Lead Line Replacements Gain Momentum

June 2018

Lead Line Replacements Gain Momentum IN THIS ISSUE: 1 Lead Service Line As part of its Community Lead “Our recent progress on multiple layers of coordination Replacement Response, the Pittsburgh removing lead lines from between customers and 2 RAW Talk Water and Sewer Authority our system reflects PWSA’s construction crews who 3 PWSA in the (PWSA) and its contractors steadfast commitment to must work in public roads Community have replaced over 1,200 protecting the public’s and inside private property. PWSA in the News residential lead service lines. health. Our leadership team To meet this demand, 5 Engineering and The program has reached is tackling this program with PWSA has established a 6 Construction new levels of productivity, every resource available, 30-person, cross-functional Team PWSA with five contractors and and we are grateful to our team of engineers, 7 over a dozen separate work customers for allowing us into plumbers, customer service 9 Water Wise crews replacing full lead lines their homes to reduce their representatives, and 10 PWSA Connect in neighborhoods across risk of exposure to lead in communications specialists PWSA’s drinking water service water,” said PWSA Executive dedicated to replacing as COMING UP: area. The program has also Director Robert A. Weimar. many full lead service lines as 2018 Board Meeting Dates replaced over 300 privately- Water service lines are made possible. July 27 (no August meeting) owned lead service lines, thus up of two parts – a public side Contractor lead line South Side Planning Forum avoiding potentially harmful that runs from the water main replacement work to-date June 25 partial lead service line to the curb, and a private has taken place in Mount Brashear Center replacements. side running from the curb Washington, Beltzhoover, Perry Hilltop Fineview The current rate of into the home. PWSA has Perry North, Squirrel Hill, and Citizens Council replacement places PWSA on ownership and maintenance the Hill District. Additional June 26 track to meet the Pennsylvania responsibility for the public neighborhoods will be added Fineview Park Department of Environmental side, but replacing only a throughout the year and Wightman Park Public Protection (DEP) mandate portion of a lead line can PWSA’s in-house crews are Meeting to replace 1,341 public lines temporarily raise lead levels performing replacements June 27 by June 30, 2018. The in homes. across the Pittsburgh and Jewish Community Center pace of replacements has Homes identified under Millvale. Work areas can be Maytide Green Public increased due to favorable PWSA’s 2018 found at pgh2o.com/leadmap. Meeting weather conditions, additional replacement program July 12 contractor and in-house can have both portions Fair Haven Church PWSA crews, and extending replaced at no cost working hours to evening and Polish Hill Arts Festival to the customer. July 15 weekends. PWSA dedicated Property owners Lawrenceville 9th Ward $44 million to replacing eligible for a private residential lead service lines Block lead line replacement July 19 in 2018. The Authority must are contacted by replace an additional 1,341 Our Lady of the Angels PWSA and must Parrish lines from July 1 to December provide consent and Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition 30, 2018. access to the home July 17 before contractors Children’s Institute can replace their Mt. Washington Community private lead line. PWSA contractor excavates a lead line in Performing full line Meeting Mount Washington July 19 replacement entails 122 Virginia Avenue RAW TALK

RAW TALK By Executive Director Robert A. Weimar We Get Stuff Done (GSD) with P3s

Since taking the helm at PWSA, I’ve board to manage and improve our Raftelis has a breadth of experience made it plain that we cannot go at it laboratory operations. The partnership partnering with publicly-owned utilities alone as we renew our organization is structured so that PWSA retains to improve their performance and and the water systems we manage. ownership of the lab, but CWM finances. Raftelis is also assisting We must benefit from the experience manages its operations. PWSA as we establish our performance and expertise external partners can metrics and monitoring, as well as offer the Authority as we develop and Already, the partnership has standing up an office devoted to implement our $1.1 billion, five-year generated improvements like a internal performance improvement and construction and strategic plans. complete overhaul of operating training. Like the other partnerships, our Some call these relationships with procedures, upgraded equipment, engagement with Raftelis is short-term external experts innovative public improved reporting to regulators, and and designed to allow PWSA employees private partnerships (P3s), but in the adoption of new lab management to take the baton when their projects are reality, they’re what we’re already software. Thanks to this P3, PWSA completed. doing at PWSA every day. will soon begin to perform in-house lead and copper testing, which will Earlier this week, PWSA leadership We’re enlisting bright and reduce costs and improve response visited with our counterparts at experienced minds to partner with time for customer-requested analysis. the District of Columbia Water and us across the entire organization. While CWM is managing the Lab, Sewer Authority (DC Water) to learn For Engineering, we’re sourcing they’re training PWSA staff to build our how they evolved into a first-class expertise from over ten national and internal capacity, with the expectation professional utility while maintaining international engineering consulting that lab management functions will be public ownership and control. I was firms. These organizations bring returned to the Authority at the end of pleased, but not surprised, to learn experience from other major water, the contract term. that they leverage many public private sewer, and stormwater utilities which partnerships like those I’ve described helps assure that our projects are above. I left the visit with a sense of taking advantage of the lessons Workplace safety and the safety enthusiasm and affirmation that we’re on learned from other cities. of our field crews is of the utmost the right track. importance. We partner with the safety firm, CMI, to provide ongoing training These are the same firms that to field operations. This ensures that The public should share my confidence design and build complex water they are aware of the latest safety that we have the team and expert treatment facilities for both municipal regulations and procedures. partnerships at PWSA to surpass authorities and privately-owned water the turnaround achieved in the companies across the country. We nation’s capital. As the cover story partner with these firms on a project- Late last year, PWSA became the first on our Community Lead Response basis, so that we avoid hiring full-time municipal authority in Pennsylvania demonstrates, PWSA is Getting Stuff employees to fill temporary needs. to be regulated by the Public Utility Done for the public. I welcome anybody Most importantly, these partners are Commission (PUC). This transition who has ideas for furthering PWSA’s helping to educate and train PWSA to PUC oversight is establishing a progress through partnerships and staff, so that when they leave, our litany of new financial and operational collaborations to contact me and our in-house team is prepared to operate requirements upon PWSA that needed leadership team. and maintain the newly-constructed to be met in an extremely short period facilities. of time. In response, PWSA partnered with the consulting firm Raftelis to help develop our required tariff filing and Another example of a current P3 compliance plan. is with CWM Environmental. Late last year they were brought on

CURRENTS | June 2018 2 PWSA IN THE COMMUNITY

Putting Water In Its Place A new way to manage stormwater PWSA IN THE

Pittsburgh receives nearly COMMUNITY 40- inches of rainfall each year, an amount commonly experienced PWSA engaged with the in tropical regions. That’s a lot of community at the following rain! And we are all familiar with the meetings: challenges it brings. Many Pittsburgh neighborhoods experience basement backups and local flooding. Then Mairdale Avenue Riverview Park Green Stormwater Infrastructure there are the more severe events that The recently completed Centre Project Update lead to road closures, flash floods, and and Herron Green Stormwater – tragically – fatalities. June 4 Infrastructure is the second of four pilot Perry High School Managing stormwater is challenging, projects completed by PWSA. and in 2015, PWSA, the City of stakeholders, government agencies, and Morningside Area Community Pittsburgh, ALCOSAN, and many the community with an overview of the Meeting community and neighborhood groups Green First Plan, as well as information June 6 began considering ways to manage to help understand the effectiveness of Morningside VFW stormwater in a more holistic manner. green stormwater infrastructure solutions. In 2016, the draft Citywide Green First Shadyside Action Coalition Plan was introduced. It identified six The purpose of the outreach and Community Meeting priority sewershed areas to focus education campaign is to provide June 14 the first round of green stormwater a common vocabulary and better Winchester Thurston School infrastructure projects. understanding of how green solutions function and why they are good for Since its inception, PWSA, in Highland Park Community Pittsburgh. collaboration with many of our partner Meeting agencies, has started planning, “We are looking forward to making this an June 21 designing, and constructing green interactive campaign for our customers St. Andrews Church stormwater infrastructure projects and stakeholders by providing them with in the South Hills, the Hill District, multiple ways to learn about stormwater Garfield, Polish Hill, the North Side and and the green solutions we are Woods Run, the South Side, Shadyside, implementing,” Robert A. Weimar, PWSA and along Four Mile Run, Negley Run, Executive Director stated. Nine Mile Run, and Saw Mill Run. As we establish the campaign, we will These projects will help to capture launch online and digital materials, so the and retain stormwater keeping it community can learn about stormwater. from entering our rivers and streams. We also plan to host pop-up events, In doing so, we will meet stricter speaker forums, and have one-on-one regulations set by the Environmental discussions with key community groups Protection Agency and the State. directly impacted by stormwater and our And critically, as PWSA implements proposed projects. We will share more green solutions and evaluates the information this summer as the campaign effectiveness of these projects, we are evolves. also in the process of establishing a Please contact Rebecca Zito, dedicated stormwater division. Communications Project Manager at This summer PWSA will begin an [email protected] with questions about outreach and education campaign the outreach and education campaign. to provide customers, business

CURRENTS | June 2018 3 PWSA IN THE COMMUNITY

PWSA Customer Feedback Going above and beyond to help customers.

Recognizing a quality job

PWSA recently completed lead service line work in the North Side and received some great feedback from a resident who received a full lead line replacement. The customer was worried about pulling together the funds to do this work and was grateful for service provided by the PWSA employees and contract crews.

“The contractors and city employees that worked in our area and in our new home were polite, helpful, and it really felt like everyone was trying to do a quality job,” said the resident. Thank you to all those who work so hard to make this large, complex project work every day throughout the City.

Kudos to our Field Crews

A North Side resident recently reached out to extend a The Green Building Alliance toured the Water Treatment thank you to Casey, one of our plumbers, who worked with Plant on June 7. The group was amazed by the facility and the water treatment process. her to replace her meter. She thought Casey was polite, timely, and efficient. It’s great to hear that our crews are representing PWSA so well out in the field. Touring the Water Treatment Plant Our sewer crews recently went out to investigate a backup PWSA recently hosted the Green Building Alliance for a tour at a woman’s property. After finding nothing wrong with our of our Water Treatment Plant in Aspinwall. They reached public sewer, it was determined there was an issue with out to thank us for the informative and well-planned day. the private lateral. With conflicting information coming from Alliance staff relayed that while they do tons of tours, the customers private plumber, our Superintendent Tom one member said it was their favorite tour this far. We’re not only worked with the plumber but with the customer’s honored! insurance company to ensure the issue was solved correctly. The clog on the private lateral only took about 45 Gratitude and appreciation for Customer Service minutes to clear and the issue was resolved. She reached out to us on social media to commend Tom for his attention Recently, a woman who came to our Strip District office to her problem and for going above and beyond to make worked with Joyce and Ramika. They were patient and sure she got a fair deal. Thank you, Tom! informative with her, and she reached out to extend her gratitude for the time they spent. Thank you to Joyce, Ramika, and the other Customer Service team members who act as the face of our Authority when working the front desk – your kindness and work ethic reflect positively on the entire Authority!

An Oakland woman recently reached out via handwritten letter to thank our Customer Service staff for their help with a billing issue. She said the young woman she worked with was kind and patient.

“We need kind people,” she said. We couldn’t agree more!

CURRENTS | June 2018 4 PWSA IN THE NEWS

Implementing Orthophosphate as Corrosion Control What to expect Media and PWSA has determined, through extensive testing mandated by the Press Releases Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), that orthophosphate, a chemical additive to the water treatment process, MEDIA COVERAGE will be the most effective way to combat corrosion and bring lead levels down in tap water. Pittsburgh council angles to keep voice on PWSA board Why is corrosion control important? Post-Gazette Corrosion control is added in the treatment process and acts to Chemical to be added to Pittsburgh’s coat the pipes as the water moves through the system. This coating acts as a barrier between water and the lead service lines running drinking water to reduce lead between the water main in the street and the home. This barrier will contamination prevent lead from leaching into the water. PWSA’s current corrosion Tribune-Review control treatment is not optimal and we have found that changing to Pittsburgh will add chemical to water orthophosphate will be much more effective. to reduce lead risk Preparing Pipes for Orthophosphate WESA

There are many steps we must take now to implement this new PWSA preparing to expand its lead line chemical, one of them replacement on Mount Washington being flushing the system of South Pittsburgh Reporter old water to make way for the new, orthophosphate PWSA to offer water filters for homes treated water. In the with high lead test results Post-Gazette months to come, you may Sewer project to tie up Strip District see PWSA crews and parking, traffic KDKA contractors flushing water from hydrants throughout Activists point to ‘green’ sewer fixes to the city. This is a routine handle sewage, runoff step in the process and is Post-Gazette not a cause for concern. After 20-years, Highland Park Lake Robocalls will be sent to customers to notify them of this work and ready for fishing. maps and other information will be posted to the web and on social Tribune-Review media. Water service to your property will not be affected during this time. PRESS RELEASES We thank you for your understanding as we work to implement this Lead Line Replacements Reach system-wide improvement. Flushing our water mains to allow for Peak Productivity this new treated water will help to lower lead levels and improve the quality of water for those with lead service lines. We’re Containing Stormwater. Not Our Excitement! PWSA Breaks Ground on Smallman Street Water and Sewer Improvement Project PWSA Makes Progress on Treatment Upgrades to Reduce Lead in Water

CURRENTS | June 2018 5 ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION Highland Park Water System Improvement Projects

UV Treatment at Microfiltration distribute 50 million gallons of water Plant per day to PWSA customers. The Microfiltration Plant was The new rising main will provide the taken offline because it no longer system of pipes needed to connect met water quality standards as the new pump station to the Highland determined by the DEP. To meet I Reservoir. The rising main will be current water quality standards an constructed in the general area of extra layer of ultraviolet treatment Mellon Terrace, Bunkerhill Street, and (UV) must be added. Highland Avenue. This location was Securing Highland Park chosen to minimize the impact to Reservoir I existing trees. To ensure the protection of Highland Park Reservoir II These projects will improve the distribution of water, modernize existing infrastructure, and add the Highland Park Reservoir I, DEP While these projects are under redundancy to our water system. is also requiring PWSA to secure construction, PWSA will also replace the open reservoir. The measures the existing cover on Highland Park Several critical infrastructure projects include placing a security guard at Reservoir II and replace the main that will take place in Highland Park and the reservoir, installing cameras, and distributes water from this reservoir to are needed to modernize our water repairing the reservoir’s wall. These the pump station. system. They are currently in their measures along with UV Treatment Coordination and Outreach design phase. Construction will begin will enable PWSA to put Reservoir I as early as summer 2018 and will and the Microfiltration Plant back into PWSA is coordinating these projects continue through 2021. service. with the City of Pittsburgh, Port Authority, the Pittsburgh Parks Orthophosphate Facilities Highland Park Rising Main and Pump Conservancy, and the Pittsburgh We will construct two small buildings Station Zoo to identify opportunities to to store and distribute orthophosphate The new rising main and reconstruction enhance services and amenities to the water system. Orthophosphate of the Negley Avenue Pump Station around Highland Park. PWSA met is used to reduce corrosion in existing will modernize the distribution of water with the Highland Park community on lead pipes and will prevent lead to the Garfield Tank water supply June 21 to share information about from entering the water system. The system. The existing pump was taken these projects. The Arts Commission buildings will meet design standards to out of service and a temporary pump will begin reviewing plans for the fit the character of Highland Park and is supplying this service area. A new orthophosphate facilities at their June will be constructed near the vicinity of pump station will supply the Garfield 27 meeting. For more information visit the Microfiltration Plant. area and will have the capacity to www.pgh2o.com/highlandpark.

2018 YTD Expenditure Report includes all paid vendor invoices and contractor pay applications from January 1, 2018, to June 19, 2018, as well as invoices received but not yet finalized/approved.

Capital $ 21,702,070

Operations $ 10,502,912

TOTAL $ 32,204,982

CURRENTS | June 2018 6 TEAM PWSA

New Hires

Ryan Dappen Business Intelligence Analyst Nicole Dickun Sr. Contract Specialist Nicholas Letzkus Communications Intern Jacey Martini Safety Intern Keith Orth Stationary Engineer Sandra Reid Clerical Specialist II Melissa Schrepfer-Nelson Customer Service Representative I Paul Spara Systems Administrator Halie Stewart Clerical Specialist II WELCOME ABOARD!

Job Postings Interested in working with us? PWSA is looking for dedicated people to join our team.

Plant Operator, Water Treatment Plant Accounting Specialist, Finance

Project Systems Specialist, Engineering & Construction Director Water Production, Field Services

SCADA Technician, Water Production Director Engineering & Construction, Engineering and Construction Customer Service Representative, Full-time and Part-time Customer Service

Visit www.pgh2o.com/employment to learn more.

CURRENTS | June 2018 7 TEAM PWSA

PWSA Employee Spotlight Alex Wasko: Senior GIS Analyst

Alex Wasko it evolve into the program that it is “The lead map is an example of how has a burning today. She has a unique perspective GIS can be used to inform and engage passion for on the data. the community in some of the projects data, maps, and programs we are addressing,” Alex “You can look at customer location and thinking stated. points and see the story of that about things particular service line,” she explained. Alex will eventually spend less spatially. Her time on lead and move onto other career path in Each entry includes the associated responsibilities within GIS. She Geographic historic record. It then shows the is interested in being part of the Information Systems (GIS) was an results of the curb box inspection and, program’s evolution and sees obvious choice as she became more when needed, a replacement work opportunities for the development of familiar with its possibilities and the order is assigned to the location point. the entire team. She hopes to further ability to share complex topics with “The data shows the various steps push the capabilities of GIS out to the people through mapping. associated with each service line, community. “I can get lost in analyzing data and and from beginning to end tells an “I’m excited to make GIS more plotting that information on maps,” interesting story of how lead lines accessible to our customers. It’s a she exclaimed. “I love making a good have impacted our customers and powerful way to share information and looking, informative map. They can what it took to make the needed explain a complex subject.” Alex stated. really help people understand their replacements.” relationship to the complex topics we Alex’s enthusiasm for GIS and mapping One of our recent projects was to add are trying to solve.” is contagious! However, those aren’t historic record data to the lead map her only interests. When not working Alex studied archaeology in college available on our website. The historic she enjoys music, going to concerts, where she was introduced to GIS. records were contained in a database and spending time with her boyfriend. She has a bachelor of arts degree in that needed to be matched to Right now, her favorite pastime is geography with a concentration in GIS individual records already on the map. reading in her hammock and she and Emergency Management. She saw Alex’s role was to ensure that the currently enjoys eating at Wingharts more opportunities with GIS and upon database appropriately corresponded for a particular pizza – Rachel’s Trip to graduation worked in the oil and gas to the mapped customer location Greece. industry. Her career took her to Mott points. The historic records were MacDonald where she worked with incorporated into the online map. stream monitoring and mitigation data Now, when web users view the map, related to coal mining. These positions they can click on a record to see the were all in areas of GIS and eventually material of the service line. paved the way to her role at PWSA where she was able to focus on the Several people worked on lead program. compiling the historic records. From the collecting data, verifying it, She became a full-time PWSA incorporating it into the map, and employee in October 2017. She ultimately getting it online, it was a is continuing to work on the lead tremendous undertaking for the GIS program and is thrilled to be part of team. Once the map went live, it was the GIS team. This program is “her well received by the community – A map containing historical data of lead baby,” she stated. She’s been involved service lines is available on our website within the first few weeks the map with it from the onset and has watched www.pgh2o.com/leadmap. received over 30,000 views.

Visit www.pgh2o.com/employment to learn more.

CURRENTS | June 2018 8 WATER WISE

Stormwater Tips Car Washing: Consider the rivers before you shine your machine. Summertime Water Wise Tip often means What is a retention (r) tank? breaking out the R-tanks are a tool used in green bucket and hose stormwater infrastructure to capture and and washing hold water during peak rain events to your car for a slow-release it back into the ground, or weekend drive. sewer system, slowly. They are very simple Be mindful of structures and look like a milk crate. They the relationship sit below green infrastructure systems to between non- capture the water. commercial car washing and stormwater pollution. Why are R-tanks used by PWSA? Soapy water used for car washing can contain They are particularly useful in Pittsburgh’s environmentally-harmful chemicals such as green stormwater infrastructure systems phosphates. This and other pollutants from cars like to send water slowly back into the sewer exhaust fume residue, gas, rust particles, and motor systems. We don’t divert the water back oils often run off into storm drains in the street from into the ground because the region has your driveway. This water can run into our rivers, particularly dense soil – the water does streams, and creeks. not re-absorb very well. R-tanks can be Car Washing Tips: connected to the sewer system to reduce sewer overflows during fast, heavy rain • Avoid using an excessive amount of water. This events. can be done by attaching a flow-restriction device How does the water get to the r-tanks in to a hose. the first place? • Do not empty wash buckets outdoors. Dumping Green infrastructure systems can be into sinks and toilets ensures that this wastewater created by using absorbent soils will be treated via entering the sewer system. and plants that are able to take up a lot of water. Stormwater can • Use water-based, biodegradable cleaners. filter through these engineered • Try washing on a surface that absorbs and filters green systems and then into the water (i.e. gravel). r-tanks below.

CURRENTS | June 2018 9 PWSA CONNECT Board of Directors

Paul Leger Stay in Touch with PWSA! Chairman Margaret Lanier Subscribe to our mailing list to receive press Vice Chairperson releases and community announcements. Jim Turner Secretary Deb Gross Assistant Secretary Chatón Turner Member

Executive Leadership

Robert A. Weimar Executive Director Debbie Lestitian Chief of Corporate Counsel and Administration Barry King Interim Director of Engineering Please take a minute to join our mailing list at pgh2o.com/subscribe Kate Mechler to receive press releases, our monthly newsletter, and other Senior Project Manager announcements you won't want to miss. Our goal is to establish an Kelly Morgano ongoing dialogue with customers and the Pittsburgh community. Human Resources Manager Rick Obermeier Director of Field Services Will Pickering Senior Communications Manager Julie Quigley Director of Administration

PWSA wants to have an ongoing dialogue with our customers Penn Libery Plaza 1 1200 Penn Avenue and the Pittsburgh community. One of the easiest ways to Pittsburgh PA 15222 share information is on social media and through our email [email protected] subscription. Join us in any or all of the following ways to T 412.255.2423 receive the latest about water and sewer services, projects and F 412.255.2475 initiatives, our newsletter, and announcements. Customer Service/ Emergencies 412.255.2423 pgh2o.com/subscribe @pgh2o www.pgh2o.com facebook.com/pgh2o nextdoor.com