Northwest Indiana Operators Association

Northwest Indiana Operators AssociationNorthwest Indiana Operators AssociationNorthwest Indiana Operators Association

Northwest Indiana Operators Association

Northwest Indiana Operators AssociationNorthwest Indiana Operators AssociationNorthwest Indiana Operators Association

Welcome to Northwest Indiana Operators Association

Welcome to Northwest Indiana Operators AssociationWelcome to Northwest Indiana Operators AssociationWelcome to Northwest Indiana Operators Association

NWIOA Officers

Leah Leimbacher, President & IWEA Representative

Leah Leimbacher, President & IWEA Representative

Leah Leimbacher, President & IWEA Representative

Town of Chesterton

Laboratory Chief, Pretreatment Coordinator

lleimbacher@chestertonin.org

www.indianawea.org

www.wef.org

Lori Latham, Vice-President

Leah Leimbacher, President & IWEA Representative

Leah Leimbacher, President & IWEA Representative

Business Development Representative, Wessler Engineering, Inc.

loril@wesslerengineering.com

Timothy Alston, Treasurer

Timothy Alston, Treasurer

Timothy Alston, Treasurer

 Superintendent, Gary Sanitary District

talston@garysan.com

Hope Hanford, Secretary

Timothy Alston, Treasurer

Timothy Alston, Treasurer

Pretreatment Coordinator, City of East Chicago Sanitary District

hhanford@eastchicago.com

Why Join NWIOA

Earn 1 CEU at Every Meeting!

Monthly meetings include lunch and a Presentation. Earn 1 Technical or General CEU depending on the presentation for Members AND Non-members.

Reasonable Membership Dues

Annual Dues are $25, to be paid in full. Dues include NWIOA Membership and CEU fees. Attendees who are not a member pay a $5 CEU fee.

Professional Networking

Each month Wastewater Professionals meet for a presentation over lunch at various Treatment Facilities about Northwest Indiana. In attendance are local Wastewater Operators, Superintendents, Wastewater Laboratory Analysts, Pretreatment Coordinators, Engineers, and Industrial Operators. A relaxed atmosphere to connect with peers, get free advice, swap stories of success and get support!

IWEA Upcoming Events

IWEA Annual Conference

 August 20th - 22nd

Indianapolis Convention Center, IN

Registration is OPEN

   

 Water is the lifeblood of our cities, our industries, and our daily lives. Without it, nothing functions—no homes, no businesses, no infrastructure. For those of us in wastewater management, water is not just essential—it’s everything. 

Register Here

NWIOA Mission Statement:

The Northwest Indiana Operator Association (NWIOA) provides a venue for the members of the wastewater community in Northwest Indiana to network with their peers in the wastewater field. The NWIOA also provides industry professionals the opportunity to keep up to date with the current technologies and regulation while earning continuing education. 

Employment Opportunities

Assistant Chief Operator - Town of Chesterton WebsiteWater Operator - Astbury Water Technology, South Bend

Water treatment in action: A visual journey Chesterton Utility Plant Tour April 2025

    Portage Utility Plant Tour May 2025

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      Contact Us

      Better yet, see us in person!

       NWIOA monthly meetings are held the 4th Thursday of each month from 11:30am - 1:30pm,  except for a combined November/December meeting that will be combined and held the 1st Thursday of a full week in December.  Locations to be posted monthly.

      Northwest Indiana Operators Association

      Gary, Indiana, United States

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      2025 NWIOA Meeting Schedule5

      Meet us for meeting/training sessions and lunch! 

      NWIOA monthly meetings are held the 4th Thursday of each month from NOON - 1:30pm,  except for a combined November/December meeting that will be combined and held the 1st Thursday of a full week in December.  Locations to be posted monthly. Please refer to our By-Laws for more Association information.



      NWIOA By-laws (pdf)

      Download

      Join IWEA, connect with IN water professionals

      IWEA Mission Statement:

       The Indiana Water Environment Association is dedicated to preserving and protecting Indiana's waterways through educating our members and the citizens of Indiana about the importance of our water environment.


      Visit:

       www.indianawea.org 

       www.wef.org 

      www.weftec.org 





       

      IWEA Awards

      Collection Systems Awards

      Operations & Maintenance Awards

      Laboratory Excellence Award

      • Professional of the Year
      • Large Facility (serving a population of 10,000 or more)
      • Small Facility (serving a population of 10,000 or less)

      Laboratory Excellence Award

      Operations & Maintenance Awards

      Laboratory Excellence Award

       Candidates must complete the Laboratory Excellence Award Application and be inspected by a member of the Laboratory committee to be eligible for the Laboratory Excellence Award. 

      Operations & Maintenance Awards

      Operations & Maintenance Awards

      Operations & Maintenance Awards

      • Excellence in O&M
      • Creation of an Outstanding Device
      • Operator of the Year 

      Pretreatment Award

      Besozzi Award and Scholarship

      Operations & Maintenance Awards

       The John M. Craddock Award, in the form of a plaque, is to be awarded for outstanding contributions in the field of industrial wastewater 

      Safety Awards

      Besozzi Award and Scholarship

      Besozzi Award and Scholarship

       Excellence in Safety 

      • Awards of Merit may be given to municipal facilities for Class I, II, III, IV, and industrial facilities.  

      LL Larson Safety Award

      •  The award will be made to the person responsible for bringing about safety improvements in the operation of a waste treatment facility. 

      Besozzi Award and Scholarship

      Besozzi Award and Scholarship

      Besozzi Award and Scholarship

      •   The Leo Besozzi Delegate Award is presented by IWEA each year to benefit deserving qualifying wastewater professionals in order for him/her to experience the Annual IWEA Conference and receive the benefit of the educational and networking opportunities the conference offers.  
      • The Besozzi Scholarship program is in place to assist a student in studying a field related to the water environment in earning their degree. 

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