News Release 246

DEPARTMENT PROVIDES GRANTS TO TRAIN
OPERATORS FOR PUBLIC DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS

Volume 36-246

Contact: Renee Bungart

(For immediate release)

573-751-4465

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MAY 9, 2008 --

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources grants available for operator certification training to Missouri's public drinking water systems. In recognition of Drinking Water Week, May 4 through May 10, the department reminds eligible systems to take advantage of the cost savings and training opportunities.

Drinking Water Week recognizes Missouri's public drinking water systems for the work they do in providing Missourians with safe drinking water.  A safe, reliable water supply is critical to the success of any community. It creates jobs, attracts industry and investment and provides for the health and welfare of citizens in ways ranging from disease prevention to fire suppression.

"Missourians today understand the economic and environmental future of our state depends on a safe and plentiful supply of water," said Department of Natural Resources Director Doyle Childers.

The department's Public Drinking Water Branch oversees the public water supplies. Each water system is responsible for monitoring conditions at individual water plants. Each community and non-transient, non-community drinking water system must be under the responsible charge of a certified operator.

The Department of Natural Resources has available grant funds for training and certification of individuals operating community and non-transient, non-community drinking water systems serving 3,300 people or less. Nearly 1,500 public water systems in Missouri qualify for a portion of these grant funds. This represents more than 80 percent of all public water systems in Missouri. The department uses a voucher system to allocate grant funds to eligible drinking water systems.

The department received more than $3.1 million in federal funds for the voucher system. To date, more than $1.1 million has not been used by the water systems. "I strongly encourage drinking water systems to take advantage of these cost savings for training opportunities. However, they need to hurry because the vouchers will expire Dec. 31," said Childers.  Communities can also take advantage of the funds to train and certify a backup operator.

Each eligible system receives vouchers that their employees can use toward the costs of obtaining and retaining drinking water operator certification. Vouchers can be used as payment for approved drinking water treatment and distribution training, examinations, operator certification and renewal certification for drinking water and distribution certificates.

"By using vouchers, the Department of Natural Resources is providing each water system the opportunity to use grant funds in the way that will best fit its needs," said Childers. "The vouchers give the eligible water systems flexibility in managing their operator certification requirements and enable the maximum involvement of trainers in the program."

For more information, contact Darlene Helmig with the department's Public Drinking Water Branch at 800-361-4827 or 573-522-6103. For more information on the voucher program or to find available operator certification training dates and locations, visit the department's Web site at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/opcert/oprtrain.htm.

For more information on Drinking Water Week, call the department's Public Drinking Water Branch at 800-361-4827 or 573-526-1825 or visit the Web at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/dw-index.htm.  

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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