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Special Recognition-Annual Operations Challenge and Hydrant Hysteria Contests
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INFORMATION CONTACT:
Andrew Neff, UC Water & Wastewater Division, Director, 704-296-4215
ACTION REQUESTED:
Recognize Jonathan Jordan, Supervisor 12 Mile Creek WRF, Hayden Hunter, Crew Leader, Dillon Hall, Utility Tech 1, Brett Fischer, Crew Leader and Matt Hargett, Supervisor (Coach) earning first place in the overall Operations Challenge competition; Beth Belk (Admin Support Specialist), Michelle McCarver (Admin Support Specialist), and Justin Hunley, Crew Leader, (Coach) achieving 1st place in the women’s Hydrant Hysteria event; Jimmie Gillian, Senior Utility Mechanic, Justin Hunley and Jordan Helms, Utility Tech I (Coach) achieving 2nd place in the men’s Hydrant Hysteria event.
Also recognize Jonathan Smith, Supervisor, for his work in managing the Hydrant Hysteria competition for the NC American Water Works-Water Environment Association (NC AWWA-WEA) and Mike Farrar, UC Water Health & Safety Manager, and Paul Woods, Supervisor, for assisting with the events.
BACKGROUND:
Each year, a NC American Water Works Association (AWWA)-Water Environment Association (WEA) Conference is held where utility industry professionals gather to learn new techniques, observe the function of new equipment and learn from others in the industry from their experiences. This year's conference was held in Winston-Salem Nov 14-17, 2021. As part of this conference, there was a competition between utilities for the operations challenge (wastewater practices) and Hydrant Hysteria where teams compete to build a fire hydrant as quickly as possible.
In the Operations Challenge events, four-person teams, along with their coach compete in events challenging their skills in wastewater related activities. These events are timed and include a wastewater collection system event (repairing a section of 8-inch PVC sewer pipe making a connection to a 4-inch PVC sewer pipe along with programming an automated sampler to collect a sample of the wastewater), a laboratory event to determine results for pH, alkalinity and ammonia and performing calculations for process control including maintenance of sufficient alkalinity (water stability for corrosion control), solving complex process control problems for wastewater treatment including a written test and resolution of process issues in wastewater treatment, repairing a pump and programming it’s control for continued operation in the maintenance event, and a safety event extracting worker who succumbed to fumes in a confined space then repairing a check valve in the confined space. Jonathan Jordan, Supervisor 12 Mile Creek WRF, Hayden Hunter, Crew Leader, Dillon Hall, Utility Tech I, Brett Fischer, Crew Leader and Matt Hargett, Supervisor (Coach) earned first place in the overall competition.
Hydrant Hysteria is a fast-paced competition that measures a team’s ability to completely assemble a commonly used fire hydrant as quickly and accurately as possible. Teams compete against the clock for the lowest assembly time. The women’s team included Beth Belk (Admin Support Specialist), Michelle McCarver (Admin Support Specialist), and Justin Hunley, Crew Leader, (Coach) achieving 1st place. The men’s team included Jimmie Gillian, Senior Utility Mechanic, Justin Hunley and Jordan Helms, Utility Tech I (Coach) achieving 2nd place.
These events demonstrated the superb skills and capabilities of our employees as they perform their duties every day in excellent service to our customers.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None