Scientist at Helm of Westerville Water Utility

The City of Westerville’s Water Utility Manager, Richard (Dick) Lorenz, is, professionally speaking, a limnologist. While it sounds like an answer to a Jeopardy! question, it actually refers to his expertise in the study of fresh water lakes. Lorenz has spent the better part of a career that has spanned more than 30 years, much of it in Westerville, applying his knowledge, training and commitment to the environmental sciences for a safe and reliable water system.

Where did you grow up?

I’m originally from New York state; born in Buffalo, and then we moved to the White Plains area, just an hour north of New York City. I lived there until it was time to look at college, and I knew I wanted to get away from the East Coast. My parents were originally from Ohio and Indiana, respectively, so we started touring schools in the Midwest. I loved the visual appeal of Miami University in Oxford. Coming from my proximity to the “big” city, I wanted to enjoy school in a “small” city.

How did the path to the environmental sciences come to you?

I always did well in science in high school and eventually became interested in the connection between the environment and science, especially when I first saw photos of the Cuyahoga River on fire in 1969. The image was caught by a photographer and published in Time magazine. That’s around the time people started to become aware of the impact of pollution on the environ - ment, and the environmental movement started. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was formed in the early 1970s, and the safe drinking and clean water acts followed. All of these took place when I was in high school and it piqued my interest as a social issue that fell into the scientific realm. you also received another recent distinction: the Fuller Award. the City established the odd/Even Lawn Watering program* many years ago. Why is water conservation important in our community?

How did you come to your job in Westerville?

After graduating from Miami, I chose to do my graduate work at The Ohio State University. At Miami, I had studied biology, and at OSU, I went into the Master’s program in environmental biology. In graduate school, I focused on water quality; Great Lakes water specifically. I ended up doing a lot of work at Lake Erie in water quality, supporting my education with research grants to study lake algae. On occasion, I still teach algae workshops at Stone Laboratory (the OSU biological field station on Lake Erie).

I was fortunate to pair my interests in water quality and the environment in school, but then you have to get a job. I graduated on a Friday and started with the Columbus Division of Water the next Monday. I started as a microbiologist and moved up to become the supervisor of the biological/environmental section of the lab. It was my first step from scientist to management. Later, I took my state water test to become a certified water operator, and moved into my position in Westerville where I’ve been for nearly 20 years.

How has the Westerville water utility grown since you have been here?

Westerville has really grown, and so has our water service. The Water Plant has increased its capacity by 25 percent since I have been here, largely because we have adopted innovative technologies in cooperation with the Ohio EPA. We have demonstrated to the regulatory agency that we could increase capacity without having to build additional facilities, while maintaining water quality. This practice has kept the utility operating efficiently while resulting in the lowest rates in central Ohio.

In May, you became an American Academy of Environmental Engineers, Board Certified Environmental Scientist. tell about that certification.

It’s a brand new certification and I was in the first class to receive it. The academy is establishing the future protocol for the industry. Candidates will have to pass an examination to be considered in future classes, but I was inducted based on my career accomplishments, published papers and presentations.

That award is a meaningful honor from my professional trade organization, the American Water Works Association. It recognizes a person in each state and is named after an early engineer in the water industry, George Warner Fuller, who helped design the first water treatment systems in many states, including Ohio. We were selected by our peers and the state association for significant, long-term commitment and expertise in engineering and technical expertise in the water industry.

The Odd/Even program was initiated out of necessity in the mid-1990s because our water plant was experiencing peak usage on hot summer weekends that was beyond our treatment capacity. The decision was made to, rather than spend a large dollar amount to expand the plant, better manage our resources through the use of conservation programs. Through informing the public and the public’s willingness to go along with it, it has been successful.

Water conservation is as important as the conservation of any other limited natural resource. It takes a fair amount of energy and resources to treat clean, safe drinking water. First is electricity and second is water treatment chemicals, both of which, when produced, have an impact on the environment. When you’re saving water, you’re also making a larger environmental contribution.

What is something that residents may be surprised to know about our water supply or water use?

There’s often an assumption that Hoover Reservoir is Westerville’s source of water. It is not. Westerville’s water comes from Alum Creek Reservoir, with the Westerville Reservoir (actually built before Alum Creek Reservoir) as a second source.

Also, people are typically surprised to learn how much water an average person uses a day: about 100 gallons. The average household uses 300 gallons a day. So, where does all that water go? We figure that maybe 5 of those 100 gallons are actually consumed through cooking, drinking and brushing teeth, anything that may enter your body. The other 95 gallons literally go down the drain or to get rid of waste, and yet it’s all treated at the same level. When I ask groups how much water they think they use, the guesses are all over but usually low, like around 10 gallons.

Knowing what you do about water management and use, have you noticed you use it differently than other people do?

I have no concerns about drinking tap water. I’m not a bottled water person unless it’s out of convenience. At home, I get a glass of water out of the faucet. The biggest difference from my perspective is probably the way I look at the environment when it comes to maintaining our natural water resources. I’m active in FACT (Friends of Alum Creek and Tributaries), a watershed protection group that advocates for education, enjoyment and protection of our water resources.

What are your (other) interests and hobbies?

Cycling, snowskiing and golf – pretty much anything that involves being outdoors and, yes, anything involving water. I enjoy walks along creek beds, boating and scuba diving when I have the chance. I also spend time with my family: my wife and two daughters.

What does the future of the water industry look like, in your opinion?

Water and its management will become more and more important as we continue to develop. It is a limited but renewable resource that needs to be managed properly for the benefit of all. Also, the water industry has many diverse career opportu- nities – accounting, customer service, scientists, heavy equipment operators, plant operators and much more. The residents should be proud that Westerville has been able to maintain an independent, locally controlled water system. It has served us well over the years.

*The Odd-Even Lawn Watering Program is a permanent Westerville Ordinance in effect year-round and emphasized during times of excessive heat and limited rainfall. The Ordinance was enacted to help residents conserve water during dry summer months while still allowing adequate water for lawns. The program matches days of lawn watering to home addresses: If a house or business number ends in an even number, the resident/owner is permitted to water grass on even-numbered days of the month, and vice versa for odd-numbered days.