John Schmitt, CWD/PI, can claim most of the honors the groundwater industry gives out. He was elected to the board of the National Ground Water Association in 1989 and served as president in 1996. He’s a life member of the NGWA and the Michigan Ground Water Association. He was given the NGWA’s Ross L. Oliver Award in 2010 for outstanding contributions to the industry. We can go on. But here at National Driller, we call him “columnist.” He’s graced the pages of this magazine for years, sharing insights on the industry and anecdotes from decades working as a pump man and well driller.
We caught up with Schmitt at the recent Groundwater Week event in Nashville, Tenn., and got a chance to ask him about his time in the industry and his advice for people just starting out. Our conversation here is edited for space and clarity.