PPC staff, speaker or author?
Event Speaker

John North

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Title & Affiliation
Iowa Association of Water Agencies
Bio

John is now semi-retired but has remained active in the drinking water field by serving as the Co-Executive Director of the Iowa Association of Iowa Water Agencies. John served as the Water Utility Director for the city of Cedar Rapids Water Department from 1993 through June of 2007. He has over 40 years of experience in the water and wastewater treatment fields. John's undergraduate degree was in chemistry and he began his career with the city of Dubuque where he served as a chemist, lab manager and water plant manager.

 

Unfortunately, in 1992 the city of Cedar Rapids Water Department (CRWD) found itself in violation of the newly enacted standard for lead levels in first-draw drinking water samples. The CRWD initiated extensive research and monitoring programs to determine the optimal water chemistry that would minimize the potential for lead leaching. The CRWD achieved and has been in full compliance with the lead standard since about 1996. Despite having a significant number of lead service lines, brass faucets and solder joints were determined to be the primary sources for the lead corrosion in Cedar Rapids.