Tag Archives: Safety

Behind the Scenes, Employee Spotlights

Charlotte Water Employee Spotlight: Ben Smith

Pretty much anywhere you go these days there are signs on doors, markers on the floor indicating where to stand and walk, and even acrylic barriers for extra protection between us. These indicators are very much apart of our “new normal” and it’s hard to remember a time before these safety measures were put into place in almost every building you enter.

Safety Signage and Barriers at Our Facilities

Here at Charlotte Water, our Facilities Supervisor Ben Smith, along with his small team of Facilities Maintenance staff, have worked tirelessly to measure, mark, and indicate all of the new necessary signage in our buildings, as we continue to prepare for the slow return of our staff. They have worked to design, order, and install all of our safety signage:

  • Reminder to social distance and stay 6 feet apart, reading “Be smart, stay 6 feet apart”
  • Footprints, as needed, indicating where to stand for social distancing
  • One way enter/exit signs (and more to come!)
  • Do the “big five” safety measures
  • Hand washing in all restrooms
  • Wear a mask at all times

Acrylic barriers are commonly seen at a reception desk or in common areas for extra protection where social distancing opportunities may be limited. Ben spent two full days going around to the six facilities where the acrylic barriers would be installed, to ensure that all of the barriers would match to the existing office furniture. The installation of the barriers took place in early June, and each were assembled by hand, on site by Ben and his team.

James Bryant installing an acrylic barrier at our Zone 3 location

Enhanced Cleaning at Our Facilities

In addition to the installation of signage and barriers, Ben and his team were also in charge of coordinating the enhanced cleaning procedures across all of our Charlotte Water facilities. Along with the everyday cleaning, additional disinfection procedures were implemented twice each day, and also building and vehicles were decontaminated as needed.

Another important addition to our buildings are the temperature scanning kiosks that are in process of being delivered and installed at our facilities. Currently, we have our third-party nursing vendor performing in-person temperature screenings, until we make the full transition to the temperature scanning kiosks. Before the kiosks can be installed at multiple facilities, Ben is working on testing the kiosks at one of our locations first, to make sure to process runs smoothly.

Silver Linings and More to Come…

As always, there is a bright spot that can be found out of any situation. During these quieter months around the facilities, Ben and his team have been able to tackle some of the more “disruptive” projects that they sometimes would need to work on over the weekends or after regular office hours, as not to disrupt staff while they were working.

Along with more of our staff working from home, or in staggered shifts, we no longer face the issue of running out of space for our staff members. Previously, Ben was part of a standing meeting to discuss space needs for our department, which is no longer a pressing issue. In addition to all of the new safety measures, our department is also in line for a city-wide initiative to have HVAC modifications and touch-less plumbing fixtures.

Facilities Maintenance Team: Ben Smith, James Bryant, and Chase Hartsell

We would like to give a huge “thank you” to our Facilities Maintenance Team for keeping our facilities clean and running smoothly for all of our staff, as we continue to make our slow return back to the facilities. We are looking forward to seeing these upgrades in person, and can feel reassured knowing that our facility is a clean and safe place to work.

My Water, Water Quality

Quick Hurricane Preparedness Tips from Charlotte Water

Your water treatment and wastewater treatment plants are equipped with generators capable of maintaining operations during extended power outages.

The drinking water distribution system has a robust back-up system to allow water to flow from many locations, so water outages, even in major storm events are rare and often localized.

Toilets will also continue to function normally and do not require electric power to operate.

As a precaution, we encourage customers to prepare by storing 1-2 gallons of tap water per person/day in clean household containers which can be refrigerated if desired.

You may want to consider filling a clean bathtub or other large containers with water before the storm arrives. In the event water service is disrupted, that water can be used for drinking, cooking, or flushing the toilet.

If you decide to evacuate make sure you do the following before you leave:

Turn your water shut-off valve to the off position. This will help minimize damage to your home if a pipe bursts.

Turn off the power and shut off the water valve to your irrigation system.

After a storm please do not place storm debris on meter boxes, sewer clean outs, or within three feet of any fire hydrant.

If you have any water or sewer emergencies please call 311 or 704-336-7600 anytime day or night. 

Charlotte Water crews are mobilized and ready to handle any emergency that comes our way. 

Behind the Scenes, How Things Work

Hurricane Preparedness from Charlotte Water’s perspective

In advance of Hurricane Florence barreling down on the Carolinas, we have received many questions about Charlotte Water’s system in the event of a major storm.

Our advice: be prepared, but not worried.

Charlotte Water has built redundancies into every aspect of our systems. We have backups for backups. Even in the event that power goes down at a treatment plant, Charlotte Water has a plan. We have high capacity generators, relationships with Duke Energy for support and contracts in place for any resources, like additional fuel, that we may need. Our distribution system has a robust back-up system to make sure water flows to your home, even in major storm events water outages are rare and often localized.  Something to keep in mind toilets will also continue to function normally and do not require electric power to operate.

But like Charlotte Water, the community should also be prepared. That means, putting together a family preparedness kit. If the event takes days to recover or if residents live in an area serviced by a pipe that breaks, make sure you have water on hand. Some tips we’ve heard from others in the community:

  • “Fill your bathtub with water for flushing.”
  • “Fill gallon zip lock bags with water and freeze. This, not only keeps food cold if the power is out, but also gives you a water source.”
  • “Fill up those reusable water bottles!”

Did you know $1 buys you 247 gallons from Charlotte Water? Take time now before the storm to get ready. We at Charlotte Water will be prepared too!

BTW: The water service to your home is independent of your electric service, so a loss of power shouldn’t result in a loss of water.

Stay tuned to the City’s communication channels to stay up to date. And, please remember to use 311 to report outages or water main breaks; you can also request service this way. Use 911 for emergencies only.

Behind the Scenes, History

90 Years of Safeguarding Public Health

What do Rome, the Indus Valley civilizations and Charlotte have in common? They were all cities that thrived due to the installation of water and wastewater infrastructure. Without clean water to drink and sanitation systems, people fell prey to disease.

Before Irwin and Sugar Creek wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) were built, Charlotte residents dumped raw sewage directly into nearby creeks and streams. These practices were the root cause of outbreaks of cholera, typhoid, infectious hepatitis, and polio. In 1924, Sugar Creek Wastewater treatment plant was built on Little Sugar Creek and began partial treatment of wastewater. In 1927, Sugar Creek WWTP was expanded and Irwin Creek WWTP was built, and both were the first modern-style plants in the state. They used the highly-effective activated sludge treatment process to remove nutrients and organic materials from the wastewater before it was put back into the creeks and streams.

 

aiwrin creek Water 1923 laboratory
Laboratory at Irwin Creek WWTP- 1920’s

 

This technology allowed for an increased quality of life for the residents of Charlotte, less polluted waterways and supported the consistent economic and population growth of the Charlotte region.

Many sectors of the economy are reliant upon water, and any disruption of water/wastewater services can cost businesses a significant amount of revenue. Since 1927, Sugar and Irwin WWTP’s have been treating wastewater 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and due to many plant expansions are now able to treat up to 20 and 15 million gallons, respectfully, of wastewater per day.