Strategic Communications for Water Quality Issues: Best Practices and Lessons Learned for Conveying Technical Information to the Public

Agenda

8:30-9:00 a.m.    Arrival and Sign-In

9:00-10:00           Introduction and Keynote Presentation

• Welcome and Group Poll - Libby Barg, Barney and Worth
• Owning, Fixing and Talking About Your Crisis - Gary Conkling, CFM Strategic Communications
• "Oh no! There’s stuff in the water and it might be scary. How do we talk about it?" - Emily Calloway, CH2M Hill

10 minute break

10:10-Noon         Communicating Microbial Issues

• Coliform Science, Regulations, and the Mercer Island E. Coli Event of 2014 - Steve Deem, WSDOH
• Lessons Learned While Communicating During a Drinking Water Advisory - Scott Bradway, Portland Water Bureau
• Panel Discussion on Boil Water Advisories - Steve Deem, Carrie Gentry, and Scott Bradway

Noon-1:00           Lunch and AWWA Webinar Presentation

• A DC Perspective on Communicating with the Public about Drinking Water Quality - Alan Roberson, Director of Federal Relations, AWWA

1:00-1:50              Harmful Algal Blooms  

• Public Health Implications of Harmful Algae Blooms and Toxins, Bloom Trends and Outreach Efforts - Rebecca Hillwig, Oregon Health Authority
• City of Salem’s Watershed Monitoring Program:  Detection and Response to Cylindrospermopsin in Detroit Reservoir - Lacey Goeres-Priest and Chris Kowitz, City of Salem

10 minute break

2:00-3:00              Inorganics

• Water Quality Science: Risk Factors for Inorganics Accumulation and Release within Distribution Systems - Melinda Friedman, Confluence Engineering Group, LLC
• So You Think You're Prepared Jeff Coleman, City of Longview

10 minute break

3:10-4:00              Panel Discussion

• Q&A with speakers and workshop participants

4:00 p.m.              Adjourn

0.6 CEUs Pending for OR and WA

Lunch included

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