Tap-Off Competition Returns After Pandemic Hiatus
By Albert Rodriguez
The 11th annual Water Distribution Tap-Off Competition and Emergency Preparedness Safety Fair came roaring back on February 22 at Sylmar West Training Center following a two-year pandemic hiatus. Once again, Water Utility Workers from LADWP’s Water Distribution Division district yards and other local water utilities came to compete in this regional competition designed to test agility, dexterity, endurance and teamwork. Teams and individuals battled the clock in frenzied, splash-filled, exciting events such as Pipe Tapping, Hydrant Hysteria, Hot Flare and Meter Madness.
“The Tap-Off Competition is a great way to showcase the skills that our Water Distribution employees use on a daily basis to ensure that our customers receive reliable water service. There’s a lot of talent, problem solving and creativity that take place behind the scenes most people never see. These are the unsung heroes behind the water that comes out of everyone’s faucet and their abilities deserve to be showcased and highlighted.”
Breonia Lindsey, Director of Water Distribution Division
The Pipe Tappers competition requires a three-person crew to manually drill a hole and install a valve into pressurized cement-lined, ductile iron pipe using a heavy, hand-cranked tapping machine. Copper service lines are then quickly attached and run to a service meter. The “Huntington Beach Tappers” came in first this year at 1 minute 21.51 seconds, while LADWP’s “L.A. Tappers” took second place with a time of 1 minute 41.74 seconds. LADWP’s “Tap Kings” took third with a time of 2 minutes 9.21 seconds.
The Hydrant Hysteria competition involves the timed reassembly of a fire hydrant broken down into separate components. LADWP’s own “Hydro Kings” staved off two very competitive teams from Huntington Beach to take first place with a time of 1 minute 52.27 seconds. The “Hydro Kings” have dominated this event for the last three LADWP Tap-Off competitions in a row.
The Meter Madness competition features individual competitors assembling a water service meter from a jumbled bucket of parts. LADWP took the top two spots with Water Service Supervisor Sergio Barragan in first place with a time of 53.57 seconds. In second place was Water Service Worker Jesus Garcia, coming in at 57.45 seconds.
LADWP also took the top two spots in the Hot Flare competition. Water Utility Worker Chris Torres took first place by quickly removing a meter from a pressurized water service line, cutting the pipe, hammering in a new valve, shutting it off and then installing a new water meter. Consistent competitor and Senior Water Utility Worker Justice Baldwin took second with a time of 1 minute 18.90 seconds.
Winners will go on the regional competition in San Diego, held from April 2-5, and eventually the national competition, scheduled to take place this year in Toronto, Canada from June 11-14.
View images of the winners below, photos by Chris Corsmeier. Click any thumbnail below to see a large size image.
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