2 Water Ways Volume XVI - Winter 2019 Illinois Rural Water Association Board of Directors PRESIDENT Greg Bates Articles Jersey County Water Company st VICE PRESIDENT 101 General Assembly ......................... by Frank Dunmire 4 Dale Hanner City of Oakland In Service Training ........................... by Chuck Woodworth 7 SECRETARY Jay Bell Small System Assistance at Work ................by Evan Jones 8 City of Chenoa TREASURER Historic Water Towers ...............................by Erin Schmitt 10 List of Advertisers Jeff Tumiati Village of Stonington 16th Annual Golf Outing ...................................................... 13 Cady Aquastore. .18 Board Members Registration Form ........................................................ 14 CoBank.. .11 Wayne Dixon City of Mason City Sponsorship Form ....................................................... 15 Steve Fletcher Coe Equipment, Inc.. .27 Washington County Water Company Sasquatch? ................................................by Jacque Plese 16 Perry Musgrave Lake of Egypt P.W.D. Tap Water vs. Bottled Water .........................by Roger Noe 23 Curry & Associates Engineers, Inc.. 11 Vince Newton City of Geneseo Where in Illinois is this Located? ....................................... 19 Heneghan & Associates, P.C.. .4 Jacque Plese City of Wilmington Member Services Layne, A Granite Company. 27 Staff Chrysler Fleet Program ................................................ 22 Frank Dunmire LOCiS, Inc.. 27 Executive Director GPS/GIS Mapping Services ........................................ 25 [email protected] • 217-820-4626 Don Craig Video Inspection Services ............................................ 25 Maguire Iron. .27 Deputy Director [email protected] • 217-561-1061 Ford Fleet Program ...................................................... 26 Heather McLeod McMahon. 11 Membership Services Assistant MISSION STATEMENT [email protected] “Protecting and preserving the water and wastewater resources Denise Burke Pittsburg Tank & Tower Maint. 9 Administrative/Program Assistant of Rural Illinois through education, representation and [email protected] on-site technical assistance”. Clark Cameron Ressler & Associates. .16 State Circuit Rider [email protected] • 217-820-3814 Brandon Windell On the Cover: Schulte Supply, Inc.. 2 Energy Efficiency Circuit Rider [email protected] • 217-820-1560 This water tower picture was taken by Roger Noe, Evan Jones Suez Advanced Water Solutions Circuit Rider (Utility Service Co., Inc).. .12 [email protected] • 217-820-5508 IRWA Circuit Rider in Wayne City, Illinois. Roger Noe Circuit Rider Taylor Coating Sales, Inc . 17 [email protected] • 217-820-1564 Water Ways is the official publication of the Illinois Rural Water Association, Chuck Woodworth P.O. Box 49, Taylorville, Illinois 62568, and is published quarterly for distribution Circuit Rider Test, Inc.. .10 [email protected] • 217-820-1569 to members as well as other industry associations and friends. Our website is Dave McMillan www.ilrwa.org. Articles and photographs are encouraged. Advertising and submis- EPA Program Specialist sions should be mailed to the above address or e-mail us at [email protected]. The Ford Meter Box Co., Inc.. .17 [email protected] • 217-370-6485 John Bell Wastewater Technician United Systems & Software. .11 [email protected] • 217-820-1568 Jeff McCready Wastewater Technician USA Bluebook. 28 [email protected] • 217-870-4754 Mark Mitchell USDA Source Water Specialist Waterly (Baxter & Woodman). .27 [email protected] • 217-820-1565 Water Ways Volume XVI - Summer 2019 3 st by Frank Dunmire 101 General Assembly IRWA Executive Director The Spring session of the 101st paying the expenses for someone to General Assembly went into a couple of attend conferences/conventions. Since days’ worth of overtime, but a budget conferences are the main source of was finally agreed upon before they continuing education units for water and adjourned. While there were many major wastewater operators, IRWA has been bills that were also passed, I wanted to opposing this legislation. Currently, the take a little time and bring you up to date legislation has not received much traction on the bills that we were watching and and has been re-referred to the Rules testifying before committees. Committee. HB0305 – MUNICIPAL HB2124 – OPEN MEETINGS ACT- meetings may be held to consider the CONVENTION EXPENSES EXCEPTIONS appointment, employment, compensation, As introduced, this bill would have This bill will amend the Open discipline, performance or dismissal of amended the Illinois Municipal Code and Meetings Act so that a public body may specific employees only. This legislation provided that public funds shall not be hold a closed meeting to consider the will add independent contractors, expended by a municipality for expenses appointment, employment, compensation, volunteers, and legal counsel to the list. connected with a convention or gathering discipline, performance, or dismissal of IRWA supported this legislation and it of municipal personnel. Provides that a specific employees, specific independent is now sitting on the Governor’s desk “convention or gathering of municipal contractors, or specific volunteers awaiting his signature. personnel” means a gathering of (currently, only specific employees) employees or contractors from 2 or more of the public body or legal counsel HB2283 – OPEN MEETINGS separately domiciled or geographically for the public body, including hearing POSTING RECORDS separated municipalities in a gathering testimony on a complaint lodged against This bill would have amended that is sponsored or co-sponsored by an employee, independent contractor, or the Open Meetings Act and required a league or association that includes 2 volunteer of the public body or against any unit of local government or school or more municipalities. If passed, this legal counsel for the public body to bill would bar any municipality from determine its validity. Currently, closed continued on page 5 HENEGHAN & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Engineering Solutions Since 1986 www.haengr.com 888-291-7615 Water Treatment Plants Storm Water Ground Storage Tanks Conceptual Design Elevated Tanks Permitting Pump Stations Grant Writing “Dedicating Our Services to Strengthen Client Trust” Centralia Columbia Godfrey Jerseyville Arnold, MO 4 Water Ways Volume XVI - Summer 2019 101st General Assembly continued from page 4 district with an operating budget of $1 or school district; (11) rules governing providing a more streamlined process for million or more to maintain an Internet the award of contracts; (12) bids and Not for Profit water co-ops by removing website and post to that website, for contracts worth $25,000 or more; (13) a the Department of Natural Resources the current calendar or fiscal year, the debt disclosure report; and (14) public from the certification process. IRWA following information: (1) information notices. This bill would place a burden supported this bill as it will streamline the about elected and appointed officials; on smaller systems that may not have the process NFP water suppliers go through (2) notice of and materials prepared for resources to comply with the legislation to receive real estate tax exemption meetings; (3) procedures for requesting if passed. IRWA has opposed this this on water towers, pump stations, etc. information from the unit of local bill and it has been re-referred to the This bill did pass and is now on the government or school district; (4) annual Rules Committee. Governor’s desk awaiting his signature. budget; (5) ordinances; (6) procedures to apply for building permits and HB2484 – PROP TAX-WATER HB3035 – LEAD SERVICE LINE zoning variances; (7) financial reports TREAT FACILITY REPLACEMENT and audits; (8) information concerning This bill did not make it out of HB3035 would create the Reduction employee compensation; (9) contracts House committee in time for a floor of Lead Service Lines Act and requires with lobbying firms; (10) taxes and fees vote but was replaced by SB1055 and imposed by the unit of local government amends the Property Tax Code by continued on page 6 Water Ways Volume XVI - Summer 2019 5 101st General Assembly continued from page 5 community water supplies to identify many stakeholders’ meetings and a lot of coatings personnel to carry out corrosion and replace all lead service lines that compromising took place on all sides but prevention and mitigation methods on connect to a water main. Provides that at the end of the day, IRWA still stood in exposed water treatment tanks, exposed every community water supply in Illinois opposition to the bill. The bill’s sponsor, non-concrete water treatment structures, that has known lead service lines shall Senator Heather Steans (D) Chicago, did exposed water treatment pipe galleys; create a plan, to be submitted to the promise to not call the bill for a floor vote exposed pumps; and generators; and Environmental Protection Agency for if no money was included in the Capital inspectors to ensure that best practices approval, to replace all lead service lines Bill. There was no money included in the and standards are adhered to on each and galvanized service lines if the service Capital bill and she honored her promise corrosion prevention project. IRWA also line is or was connected to lead piping. and did not call the bill for a vote. It has testified in opposition to this bill but it Provides that, within legal bounds, a been re-referred to Assignments in the passed out of both