For This Utah Wastewater Operations Manager, Water Isn't Just a Job

Hatfield Award winner Steve Williams oversees a major treatment plant upgrade while looking to a future of water reuse for his Utah utility district.

Feb 14, 2019 | by Ted J. Rulseh |

Utah Award Water Environment Association of Utah (WEAU) Upgrade Water Reuse Smith & Loveless, Inc. Oxidation Ditch Grit Handling/Removal/Hauling HUBER Technology, LLC. Fine Screen Screw Press Aeration Industries International Aerator Carollo Engineers Consulting/Engineering/Design Services Water Environment Federation (WEF) Operations Challenge

For This Utah Wastewater Operations Manager, Water Isn't Just a Job — Investing in a microscope and the training to use it proved to be a big advancement for Steve Williams and his team.

For This Utah Wastewater Operations Manager, Water Isn't Just a Job — Williams still loves coming to work and the challenges of a career in wastewater. He takes great pride in his team and the facilities.

For This Utah Wastewater Operations Manager, Water Isn't Just a Job — Steve Williams, operations manager at the Magna Water and Sewer District wastewater treatment plant, looks over forms he uses to deliver permit compliance reports.

For This Utah Wastewater Operations Manager, Water Isn't Just a Job — The Magna Water and Sewer District plant.

For This Utah Wastewater Operations Manager, Water Isn't Just a Job — The team at the Magna district wastewater treatment plant includes, from left, Steve Williams, wastewater operations manager; Raymond Mondragon, collections lead; Clint Giles and Rob Jaterka, collections operators; Ed Tucker, wastewater operator; Tony Peterson, wastewater lead; and Beau Lamper and Dallas Henline, wastewater operators.

For This Utah Wastewater Operations Manager, Water Isn't Just a Job — Steve Williams, shown observing sludge settling, looks forward to the commissioning of a water reuse system.

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When Steve Williams went to work for the Magna Water and Sewer District in 1977, it was “just a job.” Not anymore. “It became a career for me,” says Williams, winner of a 2017 William D. Hatfield Award from the Water Environment Association of Utah. “I really got into the work, and I could not believe the technology. Here we are, taking this dirty water and turning it into a material that can be developed into fertilizer and clean water that we can reuse.” And speaking of reuse, Williams aspires to build a system to produce and distribute tertiary effluent for

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