Terminal Velocity, of the Virginia Water Environment Association, took the top honors for an unprecedented fifth consecutive time yesterday at the Operations Challenge competition held in New Orleans. Now in its 27th year, the competition was a highly anticipated event of WEFTEC® 2014, the Water Environment Federation’s 87th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference.

Terminal Velocity team members Steve Motley, Steve Poe, Jason Truitt, and Captain Donnie Cagle were coached by Elijah Smith and Bobby Williams, competed against 42 hardworking teams from the U.S., Canada and Argentina. As one of the most fun and exciting events on the exhibition floor, Operations Challenge is a unique and fast-paced test of the essential skills needed to operate and maintain wastewater treatment facilities, their collection systems and laboratories—all vital to the protection of public health and the environment. 

“The level of professionalism exhibited throughout this event was outstanding,” said Stacie Metzler, Operations Challenge Committee Chair. “What the teams learn here at WEFTEC goes back with them to their own communities, which ultimately benefits society, the environment, and their own careers.”

Over the course of nearly three decades, Operations Challenge has steadily grown from the original 22-team event to this year’s 43-team, two-division format. Teams are judged on the best combination of precision, speed, and safety. The winners are determined by a weighted point system for five events including collection systems, laboratory, process control, maintenance, and safety. 

The top teams for the 2014 competition include:

Division 1
First Place: Terminal Velocity
Virginia Water Environment Association
Cities of Franklin and Virginia Beach, VA

Second Place: TRA CReWSers
Water Environment Association of Texas
Trinity River Authority, Dallas, TX

Third Place: Commode Commandos
Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association
Littleton-Englewood Wastewater Treatment Plant, Englewood, CO 

Division 2
First Place: Team HRSD
Virginia Water Environment Association
Hampton Roads Sanitation Districts, Hampton Roads, VA

Second Place: Dumplings
Nevada Water Environment Association
City of Henderson, NV

Third Place: River Rangers
Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association
Clean Water Services, Hillsboro, OR

Make THE Water Quality Event, YOUR Water Quality Event
As the largest annual water quality event, WEFTEC is where the greatest minds in water meet. WEFTEC 2014 is currently underway at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, La. For the latest conference information and registration details, visitwww.weftec.org. For the full program and latest updates at your fingertips, download the WEFTEC MobileApp.