Messages from ASDWA’s 2013 Incoming and 2012 Outgoing Presidents
It’s a new year and Sarah Pillsbury, the Drinking Water Administrator from New Hampshire, is our new ASDWA President for 2013. Ed Hallock, our 2012 President and Drinking Water Administrator from Delaware, will continue to serve on the ASDWA Board for one more year as the Past-President. A heartfelt “thank you” to both Sarah and Ed for your leadership!
Message from Sarah Pillsbury, ASDWA’s New President for 2013
Sarah Pillsbury has been the Administrator of the Drinking Water Program in NH since 2005. Prior to that, she ran the Source Water Protection and Groundwater Programs for the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Sarah has been active in ASDWA — both as an administrator and in her prior positions. Most recently, Sarah has served as the Region 1 board member from 2010 to 2011 and as Chair of ASDWA’s Source Water Protection Committee. Sarah has also been the lead staff for her agency on a variety of water sustainability planning projects.
“I am so honored to be ASDWA’s new President. Safe and reliable drinking water is key to healthy communities and economic prosperity. This organization, with its dedicated membership and exceptional staff, is instrumental to the success of state drinking water programs. As administrators, we and our partners deal daily with a myriad of issues such as decaying infrastructure, diminishing resources, and emerging contaminants. Working together under ASDWA’s umbrella, we are able to face all these storms and continue the important work of ensuring that people across America have enough, good quality tap water. ASDWA’s objectives for the coming year include:
- First and foremost, continue to engage and support ASDWA members
- Advocate for adequate state drinking water program funding
- Advocate for essential drinking water system infrastructure funding (DWSRF)
- Provide factual, easily understood information on issues
- Maintain great relationships with our co-regulators at EPA, and other key partners
- Assist states with transitioning to electronic Consumer Confidence Reports
- Prepare to implement the recently promulgated Revised Total Coliform Rule
- Assist with the Revised Lead and Copper Rule develop
- Assist with SDWIS NextGen development
- Track EPA’s effort to regulate groups of contaminants
- Embrace “one water” view through coordination with EPA, USDA, GWPC, ACWA, ECOS and other partners.
- Voice unified, clear messages on topics of importance to our members
Using technology to meet these objectives will continue to be a focus, as will continuing to look for ways to help our members work smarter and leaner. I’m confident that 2013 will be another challenging year…. and another successful one for ASDWA. I am totally looking forward to working with ASDWA staff and my fellow administrators to make it so.”
Message from Ed Hallock, ASDWA’s President for 2012
“It has been a great honor and pleasure to serve as ASDWA President this past year. I have enjoyed speaking with different organizations on your behalf and am pleased to report that ASDWA continues to be recognized as the go-to organization for information and input on issues regarding drinking water. I continue to be impressed with the work ethic of the ASDWA staff and thank them for all the support they provided me this year.
I think we have made progress in the area of source water protection, one of the objectives of 2012. ASDWA has also engaged EPA in constructive discussions on implementing the Enforcement Tracking Tool and the not so new Enforcement Response Policy. It is truly amazing what we can do when we work together as an organization.
I want to encourage state administrators and their staffs to get involved or stay involved, whichever the case may be, in ASDWA committees. Please know that your efforts do make a difference. Being involved is the best way to help to ensure safe drinking water for everyone.
I want to welcome Sarah as our new President. I know she will do an excellent job. And I want to thank Jill Jonas for her efforts as ASDWA’s 2011 President. She has helped make a great difference and I’m sure will continue to do so.”
