Learning and Connecting with Water Professionals

You use it to drink, cook, clean, fuel businesses, grow crops, make countless products, and bathe– water. We often take this vital resource for granted.

For hundreds of people who gathered in Memphis for the KY/TN Water Professionals Conference (WPC), the power of water is a focus every day. The annual conference is a wonderful opportunity for leaders from utilities across Kentucky and Tennessee to learn, collaborate, and connect about how we use water, the changing technology, federal guidelines, customer service, and issues the industry faces collectively.

The KY/TN Section is one of 43 Sections of the American Water Works Association (AWWA). Louisville Water has an active role in both. Three employees- Pete Goodmann, Scott Clark, and Megan Talley serve on the KY/TN Section Board and Kelley Dearing Smith serves on AWWA’s Executive Board as Chair of the Public Affairs Council.

The WPC helped kick off August, very appropriate since it is National Water Quality Month. Although the conference was held in Memphis, Louisville Water shared a wealth of knowledge in several of the educational sessions offered to attendees.

Topics ranged from water treatment to a plant improvement project and how Louisville Water has successfully managed its lead service line removal project well ahead of the federal deadline. Other presentations included customer assistance programs post-COVID, engaging with the community in creative ways like a children’s book: Tapper’s Big Adventure, and finally, sharing Louisville Water’s role in helping Perry County, Kentucky rebuild water infrastructure following historic flooding.

We should mention that conference organizers reminded everyone Kentucky was recently named #1 in the country for best tap water according to a J.D. Power survey.

The WPC also honored employees making a difference within their company and/or community. Louisville Water Digital Communications Specialist Lauren Horton received the Diversity & Inclusion Award. Horton is a founding member of Louisville Water’s CORE (Culture of Ownership, Respect, and Engagement) Council, an employee-led board.

Congratulations to our One Water partner, Louisville MSD, for its awards for Operational Excellence at its wastewater treatment plants.

Last but not least, we’d like to congratulate Louisville Water Supervisor of Service Applications Chelsey Sparks. Sparks is one of 16 employees across the two states selected to serve in the 2024 Water Professionals Leadership Academy. She will participate in a series of sessions and teambuilding activities over the next year to learn and grow in her career and personally.

Louisville Water is already looking forward to the 2024 KY/TN Water Professionals Conference. It’s Louisville’s time to shine as the host city next September!