A pair of awards were recently given to a couple of Jasper Utility Departments
First the Jasper Municipal Gas & Water Department was honored to receive the Wendell LaDue Utility Safety Award at the recent American Water Works Association gathering.
The award, established in honor of LaDue, is presented to recognize distinguished water utility safety programs. The award, established in honor of Wendell R. LaDue, is presented to recognize distinguished water utility safety programs.
Wendell R. LaDue was born in Ohio in 1895 and graduated from the University of Southern California. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he began work in the Akron, Ohio, Water Department as a draftsman in 1919, and retired as Superintendent and Chief Engineer in 1961.
The largest reservoir in the upper Cuyahoga watershed in Ohio was named in his honor. A quick-spoken speaker, LaDue was highly regarded and sought after for his sense of humor, knowledge and insight. LaDue worked hard for the water industry, and in addition to serving as an AWWA President from 1946 to 1947, he was a committee member or chairman for various engineering societies and the National Safety Council.
The award is presented annually in each of four classes: (I)–Utilities with fewer than 10 employees; (II)–10-100 employees; (III)–100-500 employees and (IV)–over 500 employees.
Also, Ed Hollinden with the Jasper Wastewater Department received the American Water Works Association Hoosier CREW Award.
CREW is an acronym for Creative Resourceful Energe tic Workers. The AWWA is the world’s largest educational and scientific organization dedicated to the promotion of safe drinking water.
