It may have been 26 years in the making, but Jack Twining earned every bit of it.

Twining, West Salem’s water utility superintendent, was recognized two weeks ago with the Lifetime Achievement award from the Wisconsin Rural Water Association — an honor bestowed to those who not only have longevity in the field but also have excelled at what they do.

“I was very surprised,” said Twining, who was presented the award at the WRWA’s annual convention April 8-11. “It’s just an honor to get it.”

Twining, 62, marked 26 years with the West Salem Public Works Department on Monday. While he is charged with maintaining the village’s water supply, his duties include everything from water testing to reading water meters. His job requires him to stay current on laws affecting water quality, including working closing with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

“It’s lots of hard work, but I do enjoy my job,” said Twining, a West Salem native.

Twining was among 10 individuals across the state to be nominated for the Lifetime Achievement award and was only one of two who received it this year. West Salem Public Works Director Wade Peterson said Twining’s dedication and knowledge have been invaluable to the village.

“He’s been here for a lot of the street projects, sewer projects and subdivisions,” Peterson said. “His understanding of the water system and all of the idiosyncrasies (that go with it) … have been an asset.

“He’s done a great job.”

Village Administrator Teresa Schnitzler agreed.

“Jack deserves that Lifetime Achievement award,” she said. “He has inside and out knowledge of this water system. How he keeps all that straight in his head is beyond me.”

Twining said he’s enjoyed his time with the village. One aspect he’s liked most is the stability.

“It’s a good secure job, and nowadays that’s what you need,” he said.

Twining, who has two sons and four grandchildren, said he hasn’t done anything yet to commemorate his award but he and his family may plan something in the near future.

In addition to Twining’s award, the West Salem Water Department was also nominated for the System of the Year award; customer relations, water quality, regulatory compliance and developing educational material are among criteria considered for the award.

West Salem was one of nine systems nominated for the award, out of the 650 water supply members of the WRWA. Although it did not win, Peterson said the nomination still indicates the excellence of the village’s water system.

“To be one of the nine nominated out of 650 systems, it speaks volumes of our dedication and the quality of our water system,” Peterson said.

The West Salem Water Department, operated under the public works department, is responsible for delivering drinking water to everyone in the village. The department operates three wells, an iron and manganese filter treatment system and about 22 miles of water main. The water department includes 300 fire hydrants, 1,500 water meters and 450 valves. While all seven employees of the West Salem Public Works Department do interact with the water department, its main employees consist of operator Loren Schwier, who has been with West Salem for seven years, and Twining.

The WRWA, part of a national, non-profit organization, represents over 90 percent of municipal water systems in the state; it represents 650 water supply members, which include municipalities, schools and businesses. Its main purpose is to focus on water quality and quantity issues in addition to providing training and technical assistance.

The System of the Year nomination and the Lifetime Achievement award were firsts for the West Salem Water Department; Peterson had won Operator of the Year in 2004.