar on August 12, 2003. The seminar was intended to introduce and update participants with an understanding of recent developments in Homeland Security issues associated with water infrastructure, specifically water and wastewater utilities.

Part of education is also to keep our members informed. To help do so, we have added a governance page to our IWEA website. It includes the most recent edition of the Constitution and Bylaws as well as copies of Executive Committee Meeting Minutes.

And with this issue, we are adding a new feature to the Clarifier - a quarterly calendar. Check it out below. Enjoy your summer.