From NORTHWESTERN WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT
The Northwestern Water and Sewer District (“The District”) has announced that its operations team, “Dirty Deeds” – comprised of five licensed water and wastewater operators – placed third in the process control event and secured seventh overall in their division at the National Operations Challenge during the Water Environment Federation’s Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) in Chicago.
In 2025, “Dirty Deeds” received a third-place award for process controls, highlighting their ability to optimize wastewater treatment systems through real-time control and precise adjustment, demonstrating efficiency and environmental stewardship.
Team members Brian Martikan, Tom McGrain, Jarred Meyers, Clay Noblit, and Zach Weiss competed against teams from around the nation and around the world.
“Our team takes pride in making sure our water is clean and safe. These operators and our entire team work hard every day for Northwest Ohio,” said Dan Wickard, district superintendent. “People living here should be proud that such a talented crew looks after our water.”
The operations challenge tests competitors across five real-world scenarios water professionals tackle every day:
- Collections: performing maintenance on simulated collection systems and related equipment,
- Laboratory: demonstrating expertise in laboratory procedures,
- Pump maintenance: restoring an impaired pump station to full function,
- Process control: answering questions and solving troubleshooting scenarios specific to wastewater treatment, and
- Safety: conducting a rescue from the bottom of a simulated manhole.
The team’s travel to Chicago was fully funded by the Ohio Water Environment Association, a nonprofit association dedicated to education, preservation, and enhancement of Ohio’s water.
