​If you post an image on your website or on social media, be sure that you include alt-text (alternative text). Alt text is a description of the image that doesn’t appear on the site or post but is “behind the scenes” if needed. You should include alt text because:
 

• It is a principle of web accessibility. Visually impaired viewers with the aid of a screen reader will be able to better understand the image. The reader will read the image description that you provide.
• It will display in place of an image if it can’t be loaded.
• It helps with search engine optimization because search engine crawlers use alt text to properly index images.

 
Your alt text should be concise, but descriptive enough that someone could visualize the image in their head using the words that you provide. You can and should use targeted keywords when appropriate but don’t overly use keywords, which search engines may ding you for.

​The Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) will launch its Rural and Municipal Utility Advanced Cybersecurity Grant and Technical Assistance Program on Thursday, August 18, 2022, from 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. EDT. The event will include a listening session focused on inputs from rural, municipal, and small investor-owned electric utilities that have limited cybersecurity resources, are critical to the reliability of the bulk-power system, and/or own defense critical electric infrastructure. More information on how to register will be posted online.

​From EPA Website

On August 4, 2022, EPA released Guidance for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory to support water systems with their efforts to develop inventories and to provide states with needed information for oversight and reporting to EPA. The guidance provides essential information to help water systems comply with the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions requirement to prepare and maintain an inventory of service line materials by October 16, 2024. Specifically, EPA’s Lead Service Line Inventory guidance:

• Provides best practices for inventory development and communicating information to the public.
• Includes a template for water systems, states, and Tribes to use or adapt to create their own inventory.
• Contains case studies on developing, reviewing, and communicating about inventories.
• Highlights the importance of prioritizing inventory development in disadvantaged communities and where children live and play.

EPA is harmonizing regulatory requirements with unprecedented funding through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to make rapid progress on removing harmful lead from America’s drinking water.   

Guidance for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory (pdf) (6.98 MB, August 4, 2022, 816-B-22-001)
Inventory Template (xlsx) (1.53 MB, August 4, 2022)
Press Release

Upcoming Webinar- On August 10, 2022, EPA will host a webinar: Getting the Lead Out: Guidance for Developing Service Line Inventories and Funding Information on BIL (2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT). This webinar will provide an overview of EPA’s Guidance for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory and provide information on addressing lead with the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

• Registration information available Here
  ​
  

**Note from Iowa DNR:  We are currently reviewing the 160 page guidance document  and performing a crosswalk of our draft lead service line inventory template with the example template that EPA has released.  We will need time to ensure that we understand the guidance and make any modifications necessary to our template based upon pilot testing and the EPA guidance.  We encourage you to review the guidance and register for the webinar, but as an agency we have not finalized our template or made decisions on items that EPA has left to the state's discretion. 

​Mark your calendars for the 2022 IAMU Underground Electric Distribution Workshop.  This year’s workshop will take place September 14 - 16, 2022 at the IAMU Training and Office Complex.

Once again, we will be having an official T-shirt for this workshop.  This keepsake for workshop attendees is a great marketing tool!  Display your company name proudly as an official workshop sponsor during and after this year’s Underground Electric Distribution Workshop.
 
Your sponsorship also provides for the workshop luncheon.  This will take place during the training day on Thursday, September 15.  Sponsors are welcome to attend the luncheon to network with workshop attendees.  Tables are also available to sponsors who wish to set up a display during lunch.
 
Location and Time:
IAMU Training and Office Complex
1735 NE 70th Avenue
Ankeny, IA  50021
Thursday, September 15 - 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
 

• T-Shirt Sponsorship is $150 for IAMU Associate Members and $250 for Non-Members.  This includes one complimentary T-shirt.  (Additional shirts are available at $15 each.)
• Break Sponsorship - $100 per break
• Lunch Sponsorship - $300 per lunch

 
The registration deadline for the T-Shirt sponsorship is Thursday, August 25.
 
For additional information including online registration, please click HERE.  If you have questions regarding the workshop, please contact Jared Masker at jmasker@iamu.org or IAMU at (800) 810-4268.

Mark your calendars for the fall IAMU Water Distribution & Leak Detection/Line Locating Workshops.  The workshops will take place September 21 - 22 at the IAMU Training and Office Complex.
 
These workshops will be IN-PERSON training events.
 
Water Distribution Training topics will include:

• Fire hydrant maintenance
• Water main tapping / HydraStop
• Water main installation / repair & fittings
• Valve Exercising Demo by EH Wachs

 
Water Leak Detection / Line Locating topics will include:

• Water leak detection
• Line locating
• Trenching & shoring
• GIS Mapping
• Demo by TBD

 
0.6 CEUs each day for Water Distribution
 
Cost:
IAMU Members - $75/day or $135 both days
Non-Members - $115/day or $210 both days
 
*IAMU Members, please remember to sign-in to your member profile to receive member pricing.*
 
For more information about the workshops, brochure, and online registration, click HERE.
 
Questions?  Contact Steve Marsh at smarsh@iamu.org, or (800) 810-4268.​

​In many cases, improving ergonomics can break the cycle of pain, medical bills and workers’ compensation claims. Check out how you can keep your employees happy and healthy by improving ergonomics in the workplace.

​Click here to read the EMC Loss Control Insights article.

Videos can be a powerful way to provide tips for your customers, show people how your utilities work, update everyone on a project, and more. You can post videos on your website or social media, include them in a presentation, or email a link to them.

These days, anyone can become a videographer, thanks to smartphones and the various free apps available.
​
Here are a few tips to taking great videos.

• Frame your subject. Put him, her, or it slightly off-center for a more visually interesting scene. Most phone cameras have a gridline view option. The most popular framing technique is the “rule of thirds.” Line up your subject with one of the vertical “third” lines.
• Avoid backlighting. Your subjects will appear dark, and you won’t be able to pick up details. Move to a different position, if you can, to avoid backlighting.
• Take time to edit. Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to do a little editing to give your videos a “wow” factor. Many smartphones have basic video-editing included, and there are various apps that you can download for even more options. You don’t have to go Hollywood with the effects; think about adding simple titles and transitions. 

​Take your video in landscape orientation to avoid having the two black vertical bars on both sides of your video. Just remember: Hold your phone horizontally.