Dennis Lambert
Rodeo Sanitary District
Dennis Lambert was born and raised in California. He graduated from San Lorenzo High School in 1979 and Heald Business College with an MCSE+Internet in 1998.
In 1984 he married Jeannette and has two 25 year old children, Jonathan and Rebecca. Dennis started his career in IT and considers himself fairly new to the wastewater industry, working for the Rodeo Sanitary District as a Collections Crew Leader II. His wastewater career is definitely a success story for CWEA. His wider ranging certifications include Wastewater Operations Grade V, Collections Grade IV, Electrical Instrumentation Grade III, Industrial Treatment Plant Operations Grade II, Environmental Compliance Inspection Grade III, and Laboratory Analyst Grade II. He is currently President of the San Francisco Bay Section. Dennis was also the State-wide Collections Worker of the Year in 2018, a CWEA Golden Manhole recipient in 2016, and was awarded a PICK in 2013.
Purpose
The Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers (5S) is used by water environment associations (i.e., those working with sewage and sewage treatment) to honour those who have made a particular contribution to the industry.
Pennsylvania started the High Hat Society in 1937 and used the words "Sludge Shovelers Society" in its initiation ceremony. Later, this became known as the Ted Moses Sludge Shovelers Society. The second Chapter of the Five S Society was formed in Arizona in October 1940, the idea being conceived by A.W. "Dusty" Miller and F. Carlyle Roberts, Jr. There are chapters in many of the United States and in Canada, as well as the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
5S chapters do not accept applications, but select potential members. Each inductee receives a badge in the form of a gold tie bar in the shape of a round-nosed shovel.
5S recognizes individuals active in protecting the water environment through participation in Local, State, and/or Federal sponsored activities.