Mark your calendar for these upcoming events, and check our website for more details.
April 23 Distribution Spring Seminar
April 24 PFAS: The Evolving Path Forward
April 30 One Water, One Life - The Annual Drinking Water Quality and Research Seminar
May 6 Water for People Golf Tournament - Williamsburg
May 8 - 10 2024 Plant Operations Conference
May 16 Water for People Golf Tournament - Clifton
Don't forget to add September 9 - 12, 2024, to your calendar so you don't miss the BEST Water conference! Details will be posted to the conference website - waterjam.org
Hotel Information is now available! Make sure to book your hotel using the WaterJAM links on our website. All other communications (not containing the graphic above) are SPAM.
Career Center
Are you looking for a new job opportunity? Are you an employer looking for great candidates? Either way, check out our Career Center for opportunities in Virginia.
Here is a list of the most recent jobs posted:
Laboratory Analyst, Senior
Executive Director
Utility Maintenance Supervisor
Equipment Operator
Water Chemist
Utilities Public Information Officer
The webpage contains a summary of current job postings... but check back frequently for new positions posted daily/weekly.
Have you been following the 2024 General Assembly Legislative Session? If not, keep up with bills that affect the drinking water industry by visiting our website. We have a page dedicated to all the proposed legislation that could affect you and your utility. It is updated weekly, including links to the Virginia Assembly website for further details. https://vaawwa.org/page/legislative-and-regulatory-updates
At the session's conclusion, the Water Utility Committee will host Chris Pomeroy with AquaLaw to provide a summary of the proposed legislation, which passed, failed, and might come back at a future date. Join us on Monday, March 18, from noon - 1 pm. You don't need to register, but click below to be emailed the meeting connection information.
The website and legislative tracking are made available through the Water Utility Committee (WUC) of the VA Section. If you’re interested in getting more involved in issues related to water policy and legislation, please consider joining the VA AWWA Water Utility Committee. Contact April Bingham (april.bingham@rva.gov) or Michelle Caruthers (michelle.caruthers@westernvawater.org)
Come learn how your Virginia water utility can participate in a special Virginia National Guard (VNG) event, "Cyber Fortress 3.0". Cyber Fortress 3.0 will be a unique opportunity for water and wastewater utilities to respond to a sophisticated cyberattack without a risk to utility operations. Cyber Fortress 3.0 demonstrates the VNG’s capabilities to contribute to strengthening Virginia’s response to an advanced cyberattack on critical infrastructure through hands-on technical training, strategic planning, decision-making, and broad engagement.
Our next Thoughtful Tuesday will celebrate Women’s History Month! We invite ALL members to join us in this presentation in partnership with A Call to Men. We will be reflecting on the collective socialization of men (the Man Box) and the role men have in supporting women and promoting equality. Share the word with your colleagues!
Gain recognition for your safety efforts...Nominate your water facility today for the VA AWWA Larry Gordon Safety Award! Virginia is proud of last year’s winner, Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, Crozet Water Treatment Plant. Could your utility win this year? The nominations deadline is May 31.
This award will be presented to a Virginia waterworks facility that promotes an active and effective safety program.
Do you enjoy a tall, cold glass of water? Are escalating tuition rates scaring you? Looking to make a change in the new year? Put those thoughts to work by applying for one of the Virginia Section American Water Works Association’s scholarships. Scholarships are open to plant or distribution operators of any level and college students who will be attending a Virginia college in the Fall 2024 semester.
One AWWA Operator’s Scholarship Two awards in the amount of $1,000 will be given out to water system operators (plant or distribution) in Virginia looking to advance their licensure or career. Preference is given to small Waterworks.
VA AWWA Ray A. Jackson Undergraduate Student Scholarship One award in the amount of $3,500 will be given out to an undergraduate student with a career goal of serving in the water industry who is currently attending a university or college in Virginia.
VA AWWA Dr. Robert C. Hoehn Graduate Student Scholarship One award in the amount of $3,500 will be given out to a graduate student with a career goal of serving in the water industry who is currently attending a university or college in Virginia.
VA AWWA scholarship information, including application forms, is now available: https://vaawwa.org/page/scholarships. The deadline to apply is May 31st.
America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) Section 2013 requires community (drinking) water systems (CWSs) serving more than 3,300 people to develop or update risk and resilience assessments (RRAs) and emergency response plans (ERPs) every five years.
During the first 5-year certification period, approximately 98% of CWSs serving more than 3,300 people certified to EPA that they completed an RRA and ERP, as required by AWIA Section 2013. Thank you to the CWSs, technical assistance providers, and water sector organizations that helped CWSs comply with the law and improve their preparedness for malevolent acts and natural hazards!
The certification deadlines for Round 2 of AWIA Section 2013 are quickly approaching! See the upcoming certification deadlines in the table below:
Population Served
RRA Certification Deadline
ERP Certification Deadline
Over 100,000
March 31, 2025
September 30, 2025
50,000 – 99,999
December 31, 2025
June 30, 2026
3,301 – 49,999
June 30, 2026
December 31, 2026
As CWSs prepare for Round 2 of AWIA Section 2013, please know that EPA is here to help! EPA has free resources, templates, and recorded training on its AWIA Section 2013 website to help make the process of creating and updating RRAs and ERPs as easy as possible. If you have any questions about the upcoming AWIA cycle, feel free to reach out to EPA at dwresilience@epa.gov
On Thursday, May 16, 2024, starting at 10 AM EDT, EPA Mid-Atlantic Region will host their virtual summit, “Empowering Communities for Environmental Equity.” The summit is an opportunity for everyone to gather and exchange ideas about equitable access to healthy and sustainable communities. Download the save the date flyer for more details.
Who should attend?
The summit is free and open to the public. The summit will convene representatives from communities; non-profit organizations; Tribes; professional organizations and advocacy groups; businesses; academia; and federal, state, and local government in the Mid-Atlantic Region. However, anyone interested in environmental and public health may attend the summit.
Event website and registration:
Please use this link to access the summit website: https://cvent.me/2Waz8q. More details, including registration, summit agenda, and sponsors, will be available on the website as we draw closer to the event. Stay tuned!
The summit will be hosted using Zoom Events, a virtual meeting platform building off the functions of Zoom Meetings & Webinars. Once registered, you will have access to the Zoom Event portal that will be a central hub for meeting activities and will be your route to the myriad sessions supporting this summit.
Requests for reasonable accommodations:
If you need accommodation to participate in this workshop, please contact Joy Lee Pearson via voice telephone at 202-715-3851 or via email at EPAMidAtlSummit@michaeldbaker.com. TTY users should contact the Federal TTY Relay Service at 800-877-8339. Read more about EPA's Reasonable Accommodations. Requests should be made at least 5 business days in advance of the event.
Check out the latest issue of Tap Into Virginia!
Click on the link below to view the latest edition online.
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Have you been following the 2024 General Assembly Legislative Session? If not, keep up with bills that affect the drinking water industry by visiting our website. We have a page dedicated to all the proposed legislation that could affect you and your utility. It is updated weekly, including links to the Virginia Assembly website for further details. 
Gain recognition for your safety efforts...Nominate your water facility today for the VA AWWA Larry Gordon Safety Award! Virginia is proud of last year’s winner, Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, Crozet Water Treatment Plant
