Valley Sanitary District Maintains Wastewater Management During Challenging Events
At Valley Sanitary District, maintaining health and safety is our top priority. This includes providing continuous wastewater treatment regardless of any external conditions. Over the past month, the Coachella Valley has seen three major storm events that challenged staff at VSD. The first event was a haboob (sandstorm) on July 31st, followed by a tropical storm on August 20th, and then a monsoon on September 1st. During the three events, the Valley was subject to high winds, blowing sand and debris, and significant rain. These events often result in a loss of power to the main treatment facility and increases in wastewater flow. Several of our staff were called into action and they did not hesitate to answer the call, leaving family members at home while they were ensuring health and safety to the community at large. Staff provided oversight and inspection of facilities both at the main treatment facility as well as at remote sites, including four pump stations and over 250 miles of pipelines. Pictured below are the hard-working staff members that were called to duty after normal hours, including the weekend to ensure that public health and safety was maintained.
Staff pictured (in no specific order): Kenneth Kepley, Andy Boyd, Austin Lopanec, Andrew Sorensen, Tino Tijerina, Ed Luna, Jimmy Garcia, Dave Commons, James Mills, Mark Wiseman, Ray Marroquin, Carlos Acevedo, and Diego Rivera. Tito Moreno and Nick Castaneda (not pictured).
“It is a great feeling knowing that we have professionals that answer the call during difficult times. If you see them out in public, please thank them for their selfless service to the community at large”, Said Jason Dafforn, General Manager at Valley Sanitary District.