Waterline

The Waterline is a quarterly newsletter for water operators, city officials, and others interested in news related to public water systems in Minnesota. The Waterline includes updates on training sessions along with a registration form for various operator schools as well as feature stories of interest to those in the drinking-water profession.

Subscribe to The Waterline newsletter. An e-mail notice is sent out each quarter when a new edition is posted to the web site.

Current

Spring 2025

• Metro School to Feature Big-Name Speakers
• New at MDH: Seth Ledet
• Resources for Early Care and Education Facilities

Waterline feature stories

Past Issues of the Waterline: Index of Archived Materials

Winter 2024-2025

• Safe Drinking Water Act Turns 50
• North and South, Minnesota Cities Make the Water Safe (Duluth and Amboy)
• New People in MDH Drinking Water Protection Section
• More from CISA on Security
• Moorhead Wins State Fair Taste Test

Fall 2024

• Gary Englund Remembers: Longtime Section Manager Tells It Like It Was
• Applications Open for Water and Wastewater Operator Certification Advisory Council
• Hennepin History Museum Celebrates 1983 Circle of Water Circus Tour
• Golden Spike for Lewis & Clark
• New People in MDH Drinking Water Protection Section
• More from CISA on Security
• Moorhead Wins State Fair Taste Test

Summer 2024

• MDH Releases Annual Report During Safe Drinking Water Week
• St. Paul Introduces H₂O to Go
• Art and Water Continue to Converge
• Tools for Lead and Copper Community Site Plans
• New Fond du Lac Treatment Plant
• Bernie Bullert Featured in U of M Foundation Publication
• PFAS May Not Be Forever
• Success Stories from the Source

Spring 2024

• Water Bar a Hit at Sauna Village
• Kim Larsen Named Supervisor of MDH Community Water Supply Unit
• Chad Greenway to Speak at Metro School
• Artist-in-Residence Promotes Source Water Protection
• Corn Cob Water Tower Gets Special Status
• We Are Water Minnesota Sites Named for 2024
• Minnesota Communities Receive Fluoridation Awards
• Drinking Water Action Plan to Help Identify Inequities

Winter 2023-2024

• Minneapolis Wins State Fair Tap Water Taste Test
• SDWA Video Updated for 50th Anniversary
• New People at MDH
• Feature stories on Cold Spring, Duluth, and Two Harbors
• What to Do When Your Water Tower Is Down

Fall 2023

• Governor Walz Signs Important Documents
• Dewatering Added to Long History of Moorhead Water Treatment
• New People at MDH
• Scandia Draws on Its Roots with Reconstruction of Water Tower Barn

Summer 2023

• Gunilla Montgomery Dies
• Anoka Water Keeps Up with City's Growth
• New People at MDH
• MDH Kiosk Debuts at Minnesota Rural Water Technical Conference
• Lead and Drinking Water Testing Program for Child Care Programs
• Lead Service Line Inventories Due October 16, 2024

Spring 2023

• New Robbinsdale Water Plant Looks to the Future
• Corey Larson Joins the Minnesota Department of Health
• Casey O'Brien to be Keynote Speaker at Metro District Water Operators School
• Rick Wahlen Honored
• Minnesota AWWA Participates in Future City Competition

Winter 2022-2023

• Water Assistance Available for Eligible Households
• We Are Water Minnesota Still Going Strong
• Woodbury Removing PFAS from Drinking Water with Temporary Facility and Moving Forward with Plans for Permanent Plant
• WUTT Water Treatment Plant Operations Module to Start in January
• Clean Water Act Turns 50; Safe Drinking Water Act Not Far Behind
• Drinking Water Institute Wraps Up 2022
• Mostly Good News about Confidence in Tap Water
• Lead and Copper Revisions for Minnesota Public Water Systems

Fall 2022

• Pipestone Cashes In by Solving Wastewater Problem with Drinking Water Treatment
• MDH Testing for PFAS
• Maria Spitael Joins MDH
• St. Paul Replacing Century-Old Clarifier and Basins
• Extreme Weather Impacts on Public Water Systems
• Safe Drinking Water Act Video Being Updated
• Metro District Water Operators School Changing Locations

Summer 2022

• Bemidji Builds Treatment Plant to Remove PFAS
• MDH Issues Drinking Water Annual Report Covering 2021
• Hunter Blommer Joins MDH; Lih-in Rezania Leaves after Three Decades
• MRWA Apprenticeship Program
• WUTT's Rolling Along
• Water Operator Schools Back and Going Strong

Spring 2022

• Water Towers: New, Old, and Both
• John Kriesel to be Keynote Speaker for 2022 Metro Water Operators School
• Blast from the Past: Waterline Roots
• EPA Finishes Lead and Copper Rule Revision, Plans Improvements
• Threats Highlight Need for Emphasis on Cybersecurity
• Drinking Water Institute Set for Red Wing in August
• Water-Wastewater Utilities Treatment and Technology (WUTT) Program
• Minnesota Water Research Funds Keep Flowing
• Minneapolis and St. Paul Water Treatment Videos

Winter 2021-2022

• John Kriesel to be Keynote Speaker for 2022 Metro Water Operators School
• Pipestone Presented with EPA Aquarius Award
• WUTT Program Update
• David Vaaler, Stephanie Voeller, and Indran Kamalanathan Join Drinking Water Program

Fall 2021

• The Secession of Kinney
• Drinking Water Annual Report Covers Pandemic Responses by Utilities
• Hydration Stations a Hit in Schools
• WUTT Celebrates First Class
• PWS Profiles: Michael Bourland, Erin Culver, Andrew Karp, Samantha Miltz
• Don't Sell Your Water Tower
• Is the Water Colder Closer to the North Pole?
• In-Person Schools Returning
• Deb Swackhamer Dies
• Wastewater Beer?
• Duluth Communicates to Customers on Lead in Water
• Department of Natural Resources Issues Drought Guidance

Summer 2021

• Urban Water Cycle Drinking Water Module Updated
• Florida Utility Dodges a Disaster with Prompt Response
• We Are Water Minnesota Travels to Hmong Plaza in St. Paul
• Alvine Laure Ekame Joins MDH Section of Drinking Water Protection
• WUTT Is Underway
• Lewis and Clark Update
• Last Chance to Remain on Mailing List for Printed Copies of the Waterline

Spring 2021

• Public Art Saint Paul Continues through Pandemic
• Minneapolis Water Magic Project Continues Mission of ReThink Your Drink
• Minnesota AWWA Virtual Water Operators School Set for March 30 to April 7
• Pipestone Receives EPA Aquarius Award
• Drinking Water Needs Survey for 2021
• MDH to Propose Updates to Health Risk Limits Rules

Winter 2020-2021

• Freeport Facelift Completed
• Minneapolis Main Goes from Bridge to Under the River
• MDH Profile: Kate Callais
• Department of Agriculture Develops Videos on Groundwater and Nitrate Movement in Southeast Minnesota
• Source Water Protection Grants Support Community Solutions to Protect Drinking Water
• WUTT's Up Next

Fall 2020

• Response to Coronavirus Disease 2019
• Opt-in to be Required to Remain on Mailing List for Printed Copies of Waterline
• Calm under Pressure in Moorhead
• Pandemic Presentations from U of M Professors
• Future of Minnesota Drinking Water Report Now Available
• WUTT's Coming Up

Summer 2020

• Coping and Continuing with COVID
• An Easy, No-Cost Pandemic Drill for Utilities
• WUTT Is Happening
• Permanent Rules Governing Fluoridation of Municipal Water Supplies Adopted
• Freeport: Have a Nice Day
• Anna Schliep Is New Lead in Drinking Water Coordinator
• CREAT Is Coming
• Lead Service Lines: Where Are They?
• MDH to Reduce Printed Copies of Waterline

Spring 2020

• St. Paul Water Leads the Way in Wild Rink Preparation
• Help Possible for Lead Service Line Replacements
• Metro School to Have Special Day for Superintendents and Supervisors
• Service Connection Fee Increase Takes Effect
• Jessie Kolar and Corey Mathisen Join MDH
• Drawing of Lake Harriet Pump
• Check Out Patty Potty
• Crookston Honored with People's Choice Award
• Water Towers (Spaceship-Looking Things)
• Dog-Sniffing Leak Detector
• EPA Turns 50
• Grants for Bottle-Filling Stations
• MDH to Reduce Printed Copies of Waterline

Winter 2019-2020

• Metro School to Have Special Day for Superintendents
• Surface-Water Optimization Training in Minnesota
• Service Connection Fee to Increase January 1, 2020
• Innovation in Lafayette and New Ulm
• New Brighton Returns to Its Own Water
• Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Project
• EPA Considers Regulating Perchlorate
• Good Ol' Minneapolis Tap Water a Hit at Cedar-Riverside Health Fair
• Water on Tap at the Minnesota State Fair
• Drinking Water Institute Held in Oakdale
• MDH to Reduce Printed Copies of Waterline

Fall 2019

• Governor Walz Proclaims Safe Drinking Water Week in Minnesota
• Service Connection Fee to Increase January 1, 2020
• Cloquet Moves Forward with Manganese Removal
• Minneapolis Launches ReThink Your Drink
• New Addresses for Minnesota Department of Health Water Websit
• STEM Committee Receives AWWA Section Education Award
• Funds for Minnesota Water Research Begin to Flow
• MDH Issues Fact Sheet on Operator Exposure of Radon at Water Treatment Plants
• MDH to Reduce Printed Copies of Waterline

Summer 2019

• Freeborn and Hartland Collaborate for Shared Water System
• MDH Guidance to Operator Exposure to Radon at Water Treatment Plants
• Eden Prairie Reservoir and Pumphouse to Replicate and Recognize History
• Operator Protection and Disposal Guidelines for Spent Media or Backwash Waste Containing Radium
• EPA Develops PFAS Action Plan
• America's Water Infrastructure Act
• Lewis and Clark Complete in Minnesota but Work Is Everlasting

Spring 2019

• Chanhassen Enhances Aesthetics of Water and Community
• Twins Install Self-Irrigating "Living Wall" for Batter's Eye
• Lewis and Clark Completed in Minnesota
• New MDH Engineer: Jenny Soltys
• Surface-Water Optimization Training in Minnesota
• STEM Promoted at Brewery Run
• Chuck Brackin Dies
• Latest Collaboration with Department of Agriculture
• Useful New Videos

Winter 2018-2019

• Sandeep Burman Named MDH Drinking Water Protection Section Manager
• Lewis & Clark Regional Water System Nearly Complete in Minnesota
• Historic St. Paul Ballpark Leads to Information on Early Water Supply in City
• Past Waterlines Archived at wateroperator.org
• Chaska Prevails in Great Minnesota Tap Water Taste Test
• Cool New Videos
• Fact Sheets and Resources on MDH Web Page
• Updated Water Exhibit a Hit at State Fair
• New Site for Southeast District School
• MDH Funds Filling Stations

Fall 2018

• Barb Moore Joins the Minnesota Department of Health
• Lewis and Clark Water On Its Way to Worthington
• Minnesota AWWA Promotes STEM
• Risk Communication Toolkit
• Water Bar at Capitol at Highlight of Safe Drinking Water Week
• Rock County Rural Water District Receives Source Water Protection Award

Summer 2018

• Water in Southeastern Minnesota: Rochester and Austin
• Lewis and Clark Summary
• Summit Brewery Starts with the Water
• We Are Water MN Visits the Capitol
• Invisible Heroes Videos Highlight Drinking Water Providers
• Jim Sadler Retires/Mark Sloan Dies

Spring 2018

• Innovative New Water Plant in St. Martin the Result of Community Commitment
• Golden Valley Survives Contractor Accident without Water Disruption
• Retirements/Changes at Minnesota Department of Health and Minnesota Rural Water Association
• The Latest on Lewis and Clark
• Water Bar Opens New Storefront
• Operator Training News

2017-2018 Winter

• Plate Settlers Clean Up Ortonville Water
• Lake Elmo Wins State Fair Taste Test
• Lessons Learned in Blaine
• Water and Sports
• Good News and Bad News on the Bottled Water Ban in National Parks
• Minnesota Department of Health Profile: Anna Arkin

2017 Fall

• Highway 53 Rerouting Includes Impact on Virginia Water Supply
• Lewis and Clark Project Gets Needed Funding (and update on Luverne shrimp)
• Safe Drinking Water Week in Minnesota
• Bloomington Wins Hydrant Hysteria Competition

2017 Summer

• Shoreview Thrives with New Water Plant
• Water May Bring Shrimp to Luverne
• Governor Dayton and Clean Drinking Water Starts with Me! Poster Contest - and 25 by '25
• Slovenija Declares Water a Human Right
• Dan Boyce of East Grand Forks Retires
• Osseo Water Tower May Be Placed on Historic Register
• Water Bar Coming to the State Fair

2017 Spring

• Clean Water Mural Unveiled in Minneapolis
• Lewis and Clark Project Moving through Minnesota
• St. Cloud Recognized for Source Water Protection Projects
• Ellingboe Takes over as ASDWA President
• Effluent to Beer
• MDH Drafts Interconnection Policy
• Three Minnesotans on Blue Ribbon Commission for On-Site Non-Potable Systems

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