This feature highlights water utility employees in the San Diego region working during the coronavirus pandemic to ensure a safe, reliable and plentiful water supply. The water industry is among the sectors that are classified as essential. Keith Swiatkowski, Otay Water District Water Systems Operator III, is the Water Utility Hero of the Week.
After 67 years of living and breathing dairy farming in California’s San Joaquin Valley, Scott Magneson cannot, will not, stop.
Every morning before dawn, when the valley fog is still resting on his fields in thick clouds, he checks the barns. Then he starts on the to-do list, which outlasts the day. In another farm tradition, Magneson rarely leaves his land. He can’t remember the last time he and his wife Pat (who does the bookkeeping) took a vacation.
Editor’s Note: This feature highlights water utility employees in the San Diego region working during the coronavirus pandemic to ensure a safe, reliable and plentiful water supply. The water industry is among the sectors that are classified as essential. Keith Swiatkowski, Otay Water District Water Systems Operator III, is the Water Utility Hero of the Week.
I was working in the Aerospace manufacturing industry at Solar Turbines for 12 years, but felt I wanted to work in a field that served my local community or region. My mother worked for the SDCWA and really enjoyed working in the water industry. She encouraged me to look for a career in this field. A friend of mine knew someone that worked for the City of Escondido, so I was able to contact him and learn what it would take to get into this field. I took a test at Escondido City Hall with about 400 other people, did well enough to get an interview, and eventually got hired by them. I spent 4.5 years learning everything I could working from the ground level, literally, working in excavations making repairs to water mains. I then took classes at Palomar College and State Certification tests to advance my career. I came a long way from my humble beginnings and truly enjoy serving the community as a Water Systems Operator III for the Otay Water District where I’ve worked now for 7.5 years.
My job function hasn’t changed much. What has changed is how we’re getting it done. We are currently operating with minimal staff reporting for duty in the field so that we limit potential exposure. We are still able to accomplish all of our tasks by spreading more of the field work around and adjusting schedules. This ensures that we continue to provide our customers with same level of service so they don’t notice any difference. The other staff work from home and we do this on a rotating basis. Those working from home have the opportunity to monitor our distribution system via SCADA, stay in touch via e-mail or text, study our mapping program to learn more about pipe sizes/material, pressure zones, and review district policies.
The District has done a great job providing the latest online training regarding how to stay safe. We have implemented temperature check kiosks at the district to ensure employees are safe to work. Personally I’m wearing my mask in the office, when in public or speaking with customers in person, washing my hands more or using hand sanitizer, wiping down surfaces more often, social distancing in the office or in public, and limiting going to stores during my time at home. Fortunately most of my work day is driving alone in my truck to different sites to test for water quality, so that limits my exposure as well.
I’m looking forward to being able to have in-person meetings. We do get the same things accomplished through video meetings or being far enough apart in the crew room. But there’s nothing like being able to have a crew all come together as a team or have an all-hands meeting and feel that sense of community. I’m also looking forward to my ultra-running trail races being held again soon, working out in the gym, going to concerts, having people over for BBQ’s, going to the movies, and taking my wife out for a romantic dinner on the coast.
U.S. House of Representatives Democrats on Thursday unveiled a $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill that they will seek to pass in coming weeks, arguing it has been made more urgent by the coronavirus pandemic.
The legislation would spur construction or improvements f roads, bridges, ports, clean energy, schools and other projects that experts say have long been neglected. It comes at a time when the United States is in desperate need of new jobs amid an economic downturn sparked by the coronavirus.
Although COVID-19 cases continue to skyrocket locally, both Imperial County and the Imperial Irrigation District have started transitioning from telecommuting to having their employees return to their usual work sites.
The North Marin Water District will push off a planned water rate hike and restructuring plan for Novato until fall in response to economic hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
After a nearly two-hour discussion, the district board of directors voted 4-1 on Tuesday to delay changes set to take effect July 1 to Oct. 1.
“There is a downside to this financially and we have got to keep the water district afloat — that’s No. 1, period,” director Rick Freitas said. “But we weren’t counting on this pandemic when we started these discussions and there is a lot of people hurting in our community.”
COVID-19 continues to affect parts of California agriculture in different ways. A new report from agricultural economists at the University of California examines the current and long-term impacts on California’s leading agricultural industries.
Profiles in the report illustrate the different ways the pandemic has impacted dairy, beef and produce — industries that have scrambled to repurpose products from foodservice to retail — and tree nuts, an industry that saw a temporary spike in sales as consumers hoarded storable goods. The report includes expert assessments of what the future holds for California’s cattle, dairy, produce, strawberry, tomato, tree nut and wine industries.
This feature highlights water utility employees in the San Diego region working during the coronavirus pandemic to ensure a safe, reliable and plentiful water supply. The water industry is among the sectors that are classified as essential. Gary Briant, Olivenhain Municipal Water District Purchasing/Warehouse Clerk, is the Water Utility Hero of the Week.
Editor’s Note: This feature highlights water utility employees in the San Diego region working during the coronavirus pandemic to ensure a safe, reliable and plentiful water supply. The water industry is among the sectors that are classified as essential. Gary Briant, Olivenhain Municipal Water District Purchasing/Warehouse Clerk, is the Water Utility Hero of the Week.
I spent many years working in the private sector. I noticed that my friends and family that worked in the water industry showed a real sense of pride in what they did. I wanted to stop the “rat race” in the private sector and join a team in the water industry where I could grow, contribute my skills, and be a part of something important. Working at OMWD feels like I’m part of a family, and I am very happy in my new career.
One of my duties here is to procure materials and supplies for Olivenhain. We have only had a few challenges finding supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our general manager had the insight to make sure we were prepared very early on, so I was able to secure many items before vendors ran out and/or items became backordered for months. When some supplies were not available, we thought “outside the box” to find solutions. For example, we used the recipe from World Health Organization to make our own hand sanitizer when it was sold out everywhere.
It’s really important to me that I keep myself safe so I don’t put another team member or family member in jeopardy of getting sick. I’ve been focusing on maintaining social distance, sanitizing, and staying healthy. Safety and education has been the main priority at OMWD since the pandemic began. I make sure all needed safety items are well stocked so everyone at OMWD stays well. We have also transitioned to accepting deliveries in a no-contact manner.
I look forward to seeing everything go back to as close to “normal” as possible. I understand we will have to modify many ways that we operate regarding socialization and maintaining a safe work environment. But I look forward to the challenge of helping my co-workers stay healthy so OMWD can continue being successful in its mission to deliver safe and reliable water service to the community.
The San Diego County Water Authority hearing to approve calendar year 2021 rates and charges will be June 25.
The May 28 motion to set the rate hearing date along with the proposed rates and charges passed with 78.139% of the SDCWA weighted vote. Twenty-one CWA board members supported the motion. Fallbrook Public Utility District general manager Jack Bebee, who is also FPUD’s representative on the CWA board, cast one of the eight votes against the action. Tom Kennedy, who is the Rainbow Municipal Water District general manager and Rainbow’s CWA representative, abstained as did Lois Fong-Sakai, who is one of the city of San Diego’s representatives on the CWA board.
A non-voting presentation earlier in the day addressed proposed changes to the CWA’s two-year budget which covers fiscal year 2019-2020 and fiscal year 2020-2021; the June 25 CWA board meeting will also include consideration of the budget adjustments. If the rates and charges are approved June 25, the action will also allocate the pro-rata shares of total fixed charges to each CWA member agency.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
