2018 Winter and Spring Educational Opportunities

Save February 7th-9th, 2018 for the 73rd Annual Montana Water Well Drillers Association (MWWDA) Convention and Trade Show! The MWWDA is an organization that “promotes, protects, and supports the interests of the water well industry to provide Montanans access to a safe and reliable water supply.”1 Attend the educational seminars during the annual convention and trade show to learn how to make your drilling procedures and business safer and better.

Clint Kalfell, Montana 811 Representative, will be hosting a damage prevention presentation at 8am on February 8th to review new one call law changes and the safe digging process. Come and learn about the underground infrastructure and the dangers of contacting a buried utility. Tell us what you think about how we can improve our internal processes to better serve our users. Feel free to ask us any questions you may have, and learn about what steps you can take towards underground damage prevention.

MWWDA Convention Details

When: February 7th-9th, 2018
Where: Best Western Plus Heritage Inn
1700 Fox Farm Rd
Great Falls, Montana 59404
Cost: MWWDA Member Full Conference Fee is $180
Nonmember Full Conference Fee is $385

You can register by filling out the registration form and sending it via FAX or mail. You can access the form here: http://bit.ly/2D5ovbz

MWWDA Convention Schedule

The agenda can be found here: http://bit.ly/2D5ovbz

Save February 12th-15th and 21st-23rd, 2018 for the Montana Association of Counties (MACo) Midwinter Conference and the Montana Rural Water System Annual Conference. Montana 811 will be hosting an exhibitor booth at both events, so you will have additional opportunities to learn about the dangers of contacting a buried utility and to ask questions. New Montana Excavation Safety Handbooks will also be available for all attendees who stop by the booth!

MACo Midwinter Conference Details

When: February 12th-15th, 2018
Where: Red Lion Convention Center
1223 Mullowney Lane
Billings, Montana 59101
Cost: Conference Fee is $150

You can register by filling out the registration form online. You can access the form here: http://bit.ly/2rPuGeC

MACo Midwinter Conference Schedule

The agenda can be found here: http://bit.ly/2BCboZJ

Montana Rural Water System Annual Conference Details

When: February 21st-23rd, 2018
Where: Best Western Plus Heritage Inn
1700 Fox Farm Rd
Great Falls, Montana 59404
Cost: Operator Certification Track Fee: $125
Pre-Registration Fee for Members: $175
Pre-Registration Fee for Non-Members: $250
On-Site Registration: $350

*Register by February 9th to avoid paying late registration fees.

You can register by filling out the registration form and sending it via mail. You can access the form here: http://bit.ly/2FrribF

Montana Rural Water System Annual Conference Schedule

The agenda can be found here: http://bit.ly/2rN9iGN

From January-April 2018, Montana 811 is hosting excavator and utility trainings throughout Montana. ​These events are designed for professional excavators, contractors, and member utilities to learn about the one call system, safe excavation, and understanding your rights and responsibilities under the updated Montana One Call Law. Studies of previous excavation accidents and how they may have been prevented will also be covered. Feel free to ask any questions and make comments during these trainings.

Attend the sessions that are right for you. The three types of sessions are:

Session A – Excavator Training (Meal Included) This training will cover:

  • One-Call Law Update
  • Safe Excavation
  • Ticket Submission Requirements
  • Bad Ticket Reporting

Session B – Internet Ticket Training

Session C – Utility Company Training (No Meal) This training will cover:

  • Basic One-Call Member Update
  • MCA 69-4-5 Incident Reports

*Registration is required for the excavator trainings. Registration is not required for the internet ticket and utility company trainings. The times for the internet ticket and utility company trainings vary depending on if the excavator training is in the morning or evening.

Morning Meetings Schedule:
7:30 am – Breakfast Starts
8:00 am – Session A – Excavator Training
9:30 am – Session B – ITIC Training
10:00 am – Session C – Utility Company

Evening Meetings Schedule:
4:30 pm – Session C – Utility Company
5:30 pm – Dinner Starts
6:00 pm – Session A – Excavator Training
7:30 pm – Session B – ITIC Training

Go here to see dates/times and register for an excavator training near you: http://bit.ly/2Ekg2OW

Check out the Montana 811 event calendar for information on other events here: http://bit.ly/2ElRfKB

Don’t miss out on these valuable educational opportunities. Getting buried public utility lines marked is the first step toward excavation safety. Attend these events to learn more!

Source1: MWWDA. Click here for more information