That s the way Jack Dozier, executive director for the Georgia Section, describes a coalition effort that has resulted in a program to train volunteers to reach out to small systems. Georgia s Small System Peer Review Training Program, which involves cities, counties, organizations such as the Georgia Section and Rural Water, and governmental agencies, is an evolving program that is picking up steam, said Dozier. Volunteers are asked to commit as peer reviewers in the program before undertaking the training in which they are instructed on what to look for in an inspection. Then, they are hooked up with small systems to conduct a review somewhat similar to the AWWA QualServe program, although significantly scaled down. And Dozier said there is little record keeping.
Confidentiality is a key factor.
As long as the peers do not find anything criminal, a system is guaranteed that the reports will not go back to the regulatory agencies. The focus is on helping systems meet the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act requirements. It s strictly a volunteer effort that employers have agreed to support, and the training institute serves as a clearinghouse between the trained reviewer and the small system, he said. It is no small task. The systems targeted through the program barely know who we are, he said.