The Environmental Resources Training Center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has received the Governor’s Sustainability Award for significant achievements in protecting the environment, helping sustain the future and improving the state’s economy.
The Center was among the 24 Illinois institutions, organizations and companies honored at a ceremony in Chicago on Thursday, Oct. 23. The award is presented annually by the Illinois Sustainability Technology Center (ISTC), a unit of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois.
“Investing in sustainability creates jobs, boosts our economy and is an investment in our future,” said Gov. Pat Quinn. “These awards foster innovation and encourage universities and businesses to help us build a stronger, greener Illinois.”
ERTC received the award for its 40-year commitment to the sustainability and protection of the waters of Illinois. The center was designed and built for the sole purpose of training drinking water supply and wastewater reclamation plant operators.
“The treatment plant operator is an integral part of the water use cycle in the U.S.,” said Paul Shetley, ERTC director, who was joined by Operations Director Kim Bateman to receive the award. “The water operator supplies clean reliable water to households throughout the nation.
“The wastewater plant operator discharges clean, sanitary waters back into the nation’s waterways. By virtually eliminating water borne pathogens, these operators save more lives than medical doctors.”
ERTC is one of the most unique training centers in the nation. The instructors use its 30,000-gallon per day training-scale drinking water and wastewater treatment plant to teach students the skills needed to properly operate a plant. An example of the training impact that ERTC has on the water profession can be measured in the statistics from Fiscal Year 2013, when it trained more than 975 students and awarded more than 25,000 continuing education and contact hours.
In 2011, ERTC expanded its commitment to sustainability by completing its Alternative Energy Project. During the project, the Center installed 144 solar panels and a 120-foot tall wind turbine. Since their installation, the alternative energy project has generated more than 175,000 kilowatts of electricity and has saved the University more than $12,000 in energy costs.
To meet the important need for trained operators, ERTC annually provides up to 30 graduates from its Water Quality Control Operations Program. These graduates are skilled operators and most possess their state certifications.
About the Environmental Resources Training Center
In 1977, the Environmental Resources Training Center (ERTC) was designated by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) as the Illinois center for the continuing education of personnel involved in the operation, maintenance and management of drinking water and wastewater treatment systems.
ERTC courses are designed to assist entry level personnel who are preparing for a career in drinking water and wastewater treatment systems and persons already employed in such systems who desire education to upgrade job skills, obtain advanced certification levels and prepare for more responsible positions.
ERTC plays a role in the education of minority and female students who typically makeup 20 percent of the students in the Water Quality Control Operations Program. Numerous displaced workers have gone through the program and been able to re-enter the workforce as a productive individual. Several displaced workers who graduated from ERTC have returned to visit instructors to thank them for “turning their life around.” ERTC also has a commitment to train the returning military veterans and assist them in re-entering the workforce.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high quality, affordable education that prepares them for successful careers and lives of purpose. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of nearly 14,000.
Photo: Pictured from left to right in the front row are Rick Lallish, Paul Shetley and Kim Bateman. Shown on the back row from left to right are Marcia Webb, David Wesselmann and Kurt Neuhaus.
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