The City of Alcoa Water Treatment Plant (WTP) Tops Op’s team recently competed in the AWWA National Top Op’s Competition in Philadelphia, PA. Over the course of two days of competition, the City of Alcoa Top Op’s team matched their knowledge of Water Treatment, Distribution, and Plant operations against 18 other Teams from across North America. At the conclusion of the Top Op’s competition, the City of Alcoa team placed fourth overall. The City of Alcoa Top Op’s team has placed fourth in the AWWA National Top Op’s competition four times (2006, 2007, 2012, and 2017). The City of Alcoa Top Op’s team finished second in the National Competition in 2000.
This year’s Top Op’s Team consisted of WTP Senior Operator Paul Phillips and WTP Lab Manager Russell Whitehead. Team Alcoa has won the last 3 KY/TN AWWA Section Regional competitions and nine out of 18 regional events overall – the most wins by any Top Op’s team in the Region.
The competition is a college bowl format where teams of operators face off to answer rounds of questions about water treatment, distribution, and plant operations. The questions are based on standard reference materials used by water and wastewater utilities, training agencies, and certification organizations. Some 600 questions, validated by the Association of Boards of Certification, are used during the contest.
Pictured left to right: T.J. Emory, Russell Whitehead, Mayor Don Mull, Paul Phillips
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