In mid-April, more than 1,300 people attended the California Water Environment Association (CWEA) annual conference in Sacramento. This conference brings together folks across the United States that support the wastewater industry, including engineers, managers, lab technicians, operators, maintenance workers, and collections professionals.
They gather to discuss how to best protect and keep California’s waterways safe and healthy using new technology, industry best practices, understanding ongoing regulations, and confronting challenges and opportunities.
Traditionally, workshops, technical sessions, and classes are conducted in a classroom setting. This year was different. Roseville partnered with CWEA’s Biosolids Committee to offer an alternative to this tradition. Known as the School of Solids, Roseville hosted conference attendees onsite at our Dry Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant (DCWWTP) to discuss ideas and teach attendees.
CWEA transported 50 attendees to the DCWWTP where 17 instructors met them at seven different education stations around the plant. Topics ranged from how Roseville maintains and operates its equipment, current lab practices, chemical polymers, microbial bacteria degradation biology, and the challenging world of California’s changing regulations.
Having multiple stations with small groups allowed up-close presentations, demonstrations, Q&A, networking opportunities, and resources that would typically be more challenging to find in a classroom environment.
“It was exciting to host the school of solids,” said Jason Fick, chief plant operator of Roseville’s wastewater treatment plants. “It gave Roseville the ability to highlight our incredible staff at the Dry Creek plant. Having industry experts and peers spend the day here, exchanging experiences in an informal environment, created a learning atmosphere that you can’t get inside of four walls.”
The final result of the
School of Solids at Dry Creek was a huge success, measured by feedback from the instructors and attendees. By hosting this event, Roseville has again shown itself to be a leader in the wastewater treatment industry.