Young professionals from every corner of the water-treatment industry are making waves as the newest generation of water-treatment professionals. As the next wave of experts, this group is pioneering a future for clean water by strengthening the workforce through exemplary customer care, advancing scientific innovations, and progressing public health through education and policy.

This month, Water Conditioning & Purification International is celebrating the hard work of Morgan Arney.

The Family Business

Arney has been a service technician since 2018. He works at Aqua General in Houston, Texas, for David Davies, his father. Growing up around the business Arney already knew the basic functions of water softening and reverse osmosis equipment, but once he started at the company, he quickly learned just how essential the purification process was for healthy drinking water.

In the early years of his tenure in the industry, Arney relied upon the guidance of Davies and other industry experts at the company and beyond to help navigate the complexities of training and service. Training is an important step for any professional, but Arney emphasizes the necessity for newcomers to ask questions when they don’t know an answer, particularly to experienced colleagues.

“There are plenty of technicians who have been in the field for over 30 years who are happy to help,” Arney added, “And they’ve seen all kinds of weird things.”

Proud Service

Going above and beyond is Arney’s standard method of service.

He’s enthusiastic about the work that he does and takes satisfaction in providing customers with quality care, either through installations or routine service calls.  He works on both the commercial and residential sides of the business, but the difference is more than just scale. He noted residential service requires a heightened level of care.

Any time that he is responding to a service call, Arney makes it a priority to listen to the customer’s perspective and does everything that he can to address and solve any problems they are experiencing.

“That mindset applies to all parts of customer interactions,” Arney said, adding that it can be “The difference between a happy customer and a dissatisfied customer.”

One of the most gratifying aspects of the job for Arney is hearing positive feedback from customers that had particularly complex issues that he was able to solve. To him, hearing that they are satisfied after he has dealt with a hard problem makes the trouble worth it.

Continuous Improvement

Arney explained that his efforts to improve continue each day in his job. In addition to seven years of service already under his belt, Arney is currently working towards a Class III Water Treatment Specialist license. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality requires occupational licenses for services on systems connected to public or private water systems, and the Class III license represents the highest level of training for the state.

He has also attended numerous Texas Water Quality Association events, and each time he connects with other professionals from across the state to learn from their experiences and build a network of professionals around him.

Being a service technician requires not only technical knowledge but also creative problem-solving skills. Arney said that the biggest challenge is the unexpected, even on routine calls.

“The only way to overcome the challenge,” Arney said, “Is to be open to creative solutions to unexpected problems. The only way to get stuck is to give up.”

Arney highlighted the pride that comes with a job well done and urged his colleagues to recognize the impact and importance of the work they do.

The industry holds ample opportunities for hardworking professionals seeking a career in water, and Arney noted that young professionals are in a prime position to enter the field right now.

The industry is growing as people better understand the need for good, clean drinking water. And like Arney, the next generation of professionals is primed to deliver it through hard work, knowledgeable installation, and good service.federal court decision may finally bring that about.

From Water Conditioning and Purification International Magazine