Expand<\/a><\/p>\nWater Career Day, where teens and young adults get an up-close look at what it takes to run water utilities, returned to Encinitas Oct. 8 for the third straight year.<\/p>\n
More than 200 students from nine high schools and community colleges explored the San Elijo Joint Powers Authority Water Campus, where professionals from San Elijo JPA, Leucadia Wastewater District, Olivenhain Municipal Water District and Dexter Wilson Engineering led hands-on demonstrations at 10 stations, according to a news release.<\/p>\n
Participants operated a microscope to identify microbes that digest wastewater.They toggled a joystick to drive a \u201ccrawler,\u201d the $70,000 wheeled camera used to inspect sewer lines.They worked a control pad to hoist a full bucket of water with a crane that normally lifts and lowers pumps, motors and pipe.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh my gosh, nothing\u2019s spilling!\u201d said a La Costa Canyon High School student as she photographed her friend, Abby Samec, operating the crane, the news release stated.<\/p>\n
Abby gently lowered the bucket right onto a marking. Could this be her future career?\u201cThis might be it,\u201d Abby said in the news release.<\/p>\n
The girls are students in the AP Chemistry class of teacher Lindsey Carlyle, who said she appreciated the structured event.<\/p>\n
From Mission Hills High School, engineering instructor Levi Ryan has brought students to Water Career Day all three years. Last year, one of Ryan\u2019s students went on to enroll in water industry training after attended the event, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead of getting a low-wage, manual labor job,\u201d Ryan said in the news release, \u201che changed paths to pursue this.\u201d<\/p>\n
A similar story came from a Leucadia Wastewater District technician who demonstrated the workings of a Vac-Con truck used to clean sewer lines and pump stormwater.<\/p>\n
The worker said he came to the district with no experience but, as an entry-level employee, was able to earn a paycheck as he trained, earned certifications and developed his skills.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish somebody had told me about this after high school,\u201d he said in the news release.<\/p>\n
Leucadia Wastewater District\u2019s top executive, General Manager Paul Bushee, noted that a demographic trend has many workers headed toward retirement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe operators aren\u2019t going to be replaced by AI,\u201d Bushee said in the news release.<\/p>\n
A lead operator for San Elijo JPA, Scott Best, supervised students as they placed a droplet of wastewater onto a slide for inspection beneath a microscope. On a viewscreen, students watched waste-eating bacteria squirming beneath the lens.<\/p>\n
Wastewater treatment, he said, relies upon maintaining optimal conditions for the microbes, or \u201cbugs.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re just zoo keepers,\u201d Best said in the news release, \u201cmaking sure we have a happy, healthy environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
From the sidelines, San Elijo JPA Deputy General Manager Tom Falk added in the news release: \u201c(The microbes) are our pets. They\u2019re doing a lot of the heavy work for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Water Campus itself\u2014which processes wastewater from and delivers recycled water to Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar and Rancho Santa Fe\u2014served as a supersized display of critical infrastructure and the jobs required to keep it running.<\/p>\n
At the Water Campus, operations rely upon engineers, lab technicians, mechanics, equipment operators, IT experts, accountants, executives and contractors.<\/p>\n
General Manager Mike Thornton has served San Elijo JPA for 26 years.\u201cThere\u2019s something here for everyone,\u201d Thornton said in the news release.<\/p>\n
Water Career Day was organized in cooperation with Rising Tide Partners.Learn more at www.sejpa.org.<\/p>\n
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