The North Dakota Rural Water Systems Association (NDRWSA) recently awarded one of its highest honors, the Friend of Rural Water Award, to Charlie Vein. Vein is President and cofounder of AE2S.

The Friend of Rural Water Award is given to “someone who provides outstanding service and exceptional contributions to further the goals of rural water in North Dakota,” according to the NDRWSA website. Vein received the award in front of an audience of his peers at a banquet during the annual Water Expo and Conference in Fargo, North Dakota.

“I am very honored to receive the Friend of Rural Water Award. Some of AE2S’ first clients were rural water systems, and I’m very proud of the work we’ve done to help North Dakotans across the state to access high quality drinking water,” says Vein.

Vein has dedicated his career to improving drinking water quantity and quality for rural residents across North Dakota. Some of the highlights of his career have been working with the Ransom Sargent Water Users, Langdon Rural Water District, Agassiz Water Users and the Agassiz Water Treatment Plant, and the Tri-County Water Treatment Plant, which is particularly special because it represents the first plant he designed. Charlie was also instrumental in the development of the Grand Forks-Traill Water District Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant.

Over the years Charlie has developed strong relationships with legislators, State Water Commission members, and other State and Federal agencies, all in the name of helping clients produce and deliver high quality drinking water.