Experts in Cross Connection Control
Wisconsin Cross Connection Institute was founded in 2026 by Charles Kraege-Soechting, a licensed Master Plumber and plumbing instructor dedicated to advancing cross-connection control education throughout Wisconsin.
After years of working in the plumbing industry and teaching cross-connection control courses for various institutions, Chuck founded WCCI to provide a higher level of hands-on, industry-focused training that prepares students for real-world success. He saw a growing need for education that not only helps students pass certification courses, but more importantly builds the practical knowledge, critical thinking skills, and field experience necessary to properly protect public water systems.
WCCI was created with a strong commitment to public health, water safety, and the continued advancement of the profession. By combining experienced instruction, practical field applications, and student-centered teaching, WCCI aims to help develop highly skilled cross-connection control professionals who are prepared to meet the demands of the industry and uphold the highest standards of water protection throughout Wisconsin.
Why Choose Us?
WCCI students are taught by instructors who don’t just understand cross-connection control—they’ve spent their careers doing it, enforcing it, teaching it, and improving it in the field.
Instructors Who’ve Done the Work
Our instructional team brings a combined 50+ years of hands-on plumbing industry experience and 20+ years of dedicated plumbing education experience, spanning field installations, inspections, plan review, municipal compliance, and classroom instruction. That blend of experience means students receive training that is both technically precise and grounded in real-life applications.
Decades of Real-World Experience
Our instructors include:
Licensed Master Plumbers with decades of field experience across residential, commercial, and industrial systems
Certified Cross-Connection Control Testers and Surveyors actively working in the field
Commercial and residential plumbing inspectors and plan reviewers with deep code knowledge and enforcement experience
Professional plumbing educators who have developed curriculum and trained students at many different educational platforms like, local plumbing unions, technical colleges, and large public institutions
Together, this group brings multiple perspectives into every course—installer, inspector, tester, and educator—so students don’t just learn how to pass a certification exam, they learn how to understand systems, troubleshoot problems, and make sound decisions in real-world conditions.
Our Expert Instructors
Training Built Around What Matters Most
WCCI training is built around one core idea: effective cross-connection control protects the public health. Every lesson, demonstration, and hands-on exercise is designed to reinforce that responsibility while preparing students to confidently perform in the field.
More Than a Certification
Students choose WCCI because they want more than a certification—they want practical skill, professional confidence, and instruction from people who actively shape the plumbing and cross-connection industry in Wisconsin today.
Our Qualified Instructors
Charles (Chuck) Kraege-Soechting
Charles “Chuck” Kraege-Soechting is a highly respected educator, licensed master plumber, and cross-connection control specialist with more than 22 years of experience in the plumbing industry and over a decade of instructional experience. Throughout his career, Chuck has built a reputation for combining extensive technical expertise with an engaging, real-world teaching style that prepares students for success both in certification and in the field.
After completing his registered plumbing apprenticeship and earning his Journeyworker license, Chuck continued advancing his expertise through industry certifications and higher education. He holds a Master Plumber license, Cross-Connection Control Tester Certification, Cross-Connection Control Surveyor Certification, ASSE Cross Connection train the trainer, ASSE proctor certification, and an Associate Degree in Technical Studies.
Chuck’s experience spans into residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal plumbing systems, giving him a uniquely broad understanding of cross-connection control and backflow prevention. His deep technical knowledge, paired with years of field experience, allows him to teach not only the “how” of testing and troubleshooting, but also the critical “why” behind protecting public water systems and maintaining public health.
Over the years, Chuck has successfully trained hundreds of students through cross-connection control programs at organizations including UA Plumbers Local 75, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Madison Area Technical College. At Madison College he developed the cross-connection control program and training curriculum. His students consistently praise his ability to simplify complex concepts, connect classroom instruction to real-world applications, and build the confidence needed to excel in the trade.
Chuck’s passion for water safety, cross-connection control, and storytelling drives his student-centered approach to education. He believes the best training comes from combining strong technical foundations with hands-on experience, critical thinking, and practical problem-solving skills students can carry throughout their careers.
Outside the classroom, Chuck enjoys spending time outdoors, traveling, going to a good park, discovering new cultures, enjoying good coffee, downhill skiing, and making memories with his wife and two daughters.
Patrick Kennedy
Patrick Kennedy is a highly experienced plumbing professional, educator, and cross-connection control specialist with more than 25 years in the skilled trades. As a licensed Master Plumber, Cross-Connection Control Tester, Commercial Plumbing Inspector, Plan Reviewer, and Plumbing Instructor, Patrick brings an exceptional depth of technical knowledge and real-world expertise to the classroom and the field alike.
Throughout his career, Patrick has remained deeply committed to the true purpose of the plumbing trade: protecting public health and safeguarding the waters of the state. His extensive experience spans plumbing systems inspection, code compliance, plan review, backflow prevention, cross-connection control, and hands-on field application, and giving students valuable insight into both the technical and regulatory sides of the industry.
Patrick’s expertise in cross-connection control includes performing annual performance testing on listed backflow prevention assemblies, diagnosing issues in the field, completing repairs, and ensuring accurate documentation and reporting to the proper regulatory entities. His practical understanding of real-world plumbing systems allows him to teach beyond textbooks, helping students understand how cross-connection control directly impacts water safety, public health, and code compliance every day.
Known for his approachable teaching style and passion for education, Patrick is dedicated to raising awareness about the plumbing trade and mentoring the next generation of plumbers and testers. He believes cross-connection control education is one of the most critical aspects of the plumbing code and is passionate about helping licensed plumbers, testers, and the public understand the importance of proper installation, testing, and maintenance of backflow prevention devices, methods, and assemblies.
Patrick’s instruction combines technical precision, field experience, and practical problem-solving to prepare students for long-term success in the plumbing industry. His commitment to professionalism, education, and public safety makes him a valued instructor and leader in the field of cross-connection control.
Outside of work, Patrick enjoys spending time with his wife and four children. Whether hiking, fishing, hunting, or performing music with his kids, he values time outdoors and with family. As Patrick often says, “Music is the food of the soul.”
Sean Kelly
Sean Kelly is a licensed Master Plumber, Cross-Connection Control Tester, and dedicated cross connection and plumbing educator with extensive hands-on experience across multiple sectors of the plumbing industry. During his nine years in the trade, Sean has worked on residential, commercial, and industrial plumbing systems, developing a broad technical skill set and a strong understanding of the complexities of modern plumbing and cross-connection control systems.
Since beginning his teaching career in 2022, Sean has become known for his enthusiastic, approachable teaching style and his commitment to helping students build confidence and technical knowledge in cross connection and in the plumbing trade. His ability to connect real-world field experience with classroom instruction allows students to better understand not only plumbing systems and code requirements, but also the practical application of cross-connection control in everyday work environments.
In addition to his role as an instructor, Sean currently serves as the head of the cross-connection control program for the Madison Metropolitan School District, where he oversees cross-connection control testing, compliance, and program management for a large and diverse group of buildings and facilities. This role gives him valuable experience working with complex plumbing systems, backflow prevention assemblies, regulatory requirements, and water safety practices on a large scale bringing this into the classroom.
Sean is extremely passionate in educating the next generation of plumbers and cross-connection control testers and believes strong technical training and mentorship are essential to maintaining safe plumbing systems and protecting public health. His industry experience, professionalism, and passion for teaching make him a valuable resource for students entering the field as well as experienced plumbers seeking to expand their knowledge and expertise.
Outside of work, Sean enjoys gardening, strength training, and spending time with his wife and children. His appreciation for hard work, continuous learning, and family carries through into both his personal life and his approach to teaching. There’s nothing like firing up a chainsaw at 7 AM on a Saturday!