Stakeholder Meeting (Montpelier) Comments from 4/12/2000 :

How the State Will Use the Authority And Resources Of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

• Simplify rules/regulations requirements for small water systems. Administrative task for small water systems are overwhelmed with information. Keep it simple.
• Fund water system with grant money for the cost of sampling or have the state do the sampling.
  
• Fund school water system to support sampling for districts with one operate.
  
• Fund programs with grants to support new regulations.
• Strengthen link between owners/operators and the Water Supply Division.
  
• State wide advertising program to show how good the water is with creative mailouts to the public with some press releases to promote activities.
  
• Educate water systems that it ok to raise water rates. Change customers attitude.
  
• Fund technical assistance in form of grants for engineering. Minimize funds used for bureaucracy.
  
• Need to make loans funds easily accessible. Point system is not the best alternative.
  
• Fund training manuals for board members about their liability and responsibility. Coordinate efforts with existing organization like VLCT and extension services.
  
• Suggestion made if the definition for water system in regulation be changed.
  
• Promote O& M training with evening/weekend schedules to accommodate system owners/operators/board members.
• Develop a mentoring program on a geographical regional basis. Where professional can assist another system. Pennsylvania is doing mentoring work.
  
• Develop a e lectronic bulletin board so they can have place to go and ask questions and provide support for issues with water system management on the Water Supply Division website. Also educate public on Capacity management.
• Funding of computer technology to enhance communication (i.e. -email) with public on water system management

Encourage/Impair

• Encourage discussion among board members on the legal issues of being on the board. Insurance is expensive.
• Express concern with the viability of system trying to decommissioned. This may create a higher public health risk not being a public water supply system anymore.