As part of OCWA’s monthly series highlighting some of our dedicated employees and the important jobs they perform, this month we’re featuring Andrew W. from our Administration Department. Each month we’re asking a different employee a series of ten questions about his/her background, what he/she does at OCWA and some of the employee’s most interesting work experiences.
1. What is your current position at OCWA?
I am OCWA’s Executive Engineer.
2. What other jobs have you held, both OCWA and non-OCWA positions?
This has been my only OCWA position. Before I joined OCWA, I was a project manager with a consulting engineering company in Central New York.
3. When did you join OCWA, and what brought you here?
I joined in February of 2015. I had an opportunity to join OCWA and work on their large capital projects. Based on my experience working for OCWA as a consultant, it was clearly a good fit.
4. What does a typical day at work look like for you?
I manage our professional service providers for capital projects: consulting engineers, manufacturers, suppliers, construction contractors. Additionally, I develop and review designs for pumping stations, water storage tanks and our water treatment plants and I assist the operations department in engineering evaluations of OCWA’s existing facilities. I am also responsible for preparation of Requests for Proposals when procuring professional services for the different projects.
5. What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Working with our staff in all the departments to deliver safe, reliable water to our customers. I also enjoy having the opportunity to experience both the construction and operations of the facilities that we design.
6. What has been your favorite project at OCWA?
I particularly enjoy the work associated with OCWA’s two major water treatment plants. Prior to joining OCWA , I had the opportunity to manage a project involving improvements to the Authority’s Otisco Lake Water Treatment Plant when I was working for a consulting engineering company. Currently, we are in the early phases of improvements to our Lake Ontario Water Treatment Plant, which is a very exciting and challenging facility upgrade project.
7. Before working at OCWA, what was the most interesting/unusual job you’ve ever had?
Working on the evaluation and design of improvements to the City of Rome (New York)’s Fish Creek raw water intake tunnel. This was a challenging project and involved an international team of design professionals to develop.
8. What three words best describe you?
Technical, aggressive, inquisitive
9. What is your educational background?
I have a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental engineering from SUNY ESF. I am a New York licensed professional engineer.
10. Why did you select the career you are in?
I really enjoy the challenges of design to solve water system problems and issues and I enjoy the operations of the facilities after they are built.