It isn’t just the water that Evan Vasquez, Operator I at Liberty, thinks about when he puts on his safety vest and drives down the streets of Bellflower to take water samples every week. The water is important, but to Vasquez, the customers and communities who receive it are even more so.
“My job helps provide quality water for the public, whether they drink, clean with, or bathe in it,” Vasquez said. “Everyone needs and uses water, so it’s important to deliver a quality of water that our customers expect.”
Water is used every day. Life depends on it. It is essential to human and environmental health.
But what is involved in providing drinking water?
That’s where Vasquez and the rest of Liberty’s certified production operators and water quality team come in.
The production and water quality teams at Liberty play an important role in delivering water that meets or exceeds federal and state water quality standards. These standards regulate the level of contaminants in water that may have an effect on health or may affect the aesthetic qualities of the water itself.
To meet these federal and state water quality standards, water utilities, like Liberty, regularly monitor water sources for potential contaminants and provide treatment at the source when needed before the water is delivered to customers.
“Liberty collects water samples at the sources and throughout the distribution system to comply with regulations and, most importantly, to protect public health,” said Vanessa Lumley, Water Quality Manager at Liberty.
Water samples are collected throughout the distribution system every week by Liberty’s certified and highly trained production operators. Operators also closely monitor disinfectant levels to help protect the water system from bacteriological contamination.
“Our production operators are required to have their state water treatment and distribution certifications. The certification process is rigorous but gives them the knowledge necessary to operate and maintain the water system and treat the water to comply with regulations,” said Kenneth Pfister, Director of Operations at Liberty.
Water samples are then tested in a certified laboratory for potential contaminants. This not only helps Liberty to confirm that the water is in compliance with federal and state standards, it also helps protect the health of the customers and communities who depend on the water Liberty provides.
“I’m proud of the work we do here to provide water to the adults and kids in the community,” said Vasquez. “As a father myself, it’s important for my kid to have safe, reliable water, so I work hard to deliver that same quality to our customers.”
Learn more about Liberty’s water quality efforts and view answers to frequently asked questions: