Evergy conservationist passionate about protecting water resources

A a young boy and into adulthood, Heath Horyna followed his dad around, learning about the outdoors and developing an appreciation for the environment and how important it is to protect natural resources.

“I did everything with Dad, from going to work to going hunting, fishing,” Horyna said. “He inspired me to do everything. Through him, through his leadership and tutelage, I kept leaning towards water. It clicked, and I got to understand what water requirements were, what water conservation meant. I got to understand the value of water.”

Water conservation became a passion for Horyna, who not only does conservation and environmental work for Evergy but spends a significant amount of his off time volunteering for clean water projects and other green initiatives.

“My background is water treatment,” he said. “I am a third-generation public servant. My grandfather was in public works, my father was in public works, so I naturally went that direction.”

With a degree in water treatment technology from Fort Scott Community College, Horyna moved into the industry.

“It really snowballed from there. My drive for moving forward really became a passion for wanting to understand how can we take water from the environment and return it in a condition that is the same or better than when we received it,” he said. “That was really a passion driver.”

He returned to school, earning a biology degree but becoming interested also in chemistry. In his first fulltime job out of school, Horyna worked as a lab technician for

the city of Haysville. It was there he began to volunteer, finding numerous programs that offered him the opportunity to make a difference in the environment.

“Most of the projects that I’ve done have been at an

administrative level — a lot of it does just circle round to education. I provide quite a bit of education and outreach to the majority of the projects,” he said.

Those projects vary, including offering education on

storage tanks and maintenance, which — while not obvious — a water initiative can have a big impact on water and the environment if they leak, Horyna said. He’s headed soon to Scottsdale, Ariz., to present information on water

conservation measures and methods and how they impact surrounding communities. After Haysville, Horyna worked for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, where he focused on learning the regulatory requirements surrounding the protection of water resources.

Joining the Westar Energy, now Evergy, team was the next step in his career evolution, Horyna said.

“Westar is know for their involvement in the environment,” he said. “They’re known for getting out with the Green Team, pioneering technology like the wetland treatment system at Jeffrey Energy Center.”

As he learned well from his father, Horyna drags his kids along to make sure they understand the importance of taking care of the environment. He will continue to focus on educating more people about the issues.

“I want to always give back to the community,” he said. I want to continue giving back in whatever way the good Lord lets me.”

Helping people understand the importance of water is clearly Horyna’s passion, and that is evident whenever he talks about the subject. He struggled to pin his message about water to one single idea.

By Morgan Chilson morgan.chilson@cjonline.com

“There’s always a downstream user. We are downstream users,” he said. “Always be aware of the amount of water that you use. When it comes to water conservation, I’ll hear every once in a while ‘it’s the little things.’ I don’t think there are little things. I think everything – fixing a faucet that’s dripping. That really is not a little thing. That is a significant impact. Walking out on a hiking biking trail, and picking up trash that could end up in the water ways. There are no little things when it comes to the environment.”