by Liz Royer
This article was published in the winter 2024–25 issue of our newsletter.
Jay Nadeau and Chris Robinson, two of Vermont’s water industry titans, will both be retiring in the near future. They each deserve much appreciation for all they have done to promote and advocate for water and wastewater with other organizations, state and federal agencies, Vermont legislature, and Congress. In addition, they have both trained and passed on their wealth of knowledge to several generations of operators and managers throughout the state.
Recently, Vermont Rural Water recognized Jay and Chris on our Water Heroes blog series. Read the full interviews at vtruralwater.org/water-heroes.
Jay Nadeau
Jay Nadeau has worked in the water resources field for nearly 40 years, including roles with Essex Junction, Winooski, and Smugglers’ Notch. Since 2019, he’s served as the Distribution Director of the Champlain Water District.
He fondly remembers his first day on the job, fixing a water leak in rush hour traffic and having the satisfaction of completing the task. “I fell in love with the job that day,” Jay said.
Throughout the years, he has continued to enjoy solving the many day-to-day challenges associated with aging infrastructure.
Jay says his proudest moments revolve around teaching other distribution workers in Vermont. He saw that distribution wasn’t talked about as much as other topics in training classes. “I wanted to bring what I had learned from the field and national conferences back, so everyone could become better at their call of duty,” he said. Jay has been a guest instructor at a number of Vermont Rural Water’s classes.
His first mentor told Jay that he had forgotten more than Jay would ever learn. Jay took that as a challenge to learn more. Now at the end of his career, Jay’s advice to new operators includes remembering we are the first line of defense in protecting public health and to keep learning and bringing new ideas to the field.
After his retirement at the end December, Jay plans to visit his kids and grandkids, take motorcycle trips, volunteer with the Vermont Old Cemetery Association, and spend time at his camp.
Chris Robinson
Chris Robinson currently serves as the Water Quality Superintendent of the Shelburne Wastewater Department. He has worked in wastewater for over 25 years and will be retiring in the spring of 2025.
Prior to entering this field, he worked as an electrician and then opted for a career change and went to college for environmental science.
His career has included service to several water industry organizations. He has held various roles with Green Mountain Water Environment Association (GMWEA), as well as on the New England Water Environment Association’s (NEWEA) Executive Board.
Some of Chris’s favorite memories were competing in the Water Environment Federation’s (WEF) Operations Challenge. He got to travel to Chicago and Los Angeles with the New England team to compete at the national level.
Chris encourages new operators to get involved in industry organizations. “My time spent on the GMWEA board and the NEWEA Executive Board were some of the greatest memories of my career,” he said. “I made some lifelong friendships along the way.”
Chris would like to thank the Shelburne residents and town selectboard for their ongoing support and Shelburne’s wastewater employees for their friendship.
After retiring, Chris and his wife are looking to move south. They also plan to spend time at their camp in the Adirondacks and a take a few cross-country trips in their camper. And of course, he will be bringing his fly rod along!
We thank Jay and Chris, as well as all of Vermont’s water and wastewater heroes who perform essential services to protect the health and environment of our communities.
Do you know a Water Hero who should be featured on our blog? Email info@vtruralwater.org.