In upstate New York on April 30 and May 1, water treatment professionals and experts in such fields as regulatory information, compliance and testing gathered for the Eastern Water Quality Association’s (EWQA) Water Treatment Systems Training event. Hosted in the historic and scenic city of Saratoga Springs, New York, the two-day training event was packed with information for members to get trained and certified.
Founded in 1991, EWQA is a regional association that educates members from the Carolinas to Maine on important industry topics, including legislation, education, networking and relationship building. And, the spring training event in New York lived up to the association’s mission statement: The Eastern Water Quality Association (EWQA) is dedicated to bringing together industry professionals for the exchange of ideas, the sharing of information and for the development of a unified legislative voice.
This event was EWQA’s first spring training in Saratoga Springs, an event they hope to repeat annually as a way to bring all of those involved in the EWQA district’s water industry together in one place for networking and education. There was a clear focus on providing comprehensive education that spanned all industry professionals from residential water treatment dealers to water technology manufacturers to municipal water system operators.
Training kicked off with a session by the Water Quality Association's Dean Jarog, "Water Treatment Basics," on April 30. On May 1, some of the topics and sessions covered included: Basics of water treatment; private and public water systems; backflow best practices; water testing; arsenic treatment; UV; and much more. A two hour luncheon featured a number of exhibitor booths and a presentation by ion exchange manufacturer ResinTech.
Highlights of the second day included two presentations by New Hampshire Senator and Vice President of R.E. Prescott Co. Inc. Russell Prescott, who, according to EWQA Executive Director Dean Srygley, has been integral in advising EWQA leadership regarding the organization’s legislative initiatives.
According to EWQA’s Tim Jansen, the association's leadership was able to meet with Albany legislator's on the first day of the event to let them know how EWQA could be a resource in the event of any water quality issues in the state.
At the event, we got a chance to sit down with Jansen to discuss EWQA’s activities further. In a recently published podcast, Jansen, who is a board member, talks about the special training event and also provides a look forward to the association’s Conference and Trade Show scheduled for September 24, 25 and 26 in Hunt Valley, Maryland. Listen to the entire podcast at www.watertechonline.com/podcasts.
At the start of the event’s second day, Jansen summed up the importance of advancing education in our industry and why attending educational sessions are important for all water treatment professionals. “We’re all here for one common reason, and that is to do water treatment the right way,” he said.
EWQA is currently planning its 2014 Conference and Trade Show, which will be held at the Hunt Valley Inn (a Wyndham property). In addition to the educational and networking opportunities planned, according to show literature, “You can play golf, enjoy lunch with the exhibitors, visit exhibitors and manufacturer reps, entertain at the no-host bar and top the day off with lots of laughs and entertainment with award winning auctioneers Mike Urban and Phil Auchincloss at our Auction Banquet.” For more information and to register, please visit www.ewqa.org or email [email protected]. Contact the Hunt Valley Inn to reserve your group rate before September 10 at (410) 785-7000.
