California’s regulated water utilities are on the job, working during the emergency to keep the water flowing. Here are a few stories from the front lines from California American Water.
On the Job to Shore Up Mains and Leaks in Newly Acquired System
In Sacramento, teams led by California American Water’s Operations Supervisor Kevin Flint have been repairing multiple leaks and damaged mains in their newly-acquired Fruitridge Vista system. While COVID-19 has prevented crews from going door-to-door to alert residents about service disruptions, they have improvised, utilizing targeted phone/email contact campaigns. They’ve also been leaving bottled water at homes before initiating service shutdowns. These efforts have not gone unnoticed as customers have expressed their gratitude for the work and the water.
California American Water Team Rescues Steelhead
In Monterey, California American Water transferred a record number of Steelhead trout to safety in one day via their fish trap at the Los Padres dam area, a critical step to protecting the spawning of this threatened species. The record results were achieved despite a recent landslide near the dam site and ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. California American Water’s Chris Rudolph and the rest of the treatment team were instrumental in working around these obstacles to produce one of Cal Am’s most successful years to date.
