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What’s So Great About M68?

Posted by Christine Gunsaullus on Tuesday, August 14, 2018

manual for water quality in distribution systems

As water professionals, we work in such a diverse industry. So many variables affect each system, and no two are alike. So overcoming challenges is, well, challenging – because there isn’t always a straightforward answer that can be pulled from a textbook. It takes a mix of curiosity, persistence, knowledge, experience, and input from others to be successful.

Input from others is why I always champion for other water professionals to attend industry events, such as the Pennsylvania American Water Works Association (PA-AWWA) Annual Conference that happens every spring. You never know when the missing piece for a solution to your problem could be sitting right next to you, lodged between the ear lobes of your session neighbor.

Sure enough, at the spring 2018 PA-AWWA conference, after a talk by Joshua Shoff from Aqua Pennsylvania on pipe replacement, a water operator in the audience asked Josh questions about pipe wrapping. Then a pipe wrapping vendor, literally sitting right next to the operator answered the question, gave the operator a business card, and invited him to stop by his booth. The audience almost applauded. It was a beautiful display of the helpfulness of so many people in the water industry, and a reminder that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, but a sign of intelligence, and a chance to learn from other people and their experience.

M68 - a great resource, without the travel

Not much can compare to the real-time dynamics of industry events, but the AWWA has compiled a publication with the help and wisdom from experts in our industry and from across the globe, that captures much of the magic. The M68 Manual for Water Quality in Distribution Systems is a very helpful guide for long-timers who are struggling with stricter water quality regulations or other system issues, and a must-read for newbies in the water industry.

The main chapters address 10 different water quality issues, such as Capacity and Water Age (Ch. 2), Taste, Odor, and Appearance (Ch. 5), Nitrification (Ch. 6), and Management of Low Pressure (Ch. 9), and shows how the four main components of a water system (pumps, tanks, mains, and fittings) are affected. Each chapter delves into an explanation of design considerations and regulatory requirements, and provides tips and guidelines to help through all phases of a water system’s lifespan, including design, construction, and maintenance. Finally, each chapter ends with best practices and case studies. This is where we can learn so much from our industry friends and colleagues, like Gary Burlingame (City of Philadelphia), Colleen Arnold (Aqua America), Thomas Walski (Bentley Systems), Patrick Cole (H2M Architects and Engineers), Mark LeChevallier (formerly American Water), and Carol Walczyk (Suez/United Water), and you don’t even need to leave your office!

You can catch an upcoming presentation and learn more about the M68 and how to best use it at these conferences:

SEPTEMBER 10, 2018