About Water Otter Continual Education

John Hricko

John Hricko holds a Commonwealth of Virginia Class I license in both Water and Wastewater treatment. With over seventeen years of experience, John has operated numerous water and wastewater facilities on a contract / consulting basis building a wealth of experience. In that capacity, John has developed and administered training programs instrumental in developing qualified operators and providing quality treatment to ensure regulatory compliance. In the field of wastewater treatment, John carries with him a long record of outstanding results as both a contractor / consultant and as a Facility Superintendent. His teams achievement in Nutrient Reduction for the Town of Crewe, WWTP is documented both on the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality web-site and was featured in the September 2009 issue of TPO Magazine. In 2008 John was honored as Wastewater Operator of the Year, and his facility for Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Year by the Virginia Rural Water Association. John teaches our online comprehensive math series and several other courses including hypochorite disinfection and dechlorination.

Mike Harrington

Mike Harrington holds certifications in water, wastewater and industrial wastewater treatment. He is a Certified Environmental Instructor, and has operational as well as manufacturer work experience. He gives numerous training workshops across the United States annually, and currently writes and presents these programs on behalf of colleges, industry, training partners, and regulatory agencies nationwide Mike teaches several of our online courses from microscope applications to groundwater system operations.

Jack Vanderland

Jack Vanderland has worked in the water and wastewater industry for over 30 years. He is now a consultant and part-time instructor and has previously taught several of our live math courses. During his time with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, he managed the agency’s statewide program to develop and conduct job related training for water pollution control facilities managers, operators, and analysts. He also managed the agency’s state funded and 104(g) funded compliance assistance program for small treatment facilities. Additionally, he served as agency representative on the Virginia Board for Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators and On-site Sewage System Professionals.

Will Boylan

Will Boylan has taught live courses for us on wastewater pump technology, which is a general overview of hydraulics, applications and technologies available and how they interface with typical SCADA systems Will specializes in mechanical and industrial engineering.

Course Writers

David Burpeau
dburpeau@gmail.com
619-708-9310

David Burpeau has been a managing consultant with Aspen Risk Management/Tri-Star Group and specializes in water utility industries and disciplines pertaining to occupational health & safety, security, emergency planning, and risk management. Mr. Burpeau is a safety professional with more than 43 years of professional safety background with the bulk of his water/wastewater and public works background in the areas of water and wastewater safety and operations, occupational medicine, industrial hygiene, water/wastewater facility security, insurance, risk management and loss control.

Mr. Burpeau also worked for the San Diego County Office of Education within the Risk Management JPA where he managed the Asbestos in Schools (AHERA) programs for more than 30 school districts as well as regular loss control activities and training. In addition, he started his career at Kelco which would be considered to be a product engineering and chemical industry.

As a safety professional with two large water and wastewater agencies, Mr. Burpeau enjoyed significant successes related to reductions in accidents, injuries and other losses resulting in at least 80% reductions in losses. In addition, under his guidance one organization worked several years without a lost workday injury. He also developed a professional internal confined space and trenching rescue teams that also were proficient in chlorine leak and other chemical emergencies as well. He is a leader in the public agency safety where in fact many of his programs that had not existed in the industry before are still used and can be found today in cities and water and wastewater organizations throughout the state.

Mr. Burpeau is a Navy veteran serving six years as a Corpsman with specialty training in general medicine, surgery, radiology, emergency medicine and numerous other medical disciplines. As a federal employee he worked as an associate within a medical/surgical research/tissue bank facility working on a team that worked to develop and perfect surgical technique common place today.

Mr. Burpeau was associated with Don Brown Productions, the worlds leader in safety video production and was responsible for the development of more than 2,500 safety and training videos.

Mr. Burpeau has extensive training experience in program content development and implementation providing training programs to thousands in senior management, utility and general industry, managers and employees. He has conducted training on numerous including: Injury & Illness Prevention Program Development, Safety Program Development, Forklift Operations and Safety, Hazardous Materials and Hazard Communications, Ergonomics, Back Injury Prevention/management, Driving, Confined Space Entry, Occupational Health, Control of Hazardous Energy, Ergonomics, Water/wastewater Agency Security, Respiratory Protection, Electrical Safety, Construction Equipment Safety, Chlorine and Disinfection Chemical Safety, Aerial and Personnel Lifts, Fall Prevention, Trenching and Shoring and General Construction Safety, Venomous/Toxic Animals and Poison Plants, Homeless Encampment Cleanup training, Traffic control and Flagger training.

Mr. Burpeau also has training and experience in security associated with public agencies, Homeland Security and Security for Houses of Worship, including weapons training and use.