This past March, the Kansas Rural Water Association hosted their annual conference and industry exhibitions at the Century II Convention Center in Wichita. The conference provided nearly 2,500 registrants with more than 80 expert presenters who discussed a variety of topics concerning the water supply and wastewater industry.

During the conference, awards were presented to nominees in recognition of outstanding job performance or achievement in the water supply industry. Perry Smith, Manager of Water Works for Wheatland Electric Water Treatment, was recognized as the Water Plant Operator of the Year.

Smith has been in the water treatment and supply industry for the past 30 years. Since 1995, he has been the Superintendent of the Finney County Rural Water District #1 and was hired by Wheatland Water as the Manager of Water Works during the 2002 construction of the reverse osmosis plant located in Finney County.

As a Class IV certified operator, Smith oversees the treatment of approximately 6 million gallons of water per day. The purified water is used for several industrial applications, and as a wholesale water supply for Garden City residents and the Finney County Rural Water District #1.

Upon receiving his award, Smith said, “I’ve spent my career in water treatment, and I am humbled that they thought of me for this award. It has always been our top priority to provide Western Kansas residents with the highest quality water and is something we take very seriously at Wheatland Water.”