William “Dusty” Martin is a man on a mission: to interest young people in careers in water. In his role as operations supervisor at the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) Jones Ferry Road Water Treatment Plant in Carrboro, N.C., he wants them to know water is a good career path, with opportunities for personal growth and recognition.

Martin should know: He has spent his professional life expanding his knowledge and competencies. “I started at a small 1 mgd plant in Lee County that mainly provided water for a chicken processor,” says Martin, who has been in the water industry for 21 years and in his current role for six.

Of course, his primary mission is to deliver high-quality water to community residents – and he and his team of operators do that well. As part of OWASA’s membership in the Partnership for Safe Water, Martin and colleagues have driven finished water turbidity down to extremely low levels. They do it with a combination of old-fashioned teamwork and current treatment technology.