HEALTH AND SANITATION 31
Project addresses city ’ s longtime water-quality issues
By
Mike Flenniken
The International Water , Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation ( IWSH ) and UA Plumbers Local Union 68 are teaming up to highlight and address water-quality issues that have long plagued the city of Nome , Texas , and were exacerbated by Hurricane Harvey in August 2017 and recent winter storm conditions .
Their two-phase project , ‘ Safer Water for Nome ’, was inspired by a student leadership initiative at nearby Hardin-Jefferson High School that sought to identify local water-quality issues and potential solutions for them .
Thanks to their two-phase project , ‘ Safer Water for Nome ’, residents in the city of approximately 500 people can have certified journeymen plumbers perform free water-quality risk assessments on their homes . IWSH and UA Local 68 will then work together on planning and providing corrective measures for the affected homes and local public amenities .
The project began in March , with 25 journeymen plumbers — nine of whom are contractors — gaining certification in ASSE 12060 / 12061 : Professional Qualifications Standard for Water Management and Infection Control Risk Assessment for Building Systems . The Houston Area Plumbing Joint Apprenticeship Committee ( HAPJAC ) hosted the training classes with a qualified instructor , and each participant took an ASSE International third party-administered examination .
“ By educating and certifying our contractors and plumbers in water-quality risk-assessment programmes , our contractors will lead the way in the southern industry ,” said Jeremy Pavlich , director of Marketing and Recruiting at Plumbers Local 68 . “ We can be the go-to option — and help lead the way — so that public , industrial and residential communities have good water-quality programmes in place . This will give our area confidence that the plumbing industry is taking proactive measures to better their quality of life .
UA Local 68 held a town hall meeting April 9 to educate residents about the pilot project and give them an opportunity to sign up for the free assessments . Pavlich led a discussion on water quality , infrastructure , and programmes available for residents .
“ We will take feedback from citizens and information from anybody willing to take part in our free water assessment ,” he said , “ and then we will actively get out to them — and come to their homes , their residences , their places of business — and give them a free assessment of their water , how it is , and possibly give them a good corrective measure on how we can fix this situation .”
“ IWSH is such a valuable part of this coalition , because of their influence on an international stage , and the attention and resources they can bring to our small community ,” Pavlich added .
Nome resident Rose Anderson has never been able to drink the water that comes directly from her tap during the four decades she has lived in the city .
“ I ’ ve been here about 39 , 40 years ,” she said , “ and we could never drink the water here . Never .”
Anderson looks forward to her family being able to safely drink water directly from the tap .
“ It ’ s bad enough we have to cook with it ; you have to boil it first before you can cook with it , or we use bottled water ,” she said .
Training Specialist Rich Benkowski and National Recruitment and Outreach Coordinator Laura Ceja , both with the UA Department of Education and Training , contributed to the project planning .
David Viola , IAPMO CEO In the spirit of the sharing of unique experiences that shape the plumbing industries in our respective nations , the following article looks at a joint effort to address water-quality issues that have long plagued a small town in Texas . Written by IAPMO Staff Writer Mike Flenniken , it is the next in a regular series of similar articles that will run in this magazine .
“ By educating and certifying our contractors and plumbers in water-quality risk-assessment programmes , our contractors will lead the way in the southern industry .”
August 2021 Volume 27 I Number 6 www . plumbingafrica . co . za