Meet Manaka Piyadasa

Manaka works with gratitude and a good finger as to what’s happening in our company. Here she is!

Q: How long have you worked for Nexom? 

A: I will be celebrating five years at Nexom this May! 

Q: How did you get to the position you are in now?  

A: I have always been interested in project management. I initially joined the company as a material coordinator managing inventory and shipping, but when the opportunity to transition into project management came up three years ago, I jumped at the chance. 

Q: What is your favorite part about Nexom to talk about and why? 

A: Easily the people and culture. I know it might sound like a cliché, but Nexom truly has a unique culture, and the people here are not only exceptionally capable but also kind and always willing to help. 

Q: What do you wish others in the wastewater industry understood that isn’t talked about enough? 

A: The importance of early collaboration. Successful projects rely on clear communication and alignment between engineers, contractors, operators, and suppliers from the start to avoid costly delays and misunderstandings later. 

Q: What project or technology have you worked on or completed recently that you’re most proud of and want mentioned here?  

A: The City of Melville wastewater treatment facility upgrades was one of the first projects I worked on as a project manager at Nexom nearly three years ago. Despite various setbacks and challenges, both systems were successfully started up and commissioned last year and are set to complete the winter testing period as of March 2nd with no major issues.  This project has been a long journey, and I am incredibly proud of the collaborative effort that led to its success. Everyone played a critical role, from field operations and project and process engineering to our field technicians, the general contractor, the consulting engineer, and the plant operators.