AWWA Water Champion – Chad Colby, Rossville, Indiana

Chad Colby is water and wastewater superintendent for the Town of Rossville, Indiana. He received the Operator of the Year award from the Indiana Section American Water Works Association.

Certifications: WT3 Water Treatment License; Distribution System Medium Distribution License; Class 3 Wastewater License; Category 8 Indiana Pesticide License (community-wide Mosquito control)

Career Summary: I started working for Rossville as the wastewater superintendent in 1998 when I was 19. I helped all departments until I was promoted in 2014 to oversee all town operations as the utilities and street superintendent. I also volunteered for our local fire department for eight years and as a reserve deputy with the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department for five years. I also help a local corn and soybean farmer seasonally.

Job duties: I am responsible for the day-to-day operations, maintenance and capital planning for the Water, Wastewater, Street and Parks Department. I also work with our council and clerk-treasurer on the financial health and budget aspects of those departments. I conduct internal rate studies on the water and wastewater departments annually to assure our rates are adequate to provide the proper level of service and reinvest in our existing infrastructure.

How did you start working in the water sector? I was working for a local agriculture equipment dealership while attending Ivy Tech Community College until April 1998 when I was approached by the Water and Street Superintendent Eric Downing. I remember saying I wasn’t thrilled about working with wastewater, and that I was going to school to be an auto technician. Eric said, “It pays a dollar an hour more than you make now; if you don’t like it when you finish Ivy Tech, you can move on.”

What does winning the Operator of the Year award mean to you? It’s very humbling! Being nominated by your peers is an honor in itself. The people reaching out to congratulate me – some I had not heard from for some time – was also incredible. Those who know me the best know that I am my own worst critic and would not consider myself “operator of the year” material because I am always criticizing myself on things I could have done better in the moment.

What is one of your proudest accomplishments? In order to share my proudest accomplishment, I need to tell you about my mentor, Dave Wagner. Rossville hired Dave to help with ongoing compliance issues on the wastewater side in 2000. Rossville was dealing with an inexperienced operator, combined sewer overflow (CSO) compliance and wastewater treatment performance.

My proudest accomplishment was when we achieved compliance with our CSO Long Term Control Plan. This was the first problem we tackled in 2000 by submitting a long-term control plan, which we fully implemented by 2009 over the course of three capital projects.

When we face challenges on the drinking water side, I remember the lessons I learned from Dave and the experience and wisdom he imparted to me to overcome them.

What have you gained from your AWWA involvement? I consider this involvement to be invaluable. In addition to the conferences and training provided by the AWWA, being able to network with other operators and all the vendors is very helpful with coming up with new ideas to solve problems and seek out innovation. I could go on about things we do here in Rossville that originated from a conference or networking with other operators.

Please describe your family and personal interests. I have been married to my wife, Angela, for almost nine years. She has gone with me to conference every year since 2017. Together we have four children: Abigail (21), Katelyn (17), Wyatt (16) and Jaden (7). I have a passion for anything with an engine and drag racing, which is why I was originally going to school to be an auto technician. I spend my free time working on one of our vehicles and going to car shows and racing events. I am also able to weave this passion into my career by maintaining and improving Rossville’s equipment.