The Pipeline

MEMBER PROFILE
LEE SCHMIDT
Class 3 Operator
Swift Current Water Treatment Plant.
What lead you into your current
field? Was it planned or a detour?
My path to working for a municipality
was a detour, I had been laid off for 18
months from CP Rail and was getting
tired of being laid off every year and
figured there was nothing with more
stability than a city job
How long have you been in the
industry?
I have been in the industry for 6 years.
Is there someone who has been a
mentor to you in your professional
life and personal life and why?
I’ve had the privilege of working with
many experienced operators that
have all had a mentoring role for me,
it will be a loss for the industry when
all of the veteran operators start to
retire, I think a lot of knowledge will
be lost.
What is the most rewarding part of
your job? What is the least
rewarding?
The most rewarding part of my job is
knowing that the water we produce is
safe, the least rewarding would be the
stress you are put through at certain
times of the year trying to maintain
water quality within guidelines.
If you could give advice to someone
looking to get into the industry or
to a student looking into a future
career what would you say?
Working in water treatment requires a
very diverse skill set or a very diverse
crew, in the case of our plant we are a
class 4 facility, but we do not have Lab
Techs or Mill Wrights or Laborers the
operators at the plant do everything
so whether you have a background in
chemistry or you are a power
engineer or have a journeyman ticket
26
all of your skills can be utilized in a
career in water treatment. My advice
to someone looking to get into water
treatment would be any specialized
education in water treatment will
give you a leg up on the competition
and if you can get certified at any
level in a smaller facility where it is
easier to get a job with less
experience it will only help you when
a job becomes available in a larger
more complicated facility.
What type of education do you
currently hold?
I have grade 12, trade school and 3
years of post-secondary through
correspondence.
What are your future plans for your
career?
My future plans are to achieve my
Class 4 in water treatment and water
distribution, with any luck I’d like to
be the superintendent of the plant at
some point.
What are ways you currently
incorporate to help combat stress
and overwork?
My stress relief is hanging out with
my family and running the small farm
I have.
Tell us about you, what makes you
tick, what are you passionate
about?
I love anything with an engine in it,
my hobbies are restoring cars and
building hot rods. I also love to camp
and fish with my wife and two kids.
“the water we produce is safe”
SWWA
CALL FOR
PAPERS:
The SWWA is currently accepting
papers for 2016. Papers submitted
should include: a brief presenter
biography, an abstract or information
on the session, benefits of
the session to the industry, who
should attend, best dates and
locations, and the area to which the
paper would benefit (water
treatment, water distribution,
waste-water treatment and wastewater
collection).
All papers should be sent to the
SWWA office by mail:
SWWA, PO Box 7831
Saskatoon, SK S7K 4R5
or by email to office@swwa.ca.
SWWA
For Advertising
Opportunities
Contact the
SWWA Office
PO Box 7831 Stn MN
Saskatoon SK S7K 4R5
Phone: 306-668-1278
Email: office@swwa.ca
Spring 2016 | the pipeline
What does
World
Water
Day
Day mean to you?
Water is the ultimate source of life on our planet, without
it trees die, crops cannot grow and people die. There is
nothing like the expression on a farmers face when he
sees rain starting to pour down in the middle of a
drought or a child’s face when for the first time in their
life they have access to clean water in their village. Water
is hope; the gift of water is love.
Water has been a huge source of news these past few
months, Flint Michigan is an example of how things can
change overnight. The people in Flint have been dealing
with a huge water crisis due to lead in the pipes. There
has been much debate over the lack of government
accountability and the hearings happening right now
are showing how much lack of attention was given until
the problem became to big to ignore. It is very sad to see
how sick people and children have gotten from the
water there and it is very unfortunate that it takes a
situation like that to get people to stand up and pay
attention to one of the most valuable resources we have.
Yet, this is a situation that happens in so many countries
– 2016 and still so many unable to access clean water and
sanitation.
Canada and the United States are incredibly blessed to
have access to clean drinking water and sanitation. I am
thankful every day that I do not have to watch family die
because of the lack of clean drinking water, I am grateful
that my nieces and nephews can go to school rather than
haul 25 gallon jugs of water back to our home so that we
have some water to drink. It breaks my heart to hear how
there are still children dying every five minutes from the
lack of access to clean water and sanitation and yet over
650 million people still do not have access to clean safe
water.
This World Water Day we were asked to wear blue for
water; just like the ribbons we see people wearing the
blue is a symbol of hope. Hope is what at the end of the
day keeps us going, hope is the feeling that no matter
what is happening now things will get better, hope is
when a community without clean safe drinking water
gets a new well and the clean water flows, hope is
knowing that there are individuals out there who can
make a difference by simply giving up an extra cup of
coffee a day to help someone else have the gift of water,
hope is the feeling that comes from giving, and hope is
believing that miracles are possible and that it is possible
to someday have a world where no one is without the
access to safe clean drinking water.
The SWWA and WCW are hosting a Casino fundraiser in
Saskatoon on April 29. The goal of the fundraiser is to
raise money for WaterAid and Water for People, the two
charities supported by the groups, to help them provide
hope to those who need it most. As water warriors in the
fight to maintain clean safe drinking water and sanitation
you are the reason why Saskatchewan residents have
clean safe water to drink. Please come out in support of
the hope your presence can bring to someone a world
away.
the pipeline | Spring 2016 27