ACADEMY OF WATER EDUCATION (AWE)

By: Ruby Brungess, California Rual Water Association Executive Assistant

If you have ever attended a California Rural Water Association (CRWA) event you undoubtedly would have heard about the Academy of Water Education (AWE).

So, what exactly is AWE and why is it important to CRWA?

The Academy of Water Education was created in 2008 by our Executive Director, Dan DeMoss. The mission of AWE is to serve those currently working in the water and wastewater industries or those wishing to begin a career in the industry by providing them with a unique learning experience. As our Executive Director stated, “The goal of the CRWA training program is to get you out of the classroom and into the shop – to get some hands-on training.” The training experience includes instruction in our large wet lab featuring meters and pumps that utility operators will encounter in the field. Also featured are the backflow practice tables on which attendees will also be able to test for their certification after the Backflow Tester Certification Course. CRWA has valued the quality of training for the water and wastewater industry from the very beginning.

The core AWE courses include:

Water Treatment Operations and Maintenance

This course covers the California State University of Sacramento’s Office of Water Programs Water Treatment Plant Vol. 1 textbook. Highlights include a tour of a large- scale water treatment plant in Sacramento. This class is IACET approved and all attendees will receive 36 Contact Hours and 3.6 CEUs. Attendees will also meet the qualifications for the Grade 2 state certification exam.

Distribution Operations and Maintenance

This course covers the California State University of Sacramento’s Office of Water Programs Distribution System Operation and Maintenance Vol. 1 textbook. Highlights include a jar testing demonstration. This class is IACET approved and all attendees will receive 36 Contact Hours and 3.6 CEUs. Attendees will also meet the qualifications for the Grade 2 state certification exam.

Backflow Certification Training

This course is taught in conjunction with industry specialists of Backflow Management Inc. Attendees are able to combine both classroom and hands-on practice on the same equipment they will test on. Attendees may also choose their certification provider as CRWA hosts both NCBPA (Northern Backflow Prevention Association), and ABPA (American Backflow Prevention Association), for testing after the completion of the course.

Each of these courses is five days and is hosted at our training facilities in Sacramento. Our curriculum is setup to provide operators with a well-rounded education that will prepare them for the certification exams, as well the groundwork for a career in the water industry. For more information or to register for classes please visit our training page or contact our offices 1 (800) 833-0322.