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Worked at Louisville Water since 2017
She didn’t always think she would be a scientist, but…
“I did know I wanted to work with water,” exclaimed Taylor Rosenhagen, one of Louisville Water’s scientists in the Water Quality department.
A large research project in high school about stream quality had Rosenhagen setting her sights on a job with the Environmental Protection Agency. She graduated with a master’s degree in public health, but the timing didn’t work out. The EPA was in the middle of layoffs.
Rosenhagen thought, “My dream of working at the EPA has been flushed.”
All was not lost. Her job search led her to Louisville Water in the summer of 2017.
“This is very much a public health industry. It was a roundabout way of getting there, but I knew that I always loved water in some form or fashion. Once I got here, I’m like ‘this is great’. I can’t imagine not working in the water industry.”
Rosenhagen spent her first five years in the inorganic chemistry lab. These days, you’ll find her in what’s called the heavy metals laboratory.
“When anybody requests to get their water tested, we’ll test it.” Rosenhagen explained, “The heavy metals lab is certified for lead, copper, and manganese but the instrumentation is capable of measuring a large spectrum of heavy metals. Not only does the lab process water test kits for all sorts of customers, but the treatment process is also closely monitored for heavy metals that impact water quality.”
As we approach an EPA deadline in October for its Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, Rosenhagen and the rest of her team are staying busy.
“Data analyzing, organizing; the schools are a big component. For the new rule, we’ll have to evaluate all of the schools (and childcare facilities) in our service area. This monitoring will be required to be completed for all schools and childcare facilities in a five-year time period.”
Rosenhagen said Louisville Water is working with the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative preparing for the new guidelines and is doing a good job of staying ahead of the game to meet the expectations.
She enjoys being part of a utility that is widely respected in the drinking water industry.
“I love all the people I work with honestly. I feel like I’m lucky to be on a team of people here, like a family.”
When she’s not working, Rosenhagen likes spending time outdoors whether that’s hiking or playing sand volleyball. She also manages to find time to plan her wedding set for this fall.
Note: Louisville’s drinking water does not contain lead when it leaves our two treatment plants. The risk for lead getting into the water is from pipes buried in the ground and homeowner’s plumbing (including faucets and fixtures). Louisville Water is prepared to meet new EPA proposed regulations that aim to minimize the risk for lead to enter drinking water. More than 30 employees are part of an internal team working on our response to meet the EPA’s Lead & Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) that have a fall 2024 deadline.
