WorldWide Drilling Resource

23 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® SEPTEMBER 2014 Environmental Monitoring by Thomas Kwader, Ph.D., P.G. Support Your Drilling Industry - It Will Benefit You the Most I attended my first groundwater con- vention in 1977, at the Florida Water Well Association show in South Florida. Although it was not a big show like the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) show, I still learned a lot. Most states have an annual groundwater show or a multistate show. Every year, the national show generally draws in ex- cess of 3000 attendees, including drilling contractors, scientists, manufacturers, and distributors. Another benefit to groundwater shows is they often offer continuing edu- cation units (CEUs) if you need them to maintain a state drilling license. In some cases, you can meet CEU requirements by attending classes at one of these annual shows while enjoying learning something new at the same time. Last year, my wife and I attended, as well as partic- ipated by making a presentat ion about well reha- bilitation and de- velopment, the Mountain States Groundwater Show in Laughlin, Nevada. We had a great time and made some really good contacts. The show itself was small but had a good feel to it. on the other hand, some people prefer the NGWA annual show, usually in December, and often held in Las Vegas. There is a lot to see there and it provides attendees a chance to see new drilling rigs and attend technical talks on a variety of subjects. After 37 years, I still enjoy attending these shows and learning new things and seeing a lot of new products that help me do my job better. I have also made some great friends I often talk to on a frequent basis, not to mention mem- bership in these organizations gives the drilling industry a voice that benefits us in many ways you may not even realize. These shows are a great place to meet other drilling professionals with similar interests, and provide a great opportunity to learn new and better ways to run your business and make some long-term new friends. Tom Tom Kwader may be contacted via e-mail at admin@ worldwidedrillingresource.com “To reset efficiency is a mark of inefficiency.” h Henry Ford