King County, Washington is becoming more racially diverse as the growth of Asian-, Latin-, and African-American populations outpaces that of the white population, according to 2018 census data. Recognizing its changing demographics, the county is working to recruit a workforce that is fair and inclusive for all. Two years ago, the county Wastewater Treatment Division […]
Tag Archives: Operators
Operators Without Borders Makes a Lasting Difference in the Caribbean
January 29, 2019
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When Valerie Jenkinson heard about the devastation in the small Caribbean nation of Dominica after Hurricane Maria, she was not content to just make a donation. She started an organization that will make a much larger and lasting difference: Operators Without Borders. Jenkinson knows the Caribbean area well since she spends about 6 month every […]
Wastewater Treatment Fundamental Fact Sheets Prepare Operators for Certification
January 25, 2019
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Operators preparing to take certification exams have new resources at their disposal. The Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) released a new series of peer-reviewed fact sheets that will help operators prepare for the first three levels of certification exams and qualify for continuing education credits. WEF’s Wastewater Operations Fact Sheets provide summaries of each […]
WEF Studybook Helps Operators Prepare for Collection System Certification
January 23, 2019
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The Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) introduced a study resource to help wastewater collection system operators expand their knowledge and prepare to take certification exams. The second edition of the Wastewater Collection System Operator Certification Studybook provides in-depth information on the topics these professionals need to be familiar with and offers more than 500 […]
In Memoriam: James (Jim) Miller Contributes 30 Years to Operations Challenge
January 18, 2019
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James “Jim” E. Miller, a member of the Water Environment Federation and Central States Water Environment Association (CSWEA) since 1977, died May 21, 2018, at the age of 62. Miller most recently had worked as a senior water and wastewater specialist and trainer at Wenck Associates Inc. (Maple Plain, Minn.). “Jim had been in the […]
The Wilfleys: A Family of ‘Water Nerds’ Mixes Business with Pleasure
December 25, 2018
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Growing up in Beaumont, Calif., then a relatively small town in the mountains, Bryan Wilfley didn’t expect to pursue a career in the water sector. But he also remembers shadowing his father, Jay Wilfley, who spent 30 years at the small Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District working as an operator, foreman, superintendent, and self-taught engineer. Bryan […]
New Operations Challenge Teams Travel the Road to WEFTEC 2018
December 21, 2018
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At this year’s Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC®), 44 teams of elite wastewater operators met in New Orleans to participate in the 31st-annual Operations Challenge competition. For 11 of those teams, 2018 marked their national-level debut. To help new teams acclimate to the rigorous pace and complexity of Operations […]
Notable Figure of New England Water Profession Recognized as 2017 WEF Fellow
October 17, 2018
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Growing up in the northeast U.S., Paul Dombrowski had two dreams: sail alongside Jacques Cousteau, studying the ocean while advocating for environmental protection, and play for the Boston Red Sox. While Dombrowski, a 28-year member of Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) may not have made the National Baseball Hall of Fame, his decades-long career […]
February 21, 2019
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