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Circuit Rider Program

Background

Through Oregon's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), contracts have been established with drinking water Circuit Riders to provide short-term (typically 10 hours or less) on-site technical and engineering assistance for community water systems serving populations under 10,000, as well as nonprofit transient and non-transient water systems. For these systems, services are free.

Beginning with the 2022-2027 Circuit Rider contract, Oregon will also utilize state general funds to provide technical assistance to water systems that are not eligible for traditional circuit rider assistance, excepting only federally owned water systems. As above, these services are intended to provide short term technical and engineering assistance (typically 10 hours or less) and are provided free of charge.

Types of Services and Assistance

These services are designed to address short-term operational problems and are limited to 10 hours per issue (unless otherwise approved by Drinking Water Services management staff). Types of services and assistance include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Jar testing assistance
  • Coagulant dosage optimization
  • Corrosion control implementation
  • Chemical feed math instruction
  • Turbidimeter calibration
  • CT tracer studies
  • Chemical feed pump calibration
  • Filter troubleshooting
  • Reporting and record keeping
  • Sampling requirements
  • Valve adjustments
  • Minor changes to improve treatment and operation
  • Funding application assistance
  • Financing options and strategies
  • Pump sizing
  • Cross-connection assistance
  • Sampling plan assistance
  • Storage/distribution problems
  • Supply problems and water rights
  • Research/investigation of alternatives
  • Recommendations for surface water treatment
  • DBP reduction
  • Filter media replacement
  • Filter backwash rule compliance
  • Disinfection assistance
  • Well repair/abandonment assistance
  • Stage two monitoring requirements

Additional Services Available

Groundwater Systems

When recommended or required by Oregon Health Authority (OHA), the Consultant shall assist water systems with data collection, which may include the physical collection of source samples, associated with the evaluation of Groundwater Under Direct Influence (GWUDI) rule and Bank Filtration (i.e., alternative treatment technology). The Consultant shall provide technical assistance regarding additional treatment techniques options to be installed if a GWUDI determination results in a source being subject to the Surface Water Treatment Rule.

Surface Water Systems

When recommended or required by OHA, services also include assisting water systems using surface water with their sampling protocol for the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, conducting Cryptosporidium source water sampling as required, performing initial bin classification and providing technical assistance regarding additional treatment modalities to be installed, if required by initial bin classification.

Contact

Marlin Gochnour, PE, MBA - President
Civil West Engineering Services, Inc.
486 E Street
Coos Bay, OR 97420
Phone: 541-266-8601 | Fax: 541-266-8681 | Email: mgochnour@civilwest.net 
 

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