DENVER (Sept. 17, 2013) – Bruce Hauk, a 17-year water industry professional, has been appointed to the Partnership for Safe Water Steering Committee for a three-year term.
Hauk, currently vice president of Operations at Indiana American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, brings years of in-depth experience in the water and wastewater industry to the Partnership’s Steering Committee as the National Association of Water Companies (NAWC) representative. As a new member of the volunteer committee, Hauk will be instrumental in providing guidance to utilities across North America as they continuously strive to improve performance and optimize operations.
“It’s an honor to be named to the Partnership for Safe Water Steering Committee as the NAWC representative and join a group of industry leaders who help utilities provide the highest quality drinking water to millions of customers. I am excited to be able to use my utility and organizational management experience to assist the hundreds of utility subscribers that are part of the Partnership family,” Hauk stated.
Hauk will provide unique perspectives to Partnership participants as his background combines professional experience in both operations and municipal management. From 2002-2008, Hauk served as the Director of Public Works for the Town of Westfield, Indiana; and then served as Deputy Mayor/ Chief Administrative Officer where he helped manage town agencies.
Hauk holds a Master of Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University, and a Master of Public Administration from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He also earned dual Bachelor degrees in Chemistry and Life Sciences from Indiana State University. Additionally, Hauk holds several water, wastewater and distribution certifications. Hauk’s solid experience in organizational development and change management will be a strong benefit to Partnership utilities.
“Bruce’s experience will be extremely valuable to the Partnership’s programs,” noted Program Manager Barb Martin. “His extensive knowledge of water operations and public administration will be very helpful as Partnership programs continue to grow and provide more services to utilities both in the United States and internationally.”
Indiana American Water, a subsidiary of American Water is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.2 million people. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs approximately 6,700 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 14 million people in more than 30 states and parts of Canada. More information can be found at www.amwater.com.
The Partnership for Safe Water is a voluntary self-assessment and optimization program for water treatment plant and distribution system operation. The Partnership’s voluntary utility initiative was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), AWWA, and other water organizations representing water utilities that strive to provide their communities with drinking water quality that surpasses regulatory standards.
More than 220 utility subscribers, collectively serving more than 85 million people, are committed to the Partnership’s goals of providing safe, high-quality drinking water through achieving operational excellence in water treatment and distribution system operations. Partnership subscribers participate in a rigorous four-phase self-assessment and peer review process, developed by industry experts and are recognized for their commitment to delivering safe water to their communities.
The Partnership for Safe Water is sponsored by the American Water Works Association, Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, Association of State Drinking Water Administrators, United States Environmental Protection Agency, National Association of Water Companies and the Water Research Foundation.
Established in 1881, the American Water Works Association is the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water, the world’s most important resource. With approximately 50,000 members, AWWA provides solutions to improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen the economy and enhance quality of life.