AWWA ACE54350

Over the past 20 years, the job of improving and maintaining water quality has increasingly become a more critical core function in the corporate structure. Those water quality professionals capable of bridging the gap between the technical world and other parts of the organization such as engineering, operations, public affairs, regulatory/legislative affairs, are now leading many utilities into the new millennium. This paper discusses how staff with water quality experience can be utilized to ensure compliance with existing and new regulations, avoid public notification, provide expert testimony in litigation, help make the utility competitive during times of privatization and deregulation, provide strategic information during integrated resource planning, and assist in explaining technical issues to the public. Includes 7 references.