September 25, 2009


TWG Meeting Recap


Location: Holiday Inn, Golden, CO



Next TWG Meeting:

10:00 AM January 7, 2010, DoubleTree Hotel, World Arena, Colorado Springs, CO
(before the CWWCA Annual)



DWR Budget / Well Permit Fees

The State is facing an additional $240 million dollar projected budget shortfall in 2009. Currently, there are no proposals pending for increased well permit fees.



Well Inspection Program

The well inspection program and ground water management funds are at risk, as are the salaries of well permitting staff. Well water level monitoring efforts have been reduced by 50% in 2009 from 2008 due to reduced State budget. $7,500 is needed to measure all Denver Basin wells in the water level monitoring program, however only $5,000 was authorized in 2009. The DWR has vacant positions that they are trying to fill, which are advertised on their Human Resources page.



CEU for newly licensed contractors

A Board of Examiners Policy to allow newly licensed contractors to apply CEU hours from the year in which they were licensed to their first annual license renewal was going to be proposed at the October 2009 BOE meeting. (Approved; see BOE Policy 2009-1)



Apprenticeship and “Hands On”

Dave McElhaney distributed a summary of the “License Application Process” and “Elements of Hands-on Experience” to the TWG, which was also distributed to the BOE. The summary included a history of “hands-on” experience as a prerequisite for licensure.



Peter Berglund provided a summary of apprenticeship programs used in other states to demonstrate practical experience as a path to licensure. State policies range from requiring experience on a specific number of wells to requiring a 2-year apprenticeship program. A draft outline for a CWWCA-endorsed apprenticeship program will be discussed at the January TWG meeting. The CWWCA proposal will be a parallel path to licensure which will provide added certainty and documented training for the applicant.



Water Well Construction Rules

Jack Byers was planning to present Water Well Construction Rule review topics at the October 2009 BOE meeting on behalf of the CWWCA. These topics include annular space, casing size and grouting. The proposed approach to Rule review is through a collaborative process involving the CWWCA, DWR, BOE and other stakeholders. The intent of this presentation is to engage the BOE and begin the next phase of Water Well Construction Rule review.



Unlicensed Contractors Operating Under the Valid License of Another Contractor
The topic of contractors who may be operating under other contractors licenses for extended periods of time without the direct supervision or an ownership (partnership) business relationship was discussed. Business partnership is loosely defined under the current rules. However, there is a statutory rule to address specific examples of abuse of a license. This is through District-court and allows recourse on a case-by-case basis.



Future Topics

Correction of Well Location

CWWCA Apprenticeship Outline

Water Well Construction Rules Update

State Budget Update



Respectfully submitted by Daniel Niemela.