Thursday, November 05, 2009
MWA well represented at industry fall conference
The country’s best-tasting water was on display
The Authority’s Mark Cloutier (center) led a technical session during the GAWP fall conference that explained the Overhaul Specifications for Water Booster Stations. An innovation to repair pumps rather than replace them has saved the MWA thousands of dollars in maintenance costs.
The Macon Water Authority (MWA) was one of the featured attractions at the fall conference of the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP), held recently at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia. Several Authority employees led technical sessions, while one came away with a coveted industry award.
Headlining the conference’s technical program was the session on “The Country’s Best Tasting Water,” provided by Gary McCoy, director of water for the MWA. McCoy went into great detail on how the Authority was able to win the Best of the Best Taste Test at the annual conference of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) this summer.
For starters, the MWA benefits from being able to withdraw raw water from the Ocmulgee River, prior to storing it in Javors Lucas Lake, allowing sediment to settle, which results in higher quality source water entering the Frank Amerson Water Treatment Plant for drinking water production. In addition, McCoy noted that the MWA is adamant about maintenance on its filtration system at the water plant, making sure filters are cleaned and in excellent condition for drinking water treatment. Finally, the Authority goes above and beyond the minimum requirements for regulatory oversight of water quality, including strict laboratory analysis and monitoring of drinking water at all points of production and distribution throughout its system.
In addition to sharing insights on America’s Best Tasting Water, the MWA’s Darryl Macy, who is chairman of the GAWP Collections Committee, led a workshop on “In-House Training of Wastewater Collection System Operators.
Finally, the Authority’s Mark Cloutier was a session speaker on “Overhaul Specifications for Water Booster Stations for DeLaval Pump-Single State-Double Suction.” This innovation has saved the Authority thousands of dollars by allowing pumps in the system to be repaired as good as new, rather than having to be replaced.
The GAWP fall conference was not entirely about continuing education and professional development, as employees took time to congratulate the Authority’s Mike Beard, who was inducted into the Golden Manhole Society of GAWP, for his contributions to the Association, especially through his commitment to raising money for student scholarships.
Media contact:
Chris Wood, Ph.D.
770-757-1681 (cell)
jcwood@uga.edu (email)