Derik previously worked for our Northeastern and U.S. Caribbean partner, RCAP Solutions, where he has two and half years of field experience as an RCAP technical assistance provider and trainer with a strong focus on regionalization. Prior to that Derik spent 14 years at Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) where he was the operations manager which included the supervision of a team of 12 sanitarians and sanitary supervisors which provided him with a deep understanding of drinking water compliance issues and the challenges small systems face. He left DEP to come to the RCAP family because of a desire to help build up rural communities and small system capacity rather than to regulate them. Derik lives in rural, central PA and has a deep understanding of rural communities and a strong passion for protecting the public and environmental health through access to safe drinking water.

Track: TAP Skills: Regionalization
Title: Regionalization in Crisis
Day/Time: Thursday, 8/18 | 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Description: With the rise of natural disasters, and with an eye on climate change and its direct impact on resources, it is essential rural communities and tribal entities brace themselves when a disaster strikes. Regional collaboration is a tool small water and wastewater systems should consider in helping to achieve compliance, long-term sustainability, and resiliency. There are many examples of partnerships born out of crisis whether that is being part of a mutual aid agreement, having backup operations in case of COVID or other absences, or having an emergency interconnect between water systems. In this session, we will dig into some of these examples, and share real-world case studies, as well as resources to help implement these types of partnerships and programs in the communities TAPs, are working in.