Attendee registration and hotel information will be available in December.
Sign up to compete or cheer on competitors at these Texas WaterTM 2025 events!
Best-Tasting Drinking Water Contest
Thursday, March 20, 1:30 pm-3 pm, Exhibit Hall (Top Ops Area)
The Best Tasting Drinking Water Contest brings together entries representing utilities across Texas. A panel of celebrity judges will grade the samples. Along with Texas bragging rights, the winning entrant competes at AWWA ACE25 in Denver in June.
Best Tasting Drinking Water Registration Will Open in December
Biosolids Beauty Contest
Wednesday, March 19, 3 pm-3:30 pm, Exhibit Hall
Enter the Biosolids Beauty Contest! Categories include Class B, Class A/AB, Overall Winner, People’s Choice and Most Creative Presentation.
Register for Biosolids Beauty Contest
Hydrant Hysteria
Wednesday, March 19, 9:30 am-4 pm, Exhibit Hall
Thursday, March 20, 9:30 am-4 pm, Exhibit Hall
Hydrant Hysteria is a fast-paced competition where two-member teams assemble a specified hydrant as quickly as they can. The Section winners will compete at AWWA ACE25 in Denver, CO, in June. Registration for Hydrant Hysteria is open until December 31, 2024.
Register for Hydrant Hysteria
Junior Meter Challenge
Wednesday, March 19, 1 pm-2:30 pm, Exhibit Hall
The Junior Meter Challenge Contest matches students from high school environmental programs, for a test of their meter-assembling skills and dexterity in the Exhibit Hall from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Please support these future water professionals by attending on Wednesday.
Meter Challenge
Wednesday, March 19, 2:30 pm-4:30 pm, Exhibit Hall
Contestants race to assemble a 5/8-inch meter from loose parts and test for leaks. The winner represents Texas at AWWA ACE25 in Denver. Limited to 12 competitors. Registration for Meter Challenge is open until February 14, 2025.
Register for Meter Challenge
Operations Challenge
Wednesday, March 19, 8 am–Thursday, March 20, 2:45 pm
Thursday, March 20, 2:45 pm: Awards Ceremony
Watch the nation’s best operators and maintenance staff compete in the Operations Challenge Competition at Texas Water. This multi-day competition challenges utility teams to test their knowledge in different aspects of their day-to-day responsibilities. Operations Challenge is composed of five individual events that carry over to the national competition at WEFTEC. In addition, Texas has created additional exhibition events to provide other opportunities for teams to compete. The competitions include:
Freese and Nichols Process Controls Event: Teams will complete a written test consisting of short math and process scenario questions, electronic multiple-choice questions, and process simulation using GPS-X software of a WWTP.
Hartwell Environmental Laboratory Event: Analyzing and determining total suspended solids, conductivity / TDS and performing solids mass balance across a treatment system.
Walter Chiang Maintenance Event Sponsored by STV: The purpose of this event is to test the skills of a maintenance team to respond to trouble at a wastewater lift station that has resulted in an alarm. Teams will race to remove an operating Vaughan chopper pump, change the impellar, and put it back in service.
AECOM Collection System Event: Teams are required to cut out a section of an 8-inch PVC wastewater pipe with water flowing through it, drill and install a 4-inch service saddle in the replacement pipe, cut and install the replacement section with couplings. Construction of a Victualic pipe tree is also required.
Carollo Safety Event: Teams will be required to rescue unconscious workers from a lift station. Team members will set up a retrieval system, perform a permit-required confined space entry, rescue the downed worker, and change out flaps on a check valve.
Gupta Electrical Event: Teams will race to troubleshoot a lift station control panel and power supply.
Seepex Exhibition Event: Competitors will race to replace the stator and rotor in a Seepex Smart Conveying Technology (SCT) pump.
Victaulic Exhibition Event: A race to put together a style 31 coupling tree arrangement using Victaulic couplings, pipes, and drill drivers.
Awards Ceremony: Awards for the Operations Challenge Competition, Biosolids Beauty Contest and other operations-focused awards will be handed out at the Operations Awards Ceremony at 2:45 pm.
Register for Operations Challenge
Pipe Tapping Contest
Thursday, March 20, 9:30 am-4 pm, Exhibit Hall
Four-person teams from across the state compete to determine who will represent Texas at the National Pipe Tapping Competition at AWWA ACE25 in Denver.
Register for Pipe Tapping
Fastest Saw Cut sponsored by Garver, Open to All!
Wednesday, March 19, 3:30 pm-5 pm, Exhibit Hall, Ops Challenge Area
Anyone can sign up and join us for the premier event, the Fastest Saw Cut. Individuals can race to compete to see how fast they can cut a 6” PVC pipe with a hand saw. Fastest person receives a $100, a trophy, and top bragging rights. The competition starts with a Utility Management Division, pitting utility executives head-to-head in a bracket competition with both men’s and women’s divisions. After that, an open competition for men and women divisions, and then closing out with our Pro division. Sign up today by emailing Grace Sober at GDSober@lan-inc.com.
Top Ops
Thursday, March 20, 9:30 am-1:30 pm, Exhibit Hall
The Top Ops competition is widely regarded as the ‘Super Bowl’ of the water industry. It challenges competitors’ technical knowledge and problem-solving abilities with complex math and operational questions. Some topics covered are water treatment plant processes, distribution, groundwater, lab procedures, maintenance, and safety. It aims to recognize and promote excellence and professionalism in all aspects of water operations by establishing a competition that gives operators the opportunity to showcase their talents. The winning team advances to the National Top Ops Competition at the AWWA Annual Conference (ACE). Registration deadline: Friday, February 21, 2025.
Register for Top Ops
Young Professionals Process Control Event
Anyone can sign up for this! Teams of two will compete head to head in a GPS-X Simulator and process test for WWTPs. Contact Jeff Sober at 214-883-6263 or jlsober@garverusa.com with any questions or to participate.