WMG Water Harvesting Certification – Spring 2010

January 5, 2010

WMG Water Harvesting Certification – Phoenix Course Offered in Spring 2010

Watershed Management Group (WMG) is pleased to announce the first Water Harvesting Certification course to be held in Phoenix starting in March 2010. WMG’s Water Harvesting Certification is the only such program in the nation. The Certification program is a hands-on training course in water harvesting design and implementation, and certification is earned by passing an exam at the end of the program. Our goal is to effectively transfer water harvesting knowledge to those who can teach these practices and utilize them in their professions. The aim of the certification program is to provide the highest quality training in integrative water harvesting offered in the nation as well as create a standard benchmark to measure proficiency in these topics.

Applications are due Feb 5th. Certication-PHX-Spring2010_Application.doc

WMG is partnering with Phoenix-based non-profit Arizona Homegrown Solutions to plan and promote the Phoenix Certification course.

Program Description
The Certification program is geared towards educators, professionals, and community organizers seeking comprehensive instruction in water harvesting systems design and construction. This year marks our third year of the program in Tucson and the first year to be offered in Phoenix.

WMG offers two levels of certification: WMG Water Harvesting Certification (Level 1) and WMG Advanced Water Harvesting Certification (Level 2). WMG will teach Level 1 over eight weekends during March - May 2010. An offering for Level 2 will be held as a 9-day, condensed course in the summer of 2010 in Tucson. This announcement gives details for the Level 1 program in March-May only.

The Certification curriculum focuses on design for retrofitting urban areas. Participants will be trained in all aspects of assessment, design, and installation of water harvesting systems. Topics covered in Level 1 include: integrated design, passive water harvesting earthworks, cisterns, gravity-fed greywater systems, and sustainable landscaping (native plants, food gardening, and soil building). All topics covered during the Level 1 training will be taught through classroom lectures, on-site assessments, applied homework assignments, and implementation workshops. A typical weekend will include 8-14hours of lecture and hands-on training both Saturday and Sunday. Outside work is generally scheduled for the morning to avoid the warmest part of the day. The course will be limited to 12 participants to ensure an optimal learning environment is provided.

The certification program will include the following:

• Lectures on each major topic
• Hands-on site assessments at the sites where projects will be implemented
• Training workshops where participants learn by constructing water harvesting systems at residential and commercial sites
• Reading and homework assignments to solidify knowledge gained in the hands-on workshops
• Final exam to earn certification

What does Certification mean for me?

The certification course is designed and administered by WMG staff with assistance from an advisory board made up of professionals who teach and implement water harvesting practices. The lectures and trainings are taught by WMG staff and well-respected guest instructors. Certification signifies that the participant has received a thorough training and demonstrates a basic level of proficiency (assessed via written examination) in the topics outlined in the curriculum.

Participants who complete the Level 1 WMG Certification will be able to:

• Integrate water harvesting systems with other design considerations (energy conservation, aesthetic design, food production, wildlife habitat, etc.)
• Calculate runoff potential of catchment areas and test soil percolation
• Create a water budget and match water harvesting systems with appropriate landscaping
• Select, size, and build appropriate earthworks features for different applications (basins, berms, swales, French drains)
• Design greywater systems from laundry, bathroom sink, and bathroom shower water
• Construct gravity-fed greywater system from laundry machine wastewater to irrigate landscape
• Size and build steel-culvert cistern
• Size and install plastic cistern
• Create sunken garden beds and improve soil for food production
• Design all of the above systems while incorporating safety and health considerations

Cost

The cost per applicant is $875. Scholarships may be available upon request.

Training Schedule

The schedule below is for the Phoenix, Az Level 1 Certification course. The course will start on March 20th and culminate in a final examination on May 8th.

(Schedule is subject to change)

Program Requirements

If you are selected to participate in the certification program, you must commit to the following:

1. Participating in the entire training program. If you must miss a training, you will be required to make up the training at a later date to earn certification.
2. Completing reading and written assignments. Assignments will be provided prior to the training dates.
3. Paying the program fee by February 26th. Program fee is nonrefundable after this date.

Applying to Program

Application to the Water Harvesting Certification is competitive; it is likely we will not be able to accommodate all the applicants that we receive. To be considered for the winter Level 1 program, please submit an application and one page resume. The application and resume are due by February 5th, 2009. Availability is limited to 12 people. Participants will be notified by February 19th, 2009.

If you have any questions about the training program or application process, please contact Catlow Shipek by email at catlow@watershedmg.org or by phone at 520-396-3266. You may learn more about Watershed Management Group by visiting our website at www.watershedmg.org.

Level 1 Training Curriculum:

1. Integrated Systems Design
2. Designing and Installing Passive Rainwater Harvesting
   • Basins, berms, swales, and French drains
3. Harvesting greywater for landscape use
   • Laundry machine
   • Bathroom Sinks and Showers
4. Designing and Installing Cistern Systems
   • Steel
   • Plastic
5. Sustainable Landscaping
   • Native plants
   • Fruit and vegetable gardens
   • Soil development
6. Calculating water budgets
7. Water Harvesting Ordinances

Level 1 Instructors:

• Brad Lancaster, consultant and author of Rainwater Harvesting For Drylands
• Catlow Shipek, WMG Senior Program Manager
• Lincoln Perino, WMG Instructor and technician with Technicians for Sustainability
• Kelli Gutridge, …
• Jeff Prince, …