Water community’s spirit soars during ACE22 skills competitions June 16, 2022Connections Article, Publications Amid cheering and high-fives, enthusiastic competitors demonstrated the water profession’s advanced skills, knowledge and experience during this week’s exciting contests at the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE22) in San Antonio, Texas. Former champions and newcomers representing AWWA sections across North America battled for the 2022 title and bragging rights in skills competitions and water taste tests, a crowd-pleasing tradition at ACE. (Pictured above, Hydrant Hysteria competition.) Following is a summary of ACE22 contest results. Hydrant Hysteria: Two-member teams race to assemble a specified hydrant Men’s 1st – 1:16.91, Wauconda/Des Plaines, Illinois Section 2nd – 1:31.69, Beaufort/Jasper WSA, South Carolina Section 3rd – 1:53.19, Magic City Mechanics, Alabama/Mississippi Section Women’s 1st – 1:45.91, Hydrant Honeys, North Carolina Section (Pictured right.) 2nd – 2:04.09, Village Vixens, Illinois Section 3rd – 2:11.00, Brozettes, Arizona Section Meter Challenge: Contestants race to reassemble working water meters from parts 1st – 32.87, David Marinella, Ohio Section 2nd – 51.04, Hector Diaz, California-Nevada Section Pipe Tapping: Top section-level teams race to tap a cement-lined, ductile iron pipe Men’s 1st – 1:05.16, SADM Apodaca, Mexico Section (Pictured right) 2nd – 1:21.25, Bama Boyz, Alabama/Mississippi Section 3rd – 1:22.15, Alamo Drillers, Texas Section Women’s 1st – 2:12.28, Big D Lady Tappers, Texas Section 2nd – 2:26.25, Lady Bandits, Texas Section 3rd – 2:46.28, Lansing Lethal Ladies, Michigan Section Top Ops: Teams of operators and lab technicians compete to score the most points answering scientific questions and math problems 1st – East Bay Ozonators, California-Nevada Section Best of the Best Taste Test – A panel of experts determine which AWWA Section taste test winner is “best of the best” (Winners pictured left.) 1st – WaterOne, Kansas City, Kansas 2nd – City and Borough of Sitka, Alaska 3rd – City of Sioux Falls, South Dakota People’s Choice Taste Test – ACE participants at tasting stations vote on their favorite AWWA Section taste test winner 1st – WaterOne, Kansas City, Kansas