CEHA 2024

Graywater reuse is an untapped conservation opportunity for Colorado’s most precious resource. The state’s regulations governing graywater systems have recently changed from an opt-in authorization to an opt-out authorization. So, it’s time to update your local rules. This presentation will also cover best practices and lessons learned from Denver’s efforts related to graywater education and outreach.

Swimming pools are full of risks and potential disasters.  From waterborne diseases to chemical injury, pools hide a variety of threats within their waters.  In this session we will explore what to look for and what questions to ask during a pool inspection.  We will also discuss communication strategies to pool operators to convey what changes must be made to ensure safe water recreation.  Come jump into the pool discussion! 

The Colorado Professionals in Onsite Wastewater (CPOW) has partnered with the National Association of Wastewater Technicians (NAWT) and the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (NOWRA) to provide education for everyone in the industry. This talk will walk you through the many resources available to obtain education and training in the onsite wastewater treatment system industry. Whether you are looking of employee training or resources for the public to learn about onsite wastewater treatment systems we will point you in the right direction.

In 2006, North Carolina passed legislation establishing the NC Onsite Wastewater Contractor and Inspector Certification Board. I served as a member of the Board from 2006 to 2021. During those 15 years, we created the certification levels, the licensing requirements, the exams for the different levels, the continuing education requirements, the rules, the ethics, and a host of other needed elements. This presentation will take you through the process, the impacts, and how we had to respond to issues that arose.

In the face of the ever-changing regulatory and scientific landscape, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is developing its next per and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) action plan to continue work as a leader among states addressing widespread PFAS contamination. In this effort CDPHE will strive to use a data driven approach toward decision-making and public health protection via three primary objectives: 1) identify and minimize Coloradan’s exposure to PFAS; 2) assess and provide information on PFAS health risks; and 3) prevent PFAS releases and address known releases. CDPHE will present on this next iteration of the state’s PFAS action plan, which is expected to be finalized by January 2024. Presenters will seek feedback from the audience on the proposed plan.

What do you do when your local code enforcement says there is a complaint of a pool in a residential home's garage, and they are providing swimming lessons to the community? We will explore the many different twists and turns of the pool in a private home that was opened for lessons, how the county complaint response was conducted, and how it all ended. 

Accessory dwelling units are increasing in popularity and local governments are adding rules regarding ADUs to their building codes. Colorado’s legislature just passed a bill to increase the number of ADUs in the state. Arapahoe County recently adopted new regulations in the land development code for Unincorporated Arapahoe County. In this session, we will explore OWTS designs accounting for the increased wastewater flows from ADU additions. We will also hear from other counties on their challenges and lessons learned from OWTS permitting for ADUs. Join us as we discuss design and regulation considerations for the ADU craze.

At this point in time, I plan on providing an update on the status of the proposed revisions to Regulation 43 (OWTS Regulations). However, as things progress and other hot topics arise, it may be more appropriate to determine the exact presentation content more towards the end of the summer.

The Colorado Wastewater Surveillance Program was established in 2020 during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic to monitor COVID-19 levels across the state. Since its inception, the Wastewater Surveillance Program has expanded to cover approximately 65% of the state’s population in its monitoring, and it was designated as a National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) Center of Excellence by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This program has evolved into a dynamic initiative with a vision for the future that prioritizes optimization of resources and partnerships between the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, local public health agencies, wastewater utilities, and academic partners.
The program is focused on sustainability and the incorporation of new targets to the surveillance schema. This includes the addition of enterovirus-D68 during the 2023 season. Additionally, a pilot project was conducted during the 2023-2024 respiratory virus season, focusing on influenza A and B, as well as RSV A and B. Moving forward, the program is considering the addition of antimicrobial-resistant gene and fungal targets, arboviruses, and bacterial targets.
Pertaining to the goal of program sustainability and following an evaluation, we are transitioning to a sentinel surveillance site model for wastewater surveillance. This system will enable us to incorporate new pathogen targets and implement long-term wastewater surveillance in Colorado. Complementary to this program, we have established the Emergency Wastewater Surveillance System. This framework encompasses a network of wastewater utilities, each serving more than 3,000 Coloradans. In the event of emerging pathogens necessitating rapid public health responses, these utilities will immediately provide wastewater samples to CDPHE for analysis. This system ensures swift monitoring of pathogen spread across the state, enabling effective and efficient public health interventions. As it continues to advance and foster collaborative partnerships, the Colorado Wastewater Surveillance Program stands poised to maintain its crucial role in safeguarding public health and informing proactive measures for pathogen detection and response in the state.

This presentation aims to increase attendees’ knowledge of NSF/ANSI 40 (onsite treatment), NSF/ANSI 245 (nitrogen reduction) and NSF/ANSI 350 (water reuse). The standards and certification process will be discussed, including performance testing details such as influent and effluent characteristics, dosing volume, and stress loading. Additionally, a significant update to NSF/ANSI 350 for commercial and multi-family systems that utilizes a risk-based approach incorporating pathogen log-reduction targets (LRTs) will be introduced.

While principles of environmental health leadership seem to remain steadfast, their practice has not. Challenges such as our response to COVID, workforce and budget shortages, the lack of visibility of our profession, and other matters have complicated our efforts. As such, our preparation and successful execution of leadership principles and practices are paramount. During this presentation, Mark will discuss his experiences over the last 25 years and how we are evolving to meet the challenges and to seize on our opportunities. 

How many times have you seen good intention and ambition go the way of an unkept New Year’s resolution? Have you ever wondered what it takes to sustain motivation and reliably get goals across the finish line? Whether you are looking to experience more success with your own challenging goals, or you want to strengthen your ability to support others with their goal creation and results, this interactive session will give you two simple strategies that boost inspiration and provide a solid structure for success. Through a brief presentation, an exercise, personal reflection, and small group discussion, you will come away from this session with hands-on experience developing your own powered up goals, and a simple tool that will help you continue to plan goals that set a path for increased productivity and satisfaction with accomplishments.