Blog: Vermont's Water Heroes
This blog celebrates water and wastewater professionals across Vermont who often don’t receive the thanks they deserve for their hard work and committment.
Water Hero: Amy Polaczyk
Amy Polaczyk worked for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation in the Wastewater Management Program for eight years. She recently transitioned to a new opportunity at Tetra Tech.
Water Hero: Jay Nadeau
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.
Water Hero: Chris Robinson
Chris Robinson has worked in Shelburne’s wastewater department for over 25 years. He will be retiring in the spring of 2025.
Water Heroes: Tristan MacGregor-Stewart & Scott Franks
Tristan MacGregor-Stewart and Scott Franks recently completed some big upgrades at the Town of Plainfield water and wastewater departments.
John Choate Receives Tony Torchia Award
John Choate received the 2024 Tony Torchia Award commemorating his 40-year career at the cities of Burlington and Winooski, the town of Hartford, and the Vermont DEC.
Water Hero: Carol O’Donoughue
Carol O’ Donoughue is a water operator at Alburgh Fire District #1. She is proud to be a female operator and to provide drinking water to the neighborhood where she lives.
Water Hero: Tanner Amyot
Tanner Amyot is a water and wastewater apprentice for the village of Orleans, Vermont. Tanner’s his favorite part of the job is that he is never doing the same thing all day.
Water Heroes: Scott Taggert
Scott Taggert retired from the Rutland City Water Department at the end of April. He worked at the City of Rutland for over 30 years and was the Water Treatment Manager for 12 years.
Water Heroes: Diana Butler
Diana Butler recently left the Vermont Rural Water Association after five years as a Water System Specialist and Source Protection Specialist. She helped countless water systems, and her endless enthusiasm will be missed!
Water Heroes: Stub Parker
Leslie (Stub) Parker retired from Danville’s Wastewater Treatment Facility at the end of October after 39 years as the Chief Operator.
Stub was the first, and only, operator from the facility’s opening in 1983 to his retirement in 2022.
Water Heroes: Brad Snow
Brad Snow is a registered apprentice in drinking water and wastewater treatment for the town of Richmond. In honor of National Apprenticeship Week, we asked him a few questions about his experiences as an apprentice.
Water Heroes: Ryan Muratorri
Ryan Muratorri is a wastewater apprentice at the Town of Poultney, VT. In honor of National Apprenticeship Week, we asked him a few questions about his experiences as an apprentice.
Water Heroes: Elizabeth Walker
Elizabeth Walker retired from Vermont Rural Water after 45 years in the water/wastewater industry.
Water Heroes: Pete Krolczyk
Pete Krolczyk is retiring as Chief Operator of the Waterbury wastewater plant, which is being renamed the ‘Peter S. Krolczyk WWTP’ in his honor.
Water Heroes: New Operators
Meet some of Vermont’s newest water and wastewater operators. This is the next generation of water professionals, who will serve their communities, protect public health, and tackle new challenges like emerging contaminants and climate change.
Water Heroes: Tom Coates
Tom Coates is retiring after 35 years at the Quechee Wastewater Treatment Facility. “I am going to miss the people I have worked with over the years,” Tom said.
Water Heroes: Max Tier
Max started as a registered apprentice at the Springfield Wastewater Treatment Facility in December 2019. After two years, he will be the first apprentice to complete the program.
Water Heroes: Veterans
In honor of Veteran’s Day, we are recognizing several individuals who have served their country and now are serving their communities by providing safe drinking water and treated wastewater.
Water Heroes: Leonard Farrar
Leonard has been working at Kurn Hattin School for 22 years. He says his favorite part of the job is helping people. He’s proud to be always improving the water system and keeping up with changing regulations to keep the consumers safe.
Water Heroes: Marcel Mayhew
Marcel Mayhew, chief operator for the Village of North Troy Water and Wastewater, is the winner of the 2021 Tony Torchia Award for outstanding service to the water and wastewater industry in Vermont.