Nikki Holloway

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT NIKKI HOLLOWAY

I grew up very close to the Buffalo River and spent a lot of time on and around the river. As a result, I noticed how the water quality changed every year as a consequence of heavy tourism during the summer months. This revelation at a very young age that our actions could affect this natural resource in such a dire manor really led me to a lifelong pursuit of environmentalism.Growing up we also spent a few years without running water, this was actually by choice as my parents wanted to live a simple life and subsistence farm. Not having the convenience of turning on the tap to get clean drinking water was really eye opening for me, even at a young age. You don\'t realize how much you use water until you have to go collect it from a stream and boil it for use. I\'m not sure if this experience steered me toward the drinking water industry or if this was just a really strong case of irony. I received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with an Environmental Emphasis from Missouri State University.I’m currently working on my MS in Environmental Science from the University of Idaho through a distance learning program. I got my start in the drinking water industry as an intern at the drinking water treatment laboratory for City Utilities in Springfield MO. I worked there for 2 years while in college until I gradated and could no longer be an intern. I jumped at the opportunity to be a laboratory analyst at Beaver Water District. It really was one of those “meant to be” moments.What I like most about working in the drinking water industry is that I feel like I’m really making a difference! I enjoy seeing and being a part of the whole drinking water cycle from watershed management and monitoring all the way to testing the treated water we are sending out to the public. My strengths are analytical and instrumental analysis with an emphasis in environmental chemistry.I hold an Arkansas Level IV License for both Water Treatment and Water Distribution.Specialties: titrations, instrument work, environmental sampling, Microsoft Office, QA/QC