2026 Q2 CIPCA Monitor
- cipca8
- Jun 30
- 9 min read
VIEW FROM THE CHAIR |
Can you believe half the year is almost over?! But I am writing this while reflecting on the past six months and on my recent visit from Washington DC over the memorial weekend. While the city was buzzing with millions of 8th graders, the true heat of the weekend was found in the spaces dedicated to memory and the leadership that every single person exuded in the capacity given. Standing before the stark, reflective black granite of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial or walking up the steps to the Lincoln Memorial brings a powerful hush, even amidst a crowd. From the power of presidents to the foot soldiers that gave their lives to our country, leadership is rarely a straight line, and these last couple of months have been a testament to that. On the winning side, I am thrilled to announce that CIPCA will be hosting the annual conference in Colorado Springs at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on September 17, 2026. We had to change the date slightly because of how busy the zoo is in the fall. We are excited to announce this unique and beautiful location. This will be a great way to bring your enforcement questions and issues to the table with industrial pretreatment professionals from all over the state. On a tougher note, we are feeling the weight of a significant loss: Willow passed away in March and the board has been feeling the loss. While we are saddened by the loss, we choose to celebrate the legacy Willow leaves behind. Lastly, I want to thank all the newsletter readers and people that participated in the poll because we have a winner! Sophie Dawrant is happily rewarded with a gift card to a coffee shop to help her focus on the tough industrial treatment work that she does everyday! |
- Ashley Hanel, Colorado Springs Utilities – CIPCA Executive Chair |
Member Only Enforcement Roundtable on July 1, 2026 |
We are excited to announce an upcoming exclusive member only Enforcement Roundtable, a dedicated session designed to bring our CIPCA members together for a deep dive into the evolving landscape of compliance and regulatory oversight. The event will start with a focus topic about enforcement and how to interview, then move to an open forum style to discuss any enforcement topics, and conclude with lunch and networking. This interactive forum is more than just a lecture; it is an opportunity for members to share “boots-on-the-ground” experiences, discuss emerging trends, and gain direct insight from industry leaders. In an era of shifting policies, staying ahead of the curve is not just an advantage - it is a necessity. Event Overview
About the Topic The presentation will discuss Science-Based Interviewing from the Colorado Environmental Crimes Focus Group with the U.S. EPA Criminal Investigation Division. Special Agent Jeremy Sausto will discuss pre-interview planning and analysis, define rapport, apply ORBIT modeling, describe science-based principles to credibility assessment, and employ strategic use of evidence techniques. This training is typically a week-long course if done properly and takes months to years to perfect but will be discussed as a high-level overview at this roundtable. Meet Our Keynote Speaker SA Jeremy Sausto U.S. EPA, Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent Jeremy Sausto with EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in Denver has over 20 years in federal law enforcement and has done many interviews and interrogations throughout his career with witnesses and subjects. He has seen interviewing and interrogations change and morph over the years into different methods and theories and grown into the current model called Science-Based Interviewing, which is what will be discussed at a VERY high-level overview. Why You Should Attend
Registration is now open to members only. Please visit CIPCA Event Page to secure your spot, as seating is limited to ensure a collaborative environment. We look forward to seeing you there and fostering a stronger, more informative CIPCA community! |
CIPCA executive board updates - Newsletter Editor Position Open |
Join the team: Newsletter Editor Wanted With the conference prep and our growing training schedule, we are looking for a creative soul to join the team as our Newsletter Editor. If you love story telling and want to keep our community informed - we need you! The Newsletter Editor position is a two year position that writes four newsletters per year. The editor also assists the Technology and Communication Officer with website updates, and attends and photographs CIPCA events. I am also saddened that Kirsten Alires will be leaving the Industrial Pretreatment world to move on to bigger and better things, so the Technology and Communication Chair but the Chair has already found a person to fill Kirsten’s very BIG shoes!! A summary of our current Board Member makeup is summarized as follows: |
Ashley Hanel, Colorado Springs Utilities Natalie Acosta, Respec Sophie Dawrant, Colorado Springs Utilities NEW Nicolas Flesche, Respec NEW Dominic Rodarte, City of Broomfield NEW Heather Hurtado, South Platte Renew NEW OPEN |
We encourage you to reach out to the board if you are interested in learning more about how you can be involved in the future. Board members’ terms are limited, and so we are always looking to cultivate and develop any passionate CIPCA members who are interested in joining our team. |
In Loving Memory of BOARD MEMBER Willow Burke |
Willow Burke (they/them) Former CIPCA Newsletter Editor Industrial Pretreatment Specialist Greeley, Colorado Need a listening ear? The 988 Colorado Mental Health Line offers free, confidential 24/7 emotional support. Call or Text 988 or Live chat at 988Colorado.com Willow grew up with family in rural Greely, Colorado and attended school in Windsor Colorado and Fort Collins, Colorado. Willow attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado and graduated with honors with a bachelor’s in Economics and a Minor in Global Environmental Sustainability which included sometime overseas, visiting a number of countries and locations in Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America. As CIPCA Newsletter Editor and Industrial Pretreatment Specialist, Willow was committed to bringing color, inspiration, and change to the environmental world. Willow was known for an intense passion for any new interest and hobby which included diving head first into bringing our newsletter back to life. They always said “my paragraphs and emails can get a little wordy so I apologize in advance because my coworkers always have to cut my emails and documents down to half their original size” and we said you sound perfect for us and you are a beautiful writer!! In just under one year as an Industrial Pretreatment Specialist, Willow touched our hearts and will be forever missed. |
UPCOMING TRAININGS & EVENTS |
FOG 101 TRAINING SERIES BY LS PRETREATMENT CONSULTING: |
FOG 101 Training series by LS PRetreatment Consulting:For 2026, CIPCA is excited to announce that we are partnering with our colleagues in LS Pretreatment Consulting to provide our members with access to a thorough 5-part FOG 101 Training Series program. In these sessions, LS Pretreatment Consulting will leverage their decades of experience to share real-world pragmatic insights and tools into development, implementation, and sustainment of an effective FOG Control Program. The next training is 06/04 and will consist of Grease Control Device (GCD) inspections. It includes going over installation of devices, inspections, requirements, and specific case examples. This training series shall consist of 4 virtual 1.5-hour modules and 1 in-person 3-4-hour session including field training. A more detailed overview of these trainings is located in the previously issued “2026 CIPCA Membership Training and Development Agenda.” Training modules can be purchased as “al cart” style on our website moving forward to fit your needs. Individuals can still sign up for trainings. Please click here to be directed to the 101 FOG Member event page
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UPCOMING EXTERNAL TRAINING LINKS |
Colorado Wastewater Utility Council (CWWUC): |
Professionals working for wastewater utilities are focused on ensuring that communities are able to flush toilets, do dishes and laundry, and take showers without needing to be concerned that wastewater coming from homes and businesses will have detrimental impacts to human health or the environment. Members of the Colorado Wastewater Utility Council (CWWUC) come together every month to share information, work collaboratively with state and federal regulators, and plan efforts to ensure affordable services and sustained water quality. Here is a link to their website. |
2026 Pacific Northwest Pretreatment Workshop: |
Riverhouse Lodge, 3075 N Hwy 97, Bend Oct 28 – Oct 30 2026 Technical training focused on innovating for compliance, protecting our waters, and building resilient programs. Registration is now open – More information and registration here |
REGULATORY NEWS |
HB26-1033 Colorado Tamale Act: |
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Regulation 100 (Water and Wastewater Facility Operators Certification Requirements) Updates: |
Study Material: DO NOT use the new 2025 Need-to-Know Criteria on the WPI website yet. Use the previous version until otherwise noted. |
Domestic Discharges to Surface Water Permit Help: |
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Statewide Well Testing Outreach Program: |
After previous testing of private wells found three counties with Arsenic in the water, Colorado began a state-wide testing initiative. |
HOW TO STAY UPDATED: |
Want to receive more timely updates than just these quarterly newsletters? Can't keep up with all the policy changes that are happening? Are you interested in keeping current with environmental policies in the clean water sector and environmental issues? The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) is a great resource for environmental professionals and utility companies. |
EDITOR'S EDITORIAL |
If you have not already heard, Antero Reservoir has been drained into Cheesman Reservoir for the remainder of the season due to drought conditions. This has only occurred twice before, once for a dam rehabilitation in 2015, and the only other time for drought conditions was in 2002. When the reservoir was drained in 2002, it did not reopen until 2007, 5 years later. Hopefully you were able to get your fishing in before its closure!There’s growing speculation that Colorado could see a much wetter pattern return if a strong El Niño develops later in 2026. El Niño and La Niña are opposite climate patterns driven by changing ocean temperatures in the Pacific near the equator. When Pacific waters stay unusually warm for months, it’s called El Niño — a pattern that can shift jet streams and increase storm activity across parts of the United States. During strong El Niño years, the southern U.S. often turns cooler and wetter, while weather patterns across Colorado can become more favorable for increased winter moisture and snow. If you are into skiing or snowboarding, Epic Pass has just released a new addition to their discounted pass line-ups. Young Adult, for ages 18-30, gives an additional $160 off adult local pass prices and $220 for the full epic pass, making a Young Adult full pass price the same cost as a Teen full pass price. I think we are all hoping for a better winter this year, so taking a chance on that just got a little cheaper! |
- Nicholas Flesche, Respec – CIPCA Education, Training, and Issues Chair |
MEMBER POLL |
We value your voices, and want to ensure that we are providing valuable resources to you. To help create and steer a platform for your voices to be heard, we will be implementing various short “Member Polls” in these newsletters to gather your opinions on CIPCA happenings. We sincerely appreciate you taking the time to complete this poll and will utilize the opinions shared to shape future CIPCA offerings. In addition to creating a forum for your feedback to be heard, we also want to utilize these polls to boost and monitor engagement from our members. In accordance, we will be tracking accuracy to the “quiz” questions, and consistency of completion to distribute various prizes and swag to our frequent flyers. (i.e. gift cards, CIPCA swag and merch, etc.) This first quarter’s poll will focus on feedback on new CIPCA Branding, Newsletter Formatting and Contents, and feature a “CIPCA Communications Scavenger Hunt.” The first 15 members who answer the quiz/scavenger hunt portion of this quiz accurately will be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card for a ice cream shop! Click on this link to view Q2 Member Poll for your chance at a gift card! |
WRAP-UP |
Thank you all for your continued dedication to the protection of one of our most vital resources. We are here to provide any assistance or guidance you may need, and welcome any feedback, requests, questions, or other comments. Contact CIPCA at cipca.org@gmail.com All panic and no disco. |
- Ashley Hanel, Colorado Springs Utilities – CIPCA Chair - Nicholas Flesche, Respec – CIPCA Education, Training, and Issues Chair |