Recognizing Tom Sigmund

Floor Speech

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Mr. GALLAGHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Tom Sigmund for his service and accomplishments as the executive director of NEW Water and president of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies.

Mr. Sigmund has committed his career to improving water quality throughout Wisconsin, as well as promoting a national water policy to create a more equitable water future. On July 13, 2023, Mr. Sigmund completed his service as president of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies. I stand today to recognize Mr. Sigmund's impressive leadership at NACWA as well as his service to the clean water industry.

Since 2007, Mr. Sigmund has led NEW Water, the brand of the Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District, as its executive director, facilitating the delivery of the utility's wholesale conveyance and treatment services to 238,000 people throughout 15 municipalities in Northeast Wisconsin. Under Mr. Sigmund's leadership, NEW Water has achieved 100 percent permit compliance and ushered in a new era for the utility in recognizing that material sent to the facilities is a valuable resource to be recovered and reused. He orchestrated the Resource Recovery and Electrical Energy, or R2E2, project, which recovers valuable resources from the wastewater stream to produce electricity and recovers heat for processes that run the facility.

Mr. Sigmund aided in creating a circular reclaimed water system that was developed with a national paper mill, boosting economic development for the region, and providing a sustainable solution for the industry. Mr. Sigmund launched an adaptive management approach to achieve water quality improvements more cost effectively by working collaboratively across rural landscapes in the Green Bay watershed. These efforts target a reduction of sediment and excess nutrient run-off into impaired waterways, an improved ecosystem, and a pathway for continued success.

Under his leadership, NEW Water entered a partnership with NASA to advance scientific knowledge of harmful algal blooms and their impact on public health. This initiative is housed under NEW Water's Aquatic Monitoring Program, which was established in 1986 and is one of the longest running water quality monitoring programs on the Great Lakes. Mr. Sigmund also supports his community by creating an educational STEAM Superheroes Camp with the local Boys & Girls Club to build critical skillsets, inspire water stewardship, and establish a talent pipeline for future employees.

During the early stages of the pandemic, NEW Water joined the Wisconsin Wastewater Surveillance Program to advance public health efforts to understand COVID-19 in the community. Mr. Sigmund received his Bachelor and Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Wisconsin. A licensed professional engineer in Wisconsin and Ohio, he has served and continues to serve on board and leadership positions at various organizations. He chaired the Water Resources Utility of the Future Task Force, which developed the Water Resources Utility of the Future Blueprint for Action. He served as a member of the Utility Advisory Group, where he helped develop publications on Effective Utility Management related to water and wastewater utilities, as well as other sustainability efforts. A recipient of the NACWA President's Award, Mr. Sigmund is also a Water Environment Federation, or WEF, fellow. He has received the WEF William D. Hatfield Award and the WEF Schroepfer Innovative Facility Design Medal.

These accolades and awards attest to Mr. Sigmund's dedication to the clean water industry. His strong character and visionary leadership have been instrumental in charting a course for improved water quality, particularly in Lake Michigan's Green Bay. I thank Mr. Sigmund for his commitment to Northeast Wisconsin, and I congratulate him on completing his service as NACWA president.

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