| WyWaste is a transformative data management system being deployed by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) that has increased information sharing across their many programs. The system lets staff complete inspections on mobile devices and offline and in real time when connected to the internet, ultimately saving time and money.
The first programs to implement this new system are Wyoming’s Solid and Hazardous Waste programs which include: municipal solid waste landfills; construction and demolition landfills; industrial landfills; transfer, treatment, and storage facilities; and Resource Conservation & Recovery Act Subtitle C facilities. For solid and hazardous waste permitting and inspections, lines of communication have opened as all participating programs now have the ability to view a facility within WyWaste.
This system is particularly attractive in that it allows DEQ staff to modify forms such as annual reports without vendor assistance. Upon changes to a solid waste rule, DEQ needed to create and update annual report forms in WyWaste. Rather than waiting on the vendor to make these updates, internal staff were able to make the adjustments in-house. The new and updated report forms could be put into production in just a few weeks — a real benefit to DEQ and the regulated community. If DEQ makes future rule changes, staff could adjust quickly to meet new requirements without contacting the vendor, allowing for an agile approach.
DEQ has also begun merging Water Quality programs into WyWaste for an expanded enterprise solution. In addition, DEQ plans to employ an EPA-developed shared service – Shared CROMERR Services – and this feature is being incorporated for the Water Quality program’s use. Once added, it will also be available to the Solid and Hazardous Waste programs.
Although WyWaste currently is for internal use only, it will be public facing once the Water Quality programs are added, allowing the regulated community and public to access permitting and inspection information on solid waste, hazardous waste, and water quality programs. By merging the water and waste programs, all programs gain functionality and can share expenses.
This system has roots in E-Enterprise; DEQ staff learned at an E-Enterprise National Meeting about an enterprise approach for facility management, permitting, and inspections that had the potential to replace their legacy system.
For more information, please contact Steve Girt of Wyoming DEQ. |
