Operations Challenge, typically held during the NC One Water Annual Conference, involves a series of team events that challenge the skills of participants in various wastewater related activities.
Operations Challenge involve a series of team events that challenge the skills of participants in various wastewater related activities. These events include Collection System, Pump Maintenance, Laboratory Event, Process Control, and Safety. NC One Water typically annually hosts this competition at the Annual Conference.
The Collection System Event simulates the connecting of a 4-inch PVC lateral sewer to an existing 8-inch PVC sewer pipe while in service and the simulated Closed Circuit TV Inspection of a gravity sewer line using NASSCO standards.
The Pump Maintenance Event features a submersible pump and submersible mixer that will have to be serviced, have the mechanical seals replaced, and be “placed back into service”.
During the Laboratory Event teams will setup and perform a simulated BOD analysis using YSI instruments.
The Process Control Event is a timed event giving teams the opportunity to demonstrate their accumulated knowledge and skill in the areas of wastewater treatment plant process control, collections system operation, maintenance, safety, and troubleshooting through a written test including multiple choice questions and short math questions.
In the Safety Event team members must work together to simultaneously complete two simulated work-site rescues. The first rescue includes a confined space entry to rescue a co-worker who has collapsed in a manhole. The second rescue is for a different worker who has a heart attack at the work site.
The overall winners from the Operations Challenge will be eligible to compete in the National WEF competition at WEFTEC.
Equipment donations are usually needed to make the annual competition possible. A list of needed equipment is typically available in the summer before the Annual Conference. Equipment donors are recognized as sponsors of the Operations Challenge events.
Click Here for the official WEF Operations Challenge page and Click Here for the National Operations Challenge Team Resource Page.
