Testimonial from a Partner in Maine

Posted on October 5, 2015 by admin

I want to thank you for all the assistance RCAP Solutions has provided to drinking water and wastewater operators in the state of Maine. Each year our future industry leaders benefit from the wonderful “Asset Management” and “Emergency Preparedness” presentations given by Art Astarita during our Management Candidate School. His practical approach resonates well with this audience. Art and Rebecca Reynolds have also been great in their willingness to travel to less populated areas like Calais, Rockland and Presque Isle, Maine.

In early 2015, drinking water and waste water operators in Calais and Fairfield also benefited from the “Math Basics” workshops provided by Mia McDonald. It is tough to positively engage operators in a math training program. However, the students in Mia’s two classes had many favorable comments such as: “Instructor was great! She explained herself well… Will help obtain my Grade III License… Will use this math to help with future problem solving… Dosing pumps and chlorine demand and the formulas will be helpful”.

It is so important that RCAP Solutions takes such high caliber training to the less populated communities in the far reaches of Maine. Such training saves the operators in both the cost of travel and also in the cost of time away from their facilities.

As the Training Coordinator for JETCC, I also work closely with the certification officers for Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). I am always confident that the RCAP training we offer will be welcome by those agencies and recommended for the operators.

Thank you for sharing your resources with Maine’s Water Pollution Control Personnel!

Sincerely,

Leeann Hanson, Training Coordinator

Joint Environmental Training Coordinating Committee

Scarborough, Maine

Professional Operator & Distribution Training

Posted on July 27, 2015 by admin

In need of Training Contact Hours?

RCAP Solutions is hosting two FREE training sessions on Distribution System Water Quality Management. The courses are fully accredited by the state primacy.

Courses will provide information on:

Residual management.
Water Quality Monitoring and Sampling
Flushing
Solving water quality and pressure problems

August 12, 2015, 8:00 AM to 5 PM

Public Facilities Building, 99 Central Street, Ashburnham, MA

Will provide water operators with 8 Training Contact Hours.

August 13, 2015, 7:00 AM to 3 PM

DES Training Center, River Street, Franklin, NH

Will provide water operators with 7 Training Contact Hours.

To register, please contact: Mia McDonald, RCAP Solutions, Inc.

Phone: 508-340-0998, Email: mmcdonald@rcapsolutions.org

Space is limited and registration is required

Workshops are generously sponsored by:

Click the logo for info on Hanna’s toughest portable products

Workshops funded by the U.S. EPA through a grant to the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), a non-profit organization that provides free technical assistance to rural water and wastewater communities. RCAP Solutions is a regional affiliate of RCAP. More info on RCAP here.

Free water testing and workshop in PA

Posted on May 22, 2015 by admin

Residents who rely on a private well, spring or cistern for their drinking water can receive on Tuesday, June 2 at the Penn State Extension office in Montgomery County, PA.

This clinic will provide education on proper location, construction, testing, maintenance, protection and treatment of private drinking water wells, springs and cisterns. Participants can bring a sample of their drinking water for on-site water testing for several basic water quality parameters including coliform bacteria, E. coli bacteria, pH, total dissolved solids, and nitrate. All tests except bacteria will be done during the two hour clinic.

Pre-registration is required and space is limited to 80 attendees per session and free water testing is limited to one sample per household and 30 total samples per session. Registered attendees will be given more information about how to collect water samples for the workshop.

For more information or to register, contact Ms. Sukh Singh, RCAP Solutions, at 412-554-2572 , email: ssingh@rcapsolutions.org or click here for brochure: PA_Montgomery county sdwc

The registration deadline is May 29, 2015. The workshop is sponsored by Penn State Extension, RCAP Solutions, and the Penn State Master Well Owner Network.

Calais, ME Water Department Welcomes RCAP Staff

Posted on May 22, 2015 by admin

The Calais Water Department welcomed RCAP staff to their facility to perform the Basics of Operator Math training.

Fourteen operators from eight different systems attended the training and received 3.75 training contact hours from the State of Maine. The training was well received by operators with different levels of math knowledge. The operators each brought different strengths and were often helping each other during practice problems.

Mia McDonald, a technical assistance provider in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island with RCAP Solutions, led the training and was assisted by the State Lead for Maine, Art Astarita.

Ms. McDonald brings over fifteen years as a math tutor, as well as a lifelong love of math given by her math educator parents. Mr. Astarita was able to connect with systems to begin new relationships with RCAP Solutions to offer assistance with future trainings, locating funding sources and asset management.