More than 200 of the best and brightest wastewater treatment professionals in the world got their chance to shine in New Orleans, LA last week when they competed in Operations Challenge 2004, a unique, fast-paced skills competition for wastewater operations and maintenance professionals. The winners included:
Division I
1st Place — Virginia Water Environment Association Fluid Dynamics
2nd Place — Virginia Environment Association HRDS Bio-Force
3rd Place — Water environment Association of Texas TRA CreWSers
Division II
1st Place — New England Water Environment Association Seacoast Sewer Snakes
2nd Place — Virginia Water Environment Association Virginia Beach Collectors
3rd Place — Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association River Rangers
Now in its 17th year, Operations Challenge is a "wastewater Olympics" that honors the skill and professionalism of wastewater treatment plant operators. Thirty-four teams from across North America competed in this year's event at the Ernest N. Morial Convention center. The teams trained for months leading up to this national event, many having worked their way up from in-plant and regional competitions.
The teams, all sporting a variety of colored team jerseys and hardhats, were judged on speed and accuracy in five events — maintenance, laboratory analysis, collection systems, process control and safety — that represented different aspects of a wastewater professional's job. On a daily basis at their treatment facilities, these same individuals protect public health and the environment by cleaning the wastewater generated in homes, businesses and factories.
New Orleans, host of Operations Challenge 2004, was also the site of WEFTEC.04, the Water Environment Federation's 77th annual conference and exhibition. WEFTEC.04 brought together over 16,000 of the world's leading water quality experts and over 800 exhibiting companies for five days of technical education, information exchange and networking opportunities.
Source: Water Environment Federation
