Public Utility Trainings

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(Enrollment for MUM begins each year in early fall.)

In the current climate of increasing regulations, decreasing revenues, and aging and decaying infrastructure, an asset management approach is vital. This workshop will provide you with tools to begin the process and understand the benefits. Asset Management helps you solve problems that are important to you and your operations. For example, you may be experiencing problems related to unknown locations of meters, valves or hydrants. You may not be sure of the best asset to replace given your limited funds. Asset Management helps you make decisions about how to operate, maintain, repair, rehabilitate, and replace utility assets and maintain a desired level of service at a sustainable cost.

This workshop is geared toward public works directors, water utility managers, operators and maintenance staff, and financial staff. Operators may receive CEU's for attending.

Kansas Asset Management Users Group is a group of water and wastewater professionals from across the state that are looking to further explore the implementation of asset management concepts through networking with other systems and content experts.

Anyone with an interest in professional development for Kansas public utility professionals is welcome to attend our fall and spring meetings, which are hosted by different Kansas utilities each meeting. There is no cost to participate. Water professionals and consultants from Kansas border states are welcome to attend too!

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The Kansas Department of Health Environment (KDHE) Capacity Development Program, in partnership with Wichita State Environmental Finance Center (EFC ), Ranson Financial and Kansas Municipal Utilities (KMU), encourages representatives from your utility to attend an upcoming rate setting and financial planning training. The session provides participants with an understanding on major considerations when setting rates; rate structure options and pricing objectives; financial planning considerations; and strategies for communicating rate information to your board and community. The training will provide classroom instruction as well as interactive participant exercises and discussion.

Training is approved for 1 CMC Experience or 1 MMC Advanced Education point for city clerks.

How should you plan for major upgrades? How do you pay for capital improvement expenses? Which projects should be prioritized? What information is needed to make capital improvement project decisions? How should you present CIP information to boards? Learn answers to these questions and more at the Capital Improvement Planning Workshop for Utilities and Communities.

The Rate Checkup program is a free on-line tool that was developed to assist small Kansas public water supply systems with the process of reviewing water rates. This tool was made available and developed through funding from KDHE and additional technical assistance is available and provided by Ranson through a technical assistance contract with KDHE.

This training will provide classroom instruction as well as interactive use of the RateCheckup tool. The session provides participants with a basic understanding of the on-line tool’s functionality and usability. Participants will be able to work through the on-line registration process, input of historical data, forecasting of revenues and expenses, capital improvement projection functions, building up reserves, and multiple scenario analysis. For better discussion opportunities, it is recommended that a participant has attended a Rates & Financial Planning Workshop prior to attending a Kansas Water Rate Checkup Tool Workshop, but is not a requirement.

Water is a business! City Council and rural water district boards have a lot to consider: water pressure, meeting all federal and state regulations and standards, and making rates affordable. In fact, their job is making the right choices about complex managerial, financial, and technical aspects of running a high quality water utility. Yes, it takes time to keep up on the laws, regulations, and rules. However, as a board/council member, you are personally responsible. Water is the foundation of your community’s jobs and future.

All water utilities, especially small systems, are struggling to recruit and retain experienced staff. What is going to happen when your system’s long-term operator or manager retires? Who knows all that they know? This workshop will focus on succession planning, operator recruitment and staff retention strategies. This class discusses the links between workforce development, system sustainability, and long-term planning and communication with decision-makers.