I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the Intermountain Section AWWA (IMS-AWWA) volunteers. Thank you for your time and commitment.

A little bit about myself - I graduated from the University of Utah with a Chemistry Degree and a math minor. When I chose my college major, my goal was to pursue a career in medical research. As a young adult, I wanted to make a difference for humanity but I never dreamed of working in the water industry. Once I graduated, as most college graduates, I had a part-time job with no benefits and a meager wage. When the opportunity to work full time at a job that offered competitive wages and benefits, I jumped at the chance.

 

Prior to my interview, with the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake & Sandy, I remember thinking:

- How exciting will my career be if I am offered this job?

- How will I make a difference for the public?

 

Like most individuals, I took water for granted. As far as I was concerned, I turned on the faucet and water came out. I was unaware of the complexity of water; from the treatment process to the various issues related to water.

As we all know, water is necessary for all facets of life on earth. Water is used for: human consumption (in order to avoid dehydration), cooking, cleaning, irrigation (food production), fighting fires, sanitation, recreation, regulating the earth’s temperatures, manufacturing processes, medical care facilities, and numerous other applications. As Leonardo Da Vinci stated: "Water is the driver of nature”.

Therefore, our responsibility as individuals is to protect water quality and quantity. In other words, every one of us has a role in ensuring a safe, reliable, supply of water for future generations. Well written is the quote by Luna Leopold, "Water is the most critical resource issue of our lifetime and our children’s lifetime. The health of our waters is the principal measure of how we live on the land.”

An agency that has been the leader on water issues is the American Water Works Association (AWWA). Founded on March 29, 1881, in Engineers’ Hall on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, by 22 men representing water utilities in Illinois, Indiana, Kansa, Kentucky, and Tennessee. AWWA has played a critical role in promoting public health, safety, and welfare. AWWA has assisted utilities in protecting water quality and quantity by providing technical resources, public education, networking opportunities, advocacy support in Washington D.C. (where many critical decisions are made affecting utilities), etc., for over 125 years.

As the 2013 IMS-AWWA Section Chair, my first assignment is to work with Board, Council Chairs, Committee Chairs, and committee members in developing a Strategic Plan following AWWA’s National Plan (Vision "A better world through better water” and Mission "Providing solutions to effectively manage water, the world’s most important resource”). I look forward to working together with all the dedicated volunteers, not only on the Strategic Plan, but also on a variety of water issues. I am very thankful for my rewarding career in the water industry. Above all, I am extremely proud and honored to work with a team of outstanding volunteers.