| QUESTION #1641 |
8/5/2008 5:12:32 PM |
[operator training] |
Looking thru the pdf I see no questions. How do I recieve ceu's once I read the course information?
|
ANSWER:
Norm:
Crediting issues are up to the individual states. So, you'll want to contact your state regulatory agency in Alaska to see what they will accept. Every state is different so I can't really give you an answer.
Although you didn't say which PDF you are reading (OB2005?), it probably has a corresponding software program that you can download and run it on your computer. Many of our programs have an integrating scoring system that many states will accept for credit upon completion.
Hope that helps!
MJ Nehasil
Montana Water Center
|
| QUESTION #1637 |
7/31/2008 8:41:51 AM |
[operator training] |
Do you have a CD available for Grade III/ Water Treatment Plant Training? We have the Operator Basics CD for the Grade II.
|
ANSWER:
Hi, Thomas. The best thing to do is check with your regulatory agency to see which of our training CDs is best for your current situation. In answer to your question, there is nothing specific for Grade III. However, a new training CD, titled Water Quality Expedition may fit your requirements, as might Contamination Explorer. The content of both can be reviewed on this web page: http://watercenter.montana.edu/training
Sincerely,
Steve Guettermann
Assistant Director for Outreach
|
| QUESTION #1463 |
7/23/2008 2:04:20 PM |
[general water] |
I am a "Grandparented Operator" for a small mobile home park in Shelbyville, Indiana. I am 3 credit hours short for a WT2 certificate. IDEM ( Indiana dept environ. mgt.) suggested :
PWST063128 virtual syst. explorer - 4.00 hrs. or
PWST073246 contamination explorer - 3.00 hrs.
Please let me know what I need to do to take on of these, then confirm the course completion to IDEM.
Thanks.
John Coers
|
ANSWER:
Hi John:
You'll want to download either or both courses from our website at http://watercenter.montana.edu/training/default.htm. Both programs have an integrated scoring system that tracks your progress. When you successfully complete the program you will be able to print out a completion certificate which you can then submit to your state agency.
Be sure to check with your state agency to make sure they will accept either of these programs for credit. And, if they do, will they accept partial credit or will you need to complete the entire program?
Hope this helps!
MJ Nehasil
Montana Water Center
|
| QUESTION #1354 |
1/16/2008 4:44:53 PM |
[general water] |
What is the general breakdown of water use in Montana? What percentage, for example, is used by agriculture for irrigation; by utilities for hydro-power; by utilities for cooling coal-fired plants; and by the public for drinking and recreation?
|
ANSWER:
The link below will answer your question.
http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/sir/sir20045223
Steve Guettermann
|
| QUESTION #1345 |
1/16/2008 7:42:41 AM |
[fisheries] |
I manage a fish stock center for research purposes & was interested in obtaining information about your feeding regiment for the trout. In particular, i would like to know what you feed them & if you do any testing routinely of the food for endocrine active compounds, xenobiotic levels or anything else. If there is some one I can contact to find more information on this topic your help is greatly appreciated.
|
ANSWER:
Not sure how much help this will be, but in response to your 2 questions:
1) The food we use is just standard trout food from "Silver Cup"
2) We don't do any testing ourselves.
Any other questions feel free to ask. I will say that when I was working at UT in Port Aransas we got all our dry food from "Rangen". You might check with them, too. They are closer.Good luck!
Trey Kucherka
|
| QUESTION #1329 |
12/2/2007 9:45:23 AM |
[operator training] |
I am currently taking your Virtual System Explorer. I just completed the System 1 Video Tour. The time it should have taken was approximately 13 minutes. It took me an hour.
The video kept starting and stopping. Any suggestions. I have a E-Machine desktop with 2GB of memory and the operating system is Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium.
One of the segments did run without incident. The others did not.
|
ANSWER:
I am sorry to hear you are having difficulties. Are you running it online, or from a DVD or downloaded version off your hard drive? If you are running it online, I would say that is the most likely cause of the videos "bogging down." Even on a pretty fast connection, huge video files like that could cause slow downs.
VSE was created to run on pretty slow machines, your machine sounds like it is way more than adequate. Your reference to Windows Vista is a bit disconcerting to me... Frankly, Vista has created so many problems with other pieces of software (Even their own software) that I am worried that it could pose incompatibilities with our stuff. It was of course not around when Virtual System Explorer went to press, so we had no way of testing it...
I'd first try to run the program from your hard drive as a download and see if that helps. That is the fastest way for your computer to handle large amounts of data, even faster than running it off the DVD. If that doesn't work, please give us a call and we'll try to do what we can over the phone. If it is a Windows Vista problem, there may be nothing we can do other than suggest running the program on a machine with XP or the like.
Thanks, and good luck.
Ben Cichowski
|
| QUESTION #1298 |
8/2/2007 9:44:40 AM |
[drinking water] |
What liabilities would a small water system incure from excesive pressures in the distrubution system (spikes from PRV failure or system operation)?
|
ANSWER:
If he means legal liabilities, my guess - it's only a guess - is that the utility could probably be found to be at fault if its persistent excessive pressure caused a commercial or industrial customer to have to replace equipment frequently - if its own backflow preventers kept blowing out, for example. If he means what bad things happen when there is too much system pressure - pipe joints pull apart, fixtures get pushed off, any water hammer is very damaging, leakage is high and generally water is wasted, in the distribution system and by the customers.
If the excessive pressure is a spike from equipment failure that could not be foreseen - the PRV had been inspected and was in good shape before failing - there would probably be a settlement with the utility's insurer paying up a nominal amount.
Director of the Montana Water Center.
|
| QUESTION #1291 |
6/19/2007 2:49:02 PM |
[drinking water] |
What Montana regulations apply if a property owner wants to build two guest cabins and add them to his existing well? Where can we find the rules for a multi-user system?
|
ANSWER:
In addition, you should be aware of the following: Depending on your use for the guest cabins, you may need a permit or two, along with an operator certification. If you serve more than 25 people 60 days a year, then you will be a public drinking water system.
Here is a link that explains Montana Water Rights.
http://www.leg.mt.gov/content/publications/lepo/2006waterrights.pdf
Page 2 lists contact information for the DNRC. I suggest you call the number listed there and you will be transfered to the best person who can answer your question. It probably comes down to how much water you are entitled to and how much water the other cabins will take.
Steve Guettermann
|
| QUESTION #967 |
5/1/2007 10:56:20 AM |
[operator training] |
I am a class "c" water operator from Illinois and need 15 CEUs before June 15, 2007.Can you help me with this?
|
ANSWER:
You will need to contact your state certification agency to ensure that our Operator Basics 2005 training product will work for your specific operator class rating (I'm pretty sure it will work, but check with them for the final word).
If this will work for your CEUs, go to:
http://watercenter.montana.edu/training/ob2005/default.htm
Here you can download, order, or run Operator Basics online. It's free, so have fun.
Thanks for the question,
Ben Cichowski
|
| QUESTION #957 |
4/27/2007 5:34:35 AM |
[whirling disease] |
If I don't have time to dry my equipment before moving to another watershed, can I use bleach to kill the vector? What solution do you recommend?
I would like a photograph of an infected fish for our website notice about Whirling Disease. Whom do I contact about permission to borrow one from you?
|
ANSWER:
Good questions. We simply recommend careful cleaning and drying of gear and do not recommend or endorse any chemical treatments. However, there is some evidence that a bleach solution can deactivate some of the parasitic spores that cause whirling disease. It can be harmful to your gear and can be harmful to the environment so be careful if you decide to use it.
The Fish and Wildlife Service has this recommendation on their website:
* 50% solution (1 part chlorine to 1 part water) - dip waders into a solution of the bleach or wipe or spray on.
* 10% solution (1 part chlorine to 9 parts water) and soak your equipment for 10 minutes.
I don't know of experimental evidence testing this protocol on gear. Given this lack of evidence and the potential harm to the environment, we continue to recommend careful cleaning and drying. That is generally endorsed as the best way to deal with all fish pathogens and aquatic invasive species.
For photographs, you can take images from our website. Just be sure to give credit to the Whirling Disease Initiative.
Kajsa Stromberg
Whirling Disease Initiative
|
