This week is Water Professionals Appreciation Week and we are celebrating the teams and individuals responsible for keeping water flowing to sustain us, protect our health, run our businesses and make our communities thrive.
Water professionals work hard to make water accessible, reliable and effortless for those who need it most. This week allows us to recognize the excellent service that water professionals provide.
On Wednesday, the Helix Water District board of directors passed a resolution proclaiming October 7-15, 2023, as Water Professionals Appreciation Week to extend their gratitude to water and wastewater professionals.
It takes incredible coordination and effort to bring water to our region, communities and homes. At Helix, our water professionals are invested in delivering the highest-quality water at the best value because they want the best for the communities they serve, live in and love. Here are just some of the people that work to deliver water to you.
Milica Schipper
Engineering Manager - 9 years
One of the things I enjoy the most is our long-term planning. Our work is rewarding and important because, as Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” I really believe that.
I also enjoy seeing our work develop from inception to seeing it in operation. We will start with a concept or just an idea, tend to it throughout the design and construction processes, and then, through all the changes and effort, you get to see your product being used for the benefit of the community.
Ray Estrada
Maintenance Ranger - 2.5 years
It is always in the back of our minds that water quality starts with us. Before water goes to your faucets, it stays in reservoirs like Lake Jennings. We do so many different things to protect the water while it is here, from boat launching, keeping the area clean, protecting our wildlife and helping the public interact with the reservoir in a way that is respectful to the water and nature.
One of the really rewarding parts of my work is seeing the people that come here. They choose to spend their free time with us, and that is a gift that they share with us and is a testament to the beauty, scenery and activities we offer at Lake Jennings.
Al Endozo
Network Support Specialist - 27 years
When you go home, you turn on the faucet or see everyone around you who's using water. You see the product we're responsible for and have a hand in being able to provide water for your community. I have pride in our work because we provide a service that my mom in Lemon Grove uses, and I would only want the best for her, which means I also want the best for our customers.
In my role, I get to build interpersonal relationships while sharing technical skills with my fellow coworkers. It's rewarding for me because I like making people feel comfortable to ask new questions, share what I know, empower them and if they learn something new, that's great; it makes the organization better off, too.
Darrin Teisher
Cross Connection Control Coordinator – 19 years
I enjoy working in a place that I grew up in and know really well. My favorite part of my job is educating people on what backflow is, why backflow prevention is so important and what a backflow prevention assembly is and how it is used. I get to help customers understand their importance and have a hand at protecting the public's water system. My role is a little niche in the water industry. It is a smaller group; we almost all know each other and work together because of how specific and technical our work is.
Ritchelle Pajela
Customer Service Representative – 1.5 years
I’ve always wanted to work in public service. And I enjoy the direct interaction with customers and being able to assist them with whatever they need. I have over a decade of experience in retail customer service, but in water, it is just so fulfilling to be able to assist a customer with securing an essential service. It takes patience and a genuine desire to help people to love this work. It’s not for everyone, but the work is very incredibly rewarding.
Miguel Moreno
Senior Meter Maintenance Technician - 15 years
I like working in water because you get to see your final product everywhere you go. When you go to a friend or family member's and they open the faucet, you get to take pride in knowing that the water arrived at their faucet because of what we did as a team.
One of the things I get to do is make repairs to the meter and service line and test water meters too. On the repair side, the work is challenging because it is not always straightforward and tests your mechanical ability. Testing water meters is also rewarding because the work is very technical and you get to show customers how meters work, how we test them, why we replace them as they age.
Our dedicated water professionals work through challenges and provide needed services that people and businesses rely on. It is a rewarding career that motivates us to do more and do better as we keep the water flowing.
We are grateful and proud of our water professionals who are committed, work through challenges, and impact our quality of life today and into the future.
Show your support for water professionals this week by following Helix on Facebook or Twitter. We will highlight some of the many incredible professionals that are here for you.