Photo Blog – Massachusetts Water Environment Association

The 2020 MAWEA golf outing was held on October 7th at the Heritage Country Club in Charlton MA. Many thanks to the sponsors below for making this a successful event.

Dukes Root Control – Synagro – Arcadis – Flow Assessment – Wright Pierce – NE3INC Woodard & Curran – Brown & Caldwell – Tighe & Bond – Victaulic – Contest Labs David F Sullivan & Associates – Aaron & Associates – Putnam Pipe – Hardwick WPCF Oakson – WhiteWater – Amp Electrical – Flow Tech – SUEZ – Green Mountain Pipeline Russell Resources

Grand Prize winner with his 65″ Smart TV

Sinking a long putt at the MAWEA Golf Outing 2020

Kristen Dee and Nicolas Evans discuss the NEBRA Massachusetts Sludge Survey as their presentation for the final class of the Management Program

The graduating class of the 2019-2020 Management Training Class

Jennifer Licthensteiger discusses the agenda for the presentations at the last day of the Management Training Program

Wastewater Ski Posse at Stratton Mountain. Operators enjoy the slopes and camaraderie at the Annual Ski Classic. Thanks to Ray Bahr from Green Mountain Pipeline for organizing the event. Hope to see you there next year.

MAWEA Members enjoy the Operators Lunch @ the Annual NEWEA Conference in Boston

Paul Dombrowski from Woodard & Curran talking about Process Control at Bucklin Point

James Barsanti accepting the James J Courchaine Collection System Award

Westfield accepting the Asset Management Award

Westborough receives the EPA O & M Excellence Award – Great Job!

Program Presenters Edris Taher and Tim Loftus From Upper Blackstone and Jeff Murkowski from Fitchburg relaxing after their well received presentation at NEWEA 2020

Cheri Cousens and Richard Weare from GLSD with vendor Regina Hansen at the NEWEA Annual Conference

A Big turnout for a NEWEA Poo & Brew tour of the Westfield facility. MWPCA members present were Mike Williams from Holyoke, Quinn Lonczak and Laurie Goff from Chicopee, Sue Guswa from W & C, Mickey Nowak from the MAWEA, Chris Shea from Aqua Solutions, and others.

Jeff Gamelli from Westfield leads a NEWEA Poo & Brew tour of the Wesfield facility.

Jennifer Lichtensteiger (NEIWPCC and MWPCA BOD) helps to moderate the NEWEA Biosolids Conference.

Influent, Primary Effluent, and Final Effluent at four facilities in Western MA

Karla Sangrey UBCW, Mark Johnson UBCW, Mickey Nowak MAWEA, Edris Taher UBCW, Joe Parker UBCW, Eric Gradner Operators Exchange Quonset RI, Denise Descheneau UBCW, and Winnie UBCW meet after a tour of the Upper Blackstone facility

Joe Parker for Upper Blackstone Clean Water discusses the operation of their sludge incinerator with RI Operator Exchange candidate Eric Gardner

MAWEA Board Member Ben Smith, RI Operator Exchange candidate Eric Gardner, and James Legg from Uxbridge discuss the upgrades going on while touring the Uxbridge facility.

Upper Blackstone Clean Water Lab Tech’s on the job. Nice job with the PPE Lab Tech’s! Protecting the environment and working safe.

On July 10th Professors Amy Muller (Northeastern), Nick Tooker (UMass), and PhD Student Candidate Wenjin Zhang conducted a workshop on “The Current State of Automation and Controls at New England WRRFs”. Many thanks to Upper Blackstone Clean Water, Uxbridge, Woodard & Curran, North Brookfield, Hach, Springfiled, GHD, and Westfield for participating. Look for published results in the future,

Participants discuss the state of process automation

Professor Amy Muller (Northeastern) goes over the workshop agenda

Edris Taher gives a presentation on the UBCW process control strategy

The Massachusetts Wastewater Management Training Program is sponsored by the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the Massachusetts Water Environment Association. The current session includes twenty-two participants representing facilities from across the state.

The 2019 – 2020 Massachusetts Wastewater Management Class

Here’s the latest MAWEA member activities

On June 18th 60 golfers participated in the annual MAWEA Golf Classic at Shaker Hills golf Course in Harvard MA.

First Place – Tighe & Bond

Second Place – Flow Assessment

Last Place – Upper Blackstone (Honesty Award)

Longest Drive – Jeff Kalmes

Closest To The Pin – Dave Beauregard

Grand Prize Raffle Winner – Teena Nixon

A special thanks to all participants and hole sponsors for supporting the MWPCA mission. Thanks to Oakson, Beta Group, Dukes Root Control, Wright Pierce, SUEZ, Aaron and Associates, Waste Management, Mott MacDonald, Brown & Caldwell, Amp Electric, Arcadis, Williamson NE, ADS, Rhode Island Analytical, WhiteWater, Arcadis, Xylem, Woodard & Curran, Flow Assessment, Orenco Systems, Weston & Sampson, FR Mahoney, New England Environmental Equipment, Upper Blackstone Clean Water, and Boyson & Associates for making this event possible!

The Tighe & Bond Team plan their strategy

Woodard & Curran team recharge before the back nine

Wright Pierce team display their weapons

New England Environmental Equipment team

Jeff Kalmes, long drive winner accepts his prize from MWPCA President Eric Smith

Grand prize winner Teena Nixon with her 65 inch smart TV

On June 12th 90 MWPCA Members met at the Log Cabin in Holyoke to meet with their fellow water professionals to exchange ideas and listen to a variety of informative speakers. Topics included a plant profile of the Westfield facility and their many innovative projects, gas meter basics, solo worker protection, clarifier upgrades at Chicopee, and OSHA safety. Hope to see you at our next meeting!

Dave Billips (Westfield) and Mike Burke (SUEZ) chat before the meeting

This is how good ideas get spread around

MWPCA President Eric Smith (WhiteWater) starts the meeting with a review of recent association activities

Jeff Gamelli (Westfield) talks about all of the innovative things going on at their facility

Chris Caron (American Safety) speaking on the proper use of gas meters

Mike Williams (Holyoke – formerly from Chicopee) speaks on Chicopee’s clarifier improvements

Jacob Weinrich (Tighe&Bond) explains the engineering behind Chicopee’s clarifier improvements

Alan Stratton (Tighe & Bond) discusses OSHA regulations and how they affect wastewater facilities

A full house of MWPCA members at the June Meeting

Lunch – all that knowledge makes me hungry!

On June 2-5 MWPCA members attended the NEWEA Spring Meeting. Massachusetts sent an Op’s Challenge Team with Operators from Holyoke and Springfield. MWPCA members were at the NEWEA Public Awareness and State Associations Meetings representing our members.

MWPCA members Mickey Nowak and Eric Smith with NEWEA Executive Director Mary Barry

MWPCA at the State Associations meeting at the NEWEA Spring Meeting

The Massachusetts OP’s Challenge team – Dennis Flores, Scott Urban, Brian Pelitier, Tyler Schofield

On May 23rd the MWPCA hosted Nutrient Removal Using Computer Modeling Training Class. 26 MWPCA members along with trainers Paul Dombrowski, Amine Hanafi, and Aaron Brennan from Woodard & Curran spent the day learning the science of nitrogen and phosphorus at wastewater facilities and then applied that knowledge working in small groups under the guidance of the instructors with computerized treatment process models to troubleshoot different plant configurations and operating conditions. The state of the art software used in the class is based on the program GPS-X developed by Hydromantis. This program is commonly used for treatment process evaluation and design but has been enhanced to serve as a platform for plant O&M manuals and operator training.

Nutrient Removal Using Computer Modeling Class Led by Teachers Paul Dombrowski, Amine Hanafi, and Aaron Brennan from Woodard & Curran

Laurie Goff and Craig Biela from Chicopee discuss strategy with Paul Dombrowski

Nutrient Removal Using Computer Modeling Class

MWPCA at the MA Statehouse

On May 22 MWPCA members attended the annual Waters Worth It Day at the MA Statehouse in Boston to advocate for issues affecting the water and wastewater industry.

Mickey Nowak MAWEA Executive Director, State Representative Norman Orrall (12th Bristol District), Jaimye Bartak Springfield Water & Sewer Commission, and John Downey MAWEA President Elect, talking wastewater at Waters Worth It Day.

Jaimye Bartak Springfield Water & Sewer Commission, Tom Groves New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, Ray Willis MAWEA BOD Member Mickey Nowak MAWEA Executive Director, and John Downey MAWEA President Elect, at Waters Worth It Day.

Exam Prep Training

On April 25th and 26th, 28 MWPCA members attended Grade 4 – 5 – 6 Exam Prep Training with Trainer Greg Kidd to prepare for the MA Certification Exam

MWPCA at the MA Statehouse

Exam Prep Training

NEIWPCC Training Classes in Millbury