Event Calendar
Prev MonthPrev Month Next MonthNext Month
2025 Spring Short Course
Monday, April 14, 2025, 8:00 AM to Tuesday, April 15, 2025, 5:00 PM CDT
Category: Short Course

IA-AWWA 2025 Spring Short Course

Water Treatment ● Distribution
Operator Certification Exam Prep

April 14-15, 2025 ● Ankeny, IA

  

 

Spring Short Course

Join us April 14-15 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny for two days of operator-focused continuing education and networking with the opportunity to earn up to 1.0 CEU approved for IDNR Water Treatment and Distribution certifications.

For truly customized learning, a combination of General, Water Treatment, and Distribution sessions will be offered alongside a two-day Grade 1 & 2 Distribution and Water Treatment Exam Prep course tailored to the new IDNR operator certification exams debuting this April. Each day's registration includes a light continental breakfast as well as lunch.

 

Exam Prep Course

UPDATED FOR NEW IDNR EXAMS DEBUTING APRIL 1, 2025! 

This two-day, 12-hour exam prep course is designed for individuals looking for a condensed review in preparation for taking or retaking a Grade 1 or Grade 2 IDNR Water Treatment or Distribution Operator Certification exam. Ideal candidates for this class will have been working in the industry for some time and now be preparing to take the test for the first time, or operators who are preparing to retake the test.

Iowa DNR will be implementing new WPI standardized operator certification exams on April 1. The content of this Exam Prep Course is tailored to these new exam blueprints and will guide participants on how to utilize the new Need-to-Know Criteria and Formula/Conversion Tables. Exam prep curriculum is developed and presented by DMACC with support from IDNR.

Spring 2024 Short Course exam prep participants achieved a 90% pass rate on their IDNR exams!

 

IDNR Operator CEUs Available

Each day of the Short Course offers 0.5 CEU. With complete two-day attendance, you will earn 10 Contact Hours/1.0 CEU approved for IDNR operator certification. Your credits may be applied to or split between Water Treatment and Distribution certification.

 

Registration Rates

IA-AWWA members save $30!  Enter your AWWA member number during registration to unlock your discount.

Registration Window

   Early Bird Prices
Through April 2		   Standard Prices
April 3-13		  

On-Site Registration
April 14-15
 Cash or Credit Only
Registration Rate   Member Non-Member   Member Non-Member   Member Non-Member

 Full Two-Day Registration (Including 2-Day Exam Prep)

  

$220

$250

  

$245

$275

  

$255

$285

One-Day Only Registration

  

$150

$180

  

$175

$205

  

$185

$215

 

 

Event Schedule

Monday, April 14, 2025

7:30 am – 8:30 am Registration & Continental Breakfast
8:30 am – 3:30 pm  Exam Prep Course (Day 1 of 2) The instructor will dismiss participants for breaks and the provided lunch throughout the day.
8:30 am – 8:40 am  Short Course Welcome
8:40 am – 9:30 am GEN: Iowa DNR Updates – IDNR
9:30 am – 9:45 am Break
9:45 am – 10:35 am
 GEN: Saylorville Expansion Project – Lindsey Wanderscheid, PE -- Director of Engineering Services at Des Moines Water Works; Rob Baker -- Project Manager at HDR
10:35 am – 10:50 am Break  
10:50 am – 11:40 am GEN: Operator Certification Exam Updates – Laurie Sharp -- Operator Certification & Capacity Development Coordinator at Iowa DNR
11:40 am – 12:40 pm Lunch
12:40 pm – 1:30 pm< GEN: Huxley Case Study: CCRO Pilot – Jon Harger -- General Manager at Vessco, Inc. & Others
1:30 pm – 1:45 pm
Break
1:45 pm – 2:35 pm GEN: Chlorine Disinfection – Julie Sievers -- Senior Water Solutions Specialist at ISG

 

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

7:30 am – 8:30 am Registration & Continental Breakfast
8:30 am – 3:30 pm  Exam Prep Course (Day 2 of 2) The instructor will dismiss participants for breaks and the provided lunch throughout the day.
8:30 am – 8:40 am  Short Course Welcome
8:40 am – 9:30 am
  • WD: Types of Valves and Where to Use – Jon Harger -- General Manager at Vessco, Inc.
  • WT: Manganese Challenges – Julie Sievers -- Senior Water Solutions Specialist at ISG
9:30 am – 9:45 am Break
9:45 am – 10:35 am
  • WD: Advanced Backflow – Mark Witt -- President at Backflow Prevention Services of Iowa, Inc.
  • WT: Aquifer Storage and Recovery – Taylor Hopper, PE -- Project Manager at Strand Associates, Inc.; Mike Gannon -- Hydrologist at Innovative Groundwater Solutions, LLC
10:35 am – 10:50 am Break  
10:50 am – 11:40 am
  • WD: Water Meter, Meter Reading, Transmitting – Matt Mahler, PE -- CEO at Iowa Regional Utilities Association
  • WT: Intro to Pump Hydraulics – Brian Gongol, MEd -- Partner at DJ Gongol & Associates, Inc.
11:40 am – 12:40 pm Lunch (Exam Prep lunch break will be limited to 30 minutes)
12:40 pm – 1:30 pm
  • WD: Selecting the Right Pump for the Application – Brian Gongol, MEd -- Partner at DJ Gongol & Associates, Inc.
  • WT: SIRWA: New 6 MGD Surface Water Treatment Plant – Ashley Geesman, PE -- Water/Wastewater Engineer at HDR; Bryce Trpkosh -- Water/Wastewater EIT at HDR
1:30 pm – 1:45 pm
Break
1:45 pm – 2:35 pm
  • WD: V-Bio Polyethylene Encasement Installation + Restrained Joint Basics & Design – Kevin Koelsch -- Sales Representative at McWane Ductile
  • WT: Not All Created Equal: Comparing Operations for 5 Different Facilities – Lyle Hammes – Superintendent at West Des Moines Water Works; Daria Dilparic -- Civil Engineer at West Des Moines Water Works

 

Register Now