The Fall Operators' Expo is our biggest event of the year! For two full days, operators of rural water and wastewater systems from all over the Buckeye State come together to socialize, mingle with exhibitors showcasing the latest industry products, services, and technologies, learn and earn EPA-approved Continuing Education credits, and have fun—all under one roof.
Every year we see record-breaking attendance by operators, exhibitors, and other industry professionals. We are excited to be able to host this event for Ohio's rural water & wastewater community, and we hope you will join us!
Schedule: October 7th: 12:00 p.m. — Finished: Sportsmen's outing 2:00 p.m. — 7:00p.m: Exhibitor setup (first come first serve)
Schedule: October, 8th .45 minutes of Water and Wastewater Operations and Maintenance CEUs for each Presentation. 6 CEUS total (Exhibit Hall Open 8:00a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) 7:00 a.m. - Last minute exhibitor setup 7:30 a.m. - Registration and Continental Breakfast 8:00 a.m. - “PFAS’s Effects on Municipal Water and Wastewater Systems”, Rao Chitikela - RC-WEE Solutions, LLC. 9:00 a.m. - “Use of Restrained Joint Systems to Eliminate Need for Thrust Blocks”, Roy Mundy - McWane Ductile 10:00 a.m. - “Locating, Marking and Mapping Your Underground Assets”, Mark Beatty - Utility Technologies, LLC. 11:00 a.m. -”Improving System Operations and Customer Service Through Use of AMI Deployment”, Rich Sanders - Zenner USA, Inc. 11:45 a.m. - Lunch and Ultimate Meter Challenge Try-Outs 1:30 p.m. - “Leak Detection and Line Location for Water and Wastewater Utilities Part 1”, Mike Copeland - Ohio Rural Water Association 2:30 p.m. - “Leak Detection and Line Location for Water and Wastewater Utilities Part 2”, Mike Copeland - Ohio Rural Water Association 3:30 p.m. - “How to Use AMI to Minimize Water Loss with DM Zones and Pressure Monitoring”, Rob Barber - Buckeye State Pipe & Supply Co., Inc. 4:30 p.m. - “A Holistic Approach to Drinking Water Phosphorus Corrosion Control and its Effects on Waste Water”, Matt Tyrrell - Aquasmart, Inc.
Water 1 & 2 Review Class: 8:00 a.m. — 3:00 p.m.
Schedule: October, 9th .45 minutes of Water and Wastewater Operations and Maintenance CEUs for each Presentation. 6 CEUS total. (Exhibit Hall Open 8:00a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) 7:30 a.m. - Registration and Continental Breakfast 8:00 a.m. - “Water/Wastewater Cybersecurity Best Practices”, Jillian Burner - Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency 9:00 a.m. - “Risk Assessments of Underground Vaults”, Kevin Meyer, PE - EJ 10:00 a.m. - “Advancing Technology and Its Impact on Water and Wastewater Systems”, Millard Jones - Metron-Farnier, LLC. 11:00 a.m. - “Water and Wastewater Safety”, Loyd Rawlings - USA BlueBook 11:45 a.m. - Lunch, Raffle, and Ultimate Meter Challenge Finals 1:30 p.m. - “Protective Linings for Sewer Collections, Potable Water and Wastewater Treatment”, David Brown - Sherwin Williams 2:30 p.m. - “Ultrasonic Meter Benefits and Applications”, Doug Vermillion - Badger Meter, Inc. 3:30 p.m. - “Ohio WARN Emergency Operations”, Tim Truman - Ohio WARN 4:30 p.m. - “Disinfection By-Products and Common Distribution Issues”, Loyd Rawlings - USA BlueBook
The Fall Operators' Expo is one of our biggest events of the year, and it kicks off with our Annual Sportsmen's Outing, Visit rustic Cherrybend Pheasant farm for an hour of training followed by a sporting clay competition. Don't miss your chance to learn, shoot some clay pigeons, and socialize with other industry professionals.
Continuing Education Training Tuesday & Wednesday, October 8th and 9th
Our two day Fall Operators' Expo consists of eight 45 minute training sessions each day with 15 minute breaks between each session. A cold breakfast, hot lunch and coffee are included. All of the sessions are approved for both Water & Wastewater Operations and Maintenance CEUs. We recruit knowledgeable and experienced presenters to provide useful and relevant information to help make Ohio operators more efficient and effective at providing quality service to Ohioians.
Industry Specific Exhibition Tuesday & Wednesday, October 8th and 9th
With the abundance of space available at the Roberts Centre we are able to accommodate all shapes and sizes of trucks, machinery, and equipment to showcase for attendees and knowledgeable industry professionals to help explain their functionality and capabilities. If you are an exhibitor or system who would like to showcase their equipment, please email [email protected] for your options.
Ultimate Meter Challenge Competition: Tuesday, October 8th & Wednesday, October 9th Finals: Wednesday, October 9th Presented by: Zenner USA
Test your metal at this challenge provided by Zenner USA. See how fast you can put together a disassembled Zenner Meter and race shoulder to shoulder against your peers. The grand prize is a $500 Visa Gift card and a trip to the 2025 Waterpro Conference to compete for a chance to win a trip to Hawaii
If you are unfamiliar with Zenner water meters Zenner will ship you a meter to practice with for free by completing the application form on the registration page.
Sportsmen's Raffle Drawing: Wednesday, October 9th
Each registered attendee will receive a free half-sheet of tickets that can be used for a chance to win over $1,000 worth of sporting equipment door prizes. By visiting exhibitors at their booths attendees can gain additional for use in the raffle as well.
Exhibitors and Systems are encouraged but not required to donate Sportsmen's themed equipment to our raffle. Common items in the past have included items such as: coolers, fishing poles, hunting-rifle bags, and tackle boxes.
Exhibitors who bring items can feature the item at their booth alongside a raffle ticket box to attract attendees. Exhibitors with items at their booths will have a balloon hung at their both to indicate they have an item.
ORWA's Operator of The Year Awards 2024 Operators Announced: Tuesday, October 8th
Every year at the Fall Operators' Expo, Ohio Rural Water Association honors one water and one wastewater operator with our Operator of the Year award. We know the blood, sweat, and tears that go into properly managing and maintaining high quality water and wastewater services. We believe all of Ohio's operators deserve recognition, and this award represents a small token of our appreciation for what they do.
If you would like to nominate someone for ORWA's 2023 Operator of the Year award please submit this nomination form to [email protected] by Friday August 30th.
