Oregon Celebrates First-Ever Water Professionals Appreciation Week

Oregon will celebrate its first-ever Water Professionals Appreciation Week October 3-11, 2026, recognizing the professionals who work every day to provide safe drinking water, protect public health, and safeguard Oregon's water resources.

Meet some of the staff keeping our drinking water safe and available 24/7!

Hillsboro Water

The City of Hillsboro Water Department proudly serves clean, high-quality water and promotes its efficient use to more than 93,000 people in the City of Hillsboro and surrounding rural areas. From maintaining essential infrastructure like pipelines, pumps, meters, fire hydrants and reservoirs, to treating water to quality standards for drinking, to building an additional water supply to benefit our community, staff ensure your drinking water is there when you need it.

Rachel Moore, Project Manager

What's your favorite part of working for Hillsboro Water?
Knowing that myself and everyone around me plays a role in providing safe reliable drinking water to the community that I also live in.

Coffee, tea, or water (of course)?
COFFEE! but made with Oregon water.

What's your unofficial superpower at work?
The Master Weaver. I maintain the overall project goal while threading the details (really I just try to take good notes!).

Tonya Bilderbeck, Water Program Coordinator

What's your favorite part of working for Hillsboro Water?
I love being part of a water department that truly cares about its community. We get to make a real difference every day while working alongside our regional water partners to ensure a safe, reliable, and sustainable water supply. It's rewarding to be part of a team that combines local service with a bigger regional vision-and to know that the work we do today helps strengthen our community for the future.

What's your unofficial superpower at work?
I somehow know where everything is, why we do it that way, and who to call when we don't. Give me a problem, and I'll either solve it-or know exactly who can.

Aisha Haquie, Engineering Coordinator

What's your favorite part of working for Hillsboro Water?
I love being part of the city's growth and seeing all the new infrastructures being planned and built to support the growing community; it feels like growing with the city!

What's your unofficial superpower at work?
My unofficial superpower at work is mind reading, aka problem solving. I enjoy taking complicated situations, looking at it from different angles and working with others to find a practical solution.

Willamette Water Supply System

The Willamette Water Supply System (WWSS) is a collaboration between the City of Hillsboro, the Tualatin Valley Water District, and the City of Beaverton to bring an additional source of water to our community to meet future needs and challenges. The City of Hillsboro will operate the brand new Water Treatment Plant once construction is complete. Water will be treated at a state-of-the-art treatment facility using the latest technology to meet or exceed strict drinking water standards.

Michael Page, Water Treatment Plant Supervisor

What's your favorite part of working for the WWSS?
I get to see so many people that care about what they do and work so hard to create the best product (water) for our community, it's super inspiring.

What's your unofficial superpower at work?
The Silent Accomplisher. When I'm in work-mode, I have to actively remind myself to pull myself away from work and engage with those that work around me.

Joe Hittner, Water Treatment Plant Maintenance Operator

What's your favorite part of working for the WWSS?
I get to learn a new system and new water technologies.

Fun Fact: I have 4 brothers and 4 sisters. I am the second oldest.

Joint Water Commission

The Joint Water Commission (JWC) is the primary drinking water supplier in Washington County, Oregon, and is responsible for treating, transmitting, and storing drinking water for more than 450,000 people. The City of Hillsboro is the managing agency, with staff working 24/7, 365 days a year to provide clean, high-quality drinking water.

Jackie Duple, Water Treatment Plant Project Specialist

What's your favorite part of working for the JWC?
The people! I get to work with a variety of teams within the water department, and I just love how welcoming and collaborative everyone is. It's fun to learn about all the different pieces that go into delivering safe drinking water.

What's your unofficial superpower at work?
Making sure everyone (who agrees) gets a birthday cake on their special day.

Kyle Cruz, JWC Water Treatment Plant Maintenance Operator

What's your favorite part of working for the JWC?

Knowing that I make a difference in my community.

Fun Fact: I am from the beautiful island of Guam.

Luis Espinoza, Water Treatment Plant Lab Technician

What's your favorite part of working for the JWC?
I am new so I'd have to say, so far, my favorite part is my coworkers.

Fun Fact: I used to DJ in college. One time on a boat with Janet Jackson!

Aaron Smith, Water Treatment Plant Electrician

What's your favorite part of working for the JWC?
Coming from the papermill industry... Drinking water is clean!

What's your go-to rainy-day activity?
I like to paint and print 3D miniatures for DND.

Robert Trotter, Water Treatment Plant Operator

What's your favorite part of working for the JWC?
I really enjoy just working with the plant itself- learning how it operates and all its complexities.

Fun Fact: I have volunteered at an anime convention for 20 years now.