Larry Sletten of the city of Emmons was awarded the Achievement Award at the 24th Annual MRWA Water and Wastewater Technical Conference March 4 and 6 in St. Cloud. The criteria for the award is a system and/or person who has applied innovative ideas, inventions or procedures that has benefited the operation of a public water/wastewater systems and/or its customers.

The city of Emmons, located close to the Iowa border, has laid claim to the fact that they are the Gateway to Minnesota. Sletten has been the water and wastewater operator in Emmons for nine years. He also has worked part time for the neighboring community of Twin Lakes for the past 25 years. Sletten has his class &8220;C&8221; water and wastewater licenses.

Faced with a failing treatment facility, he went above and beyond the expected duties of a water operator. The city was in need of replacing the 150-gallon-per-minute filter. Sletten took the lead and made himself the project manager to get the much needed filter plant upgrade completed.

Several overtime hours and many months later the project was completed. This city now has a working water facility at a significant cost savings due to Sletten&8217;s hard work and dedication.