Water Hero
Jay Nadeau has worked in the water resources field for nearly 40 years. He will be retiring from Champlain Water District at the end of 2024. Jay reflected on his career for our Water Hero blog series.
Do you have a favorite memory?
My first day on the job in Essex, I worked on a water leak on Park Street in Five Corners. I fell in love with the job that day: middle of IBM rush hour traffic, physical labor, satisfaction when the job was done.
How have you seen the water industry change over the years?
When I started, we read meters manually using meter books. It was not unusual to knock on a customer’s door and then let ourselves in to get to the basement to read the meter. Meter reading took two guys a couple of weeks. Now we drive by the house and have the whole system read in a day or less.
Certification Exams
We have heard numerous reports of issues about computer-based exams through PSI for water/wastewater certification, including scheduling, accommodations, formula sheets, and delays with OPR. We are compiling a list of complaints in the hope of getting them resolved. If you have had issues with PSI or OPR, please reach out to Vermont Rural Water at info@vtruralwater.org or 802-660-4988.
If you are trying to take a computer-based certification exam with PSI, we created a step-by-step guide for registering and preparing for the exam. View the guide here.
Finally, DWGPD will be offering paper exams for Class 2, 3,4,and D water operators on November 1. The deadline to register is Friday, October 4. Find more information and registration here.
Free WaterISAC Membership
WaterISAC is a national organization that focuses on physical security and cybersecurity for the water/wastewater industry. They are offering free memberships to water and wastewater systems serving a population of 3,300 or fewer. Members have access to WaterISAC’s monthly Threat Briefing webinars and its extensive Resource Center and will receive a twice-weekly newsletter with information on cyber and physical threats to utilities.