News & Events

WV Scholar Impacts State-wide Public Priorities with Drinking Water Safety Initiative

Douglas (right) shares award with WV Governor Joe Manchin.

Charleston, West Virginia – JD Douglas, 2006-07 SEPHLI Scholar and Engineering Supervisor for the WV in the Office of Environmental Health Services at the Department of Health and Human Resources, is making an impact on public priorities in West Virginia with his leadership project, "Increasing Water Treatment Plant Preparedness in Southwestern West Virginia."  During the past year, JD has pushed his leadership skills to the edge to foster collaboration, innovation, communication, and change in order to raise awareness of the critical need for safe drinking water and disaster preparedness in West Virginia drinking water treatment plants.

One of Douglas' primary project goals was to raise awareness about water treatment safety to the community in a positive way.  Through this unprecedented regional initiative, he created an award program providing recognition to drinking water treatment plants with high performance standards in safety and preparedness through positive press and a public awards ceremony.  The awards program was so successful in the southwestern region of West Virginia that state level officials used Douglas' model to develop a statewide award recognition program for water treatment plant safety and preparedness. 

Further, Douglas submitted a nomination to the United States' Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for an award recognition program to recognize excellence in operating a drinking water system.  Douglas nominated John Ingrham of Scott Depot, WV, a previously recognized award-winning water treatment plant operator in Douglas' region.  In August 2007, John Ingrham was presented with the EPA mid-Atlantic region's award for excellence in operating a drinking water system.  (To read more about this award, follow the link below to the EPA website) 

Douglas invited the regional and state-wide press and the Governor of West Virginia to present the award.  The governor, impressed with this initiative, accepted the invitation.  Present at the award ceremony were both state and national leaders giving drinking water safety and preparedness the press it needed to gain momentum as a public priority in West Virginia.  SEPHLI commends Douglas for recognizing the value of awards and recognition as part of workforce development as an effective way to reward valued public health professionals, and as a vehicle to put a positive image of public health in the media.

EPA Award to John Ingrham: West Virginia water system operator recognized for performance

JD Douglas' project: Increasing Water Treatment Plant Preparedness in Southwestern West Virginia

For more information, contact JD Douglas at jddouglas@wvdhhr.org.

Back to News Headlines