Al Smith

Background

About Al Smith

Hi! I’m glad to be connected with you. Are you passionate about safe access to drinking water and protecting public health like I am? I am an Environmental Engineer and Certified Water Operator focused on delivering high quality drinking water to a diverse cross-section of customers. Currently, I am the Town Engineer for the Town of Buena Vista, an up and coming outdoor adventure destination in Colorado where water is celebrated and drives a whitewater tourism economy. I have a diverse engineering background with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a M.S. in Civil Engineering. As well, I have experience working in developing communities and have a certificate in Engineering for Developing Communities from the Mortenson Center at the University of Colorado. My professional work and focus include drinking water treatment operation, drinking water process optimization, project management, water and wastewater treatment design, and drinking water utility management. In addition to work in the United States, I have helped deliver water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) projects while working in challenging rural environments abroad such as Zambia, The Dominican Republic, and Peru. Beyond my technical interests, I am dedicated to educating the next wave of future water treatment operators. I supervise the Rocky Mountain Water Fundamentals School, which promotes the sound basics of water treatment operations for those interested in entering the water treatment industry as a Level I or Level II operator. Outside of work I spend as much time outdoors as possible. The mountain town where my wife, two dogs, and I live affords us the privilege of climbing, hiking, mountain biking, and skiing among other incredible opportunities. This deep connection to nature is important to me and is what has driven my desire to work with our most precious natural resource – water.