Texas WET Magazine and Had a Bimonthly Meeting

Official Publication of the Water Environment Association of Texas

Does This Bother You? See Article Inside

Plus . . . • Board Approves Strategic Direction • WFP Great Super Bowl Adventure • Watershed Management and Stormwater Committee Formation • All Things YP • Operations Challenge at WEFTEC.07 • Tech Talk Biosolids Odorant Emissions as a Cause of Somatic Disease: November 2007 What Ought To Be Our Profession’s Response? Volume 24 Issue 6 Catch the Wave Texas Reception at WEFTEC.07

Above: WEAT President Raj Bhattarai and Anthony Daniel Right: Rhonda Above: Alan Plummer (sponsor Harris and Paul for the reception) and Pamm Weir Roach getting with big smiles into the spirit at the Texas Reception

Left: Richard and Lynn Eason with incoming WEF President Adam Zabinski Below: Sponsors for the Texas Reception

Above: Robert and Sonia McMillon, Dr. Joseph Malina and Barbara Carlson enjoying the food Right: Cheryl Smith, Betty Jordan and Carol Batterton enjoy the Latin food and music (photo by Photos by Cheryl Smith Angela Monroe) November 2007 Texas WET 3

Leadership for the Water Environment in Texas November 2007 Volume 24 Issue 6 Table of Contents

Texas WET is published six times a Regular Features year for the Water Environment A Message from the President...... 4 Association of Texas. A Message from the Executive Director ...... 5 2619-C Jones Road Austin, Texas 78745 Highlights from the Association Office ...... 6 512-693-0060 / Fax 512-693-0062 Calendar of Events ...... 6 WEAT Section Activities ...... 7 WEAT Staff and Volunteers WET Tech Talk Editor Biosolids Odorant Emissions as a Cause of Somatic Disease: Cheryl Smith What Ought To Be Our Profession’s Response?...... 10 Executive Administrator All Things YP ...... 23 866-406-WEAT [email protected] Intergovernmental Affairs Regulatory Digest...... 26 Advertising New Members ...... 28 Bill Goloby Professional Directory ...... 28 713-641-9169 WEAT Mission Statement, Officers and Committees...... 30 [email protected] Special Features Layout and Design Donna Diggons, DPDzine The Board Approves Strategic Direction 832-715-1242 for Next Three to Five Years ...... 22 [email protected] Water for People “Great Super Bowl Adventure” ...... 24 WET Tech Talk Watershed Management and Stormwater Richard Eason Knowledge Committees Formed by WEAT ...... 24 512-261-6222, ext. 14 [email protected] California Dreaming! ...... 25 WEFTEC®.07 is the Largest Event WEAT Website in the Conference’s 80-Year History...... 27 Bruce Wiland 512-444-3188 On the Cover: Dewatered biosolids are applied on hay fields at the Austin Water [email protected] Utility’s Hornsby Bend Regional Biosolids Management Facility. The Utility has about 550 acres of land at the site that can be used for the land application of digested biosolids. The City applies a portion of its biosolids onsite and also composts digested Texas WET issues are published material for their popular Dillo Dirt program. in January, March, May, July, September and November. Deadline for submitting articles is the 7th day of the month preceding the issue month. Update Membership Info Online: Don’t miss your mailings. Update your membership information online at www.weat.org. Go to membership, then update your membership profile. You will need your membership ID number (8 digits on WEF WE&T and WEF Highlights mailing label). Your password is your last name. 4 Texas WET November 2007

A Message from the President

By Raj Bhattarai, President

Clean Water Act at 35 hensive water legislation enacted after the observance The Clean Water Act turned 35 on October 18 this of Earth Day and the establishment of the Environmen- year. Three days earlier, we celebrated the milestone at tal Protection Agency. Although it has been amended WEFTEC in San Diego with a plenary session entitled several times since 1972, the 1972 version is still recog- The Next 35 Years of the Clean Water Act. There were also nizable in the present shape of the Act. It is the 1972 celebrations by civic, technical and environmental version that spelled out ambitious and far-reaching pro- groups around the nation. grams for nationwide water quality improvements that In the U.S. Senate, Democrats Frank Lautenberg (N.J.) have since been expanded, and are still being imple- and Barbara Boxer (Calif.) joined Republicans David mented in one form or another at the federal, state, Vitter (La.) and James Inhofe (Okla.) to sponsor a reso- regional and local government levels, as well as by pri- lution commemorating the anniversary of the Act. The vate entities. And although the 1977 version was the bi-partisan resolution sailed through the Senate and was first one to be actually titled Clean Water Act, it is still adopted by unanimous consent. the more influential 1972 version that most people On October 18, the president of the National Associ- consider the most definitive “Clean Water Act.” ation of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) testified at a Even 35 years later, when we refer to “Section 404 hearing of the House Committee on Transportation and Permit” (from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) or announced the release of a report, Recommendations for “Section 303 (d) Lists,” we are referring to the sections a Viable and Vital 21st Century Clean Water Policy. It was of the Clean Water Act. produced by NACWA’s Strategic Watershed Task Force The six subchapters of the Act are bold and far-reach- and provides recommendations for successfully improving and announce their intent without any fanfare. ing water quality using the watershed-based planning I. Research and Related Programs process. II. Grants for Construction of Treatment Works You might ask, “Why all this hoopla and unanimous, III. Standards and Enforcement bi-partisan support for a bill passed 35 years ago?” The IV. Permits and Licenses simple reason is that the Clean Water Act is one of the V. General Provisions most successful federal programs, and despite its inher- VI. State Water Pollution Control Revolving Funds ent limitations, it has succeeded to a great extent in It is instructive to look at the order of the subchap- improving the overall water quality around the nation. ters. “Research” and “Grants” appear before “Standards Evolution of the Clean Water Act and Enforcement” and “Permits and Licenses.” An enor- • 1948 – Federal Water Pollution Control Act mous amount of research and related programs, mainly (PL 80-845) federally funded, contributed to the Act, and the Act in • 1956 – Water Pollution Control Act of 1956 turn contributed mightily to clean water research. Dur- (PL 84-660) ing the first 15 years of the act, EPA provided a signifi- • 1961 – Federal Water Pollution Control Act cant amount of construction grant funds for municipal Amendments (PL 87-88) wastewater treatment plants. The 1987 amendments • 1965 – Water Quality Act of 1965 (PL 89-234) phased out the grants and replaced them with the Clean • 1966 – Clean Water Restoration Act (PL 89-753) Water State Revolving Fund loan program. Unfortu- • 1970 – Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970 nately, as with many federally funded programs, the (PL 91-224) percentage of EPA’s contribution to the funding of clean • 1972 – Federal Water Pollution Control Act water research has shrunk over the years. Amendments (PL 92-500) Problems with the Act are apparent at the very begin- • 1977 – Clean Water Act of 1977 (PL 95-217) ning of the first section. Section 101 (a) (1) announces, • 1981 – Municipal Wastewater Treatment “it is the national goal that the discharge of pollutants Construction Grants Amendments (PL 97-117) into the navigable waters be eliminated by 1985.” • 1987 – Water Quality Act of 1987 (PL 100-4) Elimination? By 1985? What were the crafters of the Act thinking? Even 35 years later, the goal seems elu- As you can see, the Clean Water Act has its genesis sive, unattainable and utterly misguided. This gave rise in PL 80-845, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, to the inappropriately named National Pollutant Dis- enacted in 1948. It was amended several times, but it is charge Elimination System (NPDES) for the discharge the very significant amendments of 1972 that gave the permits. The Texas version, of course, is TPDES. Act its current form and made the biggest impact. Continued on page 25 The Clean Water Act was the first major and compre- November 2007 Texas WET 5

A Message from the Executive Director

By Carol Batterton, Executive Director

Over the next six to nine months, the Texas Com- These rules are currently scheduled for proposal on mission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) will be pur- January 16, 2008, with an estimated publication date of suing rulemaking on a number of significant projects. February 1, 2008 in the Texas Register. Estimated adop- Using the expertise of our newly established Knowledge tion date for these rules is June 16, 2008. Committees and our Government Affairs Committee, WEAT intends to be at the table and providing input Reclaimed Water Production Facilities on these projects. In response to a petition for rulemaking filed by the Lloyd Gosselink law firm on behalf of the City of Mid- Design Criteria land, TCEQ Commissioners directed staff to initiate TCEQ staff are putting the final touches on the rulemaking to authorize the construction of reclaimed Chapter 217 rules which will revise the state’s design water production facilities. The proposed rulemaking criteria for wastewater systems. As of this date, the rules would allow an entity with an existing NPDES permit are scheduled to go to the TCEQ Commissioners for to apply to TCEQ for authorization to construct a proposal on January 30, 2008. Recent revisions to the reclaimed water production facility under their existing draft that will be proposed include: permit. TCEQ staff have scheduled a stakeholder meet- • A section on trenchless technology, ing for November 12, at TCEQ offices to gather input before proposing rules. As of this date, there are no • Revisions related to homeland security, estimated dates for proposal and adoption. • Language related to gravity belt thickeners (provided by WEAT’s Lynne Moss and the Biosolids Texas Surface Water Quality Standards Committee), Members of WEAT’s Watershed Management Com- • Separate subchapters for chemical and UV disinfec- mittee have been actively collaborating with representation, and tives from the Texas Association of Clean Water Agen- cies, the Texas Water Conservation Association, and the • Revisions to the safety section. Texas Municipal League to develop a resolution stating Following the agency’s proposal of these rules on the common objectives of our organizations with January 30, and publication in the Texas Register (esti- respect to the upcoming revisions to the Texas Surface mated February 15, 2008), there will be a 30 day com- Water Quality Standards. The proposed resolution cov- ment period. As of now, the estimated date for adop- ers 1) surface water quality standards for water-based tion of these rules is July 9, 2008. recreation (bacteria), 2) surface water quality standards in relation to eutrophication (nutrient) criteria, and Compliance History 3) implementation for whole effluent toxicity. The At the September 7th TCEQ work session, TCEQ proposed resolution is currently under consideration by commissioners gave staff the go-ahead to propose rules the boards of each organization and upon adoption will revising the agency’s current system for establishing a be forwarded to the TCEQ. facility’s compliance history. As you may recall, these If you have comments on any of these projects or rules were drafted some time ago, but were put on hold would like to participate on a WEAT committee, please pending the outcome of legislation filed during the 80th feel free to contact me at [email protected]. Session. Since no bills were passed affecting compliance history, these rules are back on the active list. Significant points in the draft rules include: CITY OF DALLAS SEEKING PROGRAM MANAGERS • Changes to the site rating formula, The City of Dallas Water Utilities is seeking licensed • Redefining repeat violators, P.E.s for three Senior Program Manager positions— • Changes to the nomenclature of classification, Engineering Services, Utility Automation and • Requirements for notification of compliance history Integration, and the Central Wastewater Treatment with change of ownership, Plant. Salary range is $68,615–$113,215. Positions require supervisory experience and excellent com- • Allowing a regulated entity to review data prior to munication skills. For specific job requirements for posting on the internet, and each position or to submit an application, go to • Changes to the process for appeals of classification. dallascityhall.com and select “Find a Job.” 6 Texas WET November 2007

Highlights from the Association Office

By Cheryl Smith, Association Manager

WEFTEC.07 Abatix Corporation This year’s WEFTEC set a record for the largest num- Alan Plummer Associates, Inc. ber of attendees at 19,929 and using 268,405 net square Andritz—Ruthner, Inc. feet of floor place. This was the largest event in the con- Ashbrook, Simon-Hartley ference’s 80-year history. San Diego is a beautiful city Carollo Engineers and the weather was fantastic. The opening session was Central Texas (Austin) Section of WEAT inspirational with Dr. Perry L. McCarty, 2007 Stock- CF Engineered Equipment holm Water Prize Laureate and Stanford University Chiang, Patel and Yerby Professor, along with famed underwater photographer, Freese and Nichols David Doubilet, whose pictures of mysteries and Garver Engineers wonders of the deep were truly remarkable. Gupta & Associates, Inc. This year again, WEAT sent five teams to WEFTEC Hartwell Environmental and all five came home with awards. These teams Houston Section of WEAT worked hard to compete against 36 teams. Sending five Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam teams to San Diego was not an easy task. WEAT would Moreno-Cardenas, Inc. like to thank the following companies for their support: North Texas Section of WEAT Perkins Engineering Consultants rowenvironmental San Antonio Section of WEAT Calendar of Events TALEM, Inc. 2007 Texas Lime Co. Treatment Equipment Co. Nov. 1 WEF MA Awards and WEAT Awards Turner Collie & Braden Deadline Date Waco Section of WEAT Nov. 7 Water for People Event sponsored by WILO-EMU Houston Section at St. Arnold’s Brewery, San Wwatertech Antonio, TX Please see article and photos in this issue. Congratu- Nov. 8 Amarillo Section Meeting, Amarillo, TX lations to all the Teams: Dallas Aqua Techs, Dillo Nov. 13 Austin Central Texas Section Meeting, XXpress, Fort Worth Regulators, Power SAWS, and Austin, TX TRA CReWSers. Nov. 15 Dallas North Texas Section Meeting, WEAT received a Certificate of Appreciation from Dallas, TX Water for People for being a Global Sponsor at the Nov. 29 San Antonio 3rd Annual Holiday Dinner WEFTEC.07 Water for People Event. and Student Scholarship Fundraiser at the Plaza CD-ROMs Available Club, San Antonio, TX 2008 Biosolids Management and Odor and Corrosion Con- ference and Expo was held on September 6–7 in San Jan. 16 Longview/Tyler/Texarkana Section Meet- Antonio. A CD ROM was made of all the presentations ing, Kilgore, TX from the conference. If you were unable to make the Jan. 18 WEAT Executive Board Meeting, San conference and are interested in purchasing the CD for Antonio, TX $25, please send an email to [email protected]. March 1 WEF Awards National Level Nomination Deadline Date Texas Water 2008 March 25–28 Texas Water 2008, San Antonio, TX The Committee is geared up and an exciting time May 1–3 WEFMAX Meeting, Austin, TX is planned for Texas Water 2008, March 25–28 in San May 1 YP Summit at WEFMAX, Austin, TX Antonio, Texas. The evening event will take place at the Buckhorn Saloon. Sponsorships and advertising in the July 1 WEF Quarter Century Operators’ Club on-site program are available. The attendee brochure Deadline Date will be mailed the end of December. On-line registra- July 15 Bob Derrington and Ronald Sieger tion will open in early December. For your conven- Scholarship Fund Deadline Date ience, registration and golf forms are in this issue. August 25–26 CMOM Workshop, Austin, TX November 2007 Texas WET 7

WEAT Section Activities

Abilene Representative needed Amarillo Representative Dr. Paul T. Baumgardner, 806-353-7798 The Amarillo Section of WEAT met on October 11, 2007, at the American Legion Hall in joint session with the Amarillo section of the TWUA (PWUA), where Mr. Mark Lusk with the Amarillo Fire Department was the guest speaker. The evening began at 7:00pm with a catered meal from La Fiesta Grande, moved to the technical training presentations, and concluded at 9:30 pm. There were a total of twenty-nine people (WEAT and PWUA) in attendance. Mr. Lusk presented Emergency Response Systems as a means of engaging municipalities and utility depart- ments with environmentally sound solutions to mitigate chemical spills, fires, and natural disasters. Mr. Lusk is a former member of the U. S. Navy, an 18-year veteran of the Amarillo Fire Department, and has extensive experience with hazardous materials release response work as an incident commander. The next meeting will be on November 8, at 7:00 pm at the City of Amarillo Service Center’s Water and Wastewater Break Room. The meal will be the annual Chili Cook-Off and the cost of the meal will be $5 per plate. The program will be the History Channel’s Modern Marvels from the city’s Water Department DVD collection. For more information please contact Dr. Baumgardner at 806-353-7798 or at paulbaum- [email protected]. Austin Representative Lynne Moss, 512-346-1100 The Central Texas Section of WEAT met on May 15, 2007, where Gopal Guthikonda, P.E., of the Austin Water Utility was the guest speaker. Mr. Guthikonda discussed the Water Utility’s Capital Improvement Pro- gram, emphasizing key initiatives in water conservation, line maintenance and emergency repairs, and the Austin Clean Water Program. The evening also included a short business meeting and a social gathering followed by a buffet dinner. Mr. Guthikonda is Assistant Director of the Austin Water Utility Engineering Program and Program Man- ager for the Austin Clean Water Program. He holds a bachelors and masters degrees in civil engineering and has worked for the Utility since 1987. He is the recipi- ent of WEAT’s 2007 Sidney L. Allison award and is listed in the 2007 Texas ASCE Government Engineer. The meeting also featured a formal presentation of the WEAT 3rd Place Stockholm Junior Water Prize to Jenna Kromann, a student at Bowie High School in Austin. Meeting attendees were able to view Jenna’s award winning project—the Effect of Drought on the Salinity Zone in the Edward’s Aquifer—at the meeting as well as discuss the project with Jenna. 8 Texas WET November 2007

Meeting Sponsors were LNV Engineering and El Paso CH2MHill. Founded in 2000, LNV has offices in Representative David Ornelas, 915-594-5730 Austin, San Antonio and Corpus Christi. The firm spe- Harlingen/Brownsville Representative needed cializes in environmental, transportation, structural, water and wastewater engineering, as well as surveying Houston/Galveston and architecture. For more information, visit Representative Jennie Almerico, P.E., 281-367-9512 www.LNVinc.com or call 512-427-8104. CH2MHill is an Section 9 would like to thank our September speaker, environmental consulting, construction and operations Faith Hambleton, with the TCEQ. Ms. Hambleton is the management firm that offers a range of integrated serv- Manager of the TMDL program and spoke about why ices to its clients. For more information, visit bacteria limits in TPDES Permits are being considered. www.ch2m.com. The schedule for the four remaining meetings of this The Central Texas YP chapter and local AWWA YP’s season is set. Please mark the following dates on your cal- held a joint meeting on August 18, 2007, at Third Base, endars. All meetings are luncheons held at the HESS build- an event that was sponsored by Hobas Pipe. The next ing on Westheimer, with the exception of the May Social: meeting was held on October 11. For more information • November 15—Showri Nandagiri, North Harris about YP activities, please contact YP chair Ryan Bell at County Regional Water Authority 512-338-1704 or [email protected]. • January 17—Ali Khairandish, City of Houston The next Central Texas chapter meeting is scheduled • March 20—Jace Houston, San Jacinto River Authority for November 13, 2007, where Michael Bloom of PBS&J • May 15—Social, St. Arnold Brewery will speak on stormwater issues and new Phase II MS4 Our Scholarship Committee plans to award two compliance requirements. Please join us for an evening $1,000 scholarships to two deserving engineering stu- of dinner and entertainment. For more information or dents from the University of Houston and Rice Univer- to make reservations, please visit www.weat.org/central sity this year. or contact Heather Harris at [email protected] Our Young Professionals Committee Chair has Beaumont/Port Arthur several events planned with TAWWA. The first Happy Representative Karin Warren, 409-785-3006 Hour of the season was hosted at McGonigel’s Mucky Duck on September 12. Bryan/College Station Representative needed The Texas Section of Water for People Houston Chap- Corpus Christi ter is hosting an event at Saint Arnold’s Brewery on Representative Foster Crowell, 361-857-1801 November 7. If you are interested in attending, or wish to be a sponsor for this event, please contact Evelyn Dallas/Fort Worth Representative Dawn Anderson, 214-638-0500 The North Texas Section Annual Picnic held on Sep- tember 14, was a wonderful success! We had in excess of 120 attendees who came to support our Texas Opera- tions Challenge Teams heading to national competition in San Diego, California. The event provided our members with the opportunity to enjoy great food, cama- raderie and raise $2,550 for our Texas Teams. A special thanks to all this year’s sponsors: • Alan Plummer Associates, Inc. • APM & Associates • Black & Veatch • Brown & Gay Engineers • CH2MHILL • Gupta & Associates • Jaster-Quintanilla • Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc. • Malcolm Pirnie • Treatment Equipment Company

Upcoming Meeting • Thursday, November 15, NTS WEAT Meeting Del Rio/Uvalde Representative needed November 2007 Texas WET 9

Zapata at 281-529-4175 or [email protected], or Just a note on Texas Water 2008. Yes, it will be here Richard Weatherly at 713-600-6824 or [email protected]. in San Antonio, March 25–28, 2008, so mark your cal- Please visit the local Water for People website: endars. All of the committees have been established, www.waterforpeopletx.org for more information. along with the hotels and convention site. Committee For information about WEAT awards and assistance members are currently narrowing down the selected in submitting a nomination, please contact the WEAT sites for the golf tournament and annual dinner. As Awards Committee Chair, Dr. Bob Hill, P.E. at 281-300- always, now is a good time to start volunteering. If you 8367 or [email protected]. are interested, you can volunteer for a half-day, and We are always looking for volunteers to chair a spend the other half-day attending the conference for committee, serve as an officer, or simply help with the free. To do this, please contact Stephanie Bocanegra at luncheon meetings. Currently, we are looking for a 210-233-3849. Any other questions about Texas Water volunteer to chair the Awards Committee. If you are can be answered by the two hard working co-chairs, interested, please contact one of the officers. Esther Harrah and Andrea Beymer at 210-233-3457 or Laredo Representative needed 210-233-3490, respectively. Hope to see you at our meetings supporting your Longview/Tyler/Texarkana/Lufkin local chapter. Without your support we could not put Representative Kathy J. Bell, 903-647-1278 together these meetings or events. Thank you! On September 19, Northeast Texas section of WEAT PS—If you are receiving the Texas WET magazine and had a bimonthly meeting. The speaker, from Titanium are in the San Antonio Chapter area, but are not receiv- Environment, spoke on volunteer environmental ing the electronic local chapter newsletter, please let me auditing. There will be no meeting in November due know via e-mail [email protected] or by phone 210- to the holidays. The next Meeting will be the annual 233-3682. This will allow you to be up-to-date with the meeting at Ana-Lab in Kilgore, January 16, 2008, from latest information on your local chapter. 11 am to 3 pm. The speakers will be TCEQ Region 5 Heart of Texas Section Managers and Regional Director. For more Representative Trey Buzbee, 254-761-3168 information, contact [email protected]. Lubbock Wichita Falls Representative needed Representative Dr. Andrew Jackson, 806-742-2801 Midland/Odessa Representative Debbie McReynolds, 915-335-4625 Port Lavaca Representative needed San Angelo Representative needed San Antonio Representative Dennis Laskowski, P.E., 210-233-3682 With the year coming to an end, the San Antonio Area Chapters of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Water Environment Association of Texas (WEAT) will be hosting their 3rd Annual Holiday Dinner and Student Scholarship Fundraiser for local members. The keynote speaker for this event will be State Representative Robert Puente. The dinner will be held on Thursday, November 29, at Plaza Club located in beautiful downtown San Antonio. So mark your calendars and look for advertisements in our local newsletter via e-mail. Speaking of the newsletter, we are always looking for articles to include in it. If you have a paper, we would be very appreciative to include it as a featured article. In fact, we are encouraging people to present these papers to be judged for winners in a small contest. Further details will follow in our newsletter. On October 18, our monthly meeting was held at 11:30 am in the SAWS headquarters’ tower two building. The speaker for this meeting was Carol Batterton, WEAT Executive Director, whose featured talk was geared towards “Regulatory Updates.” This was very interesting. 10 Texas WET November 2007

WET Tech Talk Biosolids Odorant Emissions as a Cause of Somatic Disease: What Ought To Be Our Profession’s Response?

By William E. Toffey, Philadelphia Water Department

Introduction • “A total of 65 students and one female teacher were The human species is wired to respond to stimuli of afflicted with an unusual illness following alleged fear. Those stimuli are not the same from individual to inhalation of a ‘gas’ in the school. The main symp- individual. One thing for sure, some small proportion toms were dizziness, chills, nausea, headache, diffi- of the population, when exposed to odorants emitted culty in breathing and faintness. Initial investiga- from biosolids, will be seriously upset, not merely by tions revealed elevated carboxyhaemoglobin levels the nuisance, but from fear, and they may become (greater than 5%) of 16 hospitalized students” (Goh physically ill. Biosolids odors communicate a message 1987; Bartholomew 2005). of fear to some people, and unless biosolids managers • “. . . at a high school in Tennessee. In November are prepared to respond with an effective set of commu- 1998, a teacher noticed a ‘gasoline-like’ smell in her nications, managers become the cause of community classroom, and soon thereafter she had a headache, upset and consequent rise of committed opposition. nausea, shortness of breath, and dizziness. The The biosolids profession is not alone in causing the school was evacuated, and 80 students and 19 staff kind of upset that biosolids odors can create, nor is it members went to the emergency room at the local alone in seeking workable responses. Biosolids man- hospital; 38 persons were hospitalized overnight. . . . agers can draw upon the experience of other profes- The illness attributed to toxic exposure had features sions on how to manage their “communications.” of mass psychogenic illness . . .” (Jones, Craig et al. 2000). Humans: The Emotional Animal S The concerns of humans can be very surprising. A common malady of human communities is a tendency to occasionally “go off the deep end” when it comes to reacting en mass to stories of bad things happening close to home (Bartholomew and Wessely 2002). Scien- Rebuild tific literature is abundant with examples of case studies. Enclosed • “[A] psychogenic epidemic at a workplace [electron- Block Seals ics plant in Sweden] progresses from sudden onset, (Quickly & Easily) often with dramatic symptoms, to a rapidly attained peak that draws much publicity and is followed by quick disappearance of the symptoms. Over 90% of the affected persons are women and the symptoms Half the Price range from dizziness, vomiting, nausea, and fainting of Buying New to epileptic-type seizures, hyperventilation, and skin disorders” (Olkinuora 1984). • “A government report concluded that the cause of the recent cluster of illness affecting 57 people at Melbourne Airport was a “mystery”. On reviewing the evidence, I noted the appearance of a constella- tion of distinct psychogenic features (in the absence of an identifiable pathogenic agent or source), and non-specific symptoms not correlated with any par- 1-866-476-0367 wilo-emu-usa.com ticular illness, strongly suggesting a diagnosis of mass Rebuild Kit Includes Order Today: psychogenic illness” (Bartholomew 2005). > Silicon Carbide Upper and Lower Faces [email protected] • “The initial trigger was probably the odor of H2S > Silicon Carbide Center-Rotating Face [email protected] escaping from a faulty latrine in the schoolyard of > O-Rings Viton > Viton Center Sleeve the first affected school [in Jordan West Bank]. Subse- > Springs quent spread of the disease was due to psychological > Locking Pins > Alignment Pins and extra-medical factors, including publicity by the mass media. Spread was stopped immediately after WILO EMU. Always The Best Choice In The Long Run. closure of schools” (Modan, Swartz et al. 1983). November 2007 Texas WET 11

Emotional reactions, expressed with feelings of ill- nent, or at least far longer lasting than other kinds of ness, do not occur uniformly among different groups learning (Loewenstein, Weber et al. 2001). within a community. But, emotionally-triggered symp- The medical community has a certain way of describ- toms do cross cultures, sexes, socio-economic status and ing and treating patients who present with symptoms education levels. Such symptoms tend to arise in derived from stress and environmental triggers. Symp- women more than men, and, in the United States, toms for which no toxic exposure or pathogen can be among Whites more than people of color, and among discerned suggest self-induced “somatic disease,” also young people more so than the old. People of all educa- called “functional somatic syndrome” (Barsky and Borus tion levels are affected. The appearance of physical 1999). Medical doctors are trained to measure “signs” of symptoms as a response to stress, fear and environmen- illness, objective evidence of disease causing substances tal triggers is a phenomenon that is inevitably present in or organisms. Somatic disease arises from causes not your community (Boss 1997; Bartholomew and Wessely traceable to disease organisms or toxic compounds. 2002). (As an aside, biosolids workers may fall at the The term “hysteria” was coined in the Nineteenth other end of the spectrum, in that they may be “self- Century to describe symptoms that arise from non- selected” by being inordinately blasé and insensitive to pathogenic, non-toxicant causes. Today, instead of the things like odors, that causes others to be squeamish.) term “hysteria,” the form of somatic disease triggered The kinds of concerns that are stressors and triggers by fears and environmental agents is given the term for the reactions illustrated above vary over time and “psychogenic illness” or “sociogenic illness.” The term space. The concerns of humans reflect the cultures in “mass hysteria,” when applied to a group expression which they live. Unidentified malodors are frequently of somatic symptoms, is replaced with its modern identified as the trigger. Today, bioterrorism is a lively equivalents “mass psychogenic illness” and “mass issue, and the heightened awareness of concern for sociogenic illness.” poisonous gases, for instance, may lead to hysteria, The list of symptoms that appear in our culture from worsened by media coverage (Hefez 1985). stressors and triggers as somatic disease is long: dizzi- Hystory: The History of Hysteria ness, hyperventilation, chills, nausea, headache, diffi- culty in breathing and light-headedness (faintness), Elaine Showalter, in her book Hystory: Hysterical Epi- E demics and Modern Media, linked some of today’s modern health concerns to historical health issues (Showal- ter 1997). War neurosis is the syndrome of World War I that may be expressing itself today as Gulf war syn- Save drome. Female hysteria of the Nineteenth Century is transmogrified in the Twentieth Century to Multiple Elbow Sealing Personality Syndrome. Neurasthenia, an archaic term Surfaces arising in the 1920s for the cluster of symptoms including fatigue and listlessness, is described in the 1990s as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). CFS had been regarded as a peculiarly American expression of “neurasthenia” until an American therapist specializing Six Inch in CFS moved to Denmark, and then CFS began to Elbow Saver appear in the European community. The common link is that human beings may reflect Four Inch the stresses and fears in their lives through physical Elbow Saver symptoms. The fear can arise from many sources—vio- lence, natural catastrophes, loss and isolation—and it can come from within the family, community or in the larger environment. Fear creates stress that individuals express through physical symptoms. One major psychological paper explains that fear does not arise only with 1-866-476-0367 wilo-emu-usa.com direct experience: TM Fear typically peaks just before a threat is experienced The Elbow Saver Fits All Order Today: Makes and Models of Elbows [email protected] and is highly dependent on mental imagery (and thus [email protected] subject to vividness effects). Fear responses also seem • Presses Into Place • Power Thread Design to be conditioned, in part, by our evolutionary • Provides Absolute Seal makeup; we may be prepared to learn very rapidly • 4” and 6” Sizes about some types of risk but much more slowly about

others. Fear responses are evoked, often by crude or WILO EMU. Always The Best Choice In The Long Run. subliminal cues. Fear conditioning may be perma- 12 Texas WET November 2007 abdominal pain, and chest pain (Colligan, Urtes et al. publicized the “new disease.” Sufferers feel justified 1979; Olkinuora 1984; Goh 1987; Struewing JP 1990; when they have a therapist that can put a name to Pastel 2001). Interestingly, other cultures may express a their symptoms; they feel consoled. Symptoms that are variety of other somatic symptoms, such as convul- otherwise broadly similar across time and space are sions, pseudoseizures, laughing and hysterical dancing given different names by different therapists, and those (Boss 1997). newly-named symptom-clusters each becomes its own Many “popular” illnesses today may have somatic “syndrome,” attracting its own set of adherents and roots. Showalter’s book investigates alien abduction, believers. History of hysteria has generally shown that, chronic fatigue syndrome, satanic ritual abuse, recovered eventually, somatic-based syndromes slowly fade from memory, Gulf War syndrome and multiple personalities the scene as the prevailing cultural evolves, only to be disorder. Barsky and Borus go further than Showalter in replaced by newer ones. their list of “syndromes” that, in their opinion, arise from non-pathogenic, non-toxic causes (Barsky and Environmental Triggers Borus 1999). Their list of diseases include, as “functional for Somatic “Dis-ease” somatic syndrome,” sick building syndrome, silicone Fear of environmental pollutants is one source of breast implant syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and stressors to which individuals may react with physical fibromyalgia. Barsky and Borus argue that these illnesses symptoms. Reaction to environmental stressors has share these features: sensationalized media coverage, a been called Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, but the term suspicion of physicians, self-interested parties champi- has been recently replaced with Idiopathic Environ- oning the illness, and over-reliance on biomedical solu- mental Intolerance, or IEI. tions over psychosocial factors. Human psychological processes connect environmental triggers to symptoms of disease. Some scientists The Professionalization of Problems work in the area of discerning human response to toxic The enormous breadth of professional specialization concentrations of air pollutants from non-toxic concen- in today’s culture has ensured that those syndromes trations and the IEI they invoke. The objective of their which, to a cultural anthropologist, at least, look clearly research is to develop ways to tell IEI from true signs of similar will take on distinctly special qualities in the toxic exposure (Shusterman 2001). hands of championing specialists. The list of profession- Principal researchers in IEI are clear that IEI does not als who engage symptomatic clients includes family arise from exposures to toxic compounds (Stauden- doctors, public health professionals, epidemiologists, mayer 2000). Instead, IEI is a somatic disease: “We con- occupational medicine physicians, toxicologists, social clude that IEI is a belief characterised by an overvalued psychologists, and emergency responders, and then, idea of toxic attribution of symptoms and disability, too, a host of “allied” health professionals, such as fulfilling criteria for a somatoform disorder and a func- masseuses, nutritionists, therapists, and counselors. tional somatic syndrome” (Staudenmayer, Binkley et al. Each profession has its own vantage point and pattern 2003). Poonai draws a connection between IEI and of response, and few therapists and health professionals underlying psychiatric illness (Poonai, Antony et al. step back to see the big picture. 2001), and this conclusion is supported by others (Black The medical science community’s “dismissal” of 2000), even in those cases when central nervous system somatic illnesses itself is a cultural bias. In the US cul- involvement is not fully ruled out (Bolla 2000). Accord- ture, somatic diseases are given short shrift, and suffer- ing to Binkley, King et al: “Panic in response to an envi- ers seem to feel disrespected and ignored. Getting a ronmental trigger, such as a foul odor, is the likely referral to a psychiatrist instead of to a medical special- cause: panic disorder may account for much of the ist for such symptoms as short-breath and palpitations symptomatology in at least some cases of IEI and pro- is commonly resented by the patient. vide a basis for rational treatment strategies” (Binkley, The cultural bias in the US medical community to King et al. 2001; Tarlo SM 2002). When a variety of down-play the importance of somatic diseases is the reports of MCS/IEI were reviewed, other medical fertile ground that cultivates the popularity of “syn- researchers concluded: “This investigation confirms dromes.” Showalter documents a process whereby a previous findings that psychiatric morbidity is high in new syndrome develops (Showalter 1997). She demon- patients presenting to specialized centres for environ- strates across many syndromes the way in which cul- mental medicine. Somatoform disorders are the leading ture gives identity to clusters of symptoms of stress and diagnostic category, and there is reason to believe that fear in individuals prone to developing somatic disease. certain ‘environmental’ or MCS patients form a special Because medicine is the medical profession’s tool to fix subgroup of somatoform disorders. In most cases, disease, when a doctor provides no medicine, patients symptoms can be explained by well-defined psychiatric go elsewhere, seeking sympathetic therapists. Persons and medical conditions other than MCS” (Bornschein, sharing common stressors may gravitate to a “special- Hausteiner et al. 2002). In Sweden, researchers, calling ist.” This therapist has gathered together clients of IEI by the name Environmental Somatization Syndrome similar symptoms, formed them into a clique, and (ESS), arrived at the same conclusion, and made the November 2007 Texas WET 13 delicate point: “The patients usually refuse alternative were triggered by a “suspected toxic gaseous exposure” explanations of their symptoms and discredit and reject (Struewing JP 1990). any suggestion of a psychogenic etiology” (Göthe, Molin et al. 1995). Pathways of Biosolids “Dis-ease” IEI incidences display differences among population The biosolids-aligned experts and their messages on groups. Researchers have also observed that females are behalf of the wastewater profession have been consis- more likely than males to express symptoms of IEI and tent and clear—biosolids does not spread disease-caus- to have malodors trigger IEI (Diamond, Dalton et al. ing organisms and its vaporous emission are not toxic 2005). Yet there are some examples of largely male chemicals (Chrostowski and O’Dette 2002; Blaser 2003; dominated disorders, one being with a group of mili- O’Dette 2004). Stories perpetuated on the Internet tary recruits who were triggered by malodors (Struewing about young men dying in Pennsylvania and New JP 1990). Hampshire and about cows dying in Georgia have been Scientists working at the scale of large groups experi- thoroughly addressed by the EPA in its response to the encing illness, as in mass hysteria, have also identified Centers for Food Safety petition as entirely without odorants as a major factor. Robert Bartholomew and foundation (Mehan 2003). Simon Wessely, in the British Journal of Psychiatry, pro- Such reassurance by wastewater experts has not car- vided a comprehensive overview of this phenomenon ried the day, and public credence given to governmen- and claimed: “During the 20th century, epidemic hyste- tal reassurances is less than the wastewater profession ria episodes were dominated by environmental con- would like to believe. People who seek out information cerns over food, air and water quality, especially exag- about biosolids from the Internet can uncover appar- gerated or imaginary fears involving mysterious odors. ently credible scientific debate over the biosolids-health Outbreaks had a rapid onset and recovery and involved connection. A few scientists hold out the theory that anxiety hysteria. Unsubstantiated claims of strange biosolids odorants, even if not directly toxic, can odours and gassings were a common contemporary trig- directly cause disease. Notable in this group is David ger of MSI outbreaks in schools” (Bartholomew and Lewis, a former EPA scientist (Lewis, Shepherd et al. Wessely 2002). The military recruits mentioned above 2001; Lewis, Gattie et al. 2002). The National Academy 14 Texas WET November 2007 of Sciences was called upon by EPA and Congress to published a report by William S. Cain and J. Enrique weigh in on issues of public health effects of biosolids. Cometto-Munez of the Medical School of the Univer- While the wastewater industry points to the report of sity of California, San Diego, “Health Effects of the NAS to demonstrate the adequacy of current Biosolids Odors: A Literature Review and Analysis” processes and regulations, a sufficient number of gaps (Cain and Cometto-Munez 2004), which concluded in scientific evidence in certain areas were identified odorants are not toxic. Regulatory agencies responsible to open a wide berth for festering public concerns: for issuance of permits for biosolids, notably the state The committee concludes that because of the lack of of California and the province of Ontario, have issued epidemiological study and the need to address the comprehensive reviews of the evidence of health effects public’s concerns about potential adverse health of biosolids (Liver, Apedaile et al. 2003; Anonymous effects, EPA should conduct studies that examine 2004). These reports have made the case that chemicals exposure and potential health risks to worker and and biological agents are not emitted from biosolids at community populations (Anonymous 2002). concentrations that directly cause toxicity or disease. The Water Quality Centre at the University of Ari- Not every epidemiologist and health researcher has zona has championed field studies of bioaerosols and felt comfortable with complete reliance on psychosocial other pathways of human exposure to biological agents. factors as the explanation for symptoms of illness Evidence to date is that concentrations of microorgan- induced by exposure to biosolids. Experts in related isms and microbial agents are too low in the commu- areas are working to decipher the potential for a con- nity downwind of land application sites to be infective, nection between odors and health. Researchers have although significant concentrations may be released in examined the process by which odors can induce the vicinity of operations, particularly in field condi- health effects. One researcher has shown that odors tions of high winds and dry weather (Brooks, Maxwell can cause hyperventilation, leading to light-headedness et al. 2005; Brooks, Tanner et al. 2005; Brooks, Tanner (Van Diest, De Peuter et al. 2006). These researchers et al. 2005; Paez-Rubio, Huab et al. 2006; Paez-Rubio, have also shown that odors can induce asthma symp- Ramarui et al. 2007). toms (De Peuter, Van Diest et al. 2005). The Journal of What is left is the third hypothesis. Experts to the Agromedicine published a major review of the potential wastewater profession have not been able to dismiss the health effects of odors from swine and wastewater oper- role of biosolids in triggering IEI and psychogenic ill- ations (Schiffman, Walker et al. 2000). Three hypothe- nesses. Evidence supports the third hypothesis, which ses were explored: 1) could odorants also be irritants is biosolids odors trigger somatic disease. Fear and panic and toxicants, directly resulting in ill-health; 2) could are at play, not biosolids directly. odorants be associated with other non-odorous com- Not every scientist is comfortable accepting the argu- pounds that are producing toxicity; 3) could odorants ment that biosolids odors are not rightfully classified as trigger somatic symptoms that are experienced as ill- disease-causing in their own right. They ask: Is not a health by sensitive individuals. somatic reaction to a malodor a health impact? The The first hypothesis, a direct linkage between com- World Health Organization says that health is adversely munity health and malodors, is very difficult to com- affected if quality of life is harmed; specifically “health pletely dismiss. When Dr. Lewis had an opportunity to is a state of complete physical, mental and social well- make a “best case” for a linkage between biosolids odor being and not merely the absence of disease or infir- and health in court, his arguments were not compelling mity” (Anonymous 2007). Believing, too, in the fallibil- to the court. One major study of health effects of mal- ity of current scientific tools, they also argued in favor odors from hog operations (odors that can bear resem- of a “precautionary” approach to “eco-toxics,” suggest- blance to municipal wastewater operations) has pro- ing prudence in spreading of biosolids in the environ- vided no conclusive scientific results that a linkage ment in advance of proof they do, or do not do, harm exists (Cole, Todd et al. 2000). But “proving a negative,” (Cairns 2003). Medical epidemiology declares that dis- in this case proving odors do not cause illness, is in ease must arise from a pathway involving disease organ- itself a tough scientific enterprise. isms or toxicants. But social and cultural epidemiologists The second hypothesis is that some non-odorous approach disease with a concern for patterns of distress agent emanating from biosolids along with odorants and help-seeking (Masse 2006; Waldram 2006). Human is toxic or disease-causing. The wastewater industry has experience of disease is sufficient to establish a negative made progress since the NAS report in answering this health impact from an exposure, even when stress is the hypothesis scientifically. Papers have been presented cause, when viewed from this vantage point. at biosolids specialty conferences dealing with biosolids If a somatic reaction to a malodor from biosolids can odors and health (Epstein 2003; Liver, Apedaile et al. be legitimately equated with a negative health effect, 2003). WERF has sponsored research identifying the then the wastewater profession’s focus on pathogens organic chemicals responsible for biosolids odors, and and irritant emissions may be unreasonably narrow. the concentrations the researchers have measured can Human reaction to odors is not just a matter for a be shown to be non-toxic levels (Forbes, Adams et al. subjective inquiry; it is the matter of scientific inquiry. 2003; Forbes, Witherspoon et al. 2006). WERF November 2007 Texas WET 15

Research into human response to odors is a billion dol- ual to ascribe “meaning” to an odorant. The same odor- lar inquiry when it comes to food and flavorings, but ant chemical that is offensive when said to be associated bad odors are different story, though thankfully several with a homeless person may be judged okay when prominent scientists have taken this on. One such sci- ascribed to an athlete. This observation helps explain entist is Pamela Dalton at the Monell Chemical Senses how the media influences public reaction to biosolids Center in Philadelphia. Dalton is a social psychologist and biosolids odors (Diamond, Dalton et al. 2005). whose career has been spent measuring human beings’ Media stories focusing on fear and anger foster negative responses to foul odors. She and other researchers at perceptions of odors. Dalton has participated with the Monell have worked with hog manure odors, and Dal- wastewater industry in helping to identify scientific ton is working with the US Department of Defense on a questions it needs to address in order to demonstrate non-toxic crowd control chemical based on “Who-me?” the link between odors and human response. Dalton has and the ASTM Bathroom Malodor (Dalton 2007). recommended, for instance, community monitoring of Dalton has shown that malodors trigger somatic ill- odorants and other possible emissions (Dalton 2006). nesses and, specifically, that biosolids odorants can trigger Idiopathic Environmental Illness, a form of psycho- Sludge Syndrome somatic “dis-ease” (Dalton and Hummel 2000). Dalton While the biosolids advocate may choose to empha- has demonstrated aversion to “bathroom malodors” size evidence of no pathogens and no toxic emissions, across all cultures and classes. She has shown, too, that the biosolids critic responds with the observation: If women of child bearing age can increase their sensitiv- biosolids is so safe, then why do reports persist of com- ity to these same kind of odors, compared to other age munity health impacts? The biosolids professional can and gender classes, when exposed to “puffs” of bad no longer avoid confronting persistent reports that odors. Ironically for the wastewater industry, workers neighbors report exposure to biosolids as a cause of bad exposed continually to these same odors become less health for them. sensitive, setting up a classic case of mis-communica- The Cornell Waste Management Institute has cham- tion between a plant manager and a distraught neigh- pioned the collation of stories of bad health experienced boring mother. by neighbors to application sites. The CWMI hosts a Knowledge of odors affects human response. Dalton web site that gives definition to symptoms in individ- has shown that foreknowledge is critical for an individuals exposed to offensive biosolids nuisances and gives it Flowmeter Rentals Now Available From Marsh-McBirney I “No Lost Data” Guarantee W ater Env TM I iron Immediate Availability F ment edera I 20 tion All Flowmeters Factory 05 Inn ovativ Techn e Calibrated & Certified ology Awar I Rent-to-Own Program d TM I Eliminates Fouling I Unlimited Free Technical Support I Reduces Confined Space Entry by 90% I Proven Accuracy Call Today For Rental Quote (800) 368-2723 I Simplifies Flow Monitoring Tasks I Data Storage/Recall (301) 874-5599 I Replacement for Visit www.marsh-mcbirney.com/rent USGS Mechanical Meters 16 Texas WET November 2007 the name “Sludge Syndrome.” That there is such a syn- response to environmental exposures to chemical drome should come as no surprise, as Sludge Syndrome odorants (Winters, Devriese et al. 2003). follows the model described by Showalter in Hystories. Two sides of a coin are presented by the media in The Cornell Waste Management Institute (CWMI) responses to environmental triggers of somatic disease. makes its “reported health effects” into a Cornell-based While the first side of the coin increases public con- website, largely drawing on information compiled by cern, the other side of the coin is the opportunity for Helane Shields at her www.sludgevictims.net website wastewater experts to communicate messages of reassur- (Harrison 2007; Shields 2007). In 1999, the term sludge ance. Research on the role of media in response to syndrome came into use by persons opposing biosolids releases of environmental toxins and hazards—before, application, and the term came to refer to the symp- during or after release events—has shown that the toms listed in the CWMI website. Sludge syndrome is media can serve to defuse hysteria. The key is in effec- a collection of self-reported symptoms that look very tive, well-constructed messages. Successful examples much like other panic-like, IEI-related syndromes. The include public health officials working with food poi- symptoms are a diverse assortment with no clear link soning and emergency responders working with terror- through objective pathways to causative agents, but ism incidents (Small and Borus 1987; Winters, Devriese nonetheless impacting on quality-of-life (Harrison and et al. 2003; Vasterman, Yzermans et al. 2005). The chal- Oakes 2002). It is from within the community of suffer- lenge for biosolids is that the first side of the coin usu- ers identified by the CWMI website that common, con- ally is manifest. certed efforts have been initiated to call public atten- The media is not the first place for a biosolids man- tion to the presumed causes of the syndrome (Shields ager to start if his goal is to communicate reassurance. 2007). Some of the self-reported health conditions find Research into cases of media coverage of toxic releases their way into the media, even the national media has shown that the media is not effective at presenting (Fackelmann 2002; Staff 2004). information that allows citizens to evaluate true risks of The CWMI website (accessed 8/27/2007 from a toxic release or disease organism and that allows citi- http://cwmi/css.cornell.edu/sludge/INCIDENTS.htm) zens to take appropriate actions (Dudo and Dahlstrom charts out the situations that gave rise to “more than 2007). Public meetings on issues of controversy involv- 328” people who expressed a certain category of symp- ing environmental risks often result in coverage that toms (Harrison and Oakes 2002). The list of symptoms emphasizes conflict between opinions, and points of is long: asthma, allergies, birth complications (i.e. pre- view of experts may not be accorded any more author- mature births, congenital defects), cysts, abscesses, dry ity than those of upset citizens. heaves, cough, eye problems (i.e. burning eyes, watery Media are drawn to stories of governmental malfea- eyes), flu-like symptoms, gastrointestinal complications, sance. Biosolids managers seeking to put out positive stomach cramping, headaches, immunodeficiency prob- messages confront a public taught to be skeptical of lems, lesions, mucous, nausea, nosebleeds, respiratory government intentions. No stories persist in the media complications (shortness of breath), skin rashes, with greater popularity than that of government con- tumors, vomiting, weight loss, burning throat, burning spiracies, and the story line is as old as history itself. A nose, and fatigue. recent radio story on NPR told of a survivor of the Lon- From this large list, several reported symptoms of don subway bombing who elected to confront a former sludge syndrome dominate the reports. Of the 65 case British official who championed a weird notion that studies reviewed, 42 reported stomach problems (nau- the British spy service had faked the bombing to create sea, gastro-intestinal/stomach cramping, or dry support for its anti-Muslim conspiracy. The story of heaves/cough), 40 reported respiratory complications, British government conspiracy continues to persist even 34 reported headaches, and 20 reported eye problems. in the face of incontrovertible evidence to the contrary These symptoms closely align with the list of symptoms (Glass 2007). Elaine Showalter in Hystories drew a con- known to be somatic disease responses identified as IEI nection between somatic diseases and reports of alien in response to odor triggers. abduction, a phenomenon which is made plausible only by a concomitant belief in a government cover-up The Role of the Media in Somatic Illnesses of alien sightings. In fact, some of the “chroniclers” of Human response to environmental triggers is, as Dal- alien abduction are based in university settings, ton shows, influenced by information retrieved from enhancing the credibility of the claims (Jacobs 2007). the community, and from newspapers, radio, TV and Alleged government cover-up of the true “toxic” Internet. Neighbors reporting symptoms of sludge syn- nature of biosolids is central to local opposition to drome present a story compelling for news reporters. biosolids recycling. For this to be true, a vast conspiracy Media can quickly and graphically report stories of situ- must seem plausible among ten thousands of biosolids ations involving sludge syndrome initiated by foul professionals in utilities, government, university, and odors and can support evolution in a community of industry. A positive influence by the media on public mass hysteria. Researchers have shown that the media understanding of environmental risks requires that the can accelerate the development of symptoms in media confer on its experts a high degree of credibility. November 2007 Texas WET 17

But when the media uses “governmental spokesmen,” scares in the community—such as concern for ground- the distinction between credible and not credible may water contamination and methane emissions from not be clear. Virtually no one associated with the opera- municipal solid waste landfills. In many LULU projects, tion of a biosolids recycling operation, even if employed public information meetings set up by industry experts by government, will be viewed by the public as neutral, to convince neighbors that safe conditions will be having no “stake in the game.” Furthermore, the extent maintained fail in their mission, in part because the to which public agencies contract out land application “expert” is unable to establish credibility responses to services to service companies will be the extent to which the fears (Flynn, Slovic et al. 1994). profits are suspected as the motive behind which is hid- Lessons drawn from other professions dealing with den the true risks of biosolids recycling. events evoking somatic illness are that the medical community cannot on its own reliably distinguish How Other Professions Respond to Crisis toxic/pathogenic illness from somatic illness, and local The wastewater profession is not alone in needing to government/utility spokespersons and their experts also learn how to respond to environmental fears. Emer- carry little authority in quelling public concern. A gency responders preparing for terrorist acts, public higher level of neutral authority, grounded in scientific health officials responding to upset at “cancer clusters,” evidence of exposures and risk, is warranted. and public officials seeking places to dispose of nuclear waste—each of these professions are concerned with New Approaches Needed how to bring sound scientific information to people in to Link Biosolids and Health a way that instills confidence, not fear. Biosolids managers are faced with this situation: Emergency responders, planning for the risk of biosolids can cause “dis-ease” through the fear inspired bioterrorism, need to be able to discern those people by noxious odors and consequent panic in sensitive responding in fear from those responding to a toxic individuals, even though odors are neither toxic nor agent itself (Engel, Locke et al. 2007). Experts in bioter- pathogenic, but without further research, the toxicity rorism preparedness regard as a serious issue the possi- and pathogenicity of biosolids will remain suspect. bility during a bioterrorism incident that emergency Further research into biosolids-borne pathogens and responders may confront “me-too-ers” who present somatic symptoms in response to threats (Jones, Craig et al. 2000). The medical community is concerned that its primary care physicians and other “early responders” be able to discern cases of mass sociogenic illness and IEI from cases of individuals genuinely exposed to toxicants (Talbot 2002; Weir 2005). The general public, the media, and many government officials believe that use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) will inevitably lead to mass panic and/or mass hysteria. Studies of disasters and wars show that disorganized flight (i.e., mass panic) is rare in the event of a specific danger (Small and Borus 1987). On the other hand, in a real or perceived WMD scenario, outbreaks may be prevalent of multiple unexplained symptoms as evidence of somatic illness (i.e., mass psychogenic illness, mass sociogenic illness, mass hysteria, or epidemic hysteria). That is because many of the symptoms of toxic chemical exposure and acute radia- tion sickness are also symptoms of somatic illness (fatigue, nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness/light- headedness, and anorexia) (Pastel 2001). State public health agencies are occasionally called upon to respond to a cancer cluster scare. A report in the community that some invisible agent is causing an unusual clustering of cancer cases can spiral into a widespread scare. But, a variety of tested approaches have been developed by public health experts to defuse these concerns. The key is credible experts issuing clear, technically sound explanations (Thun and Sinks 2004). Environmental officials trying to site any number of locally undesirable land uses, or LULUs, will trip upon 18 Texas WET November 2007 odor-causing constituents in biosolids will have limited a modality for collecting health reports and evaluating value unless they are tied to specific work on pathways them for follow-up by health and environmental offi- of exposure, measures of air-borne constituents, and cials. No judgment on previous reports of ill-health objective signs of health. from community exposure to odors will be assessed. From this vantage, in which pathogens need not be present to cause somatic illness, Class A versus Class B Wastewater Manager’s Role biosolids may prove to not be a meaningful distinction in Controlling Biosolids “Dis-ease” for a biosolids’ potential for causing “dis-ease.” The The CWMI, and its network of contributors in Massa- Class A versus B distinction deals with the presence or chusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ontario and absence of pathogens, but odorants are the triggers for California, may be cataloging and championing the somatic dis-ease, not microorganisms. What is more, sludge syndrome, but the wastewater profession created recent research findings into the changing population this syndrome. This profession comprises the experts in densities of pathogens and indicator organisms post- wastewater, responsible for the environmental releases dewatering suggest that current regulatory approaches of compounds that are triggers for the syndrome. This may likely evolve in the future. The wastewater profes- profession comprises the experts who have manage- sion may be well-advised to move beyond full reliance ment responsibility for actions that mitigate nuisances, on Class A versus Class B compliance as a measure of such as odors, truck traffic, unsightly piles and dirty performance. equipment. The profession is constituted with individu- No regulatory standard has yet been established that als who do, or do not, put out information to the pub- enables the wastewater industry to define biosolids lic before, during and after biosolids spreading activi- products that are noxiously odorous, and apt to trigger ties. The profession is constituted with the experts who somatic disease, from those that are not. On the face of either do, or do not, accept responsibility for the per- it, the Vector Attraction Reduction portion of the fed- ceived harm to the community and who do, or do not, eral regulations is thought to set that standard. The establish a reputation for credibility on which the wastewater profession cannot deny, though, that cases believability of our information is judged. In truth, the of Class A products meeting the VAR standard, yet emit- buck stops with the biosolids profession for incidence ting noxious odors, have occurred, even with some reg- of sludge syndrome in their communities, and, hence, ularity. Examples of such cases are putrid biosolids com- the “dis-ease” caused by biosolids recycling activities. post along highways, noxious advanced-alkaline Here are steps that the wastewater profession can stabilized biosolids near elementary schools, and stinky take to control “Biosolids Dis-ease:” piles of biosolids pellets in a farmer’s field. Each has cre- 1. Take on a public presence to build credibility and ated community upset and reports of ill-health, yet reputation. each was purportedly a Class A/VAR-compliant product. Does the biosolids profession need to respond to The public credibility of the wastewater and biosolids unregulated characteristics of biosolids that evoke profession is undermined by practices that suggest it somatic disease? This is a question of ethical principles. does not really care about its impacts on the commu- Most individuals within the biosolids profession would nity. The profession’s limited ability to utilize processes proudly wear the label “environmentalist,” as they are that deodorize biosolids prior to recycling, its careless persuaded by their own commitment to clean water spreading of highly odorous biosolids offended the and recycling. But, a community offended by an odor- community, its reluctance to meet with the concerned ous biosolids operation will find that label not credible, public, and its eagerness to save money through con- at best, and, yet worse, hypocritical. The biosolids pro- tracted services with low-bid vendors are all factors con- fession would be better off if it were to respond actively tributing to circumstances that have resulted in com- to reports of ill-health of neighbors, even though it munity offenses and fear. Credibility and reputation may be firmly convinced of the environmental and need to be built from the top of the organization and public safety of its practices. The biosolids profession extend out into the field and with the contractors might hold a higher ethical ground if it would demon- employed by public agencies. strate that it understands that biosolids odors may not 2. Reduce risk of nuisance odors in biosolids product and only create temporary nuisances but evoke somatic dis- programs. ease in sensitive people. Until about six years ago, not a single peer-reviewed To make a start in responding to its incomplete scientific article had characterized the organic com- understanding of the role of biosolids in causing pounds emanating from biosolids products which held somatic disease, the biosolids profession is taking the the potential for giving offense. Even today, scientists lead from a stakeholder workshop on biosolids research do not know the specific identity of all volatile organic priorities. WERF has a project for “Protocols for the compounds that are emitted from biosolids application Timely Investigation of Potential Health Incidents Asso- sites. The wastewater profession does now know, in ciated with Biosolids Land Application” (Wing 2007). contrast to what was known in 2000, that biosolids This work has not yet been released; its focus will be on odors are influenced strongly by dewatering equipment, November 2007 Texas WET 19 worsen with age over several day after dewatering, may examined the health of neighbors adjoining biosolids differ from season to season, and are affected by application sites with the new kinds of measurement upstream discharges and plant processes. The profession and analytical tools developed in recent years. The pro- now knows that Class A versus Class B is not a distinc- fession hasn’t entirely re-examined the biosolids itself tion which ensures nuisance-free biosolids distribution. with new tools of analysis, such as polymerase chain But, even after six years of research, the wastewater reaction (PCR), for the pathogenic organisms known to industry still does not have available an array of tech- exist in the wastewater-shed, and so it has not yet re- nologies from which it can select that are proven to established the effectiveness of biosolids treatment produce sweet-smelling biosolids. Biosolids generators processes to eliminate pathogens. Unless the wastewater and users need to collaborate on sharing “lessons profession joins together in a commitment to this learned” in reducing nuisance odors. greater investment in research, lip service given to its commitment to public health will appear disingenuous, 3. Communicate on odorants to public in anticipation of hurting the profession’s credibility. “biosolids dis-ease”. The wastewater profession knows that a certain num- 6. Alter field practices in response to odor complaints. ber of individuals within sight of, or within an odor Land application of odorous biosolids is risky for the plume reach of its operations may be subject to Idio- offense it may cause in a community, and likely no sin- pathic Environmental Intolerance. Persons with IEI will gle practice will ensure successful odor mitigation. But, be inordinately reactive to bad odors. But, unless regardless, odor complaints from a land application site affected individuals are given access to the biosolids ought to result in serious steps by an agency or its con- managers, managers will be unable to learn who their tractor, and usually several steps, to reduce nuisances. sensitive neighbors are, where they are, and what the This is not a facetious suggestion, as agencies are often managers can do to offset impacts from their recycling greatly challenged to alter operations in response to operations. What is more, the biosolids profession has unexpected community complaints. Also, agencies con- positive messages about the benefits and safety of tracting with service companies may believe wrongly biosolids recycling that, through information sharing, that its contractual vehicle absolves agency managers may offset the negative messages communicated by the from responsibility for community odor impacts from odors and by highly-impacted individuals communicat- its biosolids. ing over the Internet. Biosolids managers need to The responsible biosolids generator will work to elim- develop a communications plan that puts out informa- inate odor nuisances in all of its operations. The first tion on its practices and programs in advance of opera- place to look is in the timing and location of biosolids tions that might cause IEI-inspired complaints. application, to reflect unique conditions of topography, wind direction, sensitive receptors, weather and time of 4. Respond to concerns timely and face-to-face. day. For example, Philadelphia doubled the setback Timely response and face-to-face communications zone, had its contractor delay spreading until after 9 can be effective in responding to the concerns of per- AM and plow fields promptly, thereby mitigating odor- sons of IEI sensitivity to biosolids odors or to other con- ant exposure to one neighbor with IEI. In another cerns. Biosolids managers can give the public the iden- example, Philadelphia had its contractor use a high-car- tity of the odorants coming from biosolids, they can bon coal ash to adsorb odorants from heavy rates of anticipate patterns of environmental exposures, and biosolids at a mine reclamation site. When a contractor they can find ways to modify operations to reduce is delivering to an application site with known sensitive potential exposures. Tailoring a communications pack- neighbors, Philadelphia loads the truck with the most age to the “average person” is not adequate. One size recently dewatered biosolids, because research has does not fit all, and one-on-one communication, shown a sharp increase in odors occurs after 24 hours. though time-consuming, is more effective than letters Research has shown, too, that a meaningful reduction and news articles. The “timely-response” procedures in biosolids odors can be accomplished with reducing being developed by WERF may one day provide guid- centrifuge bowl speed without sacrificing cake solids. ance to the biosolids managers on how to carry out a person-by-person approach, particularly with persons The Bottom Line exhibiting IEI. Sludge syndrome is a somatic disease triggered by 5. Support research into worker and public health, basic biosolids odors and by fears raised in the community epidemiology and odor science. and through the media. The wastewater profession The wastewater profession dropped the ball on keep- needs to accept that even a large commitment to coming its historical linkage to public health and epidemi- piling scientific proof that biosolids are not sources of ology. The profession does not have scientific studies pathogens or toxicants is of limited persuasiveness with that examine health effects of biosolids on workers and the public. IEI and associated mass sociogenic illness neighbors; it instead points to anecdotal evidence of syndromes, the underlying cause of sludge syndrome, “no-damage-done.” The profession has not rigorously may not commonly occur in the population, but the potential is nevertheless significant and meaningful for 20 Texas WET November 2007 these syndromes to be manifest in vicinity of any Cole, D., L. Todd, et al. (2000). “Concentrated Swine Feeding Operations and Public Health: A Review of Occupational and Community Health biosolids land application operations. The wastewater Effects.” Environmental Health Perspectives 108(8): 685-699. profession can prepare itself for this potential, as it has Colligan, M. J., M. A. Urtes, et al. (1979). “An investigation of apparent mass psychogenic illness in an electronics plant.” J Behav Med 2(3): control over virtually all factors that may provoke the 297-309. sludge syndrome. These factors include the agency’s Dalton, P. (2006). Odor, Irritation and Health Symptoms from Biosolids Land Applications. Philadelphia, PA 19104-3308, Monell Chemical credibility in the community, the quality of agency Senses Center. operations, its responsiveness to odor complaints, and Dalton, P. (2007). What is the Mal in Malodor? Philadelphia, PA, Monell Chemical Senses Center: 28. its willingness to adjust operations to reduce odor nui- Dalton, P. and T. Hummel (2000). “Chemosensory function and response sances affecting sensitive populations. Biosolids man- in idiopathic environmental intolerance.” Occup Med. 15(3): 539-556. De Peuter, S., I. Van Diest, et al. (2005). “Can Subjective Asthma Symp- agers choose where the piles are placed and choose toms Be Learned?” Psychosomatic Medicine 67: 454-461. where and when the biosolids is spread. Biosolids man- Diamond, J., P. Dalton, et al. (2005). “Gender-specific Olfactory Sensitiza- tion: Hormonal and Cognitive Influences.” Chem. Senses 30 (suppl agers choose the kind of information they give to the 1)(suppl 1): i224-i225. neighbors and their local officials. Biosolids managers Dudo, A. D. and M. F. Dahlstrom (2007). “Reporting a Potential Pan- demic.” Science Communication 28(4): 429-454. choose whether the response to complainants is quick Engel, C. C., S. Locke, et al. (2007). “Terrorism, Trauma, and Mass Casualty and effective. In this way, biosolids managers choose Triage: How Might We Solve the Latest Mind-Body Problem?” Biosecu- rity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science. 5(2): whether biosolids odors are communicating to their 155-163. neighbors that the agency activities are benefiting the Epstein, E. (2003). Odors as a Health Issue. WEFTEC .03 76th Annual Water Environment Federation Annual Technical Exhibition and Con- environment and whether the agency cares about the ference, Los Angeles Convention Center, Water Environment Federa- neighbors as potentially-affected parties. So, within the tion. Fackelmann, K. (2002). Some Fear That Using Sludge as Fertilizers is a Pub- influence of the biosolids manager is whether his lic Health Hazard. USA Today. National distribution. biosolids communicate with neighbors in a way that Flynn, J., P. Slovic, et al. (1994). “Gender, race, and perception of environmental health risks.” Risk Anal. 14(6): 1101 - 1108. builds support for the recycling program. Forbes, B., J. Witherspoon, et al. (2006). Recent Findings on Biosolids Cake Odor Reduction - Midpoint Results of WERF Phase 3 Biosolids Odor References Research. Residuals and Biosolids Management Conference 2006: Bridg- ing the Future, Cincinnati, OH, Water Environment Federation. Anonymous (2002). Biosolids Applied to Land: Advancing Standards and Forbes, R. H., G. Adams, et al. (2003). Impacts of In-Plant Operational Practices (2002) Parameters on Biosolids Odor Quality: Preliminary Results of WERF Epidemiological Evidence of Health Effects Associated with Biosolids Pro- Phase 2 Study. Residuals and Biosolids Management Conference 2003: duction and Application, National Academy of Sciences, Board on Partnering for a Safe, Sustainable Environment, Baltimore, MD, Water Environmental Studies and Toxicology (BEST). Environment Federation. Anonymous (2004). General Waste Discharge Requirements for Biosolids Glass, I. (2007). The Spokesperson: Act one— What part of “Bomb” Don’t Land Application: Draft Statewide Program EIR; Chapter 5. Public Your Understand? This American Life, Chicago Public Radio. Health. C. S. W. R. C. B. F. 2004. Goh, K. T. (1987). “Epidemiological enquiries into a school outbreak of an Anonymous (2007). Health, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. unusual illness.” Int J Epidemiol. 16(2): 265-270. Barsky, A. J. and J. F. Borus (1999). “Functional Somatic Syndromes.” Ann Göthe, C. J., C. Molin, et al. (1995). “The environmental somatization Intern Med. 130: 910-921. syndrome.” Psychosomatics 36(1): 1-11. Bartholomew, R. E. (2005). “”Mystery illness” at Melbourne Airport: toxic Harrison, E. Z. (2007). “Sewage Biosolids Land Application: Reported poisoning or mass hysteria?” Med J Aust. 2005 183(11-12): 564-566. Health Incidents.” Clustering of Reported Health Incidents Retrieved Bartholomew, R. E. and S. Wessely (2002). “Protean nature of mass socio- 8/27/2007, 2007. genic illness: From possessed nuns to chemical and biological terrorism Harrison, E. Z. and S. R. Oakes (2002). “Investigation of Alleged Health fears.” British Journal of Psychiatry 180: 300-306. Incidents Associatied with Land Application of Sewage Sludges.” New Binkley, K., N. King, et al. (2001). “Idiopathic environmental intolerance: Solutions 12(4): 387-408. Increased prevalence of panic disorder–associated cholecystokinin B Hefez, A. (1985). “The role of the press and the medical community in the receptor allele 7*.” Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 107(5): epidemic of “mysterious gas poisoning” in the Jordan West Bank.” Am 887-890. J Psychiatry 142(7): 833-837. Black, D. W. (2000). “The relationship of mental disorders and idiopathic Jacobs, D. M. (2007). “Resources for David M. Jacobs.” Retrieved Septem- environmental intolerance.” Occup Med. 15(3): 557-570. ber 4, 2007, 2007, from Blaser, T. A. (2003). Summary of Marshall Biosolids Toxic Tort Case. Wash- http://www.temple.edu/history/FJ/jacobs/index.html. ington, D.C., Beveridge & Diamond, P.C.: 1. Jones, T., A. Craig, et al. (2000). “Mass Psychogenic Illness Attributed to Bolla, K. I. (2000). “Use of neuropsychological testing in idiopathic envi- Toxic Exposure at a High School.” New England Journal of Medicine ronmental testing.” Occup Med. 5(3): 617-625. 342(22): 1673-1675. Bornschein, S., C. Hausteiner, et al. (2002). “Psychiatric and somatic disor- Lewis, D. L., D. K. Gattie, et al. (2002). “Interactions of pathogens and irri- ders and multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) in 264 ‘environmental tant chemicals in landapplied sewage sludges (biosolids).” BMC Public patients’.” Psychol Med. 32(8): 1387-1394. Health 2(11). Boss, L. P. (1997). “Epidemic Hysteria: A Review of the Published Litera- Lewis, D. L., S. Shepherd, et al. (2001). Enhanced Susceptibility to Infec- ture.” Epidemiologic Reviews 19(2): 233-243. tion from Exposure to Gases Emitted by Sewage Sludge: A Case Study. Brooks, J. P., S. Maxwell, et al. (2005). “Antibiotic-resistant bacteria and Biosolids Management in the 21st Century. College Park, MD, Water endotoxins in association with land application of biosolids: Possible Environment Federation. impact on quality of groundwater supplies and comparison to other Liver, S., E. Apedaile, et al. (2003). Review of Health-Related Aspects of routes of wrok=-related and household exposure.” A TRIF/WSP Progress Biosolids Land Application. WEFTEC .03: 76th Annual Water Environ- Report, Water Quality Center, University of Arizona. ment Federation Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference, Los Brooks, J. P., B. D. Tanner, et al. (2005). “Estimation of bioaerosol risk of Angeles, CA, Water Environment Federation. infection to residents adjacent to a land applied biosolids site using an Loewenstein, G. F., E. U. Weber, et al. (2001). “Risk as Feelings.” Psycho- empirically derived transport model.” J Appl Microbiol 98(2): 397-405. logical Bulletin 127(2): 267-286. Brooks, J. P., B. D. Tanner, et al. (2005). “A national study on the residen- Masse, R. (2006). “Review of Epidemiology and Culture by James A. Tros- tial impact of biological aerosols from the land application of tle.” Am. J. Epidemiol. 163(1): 97-98. biosolids.” J Appl Microbiol 99(2): 310-22. Mehan, G. T. (2003). EPA Letter Response to Petition from Center for Food Cain, W. S. and J. E. Cometto-Munez (2004). Identifying and Controlling Safety. Washington, DC, US Environmental Protection Agency: 1-22. Odors in the Municipal Wastewater Environment: Health Effects of Modan, B., T. Swartz, et al. (1983). “The Arjenyattah epidemic. A mass Biosolids Odors Protecting Human Health. G. Adams. Alexandria, VA, phenomenon: spread and triggering factors.” Lancet. 1983 Dec 24- Water Environment Research Foundation: 56. 31;2(8365-66):1472-4. Cairns, J., Jr.* (2003). “Ethics in science: ecotoxicology.” Ethics in Science O’Dette, R. (2004). The Safety of Biosolids Recycling: Evidence That and Environmental Politic, ESEP(Accessed 10/16/2006, On-line from Demands A Positive Verdict. Houston, TX, Synagro, Inc.: 11. Inter-Research 2003 · www.int-res.com): 33-39. Olkinuora, M. (1984). “Psychogenic epidemics and work.” Scand J Work Chrostowski, P. C. and R. G. O’Dette (2002). Demystifying the Great Environ Health 10(6 Spec No): 501-504. Biosolids Debate: Sound science removes emotion from decisions about biosolids recycling. November 2007 Texas WET 21

Paez-Rubio, T., X. Huab, et al. (2006). “Particulate matter composition and ity/idiopathic environmental intolerance: understanding the relation- emission rates from the disk incorporation of class B biosolids into ship with panic disorder.” Environ Health Perspect. 2002 Aug;110 soil.” Atmospheric Environment 40: 7034-7045. Suppl 4:669-71. 110(Supplement 4): 669-671. Paez-Rubio, T., A. Ramarui, et al. (2007) “Emission Rates and Characteriza- Thun, M. J. and T. Sinks (2004). Understanding Cancer Clusters. CA Can- tion of Aerosols Produced During the Spreading of Dewatered Class B cer J Clin, American Cancer Society. 54: 273-280. Biosolids.” Environ. Sci. & Technol. Volume, DOI: Van Diest, I., S. De Peuter, et al. (2006). “Acquired Lightheadedness in Pastel, R. H. (2001). “Collective behaviors: mass panic and outbreaks of Response to Odors After Hyperventilation.” Psychosomatic Medicine multiple unexplained symptoms.” Mil Med. 166(12 Suppl): 44-46. 68: 340-347. Poonai, N. P., M. M. Antony, et al. (2001). “Psychological features of sub- Vasterman, P., C. J. Yzermans, et al. (2005). “The Role of the Media and jects with idiopathic environmental intolerance.” J Psychosom Res. . Media Hypes in the Aftermath of Disasters.” Epidemiologic Reviews 27. 51(3): 537-541. Waldram, J. B. (2006). “The View from the Hogan: Cultural Epidemiology Schiffman, S. S., J. M. Walker, et al. (2000). “Potential health effects of and the Return to Ethnography.” Transcultural Psychiatry 43(1): 72-85. odors from animal operations, wastewater treatment, and recycling of Weir, E. (2005). “Mass sociogenic illness.” JAMC 172(1): 36. byproducts.” J Agromed. 7(1): 7-81. Wing, S. (2007). Protocols for the Timely Investigation of Potential Health Shields, H. (2007, May 2001). “Sludge Victims.” Retrieved September 7, Incidents Associated with Biosolids Land Application, Water Environ- 2007, from http://www.sludgevictims.net. ment Research Foundation. Shields, H. (2007). Why We Are Opposed to the Land Application of Winters, W., S. Devriese, et al. (2003). “Media Warnings About Environ- Sewage Sludge. mental Pollution Facilitate the Acquisition of Symptoms in Response to Showalter, E. (1997). Hystories: Hysterical Epidemics and Modern Media. Chemical Substances.” Psychosomatic Medicine 65:332â??338 (2003) New York, NY, Columbia University Pres. 65: 332-338. Shusterman, D. (2001). “Odor-associated Health Complaints: ~Competing Explanatory Models.” Chem. Senses 27: 339-343. About the Author Small, G. W. and J. F. Borus (1987). “The influence of newspaper reports on outbreaks of mass hysteria.” Psychiatric Quarterly 58(4). Staff, C. c. N. (2004). Spreading trouble. CTV News, Shows and Sports — William Toffey is the Biosolids Utilization Manager Canadian Television. for the City of Philadelphia Water Department, respon- Staudenmayer, H. (2000). “Psychological treatment of psychogenic idiopathic environmental intolerance.” Occup Med. 2000 Jul- sible for the disposition of 220,000 tons of material Sep;15(3):627-46. 15(3): 627-646. produced annually. He also oversees his agency’s Staudenmayer, H., K. Binkley, et al. (2003). “Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance: Part 2: A Causation Analysis Applying Bradford Hill’s Cri- research initiatives in odor and pathogen control in teria to the Psychogenic Theory. Review Article.” Toxicological Reviews. biosolids. Toffey received a B.S. in Agriculture from 22(4): 247-261. Struewing JP, G. G. (1990). “An epidemic of respiratory complaints exacer- Cornell University and a Masters of Environmental bated by mass psychogenic illness in a military recruit population.” Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. He is Am J Epidemiol. 132(6): 1120-1129. Talbot, M. (2002). Hysteria Hysteria. New York Times Magazine. active in WEF, NACWA, Pennsylvania WEA and the Tarlo SM, P. N., Binkley K, Antony MM, Swinson RP. (2002). “Responses to ABC, and he serves as executive director of the Mid- panic induction procedures in subjects with multiple chemical sensitiv- Atlantic Biosolids Association. 22 Texas WET November 2007

Board Approves Strategic Direction for Next Three to Five Years

By Brad Castleberry, President-Elect • Provide quality public education regarding WEAT On October 14, in San Diego, California, and water quality issues the WEAT Board endorsed core strategies to Strategy 2: Improve membership services and pro- guide WEAT’s operations for the next three mote membership growth. WEAT has experienced sig- to five years. These core strategies were nificant competition for members. An increasing num- developed by the strategic planning team ber of trade associations, coupled with decreasing led by Brad Castleberry, President-elect, at a meeting in finances from employers to pay for membership dues, June of this year. The team developed core strategies as have impacted the ability for WEAT to compete for new the outcome of a process which looked at key issues members. WEAT needs to provide incentives and facing WEAT, our vision for the next three to five years, demonstrate the value of joining this organization in and our current strengths and weaknesses. order to secure additional members. Likewise, WEAT The goal of this process was not to develop a detailed needs to focus on increasing member services to pro- strategic plan, but to identify strategies that officers and vide more value to its existing membership base. committees could use to guide operations. Listed after • Expand web-based services* each core strategy are potential means of implementa- • Encourage active involvement of all new members tion. Beginning with the 2008 calendar year budget, the • Increase student and utility memberships Board will allocate funding to specific areas. For 2008, • Identify under-represented sectors of the water qual- funds have been directed to website enhancement and ity community public relations initiatives. • Encourage Young Professionals to take leadership Members of the strategic planning team, appointed roles and to be more active by Past-President, Paul Roach, were selected to provide Strategy 3: Develop and foster active committees and broad representation from the WEAT membership. The sections. WEAT has recently revamped its committee team included members with varied interest and experi- structure and increased the number of local sections. ence in WEAT. Team members included Patty Cleve- Both actions will require follow-up to ensure success. land, Betty Jordan, Brad Castleberry, Dennis WEAT needs to promote active and healthy committees Laskowski, Karin Warren, John Bennett, Steve Clouse in order to provide more benefit to its members, and to and Lynne Moss. Executive Director, Carol Batterton, continue to maintain educational excellence. WEAT served as facilitator. also needs to promote active and healthy sections in If you have any questions or are interested in partici- order to provide better outreach to the public and con- pating in any of these activities, please feel free to continue its mission of education on water quality issues. tact Raj Bhatarrai, Brad Castleberry, or Carol Batterton. • Define committee roles by establishing charters, mis- Core Strategies sions, and goals The following core strategies, in order of priority, • Involve committees in technical program development should be used to govern the goals and objectives for for conferences and legislative/regulatory activities the Water Environment Association of Texas over the • Provide outreach and funding to new sections * next three to five years. • Update the “new section start-up manual” Strategy 1: Improve perception of WEAT as the • Promote committee involvement to new members resource for water quality issues. WEAT needs to • Provide administrative assistance to all committee make itself known to the public and the industry as the chairs go-to resource for information regarding water quality Strategy 4: Maintain and develop alliances with issues. There are a host of industry associations related academic, government, and industry groups. involved in water related matters. WEAT needs to strive With the recent addition of its Executive Director, to maintain itself as the preeminent resource on water WEAT has seen the benefit of creating alliances to quality and watershed management issues, which access decision-makers at both the regulatory and leg- should include participating in educating the public at islative level. WEAT should continue to strive to all levels from grade school children to legislators, and develop these alliances and coordinate with a number continuing to be an educational resource to the indus- of industry trade groups on educational initiatives to try on technical, management, and operational issues. benefit its members and strengthen its reputation. • Monitor and participate in regulatory activities • Identify opportunities to co-sponsor conferences and • Monitor and participate in legislative activities seminars • Provide more support to utility public relations staff • Develop educational materials with other industry • Form an ad hoc public relations committee* groups • Deliver quality technical conferences and training • Identify potential alliances with other industry • Increase publicity for award winners at both the state groups on key water quality issues and local levels Continued on page 23 November 2007 Texas WET 23

All Things YP

By Richard Weatherly and Josh Marazzini

People You Should Know Richard Weatherly has been working at Freese and In previous issues, we introduced our current Young Nichols for almost five years in the Water/Wastewater Professional section representatives. For those of you Engineering group and has mainly been involved with that missed these articles, the local YP section represen- water and wastewater master planning. He started in tatives implement any initiatives begun at the State the Fort Worth office where he worked for two years level, initiate any volunteer efforts needed for confer- before moving to Houston in 2005 to help start the ences, plan local get-togethers, organize local commu- office in Houston. He has been married to his wife, nity outreach projects, and on and on. Jackie, for over two years. They met at The University Both fortunately and unfortunately, these positions of Texas, where he received his BS in Civil Engineering. are temporary. Thus, we need to introduce you to our His goals as the Houston WEAT YP chair are to two newest YP section reps: Josh Marazzini of the San increase involvement of current YPs and also to work Antonio section and Richard Weatherly of the South- on recruiting new YPs to attend meetings and YP gath- east Texas (Houston/Galveston) section. Josh recently erings, with the hope that they will be future leaders agreed to take the place of Dennis Laskowski, and within the organization. Richard agreed to take the place of Tina Van Wie. If you Please note that if you are in a section that currently happen to see either Josh or Richard, please be sure to does not have a YP section representative, we would introduce yourself and thank them for all that they do. love to have someone step up and take that job. Addi- If you happen to see Dennis or Tina, please thank them tionally, if you would like more information on how to for their past efforts. start a WEAT Student chapter or have any questions Josh Marazzini has been working in PBS&J’s San about being part of the WEAT Young Professionals, Antonio office full time for the past three years in the please feel free to contact Heather Harris (Heather. Public Works group. During this time, he has been [email protected]) or Trooper Smith ([email protected]), engaged with a variety of projects, including wastewater your WEAT YP Co-Chairs. collection studies, wastewater collection improvement evaluations, lift station evaluations and designs, wastewater system field evaluation and data collection, wastewater collection system modeling, SW3P inspections, construction inspections, bridge and roadway design, commercial development, GIS database development, GIS data conversion and mapping, and permitting for domestic and industrial wastewater streams. Prior to that, Josh interned for PBS&J working within a variety of civil disciplines for three years while on win- ter and summer breaks. Josh graduated from Texas A&M University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. Josh’s goals while serving as the San Antonio WEAT YP chair include forming an alliance with local university professors to promote student memberships, increasing involvement of current YPs in social and technical events, and growing the YP group within San Antonio. Recently married, Josh spends his free time with his wife, Paulette, working out, going on trips and spending time with friends and family.

Board approves, from page 22 • Identify strategic relationships with academic institu- tions • Involve regulatory individuals to participate on technical committees *Denotes activity with potentially significant fiscal impact 24 Texas WET November 2007

Water for People “Great Super Bowl Adventure” By Patrice Melancon Water For People to continue work to fulfill their vision—a world where all people have access to safe Hey, all you Water For People supporters! How many drinking water and adequate sanitation; a world where of you would like to go to the Super Bowl in sunny no child suffers or dies from a water-related disease. Phoenix? The Pennsylvania Section of Water For People I know that many of you are huge supporters of the in conjunction with Aqua America, Inc. is offering the Texas Section Water For People’s events and activities, “Great Super Bowl Adventure” give away. and I am so grateful for your support. I hope you will This year’s package includes two tickets to Super consider supporting us again. But you’ll have to act fast Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008, 5 days and 4 nights in to support us through this activity. There will only be Phoenix/Glendale, round trip airfare for two, hotel 300 tickets sold. The giveaway drawing will be held at accommodations for 4 nights, and VIP events escorted the end of December. by Don Tollefson of Philadelphia FOX Sports. If you would like to participate, please send your You have a chance at this wonderful getaway for a check for $100/ ticket made payable to PA Section $100 donation. All donations go directly to support AWWA and mail to Tricia Burroughs, c/o Aqua America, Water For People’s efforts in countries not as fortunate as 762 Lancaster Ave, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010. we are. By supporting this give away, you are allowing Watershed Management and Stormwater Knowledge Committees Formed by WEAT By Jennifer Benaman and Heather Harris issues in Texas. With the formation of these two Com- mittees, we hope to also bring attention to the benefits Recently, WEAT established several Knowledge Com- and opportunities that WEAT can provide to watershed, mittees to support the membership within specific surface water, and stormwater professionals, as well. facets of our industry. Two of these committees include Short term activities for the Committees include organi- the Watershed Management Committee and Stormwa- zation of watershed and stormwater-related sessions at ter Committee, led by Dr. Jennifer Benaman of QEA Texas Water 2008, as well as development of a potential and Ms. Heather Harris of CH2M HILL, respectively. one-day short-course related to current watershed and The overall goal of these Committees is to raise aware- stormwater issues important to practicing professionals. ness, both within the WEAT membership and exter- If you are interested in joining one of these two Com- nally, of the benefits and opportunities WEAT provides mittees, please feel free to email Jennifer (jbenaman@ to surface water and stormwater professionals in contin- qeallc.com) or Heather ([email protected]). uing education, networking, and technical support. More specifically, the goals of these Committees include: • Organize and encourage watershed management, surface water quality management, and stormwater professionals to use WEAT as a mechanism for networking and staying abreast of related issues; • Provide technical support to WEAT membership on watershed management, surface water quality, and stormwater issues; • When appropriate, provide technical documents and/or content for use by the WEAT membership for understanding relevant water quality and stormwater issues, and/or ongoing governmental activities (poli- cies, rules, or otherwise); • Attend National WEF Watershed Management Committee Meetings and disseminate information back to WEAT members via Texas WET magazine and email notices; and • Develop and propose policy and technical statements to the WEAT Board of Directors for possible WEAT participation in lawmaking, rulemaking, or policy making proceedings at the state or local level. We all know WEAT is one of the premiere organizations addressing concerns related to water/wastewater November 2007 Texas WET 25

California Dreaming!

By John Bennett, PWO Representative all the while the revamped Dillo XXpress brought WEAT had an undeniable presence at WEFTEC 2007 home third place in the Maintenance event while fin- Operations Challenge in San Diego, CA. In Division I we ishing 11th overall in their division. had the Trinity River Authority’s CReWSers, National It’s a good bet that Operations Challenge teams are Champions for the last two years, being joined by the somewhat disappointed with the results of this year’s Power SAWS, last years Division II Champions and the national competition. These teams are fiercely competi- City of Dallas Aqua Techs, tive and will not settle for who placed second in Divi- See Photos on Inside Back Cover anything less than first place sion II in 2006. All three overall. They live to bring teams were primed for big expectations at this year’s home the championship to WEAT and their utilities. national competition. A new team from Ft. Worth, the The Texas teams have enjoyed strong support and it has Regulators, along with the Dillo XXpress from the City made a real difference. For two years in a row, Texas has of Austin represented WEAT in Division II. sent the most teams in the history of the competition This is one of those times when the results just don’t with outstanding overall results. Even so, 41 other tell the whole story. The CReWSers beat out the compe- teams from across North America went to California tition to win the Laboratory and Safety events but fin- dreaming of a first place overall win. There can only be ished 3rd overall. The Power SAWS made a mistake-free one National Champion. run in the collections event to win it and finished 9th We can be proud of the Texas teams for working hard overall and the Dallas Aqua Techs made a great run in to prepare, and giving their all at the competition. We the maintenance event, taking first place and finished can be even prouder of the great members of WEAT 10th overall. The new National Champions hail from who have contributed in so many ways, allowing these the Rocky Mountain WEA and did not place in the top teams to compete. Everyone that participates in the three in any single event. It was truly a strange year! Operations Challenge program succeeds at educating (Scoring sheet can be found on WEAT’s website at the public and at promoting professionalism and pride www.weat.org.) in our industry. In Division II, the Ft. Worth Regulators came in with a 3rd place overall finish, practically unheard of for a team with limited experience at the national competition. This team is really coming along. Besides their fantastic overall finish, they received recognition by their peers as the team that exhibited the “best effort!”;

President’s message, from page 4 The original drafters became more realistic two sub- sections later. Section 101 (a) (3) is still a very valid and sound objective: “(It) is the national policy that the discharge of toxic pollutants in toxic amounts be prohibited.” Not all the goals of the act have been met, but there has been continued progress. Water quality has improved. Rivers aren’t catching fire and many lakes and rivers have become swimable and fishable. Although there are still a handful of municipalities with only primary treatment, most industries and municipalities are providing secondary, tertiary or even more advanced treatment to their wastewater. Pretreatment programs have been highly successful in reducing pass- throughs and interferences, thereby improving the performance of municipal treatment plants. Although we may never reach the utopian goal of “eliminating” discharges, the Clean Water Act has made a positive impact all across America. Like many of us, even with all our imperfections, still trying to improve water quality, the Clean Water Act is still a valid blue- print for progress and deserves to be celebrated. 26 Texas WET November 2007

Intergovernmental Affairs Regulatory Digest

By Rebecca Cobos, Intergovernmental Committee Chair

On a Personal Note economics and scientific backgrounds to assist the man- I am writing this personal note to all our member- ager who had a doctorate in statistics and engineering. ship to announce the appointment of Holly Tichenor as After a few years there I finally arrived at the Austin our new Vice-Chair of Government Relations. After Water Utility and continued research and program approximately eight years of serving as Chair of the development for the Reclaimed Water, published a few WEAT Government Relations Committee, I will be step- papers and completed an epidemiology study. I also ping down in March of 2008, after which Ms. Tichenor conducted Public Relations for the City’s Environmen- will assume the chair. tal Research Center and monitored and reviewed fed- It has been an honor and a privilege to serve you. As eral, state, and local legislation, rules, and ordinances. a young teenager I felt the environmental spirit moving Once I was appointed Legislative and Government Rela- me to dedicate my life to improving the environment, tions Manager I focused all my energies into developing but for a few years I claimed a major in Philosophy at a program for the Utility that provides sound scientific, the University of Texas, and then came a soul searching financial and environmental policy recommendations that resulted in my transferring to the Natural Sciences to the national and state legislatures. College with a coursework in zoology/physiology. After My happiest moments are when I am putting many hours of science and ten years later, I changed together talented and gifted environmental profession- the major once again to Human Ecology with a concen- als to address current issues. My other happiest tration in Nutrition which has a very strong statistical moments have been these last few years when I fell in research component. After graduating I managed a law love with wastewater issues. I will continue to trek the office and was offered a permanent position which I wastewater highway until I am physically limited, but turned down with an exclamation of “I did not become at this juncture I feel a great need to see new and a scientist to do law!!!” Little did I know. upcoming WEAT leaders take the leap. Before I leave I I left the law office to work at the City of Austin’s will work with Carol Batterton and Holly Tichenor to Environmental Department as the Environmental Board develop a tighter framework for the committee to suc- Coordinator and Supervisor of Administrative Services. cessfully conduct its future business. After one year service there I was offered an administra- To all the committee members and to all the board tive and research position with the City’s Resource members I have served under, it has been a great pleas- Management Department in the Planning and Evalua- ure to work with you and I know I leave you in good tion Section. hands. Respectfully yours, Rebecca Josephine Cobos. Administrative duties included oversight of the On the Federal Front budget, personnel, grant research and writing, and public relations. Additionally, I was responsible for multi- Congressional Update discipline research, policy analysis and development of HR 2452, the Raw Sewage Overflow Community most of the City’s energy and water conservation pro- Right to Know Act—requires all publicly owned utilities grams. I assisted the Chief Economist, my supervisor, to provide immediate notification to the public and with cost benefit modeling and strategic planning for permitting authorities when a sewage overflow occurs energy and water. After a successful tenure there, I was in either combined or separate sewers. A Public Hearing hired into the Water Conservation Program as a was held on October 1, 2007, at the House Subcommit- Research Specialist where I completed, for the first time tee on Water Resources and the Environment. The legis- ever, program evaluations of all the Water Conservation lation develops national reporting standards. Witnesses Programs. During this time I continued taking course detailed existing reporting requirements, with a sugges- work in finance and statistics. I have several publication to examine the issue in the context of a more com- tions, including an extensive statistical evaluation of the prehensive rule currently pending at EPA. water savings of Xeriscape done in collaboration with Biosolids Briefing the Texas Water Development Board and the Lower Col- The Water Environment Federation has requested orado River Authority. After five years in this program I proposals for research encompassing biosolids pathogen was transferred to the Stormwater Monitoring Program risk assessment, which they hope will enhance practica- and worked again to develop the program, also a first of ble and more available assessments to potential users at its kind. In that capacity, I also assisted with grant writ- the local, state and national level. Approximately ing, writing of an official textbook, and was put in $250,000-$500,000 will be funded the first year, with charge of developing a safety program. I hired and trained staff with planning, engineering, geology, Continued on page 27 November 2007 Texas WET 27

WEFTEC®.07 is the Largest Event in the Conference’s 80-Year History

Alexandria, Va.—Record-setting numbers of 19,929 the basis for pollution control and safe drinking water attendees and 1,017 companies using 268,405 net systems—WEF President Mohamed Dahab described square feet of floor space have designated WEFTEC.07— McCarty’s work as “the standard by which excellence the Water Environment Federation’s 80th Annual Tech- in environmental research is measured.” Following the nical Exhibition and Conference—as the largest event theme of sustainability, the opening program also in the conference’s 80-year history. The previous exhibi- included remarks from Dahab, incoming WEF President tion records of 965 companies and 245,155 net square Adam Zabinski, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, and a feet of floor space were set at WEFTEC.06 in Dallas and special visual presentation from famed National Geo- the previous attendance record of 18,704 was set at graphic photographer David Doubilet. WEFTEC.02 in Chicago, the host city for next year’s On Tuesday, as part of the “Presidential Celebration,” conference. Dahab ceremoniously “passed the gavel” of Federation In addition to the exhibition, last week’s conference leadership to Zabinski and inducted the remaining featured a high-quality technical program of 119 techni- 2007–2008 WEF Officers and Board of Trustees. The cal sessions, 25 workshops, 8 facility tours, and several ceremony culminated with awards presentations in special events. Of particular interest to attendees were recognition of the outstanding achievements of the workshops on biosolids and microbiology as well as most talented and dedicated professionals in the water technical sessions on water reuse, membrane technol- quality community. In all, over 25 awards were pre- ogy, and green power for wastewater treatment plants. sented at various events during the four-day conference. Benjamin H. Grumbles, Assistant Administrator for the On the international front, WEF renewed its commit- U.S. EPA’s Office of Water, made a special appearance ment to working in Latin America and signed a Memo- during one of Monday’s technical sessions, “The Next randum of Understanding with the Inter-American 35 Years of the Clean Water Act”. He opened the session Association of Sanitary Engineers and Environmental by recognizing the landmark legislation as “a great Sciences (AIDIS). This agreement bolsters WEF’s activi- American success story” and “shining example for other ties with AIDIS aimed at a more sustainable water envi- countries throughout the world” before leading a discus- ronment in the Americas. In addition, Dahab sion about preserving and extending the purpose of the announced that the Governing Board of the Interna- Act for the next three and a half decades. tional Water Association (IWA) accepted an offer from At Sunday’s Opening General Session, keynote pre- WEF’s Board of Trustees to share resources in both senter Dr. Perry L. McCarty, the 2007 Stockholm Water North America and abroad. Prize Laureate and Silas H. Palmer Professor (Emeritus) Other conference highlights included the first meet- of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford ing of WEF’s Sustainability Community of Practice; the University, received a standing ovation from the audi- Utility Executive Forum; the Water is Life, and Infra- ence of nearly 2,000 for his invaluable contributions to structure Makes It HappenTM roundtable; WEFTeach; the water quality profession. Internationally recognized poster presentations; student activities; and the 20th as defining the field of environmental biotechnology— annual Operations Challenge competition. Recognized as the largest water quality event in North America and largest annual water quality exhibi- Intergovernmental affairs, from page 26 tion in the world, WEFTEC continues to grow as plans for next year’s conference get underway. To date, more an estimated multi-period cost of up to $1 million. than 750 companies have already reserved 263,000 Proposals are due by November 16, 2007. square feet of floor space at McCormick Place in For more information visit: http://www.werf.org/ Chicago, Illinois for WEFTEC.08 which is scheduled to Content/NavigationMenu/Funding/OpenRFPs/default. take place October 18-22, 2008. For the latest WEFTEC htm. news and information, visit www.weftec.org. Latest Legislative On September 25, Speaker Tom Craddick of Midland WEAT President To Be Featured announced the appointment of Representative Robert in Texas Monthly Magazine Puente (San Antonio), Representative Mike Hamilton (Mauriceville) and Representative Jodie Laubenberg Rumor has it that the December 2007 issue of Texas (Parker) to the Environmental Flows Advisory Group. Monthly will have an article on wastewater collection The Advisory Group will ensure that the HB 3 mandates and treatment. It will feature, among others, WEAT are fully implemented. President Raj Bhattarai. Please check the newsstands For comments or questions, you can reach me at in late November and early December. [email protected]. 28 Texas WET November 2007

WEAT Welcomes New Members for September and October 2007 3M Company Elaine B. Darby Shane Isbell Chad Montes Gene Shull Austin, TX Austin, TX TCEQ General Chemical Kemira Scott Baggett Ken Dodson Fort Worth, TX Parsippany, NJ Yantis, TX APO, AE Houston, TX Ronald Eugene Joy Kirk Obst Jeff Snowden Mike Barrow Omoruyi Ebomwonyi Katy, TX City of Austin, Snowden On Site Inc City of Henderson Austin Water Utility Lloyd Lamb Austin Water Utility Austin, TX Henderson, TX Austin, TX City of League City Austin, TX David Stallings Dannelle Belhateche Robert Ferguson League City, TX Ramiro Ochoa The Colony City of Houston Austin, TX Nicholas Landes City of League City The Colony, TX League City, TX Houston, TX Wiley Fisackerly Lubbock, TX Paula E. Stigler Jeff Betts The Dow Chemical Sterling Lee Ted Orta San Diego, CA City of Austin— Company San Antonio River San Antonio River Gary D. Strong Austin Water Utility Freeport, TX Authority Authority City of Dallas Water San Antonio, TX Austin, TX Daniel Flores San Antonio, TX Utilities Nathan Brown San Antonio River Harold Leggett Ana Julia Pena-Tijerina Dallas, TX Austin, TX Authority Department of Carollo Engineers Sponsor: Donna Long San Antonio, TX Jann Bryan San Antonio, TX Environmental Quality James P. Sullivan Freese & Nichols Jimmy Foster Baton Rouge, LA Jimmie Poche Eastman Chemical Dallas, TX City of Plano Bill Loyd City of League City Company League City, TX Longview, TX Carlos Camacho Plano, TX Vision Equipment City of Fort Worth Jamie French Company Aaron Redder Jeff Taylor Water Dept. Andritz Separation, Inc. Spring, TX Wichita Falls, TX City of Houston Arlington, TX Arlington, TX Jason Christian Len Redmon Houston, TX Antonio Canales Matt B.Garcia Maldonado Lenco Industrial Brandy Teague City of Austin Dallas TX Houston, TX Services Inc Austin, TX Gardendale, TX Austin, TX Russ Gurss Tim Malki Mukesh Turakhia Michael Castaldo Trinity River Authority Daniel Mechanical Chad Edward Richards Houston, TX City of League City Dallas, TX Upland, CA Houston, TX John Thomas Turman League City, TX Steven Head Tod K. Maurina Mohammad Rizwan Bayou City Pump Works Susie Cavazos City of Dallas The City of the Colony Alan Plummer Houston, TX City of League City Water Dept. The Colony, TX Associates, Inc John Winkler League City, TX Dallas, TX MaxWest Environmental Dallas, TX Austin, TX Peter Commerford Yongheng Huang Systems Inc. Charles Samuel Kristy Wolter Andritz Separation Inc. College Station, TX Houston, TX San Antonio Water City of Waco Arlington, TX Jeff McKee System Waco, TX John Frank Hughes San Antonio, TX Ken Corey Granbury, TX Guadalupe Blanco River Paul Zappi Global Environmental Authority James S. Shaffer City of Austin-Austin Mark Hurst Seguin, TX Houston, TX Solutions Kenira Water Water Utility Yucaipa, CA Solutions, Inc. Austin, TX Hattiesburg, MS

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY LIME AUSTIN WHITE LIME COMPANY Chemical, Building and Stabilization Lime Austin, Texas 800-553-LIME

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Flow Level Pressure Analytical Service Training 30 Texas WET November 2007

Water Environment Association of Texas Mission Statement The Water Environment Association of Texas is an open association of water environmental professionals, practitioners and operations specialists with a broad range of expertise working together to: 1 Meet the needs of its members for professional growth and development; 2 Educate the public on water environmental issues; 3 Benefit society through protection and enhancement of the water environment.

Executive Committee Collection Systems Manufacturers & Reps Management President Leigh Cerda Nita Bailey Committee Chairs Raj Bhattarai (214) 346-6345 936-539-1747 Administration 512-972-0075 Electrical, Instrumentation Ops Challenge Raymond Longoria President-Elect & Controls John Bennett 214-217-2252 Brad Castleberry V.K. Gupta 817-430-4657 Audit & Budget 512-322-5800 972-490-7661 Professional Development Open position Vice-President Environmental Betty Jordan Bylaws Management Systems Betty Jordan 817-284-2724 David Jackson David James 817-284-2724 Publications 817-735-7300 512-239-3184 Secretary Richard Eason Committee Leadership Ethics Education Jody Zabolio 512-261-6222, Ext. 14 Council Robert McMillon 972-219-1228 Scholarship Jennafer Covington 817-277-7591 Treasurer Cathy Henderson Sieger 972-980-2188 Ground Water David Briggs 972-262-5186 Management Review Andrew Chastain-Howley 512-346-1100 Specialty Conference Raymond Longoria 817-335-5408 Member-at-large Chamindra Dassanayake 214-217-2252 Industrial Waste 972-663-2153 Membership Steve Clouse & Pretreatment 210-233-3774 Texas Water Steering Jennafer Covington Andrew Jackson 972-980-2188 WEF Director 806-742-2801 Raj Bhattarai 512-972-0075 Nominating Richard Eason Laboratory 512-261-6222, Ext. 14 Texas Water Exhibits Paul Roach Paul Baumgardner 214-638-0500 WEF Director 806-353-7798 Rhonda Harris 214-821-7393 Strategic Planning Foster Crowell Municipal Waste Treatment 361-826-1801 Texas Water Program Brad Castleberry Walter Chiang 512-322-5800 Past WEF Director 214-638-0500 Brian Broussard 713-403-1669 Ron Mayo Operations & Maintenance Liaisons Committee 972-387-3339 Curtis Smalley Stakeholders Chairs Executive Director 254-495-8482 Committee Chairs TAWWA Carol Batterton Safety Government Affairs Brad Castleberry 830-990-1029 Kim Lutz Rebecca Cobos 512-322-5800 Historian 512-341-3333 512-322-3663 International Joe King Stormwater Public Education Ron Carlson 972-735-3000 Heather Harris Karen Bick 817-392-4979 Past President 512-453-2468 214-665-7539 Texas Water Management Paul Roach Utility Management Young Professionals Esther Harrah 214-638-0500 Steve Clouse (co-chairs) 210-233-3706 PWO Representative 210-233-3774 Heather Harris WERF 512-453-2468 John Bennett Water Reuse Richard Eason 817-430-4657 Mike Morrison Trooper Smith 512-261-6222, Ext. 14 Knowledge Committee 512-617-3150 214-217-2219 Water For People exas Water Chairs Wastershed Management YP T Phil Spitzer University Forum Air Quality & Odor Control Jennifer Benaman, Ph.D. 214-346-2800 Bill Rixey Chris Quigley 512-707-0090, Ext. 12 Texas Water Forum 713-743-4279 512-453-2468, Ext.225 Carolyn Ahrens Wieland Delivery Committee YP Student Sections Biosolids Management 512-472-3263 Chairs Jody Zabolio Lynne Moss TWUA Awards 972-219-1228 512-346-1100 Raymond Longoria Bob Hill 214-217-2252 281-367-3556 TWRF Richard Eason 512-261-6222, Ext. 14 WEFTEC 2007 Operations Challenge

Left: Dallas Aqua Techs 1st place maintenance event. Right: Dallas Aqua Techs preparing for the maintenance event.

Left: Austin’s Dillo XXpress receiving their 3rd place award in the Division II maintenance event. Right: Austin’s Dillo XXpress in the collections event.

Left: Fort Worth Regulators placed 3rd in Division II in overall and received the Best Effort award. Right: Fort Worth Regulators at collections event.

Left: Power Saws competing in the laboratory event. Right: Power SAWS 1st place in collections event.

Left: TRA CReWSers in the collections event. Right: TRA CReWSers placed 3rd overall in Division I.

Photos by Cheryl Smith, Malcolm Evert and Buster Fichera