Free Asset Management Workshops
The Department of Environmental Conservation is offering free Asset Management Workshops to public community drinking water systems. Workshop participants will learn how to develop components of an Asset Management Plan to help their systems use limited resources more effectively; decide when to maintain, repair, rehabilitate, and replace assets; improve communication with customers and decision makers; justify system needs; gain support for rate increases; reduce risks; and qualify for priority points for next year’s Asset Management grants and financial incentives from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. For more information see the Asset Management Workshops 2016 Factsheet and the guidance section of the Asset Management Planning Grant Application and Guidance. The concepts covered in these workshops can be used to manage other infrastructure too, including stormwater and wastewater assets. Register early because each series will be limited to ten systems!
- Two asset management workshop series are being offered. One will be held in Montpelier, and the other in Rutland or Springfield, depending on interest.
- Each series consists of four, full-day workshops. Participants are expected to attend all four workshops in the selected series (schedule is below).
- The workshops will be led by Heather Himmelberger. Ms. Himmelberger is a registered professional engineer and the Director of the Southwest Environmental Finance Center (SWEFC). She has been working with water and wastewater utilities for more than 20 years. For more than ten years, Ms. Himmelberger has been conducting trainings and providing direct assistance to help utilities throughout the U.S. develop Asset Management Programs – her approach works well for systems of all sizes. She serves on the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Asset Management and Water Loss Control Committees. For more information about Ms. Himmelberger, visit the SWEFC’s website and listen to her TED Talk: It’s Time to Put Water First.
Who is eligible to attend the workshops?
The workshops are open to public community drinking water system (CWS) staff – operators, board members, engineers, financial managers, etc. Ideally, two or more staff from each system will attend the workshops. Consultants are welcome to attend at the request of a CWS, but not as the system’s sole participant. Preference will be given to systems serving less than 10,000 people, but all systems are encouraged to register. Operators will receive training credit hours.
When are the workshops?
Two asset management workshop series are being offered. One will be held in Montpelier, and the other in Rutland or Springfield, depending on interest.
| Rutland or Springfield Series | Montpelier Series | |
| Workshop #1 | August 31, 2016 | September 1, 2016 |
| Workshop #2 | September 21, 2016 | September 22, 2016 |
| Workshop #3 | October 26, 2016 | October 27, 2016 |
| Workshop #4 | November 16, 2016 | November 17, 2016 |
Please note: participants are expected to attend all workshops in the selected series.
How do I register for the workshops?
Contact Allison Murphy ([email protected] or 802-272-2449) to register for one of the workshop series. Registration closes
August 10th, 2016, but register early because participation in each series will be limited to ten water systems.