News Releases - 2003

State's Water Plant Operators Recognize Nine Peer as "Best" In Their Classes

Springfield, Ill. -- Drinking water plant operators in Streator (LaSalle and Livingston counties), Bethalto (Madison County) and Pocahontas (Bond County) have been recognized by their fellow operators and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency as the outstanding professionals in their individual categories of service.

More than 1,000 members and guests of the Illinois Potable Water Operators Association (IPWSOA) honored Larry Goldsmith, Streator; Kenneth Ragan, Bethalto, and Sandy Kuhn, Pocahontas, for their work in providing plentiful, safe drinking water on a daily basis to users. Operators are rated on the day-to-day operation of facilities that use surface water or groundwater as their water source, or purchase water from another source and distribute it to consumers. Usually, two runners-up are designated in each category.

The recognitions came during the group's 72nd annual conference that ran from Wednesday through Friday, highlighted by a street fair and recognition dinner in downtown Springfield's historic business district. Winners of the 2003 awards were announced and received their trophies during that event.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the IPWSOA co-sponsor by conference. The Agency oversees operations of approximately 1,800 public water supplies serving Illinois and their compliance with federal and state drinking water regulations.

"Operator of the Year" is the highest professional honor operators can receive in recognition of service and performance in the waterworks industry.

Nominees are interviewed by a selection committee during a fly-around of the state. Nominees are rated according to a numeric system by committee members, and results are then tallied, and winners selected, by computer.

Goldsmith was recognized in the surface water category, Ragan for supplies using groundwater; and Kuhn took the award for distribution-only systems operation. Runners-up were Burel Goodin, Carlyle, and Ronald Harcharik, Streator, in the surface water division; Leo Nolte, East Alton, and Tim Morgan, Niantic, in the groundwater classification, and Steve Fletcher, Nashville, Ill., and Wayne Rassman, New Lenox, in the distribution-only category.

Speakers and displays at the 2003 conference focused on the additional demands placed on local drinking water supply resources by unprecedented security planning, implementation and reporting requirements.