Pacific Northwest Pollution Control Association

“Pncwa has no employees and has delegated control over certain administrative duties to a third party management agent pursuant to an administrative services agreement. This third party management agent acts as the top management official of the organization and has ultimate responsibility for implementing the decisions of the organization's governing body, administration, and operations of pncwa.”

“Pncwa is organized as a nonprofit association with members.”

“Four regional directors are elected on the regional level by the sections and sit on the pncwa board of directors. The members elect the other members of the board of directors.”

“Regions have been formed in the following areas: idaho region; oregon region; western washington region; and eastern washington region. Each region has a regional director and an executive committee. Each region's constitution and bylaws are reviewed and adopted by pncwa's board of directors. Sections may be operated under the region's constitution. Sections include regional affiliations of individuals representing wastewater treatment or collection systems, industrial waste facilities, or organizations whose objectives are in harmony with pncwa. Sections have their own bylaws which must be approved by the region executive committee and pncwa's board of directors and must be in accordance with article 3 of the constitution of pncwa. Any section may be excluded from pncwa by a majority vote of pncwa's board of directors for any change in its bylaws or objectives that may bring it into conflict with the constitution or general objectives of pncwa. The regions and sections are separate legal entities under state law, independent of pncwa.”

“Approximately a week prior to filing the form 990, a draft in pdf format is sent to the board of directors. Comments and corrections are strongly encouraged.”

“In addition to requiring board members, staff, and regular contractors to proactively notify the full board of any conflicts, all board members, staff, and regular contractors must sign an annual form which a) affirms that they have received a copy of the policy; b) read and understood it; c) agreed to comply with the policy; d) understood that pncwa is a charitable organization and must engage in activities which accomplish one or more of its tax-exempt purposes; and e) list all relationships with pncwa vendors, service recipients, funders, employees and contractors. All potential conflicts are reviewed by the board of directors without the presence of the interested party.”

“The executive committee reviews and approves the top management official's annual contract with no participation by the top management official or other interested persons. The top management official's compensation is established using comparable data for similarly qualified persons in functionally comparable positions at similar nonprofits; consideration of roles and responsibilities of the top management official; and cost of living data. Comparable market data is obtained from salary surveys and form 990s filed by comparable not-for- profit organizations. Discussions and decisions regarding the compensation are documented in executive committee meeting minutes. The top management official's annual contract was reviewed and approved by the executive committee for 2020. The top management official also receives reimbursements for routine, reasonable, and documented expenses incurred during the year under an accountable plan. The top management official travels throughout our service area. Pncwa has a travel policy that caps reimbursement levels and requires low-budget travel.”

“Pncwa does not have any employees. Pncwa does not compensate other officers.”

“We consider requests on a case-by-case basis.”

“Pacific northwest clean water association”

“Pacific northwest clean water association (pncwa) is dedicated to protecting and enhancing water resources in the states of idaho, oregon, and washington. To achieve this, we promote the professional development of our members, the dissemination of information to the public and policy makers, and the advancement of science and technology needed to protect human health and the environment.”

“The 12-member board meets monthly and serves as the guiding body of the organization with executive committee members working closely with management to guarantee program support and fiscal compliance. Other volunteers engage in the creation of technical training including a diverse industry-specific educational program offered at the annual conference and other workshops done both in-person and by webinar. Non-technical committees support program services such as public education and scholarship fundraising, and a range of volunteers contribute to the quarterly newsletter. Pncwa is made up of 1,450 members with 24 committees as well as an all- volunteer board of directors. All 24 committees are made up of volunteer pncwa members. The roles of the volunteers on each committee vary based on the nature of the committee; all serve to promote the mission of pncwa. In all there are approximately 200 volunteers. The committees include: --awards --collections systems --communication and outreach --constitution and bylaws --construction --emerging technologies --futures --government affairs --leadership development --manufacturers and reps --member services --odor and air quality --operations challenge --plant operations and maintenance --racial and social justice (subcommittee to member services) --residuals and biosolids --resource recovery --scholarship --select society of sanitary sludge shovelers (5s) --stormwater --students and young professionals --sustainability --utility management --water for people”

“Conferences and workshops: annual conference and workshops provide water/wastewater and other public health, municipal, and regulatory professionals with water pollution control education including the latest issues, technology, and research pertaining to management of wastewater facilities, energy conservation, and environmental protection. Wastewater professionals are tasked with huge responsibilities for maintaining service, safety, and cost efficiency while protecting the public from potential health hazards from inadequately treated wastewater. Pncwa training provides the skills and knowledge to reduce both risks and expenditures. In 2020, we started the year off planning for an in-person annual conference. With so much uncertainty around covid-19 in the late first and second quarters, planning how to move forward with a conference, how to provide educational opportunities to our membership had needed a new lens. We cancelled the in-person conference in june. We decided the best approach was to not hold a conference virtually but to offer several, one-day summits, on various topics. This was called the pncwa summit series, held in a platform called pheedloop, where we could track attendance and provide the ability for attendees to replay or watch them on a later date. The series began in september of 2020 and ended in february of 2021. For the summits that took place in 2020, there were 379 registrants. Registration for the summit was 85 for members, 105 for non-members, 425 for registering for all 6 summits. Topics included for the summits held in 2020 included: --communication --nutrients --workforce and leadership development”

“Public education: --annual workshop for communication professionals to learn how to best communicate with the public on issues that are highly scientific, sometimes highly misunderstood, and often regarding a subject not often talked about (issues surrounding wastewater). This was held as part of the summit series in 2020, as opposed to in person in 2019. --provide judging volunteers for the international science and engineering fairs (isef) in oregon and washington used for stockholm junior water prize (sjwp) selections. Present 100 award to each state winner in our three- state region that participates in the certified isef program. Select and support state winners to attend the national stockholm junior water prize (sjwp) competition. --adopt-a-school grants: fund 4th-12th grade science-based wastewater/ stormwater curriculums/projects in exchange for providing a classroom presentation from a water professional and/or treatment facility tour. Eleven schools received funding in 2020 with grants totaling 5,662. Provided winners with water source book activities and wastewater utility partner. Encourage awareness of the resources available on the wef (water environment federation) website. These water resource materials are targeted to the general public (water service consumers), educators and k- 12 students, college students, and water quality professionals.”

“Membership services: --in addition to the training opportunities provided to its 1,450 members that help build professional excellence for established professionals, pncwa focuses on the issue of workforce sustainability (having a trained workforce to take the lead as retirements increase in the field). Leadership training and different areas of support for students and young professionals are part of this effort as well as a scholarship fund to encourage education in the water quality field. --in 2020, a total of 9,000 was awarded in scholarships with 6 recipients receiving 1,500 each to help cover costs in their educational pursuits regarding water quality. The scholarship committee raised a total of 12,335 in year-round contributions in 2020 through fundraising activities. Also, a robust awards program is in place to honor excellence in the field. --two pncwa young professionals (yps) were supported in attending the wef/awwa (water environment association/american water works association) young professionals summit. A third pncwa yp was supported by her employer to attend as well. Pncwa also provided partial support to four pncwa yps to attend weftec, the water environment federation's annual technical exhibition and conference, that annually draws about 25,000 water professionals from around the globe. --operations challenge is a highly competitive event where wwtp operators' skills in maintenance, pump, safety, and lab events are tested. Two teams competed previously at the pncwa operations challenge at the pncwa annual conference; however, due to covid-19, this was not something that could safely take place in 2020. Historically, the pacific northwest team comprised of two members is given travel support to compete in the national operations challenge competition at weftec. However, due to covid-19, this, too, did not take place. --a mentoring program pairs mentors and protgs who commit to working together over the course of at least a year. --the pncwa students and young professionals committee continued the pncwa student design competition and budgeted support for the winning team to attend and present at the wef student design competition national event at weftec. The wef student design competition promotes "real world" design experience for students interested in pursuing an education and/or career in water/wastewater engineering and sciences. It tasks individuals or teams of students within a university setting to prepare a design to help solve a local water quality issue. Teams evaluate alternative ideas, perform calculations, and recommend the best solution based on experience, economics, and feasibility in the form of an engineering report and final presentation to industry. The pncwa team that competed in weftec is also ordinarily supported in attending and presenting at the pncwa 2020 annual conference. This did not occur in 2020 due to the impacts of covid-19.”