2024 at Anaheim, California
First Place: Tulsa Terminators (Steve Thomas, Curt Ellis, Lainee Carner), Southwest Section
Second Place: Str8 Drippin, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (Robert Nally, Glenn Johnson, Robert Holmberg), Chesapeake Section
Third Place: Chloramine Machines (Riley Smith, Mark Edwards, Matt Walker), Skagit, Washington, Public Utilities District, Pacific Northwest Section
Fourth Place: Reservoir Dawgs (Aaron Caudillo, Monica Vasquez, Mark Taylor), Sacramento Suburban Water District, California/Nevada Section
2023 at Toronto, Canada
First Place: Turbidity Chasers, Indiana Section
Second Place: Straight Dripping, Chesapeake Section
Third Place: East Bay MUD, California/Nevada Section
Fourth Place: Purcerville Mud Dogs, Virginia Section
2022 at San Antonio, Texas
First Place: The East Bay Ozonators from CA/NV
2019 at Denver, Colorado
1st - Birmingham Prime Movers (AL-MS)
2nd - Water Buoys (Florida)
3rd - EBMUD Ozonators (Cal-Nevada)
2018 at Las Vegas, Nevada
1st - Birmingham Prime Movers
2nd - Palm Coast Water Buoys
3rd - FW & PCOA Region 9
4th - Denver Water Wise Guys
2017 at Philadelphia, Pennslyvania
1st – Palm Coast Water Buoys of Palm Coast, Florida Section
2nd – Birmingham Prime Movers, Alabama/Mississippi Section
3rd – Fort Worth Panthers, Texas Section
4th – City of Alcoa, Kentucky/Tennessee Section
2016 at Chicago, Ilinois
1st – Palm Coast Water Buoys of Palm Coast, Florida Section
2nd – Fort Worth Panthers, Texas Section
3rd – Birmingham Prime Movers, Alabama/Mississippi Section
4th – Aquitards, Illinois Section
2015 at Anaheim, California
1st – WSSC, Chesapeake Section
2nd – Water Buoys, Florida Section
3rd – Team Birmingham, Alabama/Mississippi Section
4th – Smooth Operators, California/Nevada Section
2014 at Boston, Massachusetts
1st – Palm Coast Water Buoys, Florida Section
2nd – Smooth Operators, California/Nevada Section
3rd – Novae, Virginia Section
4th – Monroe County, New York Section
2013 at Denver, Colorado
1st – Team Birmingham, Alabama/Mississippi Section
2nd – ACWD Smooth Operators, California/Nevada Section
3rd – Tacoma Water, Pacific/Northwest Section
2012 at Dallas, Texas
1st – Team Birmingham, Alabama/Mississippi Section
2nd – City of Palm Coast, Florida Section
3rd – Halifax Water, Atlantic Canada Section
2011 in Washington, D.C.
1st – Palm Coast Water Buoys, Florida Section
2nd – Tacoma Water, Tacoma, Washington
3rd – H2Ohio; Columbus, Ohio
2010 at Chicago, Illinois
1st – Birmingham Water Works; Birmingham, Alabama
2nd – Patuxent; Laurel, Maryland
3rd – Palm Coast Water Buoys; Palm Coast, Florida
2009 at San Diego, California
1st – Palm Coast Water Buoys; Palm Coast, Florida
2nd – Schmutzdeckers; Salem, Oregon
3rd – Fort Worth Pride, Fort Worth, Texas
2008 at Atlanta, Georgia
1st – Palm Coast Water Buoys; Palm Coast, Florida
2nd – Fort Worth Pride, Fort Worth, Texas
3rd – Team Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
2007 at Toronto, Ontario
1st – Schmutzdeckers; Salem, Oregon
2nd – Palm Coast Water Buoys; Palm Coast, Florida
3rd – H2Ohio; Columbus, Ohio
2006 at San Antonio, Texas
1st – Palm Coast Water Buoys; Palm Coast, Florida
2nd – Team Birmingham; Birmingham, Alabama
3rd – H2Ohio; Columbus, Ohio
2005 in San Francisco, California
1st – Ft. Worth Pride; Ft. Worth, Texas
2nd – Palm Coast Water Boys; Palm Coast, Florida
3rd – City of Deltona, Florida
2004 at Orlando, Florida
1st – City of Deltona, Florida
2nd – Flocculators; Henderson, Nevada
3rd – Houston/American Water Company; Houston
2003 at Anaheim, California
1st – Houston/American Water Company; Houston, Texas
2nd – Team Kentucky; Bardstown, Kentucky
3rd – Glacier Brewd; Anchorage, Alaska
2002 at New Orleans, Louisiana
1st – Team Kentucky; Bardstown, Kentucky
2nd- California/Nevada Mud Slingers; Alameda County (California) Water District
3rd – Fairfax County (Virginia) Water Authority
2001 at Washington, D.C.
1st – Team Florida Water; Deltona, Florida
2nd – H2O Hillbillies; Frankfort, Kentucky
3rd – Houston Pilots, Houston
2000 at Denver, Colorado
1st – Houston Pilots; Houston
2nd – City of Alcoa, Tennessee
1999 at Chicago, Illinois
1st – Florida Water Services Co; Deltona, Florida
2nd -Houston Pilots; Houston, Texas
3rd – California/Nevada Section AWWA
1998 at Dallas, Texas
1st – Little Roger and the Delta Water Kings; Contra Costa Water District, California
2nd – Anne Arundel County, Maryland
3rd – The Drips; United Water, New Jersey
1997 at Atlanta, Georgia
1st – Little Roger and the Delta Water Kings; Contra Costa Water District, California
2nd – The Optimizers; JMM Operational Services, Texas
3rd – Florida Water Services Co.; Florida Section AWWA
What is Top Ops?
Top Ops is the “college bowl” of the water industry. Teams of one, two or three water operators or lab personnel from all AWWA Sections compete against each other in a fast-paced question-and-answer tournament. A moderator poses a broad range of technical questions and math problems, and the team scoring the most points in the championship round is awarded the Top Ops Championship.
Where is it held?
The Top Ops Competition is held annually during AWWA’s Annual Conference and Exposition.
Help! My Section’s contest occurs after the registration deadline. Can my team still register for this year’s competition?
The competition coordinators realize that your Section normally sends a team/competitor. But do not wait until you have determined whether or not you are able to travel and have completed your hotel and airline reservations. Because of signage, supplies and other information, make competition registration your top priority. It is free and only takes a minute or two.
To register: Contact competitions@awwa.org to confirm your eligibility and obtain access to the registration link.
Will information be provided on-site before the Preliminaries?
Yes; all Team Captains are required to attend a mandatory meeting on Monday morning before the preliminaries. All teams will be notified of the time and place of this meeting.
May anyone enter the competition?
You must be an individual, active operator member of AWWA, an employee of a utility member, or organization member of AWWA. Please review the Eligibility Requirements in Top Ops Rules for more specific information.
Who writes the Top Ops questions?
The Top Ops Subcommittee creates the questions from AWWA publications. The group is under the oversight of the AWWA Distribution and Plant Operations Division, Operator Involvement Committee. Every year the committee sends some of the questions from its bank to the Association of Boards of Certification, which selects, validates and creates rounds.
ABC is dedicated to protecting public health and the environment by advancing the quality and integrity of environmental certification programs through innovative technical support services, effective information exchange, professional and cost-effective examination services and other progressive services for certifying members.
How do I sign up our team for the Top Ops Competition?
Contact competitions@awwa.org to confirm your eligibility and obtain access to the registration link. Please note: There is NO onsite registration available. A certain number of rounds of questions are created in advance of the contest based on pre-registered teams. Additional, last-minute teams cannot be accommodated.
What is the reference list used for Top Ops competitions?
Please view the latest Top Ops reference list here.
Can I videotape at Top Ops?
All videotaping is strictly forbidden to protect the integrity of Top Ops, including photographing the questions on the audience screen. Anyone who violates this rule may be asked to leave the room.