Falls Church Water Prepares for Utility Rodeo

Time is critical when you're getting a busted water main sealed and back in service.

In May, a team of Falls Church Water employees will travel to Virginia Beach to show off that efficiency and speed in the American Water Works Associations Utility Rodeo. The day-long event draws teams from water companies throughout Virginia to compete for the best times in several events.

The rodeo closes out a three-day conference for water utility workers and trade vendors.

“We’ve done as good as third,” said Josh Goff, an employee competing in his 10th rodeo. “We’re usually in the top five.”

Twice a week, the team meets at the Falls Church property yard to practice repairing water mains, installing new service lines and disassembling and reassembling a meter under pressure. The team is composed solely of volunteers. Goff said the team that wins the pipe tapping competition will travel to Dallas to compete for the national championship.

With his hat to the back, Goff, an 11-year veteran with the water company, grimaced as he quickly wound a wrench around a pipe Wednesday. Goff and two others worked diligently through the course, which simulates what work crews face when connecting a new service hook up. With water trickling from the seal of the pipe, the crew was able to get the simulated line functioning and in service in just more than two minutes.

“Our best practice time was about a minute and 20 seconds,” Goff said after the first practice run. “In competition, we finished in just over two minutes.”

New to the rodeo this year is the meter madness competition. Workers must show their skill at assembling a meter quickly, totally and accurately. Employee Joe Cassell said he wanted to participate in the competition and has spent much of his time with his practice meter during the last few weeks.

“Every day I go home, take it apart and put it back together as fast as I can,” Cassell said.

While Goff is the most experienced member of the team, Shawn Walters, at 41,  is both the oldest and newest member. While he's been with Falls Church Water for just more than two months, Walters has years of experience repairing water mains. He said he wanted to compete in the rodeo in years past but never had the money.

“I feel real good about the group and the practices we’ve had,” Walters said. “I think we can do well.”