EPA released the pre-publication version of the final lead and copper rule revision (LCRR, 409 pages double spaced) on December 22, and it’s posted on their website.   The rule will be published soon in the Federal Register, and that will be listed in a future WS listserv. The changes are significant and affect all community water systems and non-transient non-community water systems in the country. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months.

Join IAMU for a fun-filled day on one of Iowa’s great golf courses.

Event Date: Monday, June 28, 2021
Location: Pleasant Valley Golf Course
Iowa City, Iowa

https://pleasantvalleyic.com/

Registration and Sponsorship Opportunities coming soon.

For More Info: Contact Steve Marsh at 515.289.1999 or email [email protected].

Click here to view the flyer.

A regular newsletter can be a powerful tool to inform customers, but…only if people actually read the newsletter.
 
Many organizations fail to write, edit, and design newsletters the right way so potential readers pick up the communication and peruse through it. Instead, many newsletters get tossed in recycling bins without ever being opened.
 
Whether you have an existing newsletter that you’ve been producing for years or want to start one, here are 20 essential elements to incorporate:
 

1. Short articles rather than long ones
2. One focus or message per article
3. A variety of story formats – questions and answers, lists, testimonials, etc.
4. Short sentences written in plain language that anyone can understand
5. A positive and inspirational tone
6. Bulleted lists
7. Examples to illustrate points or concepts
8. Action steps to take or where to go for more information
9. A review by subject matter experts
10. Information about community events
11. Personal, inspirational stories
12. A variety of content so there is something for everyone
13. A header that identifies your utility or community
14. Sections organized by topics
15. Plenty of white space
16. Consistent fonts
17. Pulled quotes
18. One or two strong images per page
19. Text wrapping
20. Spot color
    

From Kansas Municipal Utilities - KMU Dispatch - December 22nd, 2020

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is aware of compromises of U.S. government agencies, critical infrastructure entities, and private sector organizations and issued an alert. CISA said that it is aware of active exploitation of a vulnerability in versions of the SolarWinds Orion Platform software, and the agency expects that removing this threat actor from compromised environments will be highly complex and challenging for organizations.

CISA, which falls under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is encouraging affected organizations to read advisories from SolarWinds (https://www.solarwinds.com/securityadvisory) and FireEye (https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2020/12/evasive-attacker-leverages-solarwinds-supply-chain-compromises-with-sunburst-backdoor.html) for more information. FireEye is a cybersecurity firm.

In its security advisory, SolarWinds said it was made aware that its systems “experienced a highly sophisticated, manual supply chain attack” on SolarWinds Orion Platform software builds. In the security advisory, SolarWinds offers several steps for parties to take related to use of the SolarWinds Orion Platform.

Meanwhile, DHS on Dec. 13 said that the relevant SolarWinds Orion products are currently being exploited by malicious actors. This tactic permits an attacker to gain access to network traffic management systems, DHS said. Disconnecting affected devices is the only known mitigation measure currently available, it said.

“CISA understands that the vendor is working to provide updated software patches. However, agencies must wait until CISA provides further guidance before using any forthcoming patches to reinstall the SolarWinds Orion software in their enterprise,” DHS said.

Utilities using the SolarWinds Orion platform software should follow the guidance from CISA as additional information becomes available. More information is available from CISA at: https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ncas/alerts/aa20-352a

The IAMU Office will be closed Friday December 25th and Friday January 1st.

Happy Holidays!

The Electric Safety and Training Committee has decided to postpone the Supt – FM Workshop, originally scheduled for Feb 3 – 5, due to the CV-19 restrictions currently in place for several participants and vendors. The committee will make the final decision in the first quarter of 2021 whether the workshop can be re-scheduled or will need to be cancelled.

A one-size-fits-all approach to communications may be the easiest and fastest way to produce communications, but it may be leaving sections of your audience out of the loop.
 
Each generation consumes information in different manners. Here’s a look at the generations, and the media they typically respond to best:
 
Generation
Media most likely to respond to

Silent
Verbal, written

Boomers
Verbal, written

Gen X
eMail, text, podcasts, and videos

Gen Y
eMail, text, social media, podcasts, and videos
 
This is not to say that each generation will only respond to the specific media listed. So, it is wise to use various media to ensure everyone is comfortable with the communication style and absorbs your message.
 
Here are 3 tips to enhance your communication:

1. If you are using a newsletter or other communication with multiple topics, whether in print or electronic format, don’t focus in-depth on just one topic; provide two or three topics at a higher level.
   
   You can always direct customers, who may crave more information on a particular topic, to online content. So, instead of a page-long article, write a smaller brief on the topic and another short article on something else.
   
   
2. When giving multiple examples in tips-type communications, craft your examples with different life stages in mind.
   
   
3. Send all customers the various media. The lines are blurring when it comes to what media is best for which generation. The chart above is a general guideline, and what studies have shown each generation prefers and is comfortable with using. Therefore, if possible, send all media to all customers, and let them decide whether to engage with it.

 
You will also want to think about how many impressions of your message you need to release. “Once-and-done” is no longer a viable strategy with today’s world. Breaking up your messages and releasing them multiple times over a period of time can help customers absorb your messages. Tell your customers, remind them, and then remind them again.

Earlier this year, Cedar Falls Utilities was named the fastest internet service provider in the country by PC Mag, beating out large providers across the U.S.

Now, the community-owned broadband network has earned another accolade from PC Mag – Best Gaming ISP for 2021.

PC Mag measures the quality of connections to compare internet service providers for the Best Gaming ISP award. To do that they test the latency and jitter on a network. Latency measures the time it takes data to get to its destination and back. On a low latency network, when a gamer hits a button it registers with minimal lag. Jitter checks the consistency of the latency. When they compared the latency and jitter on networks across the country, CFU’s network came out on top.

“Low latency and jitter are technical terms, but they simply mean CFU has a high-quality fiber optic network that moves your data without delay,” said Steve Bernard, CFU General Manager. “That’s possible because our network in Cedar Falls has fast connections to the core of the internet at major hub sites across the Midwest.”

Gamers are not the only ones who need this type of network. Low latency also helps improve the quality of voice and video calls. “Our customers have relied on their internet connections this year,” continued Bernard. “Everyone in Cedar Falls learning, working and gaming from home in 2020 has benefited from CFU’s fast, stable and well-connected network.”

PC Mag Best Gaming ISP for 2021: https://www.pcmag.com/news/best-gaming-isps-for-2021

PCMag has been the leading authority on technology buying since 1982, delivering independent reviews of more than 2,000 products per year. Their editors and analysts are regularly featured in the press as experts. Contact [email protected] to get their advice or schedule an interview.    

Additional media resources and video at CFU’s online newsroom:
Service fact sheet, broadcast quality video clips and print and web-ready images are available at cfu.net/newsroom.

ABOUT CFU: The Cedar Falls Municipal Utilities provide water, natural gas, electricity, fiber optic internet, phone and cable television services to homes and businesses in Cedar Falls, IA. The Utilities are owned by the community, operated for public benefit and governed by a local citizen Board of Trustees.

The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) launched its new company and contact web application “IUB 24/7” on November 16, 2020. The web application is available on all platforms at any time and allows municipal utilities to easily manage their organization’s contact information, access the IUB electronic filing system (EFS), and communicate company updates to the IUB.

The IUB sent an email invitation to the regulatory contact for each utility, requesting that each contact create a user account on November 16.  If you have not yet created a user account, you will need to do so in order to submit the IUB 24/7 company record.  If you did not receive an email titled “Invitation Instructions” from [email protected], please contact IUB Customer Service to request a new invitation.

Also, the regulatory contact for each utility has been assigned the role of Company Administrator in IUB 24/7. On December 21, the company record will be made available to all Company Administrators for municipal utilities. Please complete your company record between December 21 and January 8.

The Company Administrator is responsible for maintaining an accurate company record within the IUB 24/7 web application.  The company record is used by the IUB to provide general information to the public, outline the services that are regulated by the IUB, and specify who to contact for emergencies, customer service, billing, and other matters as required.

If someone else is better suited for the role of Company Administrator in your utility, please have that user register and IUB staff will provide permissions for the Company Administrator. The Company Administrator does not need to be the regulatory contact, and a company can have multiple Company Administrators.

IUB Customer Service staff can assist municipal utilities’ staff with completing their company records information. If you have any questions, please email [email protected] or call 877.565.4450.

The IAMU Office will be closed Friday December 25th and Friday January 1st.

Happy Holidays!

Your customers/residents are used to getting information when they want it and how they want it. This means that if you want your audience to pay attention to your communications, you’d better give it to them the way they want it.

For most organizations, one approach doesn’t fit all. To effectively reach all your customers/residents, you’ll likely need to rely on a mix of print, PDF, HTML, and mobile message delivery. Each medium has its place, and the various types can work together to reinforce the information that you want to provide.

• Print – The original go-to means of communication for many organizations is still as effective as ever. People appreciate being able to touch and feel the paper as they flip through the pages. What’s more, people can post the printed page (of information they find valuable and/or interesting) in places where they will see it – and see it often.
• PDF – A good in-between for print and electronic communications. Organizations can save the time and cost of printing the material, but customers/residents can make copies if they choose. PDFs also allow people to embed links to online information. When people view the PDFs electronically from devices with Internet access, individuals can simply click on the link to go directly to the information. What’s more, people can pass along the information easily by attaching the PDF document to an email.
• HTML – With electronic communication, you can layer information. You may start with an email containing a big-picture message. For some people, this brief tidbit is all they want or need. For those who desire to go more in-depth into a topic, you can include a “read more” link.  Electronic communication also can allow you to track what people access and for how long through coded analytics. This data can provide insight into your audience.
• Mobile – More and more people access information on the go via their smartphones. By using text messages, emails, and mobile-enhanced websites (MEWs), you can reach your smartphone-dependent audience anytime, anywhere.
  

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Iowa's drinking water and wastewater operators took proctored, standardized certification exams either at the DMACC Southridge Computer Lab or by appointment at one of the six Iowa DNR Regional Field Offices. Due to the ambiguity of when, and if, these venues will again be open to the public, Iowa DNR is switching to a process using "remote proctoring" for the examinations. 

An operator is able to take a drinking water or wastewater certification exam on any laptop or desktop computer that has a camera and microphone; this does NOT include tablets, IPads, or phones. Once you log in on the link provided by the testing company via email, your browser is frozen; a proctor can see you through the camera; your surroundings are monitored for extra materials or cheating; and the test session is recorded for future reference if there are any cheating suspicions or accusations.  The testing company will provide a YouTube Video and live customer support for any technical issues arising during a "remote" session.

After the pandemic, operators will have two options for exam delivery: "remote proctoring" and the traditional method of on-line testing at an Iowa DNR Field Office or Community College computer lab.

How does an operator sign up for a remotely proctored exam? 
To register to take your exam remotely, email the following information to this address: [email protected]

1. Name 
2. Operator ID#
3. Exam Category and Grade you have already received Iowa DNR approval to sit for.  Remember: you must have been issued an IDNR Eligibility Letter prior to registering to take a remote exam. 

You will receive an automatic reply from the Iowa DNR confirming our receipt of your request.

Next Step: Watch for an email from the proctoring service: PSI Customer Service <[email protected]>  This email will include the following:

1. Detailed instructions for exam scheduling and procedure; 
2. A link for the scheduling and rescheduling of your unique exam(s). You will have complete control over this. Remote Proctoring is offered twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week;
3. A tutorial video; and,
4. An 800 customer service number you can call anytime, 24/7, with any questions concerning the Remote Proctoring process or for any technical assistance.

Please direct any questions to the Iowa DNR Operator Certification Program to Beth Feilmeier at [email protected] or (515)725-0463.

What happens after I complete the remote exam? Upon completion of your exam, the DNR will receive and process your score.  Please allow 48 to 72 business hours to process and mail the letter.

If you receive a passing score: Once the score is processed, the fee can be paid online on the database webpage (fastest method), or you can wait for your "pass" letter in the mail and then mail the letter and payment back ​to DNR.

If you need to retest: Once the score is processed, you can pay the retest fee online on the database webpage (fastest method), or you can wait for your "retest" letter in the mail and then mail the letter and payment back to the DNR.  Once you have paid your retest fee, you may begin the process of scheduling your retest by following the directions shown above under the heading of "How does an operator sign up for a remotely proctored exam?"

This information is also posted on the Operator Certification webpage.  

Presentations – whether at a staff meeting, community event, or conference where you might be asked to present – can be powerful components of your communication strategy… if you know how to really “Wow!” your audience. Your presentation should leave your audience informed, entertained, and inspired to take action.
 
Here are 14 points to keep in mind to make your presentation be all that it can be.
 
Creating Your Content

1. Keep it simple. Decide on a topic and then three main take-away points or actions that you want your audience to remember. Don’t overwhelm your audience with too much.
2. Come up with a mix of numbers, facts, and stories. You want to appeal to both the head and the heart. Make sure the stories are compelling – ones that your audience can relate to.
3. Use presentation slides, yes, but don’t forget about other visuals that can demonstrate a point. For example, did something get destroyed because someone didn’t take proper safety precautions? If it’s not too big, consider having the destroyed item on display during your safety presentation.

 
Preparing Your Slides

1. Move over bullet points; make room for images and videos. Use high quality photos, diagrams, and graphs whenever possible. Videos are great, too. People remember images more than they do text and bullet points.
2. Guarantee back-of-the-room visibility. Your slide content should be easy to see from any place in the room, including the back. As a general rule, avoid font sizes below 24 point. Keep any tables or graphs simple. Don’t overcrowd your slides.
3. Guide your audience through using animation. Think arrows, highlights, circles, and other features to draw your audience to specific areas on slides.

 
Practicing Your Presentation

1. Rehearse, rehearse, and rehearse again – both on your own and with colleagues. Be sure to do at least one run-through using a projector, not just flipping through the slide view on your computer. This way you can see how the presentation looks in a room, particularly from the back of a room. Ideally, try to do this in the actual room that you’ll be presenting in.
2. Don’t try to memorize. Memorizing leads to a presentation sounding forced, phony, or too much like an insincere actor.
3. Tweak your content and delivery so your presentation fits the allotted time. You don’t want to come up too short or, worse, go way over.
4. Anticipate and prepare for questions from the audience. Consider coming up with a list of possible questions and practice your answers.

 
Delivering Your Presentation

1. Remember slides are not your teleprompter. Don’t simply read your slides. You can create notes for your own use, yes, but your slides should reinforce your message, not be your message.
2. Focus on how you talk. Don’t speak too quietly, too loudly, too slowly, or too quickly. All four can sabotage whatever you’re trying to say, no matter how compelling the content is.
3. Get your audience involved. Don’t make the presentation into a one-way lecture. Resist the urge to do all the talking. Ask simple questions such as, “Can someone tell me the proper way to handle this (fill-in-the-blank: task, situation, etc.)?”
4. Get out from behind the podium, but don’t get too wild and crazy. A statute stance may lead to a bored audience, but don’t move around too much that you come across as an aerobics instructor. Find a balance.