Do you need help completing the Consumer Confidence Report? If so, this workshop is for you! The goal of the workshop is for each participant to leave with an understanding, or refresher, of what the CCR is and why it needs to be completed.




The CCR workshops will be held on the dates/locations below:

• April 18: Alta
  Community Building, 27 N. Lake St. (N. of Hwy. 7, W. of Buena Vista Raceway)
  
  
• April 19: Mason City
  Lime Creek Nature Center, 3501 Lime Creek Rd. (N. edge of Mason City off Hwy. 65)
  
  
• April 20: Ankeny
  IAMU Training & Office Complex, 1735 NE 70th Avenue
  
  
• April 21: Atlantic
  Elks Lodge, 501 Poplar, 3rd Floor
  
  
• April 25: Independence
  Falcon Civic Center, 1305 5th Avenue NE
  
  
• April 26: North Liberty
  North Liberty Community Center, 520 W. Cherry St. (Exit 4 from I-380, right onto  250th St./W. Penn St., right onto IA-965, left onto W. Cherry)

Important! Please bring the following items to the workshop:

• IDNR Draft CCR mailed in March 2017
• All your 2016 MOR’s containing your MRDL information in addition to your December 2015 MOR
• If you operate a surface water system: You must bring your turbidity
  information. Highest single measurement and the lowest monthly
  percentage of samples meeting turbidity limits from 2016 calendar year
• If you add Fluoride, bring the highest and lowest lab results from 2016
• Jump (flash) drive for ease of saving

Hope to see you there!

Be sure to check the list of various regulatory reports due over the next month or so.

Electric Utilities:

• 3/31: Municipal Transfer Replacement Tax Return
• 3/31: Statewide Property Tax Return
• 3/31: Replacement Tax Form A

Gas Utilities:

• 3/1: EIA-176, Annual Report of Natural and Supplemental Gas Supply & Disposition
• 3/15: Annual Report for Gas Distribution System (Form PHMSA F 7100.1-1)
• 3/15: Annual Report for Mechanical Fitting Failure Report (Form PHSMA F 7100.1-2)
• 3/15: Annual Report for Gas Transmission and Gathering Systems (Form PHMSA F 7100.2-1)
• 3/15: National Pipeline Mapping System, Online Pipeline Data Update Form (NPMS)
• 3/31: Municipal Transfer Replacement Tax Return
• 3/31: Statewide Property Tax Return
• 3/31: Replacement Tax Form B
  
  

Need Help with Your Reporting?
We are working with the professionals at Consortia Consulting who can provide their expert services to assist you in completing your necessary reports. For more information on the regulatory reporting services, contact Krista Allen at Consortia. You may reach her at [email protected] or by phone at 402.441.1684.

For more on regulatory reporting requirements and deadlines, check out the IAMU website, which includes calendars that show month-by-month the required state and federal reports due that month. The calendars show:

• When the reports are due
• A link to the reports
• Instructions
• Other helpful tools

To link to the gas calendar, click here.

To link to the electric calendar, click here.

Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, in cooperation with Cedar Falls Utilities, is offering a one-day training workshop to aid municipal personnel in the unique challenges faced in performing electric utility billing.  This is a base level course and is targeted for all new, or recently hired office staff, billing clerks, customer service representatives, those needing continued training, and a light refresher for experienced staff.  A networking breakfast and a catered lunch will be provided.

The following topics will be covered allowing participants the opportunity to receive various sets of hands-on training.

• Electrical Terminology
• Electric Equipment
• Electric Procedures
• Meter Reading
• Meter Data
• Processing Data
• Billing Accounts
• Customer Issues
• Data Processing
• Software

Join instructors - Dan Llewellyn, Electric Services Coordinator with IAMU; Rex Van Wert, President of Van Wert, Inc.; and Molly Cormaney, Training & Communications Specialist with CFU for this informative workshop.

Click here for more information and to register.

Over the past few months, several IDNR Water Supply Program Staff have been involved with the creation of four training videos, using a You-Tube format.  The videos are available on the IDNR website.   

• Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) Summary

This video summarizes the Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) that became effective April 1, 2016.  The new rule is designed to increase the protection of public health by reducing the potential pathways for bacteria to get into a drinking water system.

• Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) Level 1 Assessments and Start-up Procedures

This video discusses the start-up procedures for seasonal supplies and Level 1 Assessments, which are new requirements of the Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) that became effective April 1, 2016.  The start-up procedures and Level 1 Assessments are both checklists that walk you through your water system and attempt to aid you in finding any issues that could be allowing contaminants to enter your system.

• Bacterial Sample Collection Procedure

This video covers proper bacterial sample collection procedures for drinking water, including where and where not to collect these types of samples. In addition, the importance of monitoring your water for bacteria is discussed. Monitoring is really the only way to ensure the water you are serving to the public is safe to drink.

• Chlorine Sample Collection Procedure

This video covers chlorine residual measurements and the required minimum chlorine levels. Chlorine is used to oxidize iron and as a disinfectant. In this video, we discuss chlorine as a disinfectant.

Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, in cooperation with Cedar Falls Utilities, is offering a one-day training workshop to aid municipal personnel in the unique challenges faced in performing electric utility billing.  This is a base level course and is targeted for all new, or recently hired office staff, billing clerks, customer service representatives, those needing continued training, and a light refresher for experienced staff.  A networking breakfast and a catered lunch will be provided.

The following topics will be covered allowing participants the opportunity to receive various sets of hands-on training.

• Electrical Terminology
• Electric Equipment
• Electric Procedures
• Meter Reading
• Meter Data
• Processing Data
• Billing Accounts
• Customer Issues
• Data Processing
• Software

Join instructors - Dan Llewellyn, Electric Services Coordinator with IAMU; Rex Van Wert, President of Van Wert, Inc.; and Molly Cormaney, Training & Communications Specialist with CFU for this informative workshop.

Click here for more information and to register.

IAMU’s Dave Hraha, Director of Member Services, is now serving on Iowa’s Occupational Safety & Health Advisory Council. Hraha will assist in planning and implementing the annual Iowa Governor’s Safety Conference, usually held during the first week of November. The Council develops and promotes means, opportunities, and programs for continuing education regarding the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) safety and health regulations and laws, as well as best practices to prevent occupational injuries and illnesses.

Join us March 23rd in Cedar Falls for an Electric Utility Billing Workshop.
 
The following topics will be covered allowing participants the opportunity to receive various sets of hands-on training.

• Electrical Terminology
• Electric Equipment
• Electric Procedures
• Meter Reading
• Meter Data
  
• Processing Data
• Billing Accounts
• Customer Issues
• Data Processing
• Software

Join instructors - Dan Llewellyn, Electric Services Coordinator with IAMU; Rex Van Wert, President of Van Wert, Inc.; and Molly Cormaney, Training & Communications Specialist with CFU for this informative workshop.
 
Click here for more information and to register.

There have been reports nationally, and even in Iowa, of scammers targeting utility customers. Be proactive and protect your customers by supplying them with the information and resources they need so that they aren’t tricked.
 
Below is some information that you can customize for your utility to distribute to your customers either in print or electronic form or send to local media for their use.

Don’t get duped by utility scammers
 
Most utility scams involve criminals posing as natural gas, electric, or water provider employees — either in person, over the phone, or via internet — and demanding immediate payment via cash, credit cards, or prepaid debit cards, supposedly to prevent service disconnection.
 
These criminals can be very convincing. They also often target those who are most vulnerable, including the elderly and non-native English speakers.
 
If you believe you have been targeted by utility scammers:

• Hang up the phone or close the door, and call [your utility company’s] direct phone number, which is XXX-XXX-XXXX.
• Do not give the caller or visitor a prepaid card, a wire transfer, or any other form of payment, which may be difficult to trace.
• Ignore suspicious requests for personal information such as bank account numbers, user names and passwords, credit card numbers, or Social Security numbers.
• Delete any emails from utilities that are not your service provider. Also, delete all suspicious emails that require immediate action to verify or demand personal information.

 
To learn more about scams that may be active in your area, or if you have questions about the authenticity of communications from individuals claiming to be utility representatives, Contact your local police through the non-emergency telephone number, the Iowa Attorney General’s office at 515-281-5926 or 888-777-4590 (outside of the Des Moines metro area), and/or contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC): https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ or 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).

The deadline for earning Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for water treatment, water distribution and/or wastewater license renewal is March 31, 2017. 

• Grade I and II operators need to earn 1 CEU (10 hours).
• Grade III and IV operators need to have earned 2 CEUs (20 hours) of IDNR approved courses by the deadline. 

What’s more:

• Operators who hold both a water treatment and distribution license need to earn the required CEUs but no less than 25% of CEUs can be earned in one area.
• A Grade I or II Water Treatment and Distribution operator will need to earn a combined total of 1 CEU in treatment and distribution and no less than 2.5 hours of the required 10 hours can be earned in one area.
• Operators only certified in one license, either treatment or distribution, must earn 1 CEU in the area they are licensed. 

Remember: Only 20% of the required CEUs can be earned in safety.

• A Grade I or II operator can earn 2 hours
• A Grade III or IV operator can earn 4 hours toward license renewal by attending safety workshops/classes. 

Safety CEU courses are denoted in red when reviewing your CEUs on IDNR’s Operator Certification Database and can be accessed on the agency’s website. If you are unsure whether future courses you plan to attend meet your CEU requirements are safety courses, please check with the course provider or Laurie Sharp at [email protected] or 515-725-0284.

IAMU Non-Safety CEU Workshops

• Hands-on Pumps & Mechanical Maintenance on February 22, 2017 in Waverly. Eligible for 5 hours toward water treatment, water distribution or wastewater.  Space is limited with 8 spots still available.
  
• Advanced Water Treatment and Advanced Water Distribution Workshops  on March 1-2, 2017 at the IAMU Office in Ankeny. Each day will be eligible for 5 hours toward water treatment and water distribution respectively.
  

For more information or questions, please email Jill Soenen at [email protected] or call 515-289-1999.