Metro Elevated Ops Takes Top Honor at WEFTEC Operations Challenge

For years, Metro's Operations Challenge teams have shown their dominance. During Water Environment Federation's Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) this year, that streak continued. Team Elevated Ops took home the top overall spot as teams from all over the world battled it out in New Orleans, Louisianna. That's right, they're your 2024 Operations Challenge Champions! 
 
Metro's other team, Double Duty, also displayed a strong showing, taking home a 3rd place finish in the Laboratory event.
 
The Operations Challenge competition is a showcase of excellence in wastewater treatment, where skilled teams of professionals compete in a series of timed events. These events simulate real-world challenges faced in the operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment facilities. Every year, teams, including Metro's Elevated Ops and Double Duty, compete in specialized events at WEFTEC against other water industry teams around the globe. The events mimic some of the day-to-day duties that our operators take part in, but with a competitive spin. Learn more here.
 
Placements to note: 
1st Place Overall - Elevated Ops
1st Place Process Event - Elevated Ops (team member Jesse Turpin scored the highest score in the process simulator EVER)
2nd Place Safety Event - Elevated Ops 
2nd Place Maintenance Event - Elevated Ops
2nd Place Collections Event - Elevated Ops 
3rd Place Laboratory Event - Double Duty 
 
Elevated Ops Team Members: 
  • Coach - Lance Wenholz (Transmission Operations Supervisor)
  • Jesse Turpin (Operations Supervisor) 
  • Kelsey Gedge (Senior Transmission Systems Engineering Manager) 
  • Matt Duncan (Senior Treatment Plant Engineering Manager) 
  • Josh Mallorey (Transmission Operations Supervisor) 
 
Double Duty Team Members: 
  • Coach - Brenda Adams (Principal Engineer)
  • Adrian Quintana (Facilities Maintenance Supervisor) 
  • Micheal Grengs (Senior Engineer) 
  • Diego Navarro (Environmental Health & Safety Technician) 
  • Mark Hofmeister (Principal Engineer) 
 
While this event typically caps off the year on competitive Operations Challenges for the Metro teams, after a well-earned break, the teams will start to gear up for 2025 ahead of Metro's hosted event The Rocky Mountain Operations Challenge.