June 2026 Newsletter

Timely Information for Virginia's Waterworks

Final Reminder: 2025 Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR) Due July 1, 2026 Community Waterworks must deliver CCR to all customers

• 2025 CCR preparation guidelines are available on ODW’s CCR webpage.
• Review your water quality sample data and any violations in the Safe Drinking Water Information System, accessible through the Drinking Water Viewer.
• There are no new requirements for the calendar year 2025 CCR.

Questions? Contact your Field Office

Drought - What You Can Do Right Now

It's only June and in some places the grass is getting crispy. Other places, not so much.  Most of Virginia started Spring 2026 with an overall deficit of precipitation. In order to get out of this dry hole, we need more than just a couple of good rains. While we wait for good, soaking rains, here are some ideas to help you navigate the situation:

Review and Implement Drought Plan: 

• Review your current Drought Plan and update as needed.
• No plan? Develop one now and review it with your Board. EPA has resources to help: EPA Drought Response and Recovery for Water Utilities
• Clearly identify the drought trigger and the actions that will follow.
• Confirm you have a water hauling contract in place, preferably with a provider outside of your watershed.
• Ensure you have a bottled water plan ready.

Communicate With Customers and Board: 

• Share the Virginia DEQ Drought Report and the US Drought Monitor Report for Virginia (see image and link below) on your website and social media. 
• Keep your Board regularly updated on potential water restrictions. Provide them with talking points so they can confidently address questions from the community.
• Identify your largest water users and work with them directly on conservation ideas. Offer to walk through their facitlities to help spot opportunities.
• If organizations insist on maintaining green lawns, begin discussions about how this may affect water availability later in the summer, especially for groundwater systems. 
• Promote water conservation as a community value: 
  
  • Create fun "Crispy Lawn" recognitions for turning off sprinklers.
  • Offer "Water Saver" badge for fixing leaks or installing water-saving devices. 
  • Acknowledge customers who report unauthorized water use.

Measure and Gather Data on Water Levels:

• Record daily water levels at: Reservoirs, Water intakes, and Wells 
• Train staff to collect consistent, accurate measurements.
• Convert the data into simple line charts showing water level changes over time.
• Monitor daily water production and flag unusual or excessive use. Consider setting up a daily exception report for atypical usage.
• Document all actions taken to address drought conditions. 

Report - Get the Data Into the Right Hands

• Create a simple template for reporting ongoing drought-related actions and findings.
• Identify which decision-makers should receive the report and set the reporting frequency.
• Schedule regular virtual or in-person meetings to review and discuss the results.

Virginia Drought Map from the US Drought Monitor 

Click on Virginia from the US Drought Map

You can't outrun a drought.

Earn Your Degree in Drinking Water Treatment

From Anywhere in the Country

Are you working in a water treatment facility and looking to advance your career? Need courses to prepare you for licensure? Mountain Empire Community College (MECC), located in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, offers two paths of advancement for current or potential Waterworks Operators:

• Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Environmental Science with a Water/Wastewater Specialization: This program is designed to prepare students for employment in municipal and industrial treatment facilities and laboratories. 65 credits over four semesters
• Water Plant Operator Career Studies Certificate (CSC): This program is designed to provide entry-level water plant operator skills. 25 credits over two semesters

Each program can be completed through web-based instruction with an internship coordinated with a utility near where the student lives.

Coursework prepares students for the state certification exam required for a water or wastewater operator’s license. This license is essential for career advancement. Students will also be able to keep abreast of technological advances in the field of environmental science, thus furthering career opportunities in this and related fields.

An academic advisor will review your preparation in Mathematics and English with you and will guide you to appropriate preliminary coursework to give you the greatest chance of success in this program. Students may also receive college credit for verified on-the-job experience.

To get started, view the course webpages linked above,

then visit https://www.mecc.edu/apply 

Questions about the Program?

Rosa-lee Cooke, Water Program Advisor

Phone: 276-523-9083 | Email: rcooke@mecc.edu

Mountain Empire Community College | www.mecc.edu

MECC is part of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and is an Equal Opportunity institution.

This program is supported through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF)

Set Aside program to enhance and increase operator certification in Virginia.

Funding Updates and Resources

ODW Funding Workshop for Waterworks

June 30, 2026 10:00am - 3:00 pm South Hill, Virginia Cost: FREE, Register by JUNE 23rd   ODW is pleased to announce it will be hosting a funding workshop for all waterworks and local utilities in South Hill, VA on June 30th. If you are interested in funding a waterworks project but don’t know your options or where to start please consider attending to hear from ODW and other agencies funding sources. More information and a registration link can be found on the attached flyer.

For more information about funding opportunities through VDH- Office of Drinking Water, check out our website: 

Drinking Water Funding Program Details & Application

Security & Resilience  Information and Opportunities to Improve Physical and Cyber Security at Waterworks

EPA's Virtual National Cyber Drill: "A Day Without SCADA"

July 8, 2026

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET

Online

Cost: FREE, Registration Required

The drill is designed to test the ability of drinking water and wastewater utilities to maintain critical functions during a temporary loss of telecommunications and internet services.

What you'll do:

• Operate in a “disconnected” environment (limited/no SCADA remote access, cloud, email, Voice over IP, or other digital communications tools).
• Test preparedness by practicing manual operations at your system or joining a tabletop exercise.

Objectives:

• Assess your ability to sustain essential water/wastewater operations without telecom/internet.
• Exercise cyber incident response plans and manual workarounds.
• Identify gaps, resource needs, and resilience improvements.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs): will be provided in most states.

MGT-343 Disaster Management for Water & Wastewater Utilities

July 28-29, 2026
8:00 am – 5:00 pm

North Chesterfield, Virginia

Cost: FREE, Registration Required

The "Disaster Management for Water & Wastewater Utilities" course is designed to provide training to water and wastewater professionals on preparing for, responding to, and recovering from natural or human-caused disasters that threaten water and wastewater facilities and systems. 

Topics Covered in this course include:

• Threats to Water & Wastewater Systems
• Disaster Planning and Management
• Disaster Mitigation
• Disaster Response
• Disaster Recovery

For more details and registration, see the event flyer.

Hosted by DHS/FEMA National Training Program, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX),Texas A&M University System
and the National Emergency Response and Recovery Training Center (NERRTC)

EPA Advisory: Protecting Sensitive Operational Information in Water and Wastewater Systems

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is advising water and wastewater systems to consider the risks of disclosing sensitive operational information following multiple public records requests from artificial intelligence (AI) service providers, as reported by the WaterISAC and the American Water Works Association (AWWA).

In at least one instance, an AI service provider requested “all SCADA logs for 2026 for all treatment, distribution and wastewater management systems.” The requestor also indicated they were seeking “daily or hourly historical logs” for specific environmental and physical process indicators, including inflow and outflow water volumes and flow rates, aggregate water quality baseline metrics, historical reservoir and tank storage levels, and aggregate daily energy consumption or equipment run-times.

To sign up to receive alerts, visit the

EPA's Drinking Water and Wastewater Resilience Webpage (https://www.epa.gov/waterresilience)

Cross Connection Devices: Inspection, Maintenance, and Testing- 16 Hours

July 13 - 15, 2026

8:30am - 5:00pm

Roanoke, VA

Cost: $350

This three (3) day training course is offered in support of the Safe Drinking Water Act and Virginia Waterworks Regulations. It is designed to prepare participants to test, inspect, and provide in-line maintenance of reduced pressure zone and other backflow prevention devices. Training includes both classroom and hands-on instruction with actual devices. (Note: There will be a 40-hour cross connection control class in November 2026)

This class is supported through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF)

Set Aside program to enhance and increase operator certification in Virginia.

Small System Operator Training: Achieve & Maintain Compliance with the SDWA

VDH Office of Drinking Water is pleased to present this year's series of in-person and online courses offered through a contract with Virginia Tech. These courses are designed to prepare individuals to take initial or advanced licensing exams as well as learn more about owning and operating a public waterworks.

Management, Methods, and Money: Understanding Concepts in Capacity Development

July 21 - 23, 2026

Henrico, Virginia

Cost: $150 (includes lodging) or $100 (commuter)

Registration Deadline: July 11, 2026

Establishing a Successful and Sustainable Waterworks: Revenues, Rates, and Funding

August 25 - 27, 2026

Roanoke, Virginia

Cost: $150 (includes lodging) or $100 (commuter)

Registration Deadline: August 15, 2026

In the present economic climate, it is critical that waterworks personnel understand and implement a business plan that allows for an analysis of needs, budget development, and capital improvements. As a part of the planning process, one needs to consider the appropriate rate structure for a community, potential sources of grants or low interest loans, and communication with decision makers and the public. All of these subjects will be covered through lecture, class discussions, and hands-on computer activities. This course is recommended for waterworks owners, utility directors and managers, board members, and senior operators and financial staff.

Participants will receive 22 contact hours for successful completion of this course.

Groundwater Math for Small Systems

September 29 - October 1, 2026

Roanoke, Virginia

Cost: $150 (includes lodging) or $100 (commuter)

Registration Deadline: September 19, 2026

This course focuses on the math associated with small systems, ranging in classification from Class 6 to 4. The course is also designed to complement our short course, Basic Groundwater Course for Small Systems, which has been offered and popular for several years. Among the topics addressed in this second groundwater course over a 3 day period are basic math, treatment systems, disinfection, water source, administrative math, hydraulics, and chemical feeders. This course is recommended for current and potential operators of Class 6 to Class 4 waterworks.

Participants will receive 2.1 CEUs (21 contact hours) for successful completion of this course.

ODW is Hiring!

The Office of Drinking Water provides regulatory oversight and technical assistance to public waterworks across the state. Our team is made up of staff with broad experiences and background including biology, engineering, geology, administrative support, water operations, and laboratory experience. Check out our open positions at:

www.jobs.virginia.gov

Office of Drinking Water using GovDelivery for Communication 

You are receiving this email because your email address is associated with a regulated waterworks in Virginia or you signed up to receive the newsletter. Please add this email to your "Safe Senders" list so they land in your in-box and not your spam-box.

If you need to update your contact information, please reach out to:

Julie Floyd, Operator Certification & Training Manager, at julie.floyd@vdh.virginia.gov

Know someone who would like to receive this newsletter? They can sign up here:

Prepared by the VDH Office of Drinking Water

 Julie M. Floyd, Editor

VDH Office of Drinking Water

Contact Us | Website

Waterworks After-Hours Emergency Call Center: 1-866-531-3068