Water

Passion for Clean Water

Joe helps to provide safe, clean drinking water to our community.

Joe Ortquist gets to go home from work knowing that 55,000 people have safe drinking water because of what he did. He is a Water Treatment Plant Operator for Holland Board of Public Works.

Over 15 years ago when Joe joined HBPW, the economy was starting to show signs of distress and many skilled people were losing their jobs. Joe was excited to be interviewing for a position in utilities. “The job security and stability that comes with working in essential services like water and electric made working for a utility very attractive,” Joe said.

Providing clean drinking water to an entire city is quite the responsibility, but the small team at the water plant is well-equipped to do it. “Each employee is an integral part of the team,” Joe said. “Each member has a specific skill set, but we’re all geared toward one common goal: quality, clean drinking water.”

Joe’s dedication and interest in water doesn’t stop when he leaves his shift. His wife teaches at a local school, and when approached by her coworker to teach about the water system, Joe was happy to oblige.

“I’ve always been impressed by second graders’ natural curiosity about the water plant and how much they learn from the tours,” Joe said. “I’m happy to share some of my time, so that maybe next time a kid sees a water tower or turns on the tap, he can know a little about how the water got there.”