News Releases from Region 01

EPA Recognizes Lancaster, N.H. Wastewater Treatment Trainer for Excellence

BOSTON – Wayne Graham of the Vermont Rural Water Association was honored recently by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a "2019 Regional Wastewater Trainer of the Year Excellence Award" by EPA for his work training wastewater operators in Vermont and for his commitment to improving water quality.

"The professionals operating wastewater treatment plants, as well as the municipalities and the state environmental agencies that support them, play a very important role in keeping our communities and environment healthy by protecting water quality," said EPA New England Regional Administrator Dennis Deziel. "We are proud to acknowledge Mr. Graham's outstanding contributions to help protect public health and water quality for so many years and to give him the credit he deserves."

Wayne Graham has been a valuable resource to Vermont's wastewater community for many years. He provides hands-on, classroom, and individual training for operators and wastewater professionals throughout the State and has worked with the majority of Vermont's municipal WWTFs, educating new and experienced operators. Mr. Graham is the primary instructor of a 10-day Wastewater Operations Course, along with many other trainings, including topics on collection systems, plant operations and maintenance, and asset management. He has helped develop many new training classes over the years, bringing in nationally recognized assistant trainers as needed.

The EPA Regional Wastewater Awards Program recognizes personnel in the wastewater field who have provided invaluable public service managing and operating wastewater treatment facilities throughout New England. The Vermont Dept. of Environmental Conservation was instrumental in Mr. Graham's nomination.

The EPA Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Excellence Award was established to recognize and honor the employees of publicly owned wastewater treatment plants for their commitment to improving water quality with outstanding plant operations and maintenance. Especially with the smaller facilities, conscientious operators and staff continue to perform exceptionally with limited resources. EPA's New England office formally recognized Mr. Graham for his work during the annual New England Water Environment Association Conference in Boston last month.