Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Water Quality Control Division

Drinking Water Program

Colorado Drinking Water Colorado Drinking Water Excellence ProgramExcellence Program

Vision StatementVision Statement

Working together to make Colorado drinking water the best it can be every day.

Photo credit: http://www.epa.gov/safewater

Colorado Drinking Water Colorado Drinking Water Excellence Program Excellence Program Mission StatementMission Statement

Continuously improve water treatmentplant performance and public healthprotection through:

• Creating a definition of excellent performance for Colorado public water systems

• Providing advanced training in excellent performance

• Recognizing and awarding excellent performance

PROGRAM DESIGN PROCESSPROGRAM DESIGN PROCESS

Program design has incorporated: • Stakeholder desires for recognition and

training• Analysis of public water system acute

failures in Colorado demonstrating need to focus on surface water systems

• Colorado public water systems of all population sizes

STRUCTURE FOR STRUCTURE FOR EXCELLENCE PROGRAMEXCELLENCE PROGRAM

Initial focus is promote robust, optimized multiple treatment barriers at surface water treatment plants. Groundwater treatment plants to follow.

Recognition for utilities and individuals.

Exciting and challenging training with proven methods and innovative delivery.

COLORADO DRINK ING WATER EXCELLENCE P ROGRAM

EXCELLENCE AWARDS FOR WATER SYSTEMS

TEAM AND P ROJ ECT AWARDS

P ERFORMANCE BASED TRAINING

ADVANCED TRAINING CURRICULUM

COLORADO DRINK ING WATER EXCELLENCE P ROGRAM

EXCELLENCE AWARDS FOR WATER SYSTEMS

“Excellence Awards” for performance in:

•Treatment•Distribution•Security and Emergency Preparedness•Source Water Management•Managerial and Financial Capacity

COLORADO DRINK ING WATER EXCELLENCE P ROGRAM

ADVANCED TRAINING CURRICULUM

Three Courses for A or B level water treatment plant operators:

•Advanced Process Control and Optimization•Comprehensive Performance Evaluations•Leadership

Individuals who complete all three successfully will be awarded a “Certificate of Professional Excellence”

COLORADO DRINK ING WATER EXCELLENCE P ROGRAM

P ERFORMANCE BASED TRAINING

Performance Based Training:

•Regional workshop series•Proven results-based methodology•Exciting and innovative training

COLORADO DRINK ING WATER EXCELLENCE P ROGRAM

TEAM AND P ROJ ECT AWARDS

“Inspiring Excellence Awards” to

•Promote excellence•Engage the community•Recognize staff across organizations

Excellence ProgramExcellence ProgramStrategic PartnershipsStrategic Partnerships

• The Colorado and national drinking water communities have many existing resources.

• We are forming partnerships to help to build and strengthen the Excellence Program.

• We are reaching out to form partnerships with: • Colorado Operator Certification Board• Rocky Mountain Section of AWWA• AWWA Utility Quality Programs• Colorado Rural Water Association• Water and Wastewater Utility Councils

Contact: Dean Vlachos, Excellence Program Lead303.692.3513

dean.vlachos@state.co.us