| Section Spotlight May 2024 |
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Title/Position: Public Works Superintendent Community/Company: Village of La Grange Park What's your primary job? - I manage and assist most construction projects and programs that the Public Works offers in the village. A large focus of my work revolves around water distribution and infrastructure. How long have you worked in the total water industry? - I have worked for the Village of La Grange Park for 11 years and 19 total in Public Works. I have been a Class C Water Operator since 2008. How did you get involved in the industry? - As a part-time Public Works employee, I really enjoyed the complexity of the water industry and all it has to offer. There are many different aspects in the water field that pose different challenges to accomplish. What sets you apart in the industry? - I am extremely customer/resident focused to provide them the best services & experience possible. Public service is vital to each community and needs to maintain a positive reputation to all that we serve. |
What do you enjoy the most about being involved in the industry? - I love the camaraderie of the people who work in the water industry. We all share similar goals and face many of the same problems. The ability to have others willing to help with a problem or answer a question is extremely valuable. What is the best piece of advice you've ever received or have given to another person? A veteran water operator once told me that you only need to know one thing about water. "It's Tricky". I didn't quite understand as a newbie, but over time and experience in the water industry it came to light. Not just how main breaks can surface 100 feet away from the leak, but all of the technical parts, maintenance, and regulations of a fully operational system. It is tricky. What's your idea of a perfect day? -A perfect day for me would be going fishing for the day with my wife and three kids, playing a hockey game that night, and probably an after party to end the night! Fun Fact - I am mediocre at karaoke, but my enthusiasm and dance skills are on point. |
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City - City of DeKalb Water Division
Number of Connections - 11,147 Service Connections
What Type of Facility Are You? - Water
What is Your Water Source? - Ground Water
How Many Employees Work at Your Utility? - 12 Employees
Have you had any significant capital improvements in the last 5 years that you'd like to share? - One of the most significant water capital improvements that have taken place in DeKalb over the past 5 years includes installation of nearly 4 miles of new 16-inch water main. The new installation provides domestic and fire protection to a new business park located on the south side of DeKalb near the I-88 corridor. The development is now home to several industry giants including Meta's (Facebook's) new 2.3 million square foot data campus. One of the primary reasons cited by Meta in choosing DeKalb for the location of their new data center was DeKalb's water system and the quality of the water produced. Water is a critical component to their operations and is used for cooling purposes. In addition, the Ferrera Candy Company constructed a 1.5 million square foot distribution and packaging center, and the Kraft/Heinz recently began construction of their 750,000 square foot facility. To date, the business park has resulted in $1.5 billion dollars' worth of new development to the City of DeKalb. All the companies cited the City of DeKalb's water system as one of the primary factors in their decision to locate their facilities here.
What is one of your recent accomplishments that you'd like to share? - The City of DeKalb Water Division recently won first place at the Illinois Section American Water Works Association (ISAWWA) WATERCON 2024 State Water Taste Test Competition. The contest was held on April 14, 2024, at the ISAWWA annual water conference held in Peoria Illinois. The City of DeKalb competed against other public water supply district winners throughout the state of Illinois. Water was judged based on clarity, taste, and odor. To be eligible to compete in the competition, the water supply must be in full compliance with all state and federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water standards and regulations. DeKalb now advances to compete against other state public water supply winners throughout the United States at the annual National American Water Works Association ACE24 Conference and Expo held in Anaheim California on June 12, 2024. We are honored to represent the state of Illinois and our great community of DeKalb at the upcoming national convention and water taste test competition. We are optimistic we can bring home “First Place” as winner of “Best Tasting Water” in the U.S.! |
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What's a fun fact about your system? - The City of DeKalb's Water Division only pumps water during the evening hours. This allows the city to take advantage of "off-peak" electrical rates and greatly reduces ComEd demand charges. During the evening hours, the wells and treatment plants become operational and fill the City's four elevated storage tanks, which have a total capacity of 5.75 million gallons. During the daytime hours, all pumps remain off, and water is provided to the community only by the water towers, with pressure maintained by gravity derived by the elevation of the water in the towers. By maintaining an off-peak pumping schedule, the City of DeKalb realizes a savings of $150,000 - $200,000 annually in electrical costs.
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Any other interesting information our members might want to know? - The City of DeKalb Public Water Supply has 9 wells, 5 ion exchange/iron filtration water treatment plants and 181 miles of water main. The system provides water to over 40,000 residents of DeKalb including Northern Illinois University.
For individual members: https://forms.gle/zfhSHomYeTSk7LTu9
For utility members: https://forms.gle/KqEvYBKphaNEU1WC6
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