A four-person team from the Lansing Board of Water & Light’s water distribution department has placed first in statewide pipe-tapping competition. The BWL team advances to the national finals, June 14-15.
The competition, sponsored by the American Water Works Association, is a timed event that involves tapping into a cement-lined iron pipe that holds pressurized water. These conditions simulate an operational water main.
After the iron pipe is opened, a copper tap is inserted and the completed tap is checked for leaks. The entire pipe-tapping procedure is done entirely with hand tools and muscle power.
The BWL’s winning time of one minute, 13 seconds, was just two seconds off the state record of 1 minute, 11 seconds. The BWL’s tapping team members are: Remecho Sanders (coach), Luis Flores, Mike Smith and Jacob Spedoske. The team manager is Leon Flores.*
Statewide competition was held March 3 in Plainfield Township.
BWL General Manager J. Peter Lark commented on the victory: “This competition simulates the necessary skills and work needed to install water service for our customers. While we don’t time our crews in real life, certainly we know that honing our skills for water service installation makes the end product better. This competition requires a mastery of the skills needed in the real world, resulting in high-quality, reliable water service. I am proud our team has taken the state title, and I look forward to their competing in the national contest in June.”
BWL teams have competed in the national finals many times since 1992. From 2001 through 2003, at least one BWL team made the national finals. In 2002, a BWL women’s tapping team took first place, and a BWL men’s team took second place.
The BWL’s water distribution system has 784 miles of water mains, which delivers nearly 23 million gallons of clean drinking water every day to more than 54,000 customers.
*Another BWL employee recently won a state competition, earning the right to attend the AWWA national finals in June. Michael Lehtonen won a state contest called Meter Madness. In this timed event, more than 50 contestants each assembled a water meter from a bucket of parts. Lehtonen’s winning time was one minute, 4 seconds.
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