Northern Writes Software for Wastewater Operators
Summer 2005

Barbara Coffman, MSU-Northern Alumna and Research Engineer for the Montana Water Center along with staff at the Montana Water Center have just completed a 1.5 year project writing drinking water and wastewater content and activity scripts, math problems, and taking photos for the Montana Water Center's popular multimedia training tool "Operator Basics".

"Operator Basics" is a computer based training tool for small water and wastewater system operators providing about 30 hours of documented training. Small water and wastewater systems are those having populations of less than 3,300 people. The program can either be run from a CD-ROM, downloaded from the internet or run directly from the internet on a PC or Macintosh computer. Operators can read materials covering the basics of small surface water treatment, ground water treatment and wastewater lagoon treatment systems, complete activities, and earn continuing education credits upon completion of each module. Twenty practice exams, 480 metric and English math problems, water and wastewater related resources for every state and U.S. possession, as well as help screens compliment the training modules. Another valuable feature in "Operator Basics" is called "Water Explorations". Here operators can click on a surface water or ground water system and take a virtual tour of the system complete with narration.

The original "Operator Basics" was developed by the Montana Water Center, whose main office is located at MSU-Bozeman, in 2002 and only contained materials related to small ground water systems. In 2004 the Montana Water Center received a grant from the EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water and the Indian Health Service to update the ground water material and add the surface water and wastewater material. 20,000 CD-ROMs of the latest version should be out by the end June of 2005. The CD-ROMs will be distributed to EPA offices, state and tribal water and wastewater training personnel, and small water and wastewater system operators. To view "Operator Basics" on line go to water.montana.edu click on "Water Systems Operator Training" and then on "Operator Basics". (Direct link: http://water.montana.edu/training/ob2005/) To obtain a CD contact the Montana Water Center at 406-994-6690.
 

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