Mon, 09/30/2019 - 10:21

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Teams from Colorado and Texas bested the rest during the 32nd annual Operations Challenge competition. The Rocky Mountain Water Environment Federation’s Elevated Ops from Denver won Division 1 and the Water Environment Association of Texas’ South Mesquite Rangers from Mesquite placed first in Division 2. The exciting, high-energy event happened at WEFTEC 2019—the Water Environment Federation’s 92nd annual technical exhibition and conference—in Chicago. Elevated Ops team members are Matthew Duncan, Kelsey Gedge, Joshua Mallorey, Travis Sargent, Lance Wenholz, and coach Orren West. North Texas Rangers team members are Caeleb Butler, Joshua Deaver, Zachary Jackson, Jeremy Thompson, and coach Rey Davila. One of the most anticipated events during WEFTEC, Operations Challenge is a unique and fast-paced test of the essential skills needed to operate and maintain wastewater treatment facilities, their collection systems, and laboratories—all vital to the protection of public health and the environment. Over the past 32 years, Operations Challenge has steadily grown from the original 22-team event to this year’s record-breaking 46-team, two-division format that showcased competitors from as far away as Denmark. Teams are judged on the best combination of precision, speed, and safety. The winners are determined by a weighted point system for five events over two days including laboratory and process control and collections, safety, and KSB maintenance. Winners in both divisions include: Division 1 First Place: Elevated Ops Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association Metro Wastewater Reclamation District, Denver, Colo. Second Place: TRA CReWSers Water Environment Association of Texas Trinity River Authority, Dallas, Texas Third Place: L.A. Wrecking Crew California Water Environment Association Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, Carson, Calif. Division 2 First Place: South Mesquite Rangers Water Environment Association of Texas North Texas Municipal Water District, Mesquite, Texas Second Place: Double Duty Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association Metro Wastewater Reclamation District, Denver, Colo. Third Place: Lethal Concentration Water Environment Association of South Carolina Greenwood Metropolitan District, Greenwood, S.C.