Cologne sewerage system

Transcription

[seagulls shrieking] [water runs and drips] [light music] LIFE. WATER MEANS LIFE TO ME. WATER IS OUR--OUR LIFEBLOOD, AND WITHOUT THAT, THIS WOULD REVERT BACK TO A DESERT. (Tang) I DRINK WATER. I PLAY IN WATER. I PLAY AROUND WATER. IT JUST MAKES ME HAPPY. IF ANYTHING, THAT'S WHY I CHOSE TO BE IN THE WATER QUALITY FIELD OR IMPROVE WATER QUALITY. WELL, WE JOKE ALL THE TIME THAT WE ARE THE WATER COPS, AND WE IMAGINE THAT WE FLY IN WITH A BIG CAPE AND A BADGE AND THAT WE STOP, YOU KNOW, BAD THINGS HAPPENING TO WATER QUALITY. IF WE HAD TO BE A COMIC BOOK HERO, I'D SAY WE ARE THE WATER COPS FOR SURE. (Newman) THE URBAN WATER PROTECTOR. YEAH, THAT WAS A GOOD ONE. A WATER QUALITY EQUALIZER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. EQUALIZER. I LIKE IT. (Mitten) PROTECTOR OF THOSE WHO NEED WATER WHO CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. MY KIDS GET ALL EXCITED ABOUT MY JOB BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY THINK I'M A WATER COP, THAT I CAN GO OUT THERE AND ARREST PEOPLE AND PUT THEM IN JAIL. (Mitten) WE GO OUT, AND WE FIND VIOLATIONS AND WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS, AND WE WORK TO FIX THEM, AND WE HAVE ENFORCEMENT TOOLS AND THAT SORT OF THING. A LOT OF TIMES, WHAT WE WIND UP DOING IS TRYING TO FIND COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS. I THINK THAT'S QUITE OFTEN A SURPRISE TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME IN, OF HOW MUCH EFFORTS ARE GOING TO BE PUT ON STAKEHOLDERS AND COLLABORATION AND OUTREACH AND EDUCATION. MY NAME IS REBECCA VEIGA NASCIMENTO, AND I WORK FOR THE LOS ANGELES REGIONAL WATER BOARD. WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE JOB. I WORK ON TWO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. ONE IS FOR AGRICULTURE. IT'S A PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE SET UP TO TRY AND REDUCE THE POTENTIAL POLLUTION COMING FROM IRRIGATED AGRICULTURAL SITES. ALL OF THE LANDOWNERS HAVE JOINED TOGETHER TO FORM AN IRRIGATED LANDS GROUP, WHICH HAS WATER QUALITY MONITORING LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHEDS. THAT WATER QUALITY DATA IS MONITORED AND THEN ASSESSED ACCORDING TO WATER QUALITY BENCHMARKS FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF POLLUTANTS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE IN THE RUNOFF WATER. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IN THIS AREA HAD ANY AWARENESS OF THE BOARD UNTIL WE STARTED GETTING CARDS ABOUT THE NEED FOR US TO JOIN AN IRRIGATED LANDS GROUP. THERE WAS ABOUT A YEAR-AND-A-HALF PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT. THERE WERE REGULAR MEETINGS WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP THIS PROGRAM. (Schoustra) HAVING SEEN REBECCA AND SAM AT WORK IN THESE PUBLIC INFORMATION WORKSHOPS, I FELT THAT THEY WERE REASONABLE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE AND PRACTICAL AND COULD BE APPROACHED ABOUT A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SOLUTION. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID. (Nascimento) WE REALLY ARE OUT ON THE GROUND, WORKING WITH INDIVIDUAL FARMERS AND RANCHERS AND TRYING TO RELATE TO THEM AND GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND OUR PROGRAMS AND OUR RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE HAVE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE PROGRAMS. I COME FROM A FARMING FAMILY, SO IT SORT OF GAVE ME AN IMMEDIATE NEXUS TO BE ABLE TO RELATE TO OTHER FARMERS. [light guitar music] WORKING WITH AGRICULTURE IN L.A. COUNTY IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY HERE IN VENTURA COUNTY. A LOT OF TIMES, ENGLISH MAY NOT BE A FIRST LANGUAGE, WHICH IS A CHALLENGE FOR US. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SACRAMENTO TO GET ALL OF OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH DOCUMENTS AND REGULATION DOCUMENTS TRANSLATED INTO OTHER LANGUAGES. (Arrivillaga) IT IS VERY HARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO COMPLY AND WHAT TO DO, REALLY. TOO MANY OF THE GROWERS DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH. THEY FACE MORE PROBLEMS THAN I DO. YOU CAN'T COMPARE BIG GROWERS WITH THE SMALL GROWERS. IT'S A BIG, HUGE DIFFERENCE. I DON'T HAVE NO SECRETARY. I DON'T HAVE NO FOREMAN. MY SISTER IS THE ONE WHO TAKES CARE OF THE PRODUCTION. WE TRY TO DO EVERYTHING OURSELVES, BECAUSE THERE IS NO BUDGET. (Tang) WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARTIES THAT CAN BRING IN DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. WE WORK WITH NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE THAT WE REGULATE BUT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, ADVOCACY GROUPS, EVEN POLITICIANS. AND I THINK BRINGING THEIR DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES INTO PLAY BUILDS TOWARDS A MUCH STRONGER, MORE LASTING, COMPLETE SOLUTION THAT EVERYONE IS MORE HAPPY WITH. (Nascimento) IF WE COULD REALLY BRING IT TOGETHER AND HELP GROWERS BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW PRACTICES THAT TAKE PLACE ON THEIR FARMS AND GROWING GROUNDS IMPACT WATER QUALITY TO WHERE PEOPLE DON'T FEEL THREATENED BY IT, THAT THEY CAN EMBRACE IT, THEN WE HAVE A REAL CHANCE... NOT ONLY TO IMPROVE THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY AND KEEP IT STRONG-- THAT'S A MAJOR SOURCE OF EMPLOYMENT AND LIVELIHOOD FOR SO MANY PEOPLE-- THAT WE CAN DO IT IN A WAY THAT PROTECTS OUR AMAZING NATURAL RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE. SO CHOOSING TO WORK AT THE WATER BOARD, I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE REAL PROGRESS WITH THE GOALS OF PROTECTING WATER QUALITY AND PROTECTING THE OVERALL ENVIRONMENT IN OUR ECOSYSTEMS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT... BECAUSE IF WE CONTINUE TO MOVE TOWARDS JUST CONTINUING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF-- OF ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS AND EXPLOIT ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS FOR GAIN, IT REALLY WON'T BE LONG UNTIL THERE'S NOTHING LEFT. MY NAME IS JOSE ANGEL. I AM THE ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR THE WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD, THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN REGION. I STARTED WORKING FOR THE WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY AS A STUDENT ASSISTANT IN 1988. I GOT A STUDENT INTERNSHIP POSITION THAT SUMMER. EVER SINCE THEN, I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE STATE WITH THE WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARDS. WE AT THE WATER BOARDS HAVE CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY FOR THE BETTER, IN MY OPINION, NOT JUST IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY. WE HAVE STARTED TACKLING SOME WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS THAT IN THE PAST HAVE BEEN EITHER IGNORED OR NOT ADDRESSED FOR LACK OF POLICY OR RESOURCES, INCLUDING NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION PROBLEMS, FOR EXAMPLE: DEALING WITH AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF, POLLUTION OF GROUNDWATER FROM SEPTIC SYSTEMS. I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE WHEN THEY'RE ON THESE ANTIQUATED SEPTIC SYSTEMS, THEY RUN THE RISK OF POLLUTING THEIR GROUNDWATER SOURCES. THAT'S A HUGE THING, ESPECIALLY SINCE GROUNDWATER IS DRINKING WATER IN MANY CASES. WE HOPE TO SEE BETTER MANAGEMENT IN THOSE PLACES, HOPEFULLY MOVING AWAY FROM SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND PUTTING IN SOMETHING MORE RELIABLE, LIKE SANITARY SEWER SYSTEMS. (Angel) THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS WHERE YOU HAVE GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION POINTS TO-- WELL, WHAT ONCE WE THOUGHT IT WAS PROTECTIVE ENOUGH. OBVIOUSLY, IT DIDN'T CUT IT. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT IT POINTS OUT IS THAT ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND WATER QUALITY PROTECTION IS AN ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PROCESS. YOU GET A PROBLEM, AND YOU CAN'T JUST START GOING BACK AND TRYING TO REWRITE HISTORY. ON THE CONTRARY, YOU GOT TO NOW ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES AND START ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM. IT RISES TO ONE OF THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF PRIORITY. IN MANY RESPECTS, IT IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION TO SAY THAT THE NEW RIVER IS ONE OF THE MOST POLLUTED RIVERS, CERTAINLY IN CALIFORNIA. WELL, THE NEW RIVER CARRIES NOT JUST AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF FROM THE MEXICALI VALLEY AND THE IMPERIAL VALLEY. IT ALSO CARRIES THE WASTE FROM THE POPULATION OF MEXICALI ALONG WITH THE POPULATIONS OF TOWNS IN IMPERIAL COUNTY. ONE WOULD THINK THAT IN THIS DAY AND AGE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE RAW SEWAGE FLOATING IN THE RIVER AS A MATTER OF COURSE. UP UNTIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE WERE GETTING ANYWHERE FROM 15 TO 20 MILLION GALLONS OF RAW SEWAGE DAILY IN THE NEW RIVER. IT IS SHOCKING TO SOME PEOPLE, AND IT SHOULD BE SHOCKING. THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY PROJECTS WHERE YOU CANNOT PICK UP A BOOK IN SCHOOL AND THEY PREPARE YOU TO TACKLE THIS PROBLEM. WE CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE IN MANY AREAS AND MOST OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN REGARDS TO ENFORCING OUR WATER QUALITY LAWS AND REGULATIONS. BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN, YOU COME UP ON THESE TYPES OF PROBLEMS AND PROJECTS LIKE THE NEW RIVER, WHERE YOU DO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS AT YOUR DISPOSAL. I LIKE TO THINK THAT THEY, IN PART BECAUSE OF THE WATER BOARD'S EFFORTS, THAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED SOME SUCCESS IN CLEANING UP THE RIVER. BUT IT'S FRUSTRATING, AND YOU JUST GOT TO TAKE IT, LIKE, ONE DAY AT A TIME WITH THE PROJECT. (Austin) I THINK THE FRUSTRATION THAT WE FACE IS THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS CONFRONTING US. THEY'RE JUST OBVIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS. BUT WHERE'S THE MONEY AND WHERE'S THE STAFFING TO ACTUALLY SOLVE THE PROBLEMS IN A TIMELY FASHION TOO? (Angel) YOU DON'T GET TO DO THIS TYPE OF WORK IN CONSULTING. THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE AFFECT NOT JUST WATER QUALITY BUT AFFECT PUBLIC HEALTH. OUR LACK OF ACTION CAN RESULT IN DISASTROUS SITUATIONS. I LIKE MY JOB BECAUSE IT CARRIES SIGNIFICANT RESPONSIBILITY. WE CARRY THE PUBLIC'S TRUST. [upbeat rock music] MY NAME IS PHILLIP WOODWARD. I AM A SENIOR ENGINEERING GEOLOGIST WITH THE CENTRAL VALLEY WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD. PEOPLE UP HERE IN THESE SMALL COMMUNITIES DON'T LIKE GOVERNMENT. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. I WAS RAISED IN ALTURAS. MY FATHER WAS THE MAYOR OF ALTURAS FOR YEARS, AND HE WAS A COUNTY SUPERVISOR FOR YEARS. SO WHEN I WAS BEING RAISED, I GOT AN EARFUL OF THE PROBLEMS WITH SACRAMENTO TRYING TO DICTATE WHAT TO DO IN THESE SMALL RURAL COMMUNITIES. THAT HAS ACTUALLY PAID OFF QUITE A BIT AS I'VE COME IN AS ONE OF THOSE GOVERNMENT REGULATORS. WHEN I WORK WITH THESE SMALL COUNTIES, I THINK I HAVE A BETTER SENSE WHAT THEIR ATTITUDE IS AND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM. I LIKE TO SAY I PROBABLY HAVE ONE OF THE BEST JOBS GOING. I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SCENERY YOU'LL FIND IN CALIFORNIA. I WORK IN REDDING, AND MY JOB NOW IS PRIMARILY THE CLEANUP OF ABANDONED MINES IN THE AREA. IRON MOUNTAIN MINE, WHICH IS UP THE HILL HERE NOT ABOUT TEN MILES OUT OF REDDING, WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST METAL-CONTAMINATED DISCHARGES IN THE UNITED STATES FOR YEARS. THE ACIDIC DISCHARGE AND METALS FROM THAT MINE CAUSED MASSIVE FISH KILLS IN THE SACRAMENTO RIVER, OFTEN KILLING OVER 100,000 FISH PER INCIDENT. THAT PROMPTED THE USEPA TO PUT IT ON THEIR SUPERFUND LIST AND BEGIN WORK ON IT IN THE MID-1980s. THEY HAVE MANAGED TO REDUCE THE METAL DISCHARGES FROM THAT MINE BY ABOUT 95%, WHICH IS EXTRAORDINARY. THERE IS PROBABLY A TOTAL OF AROUND 14 OTHER MINES MUCH SMALLER THAN IRON MOUNTAIN MINE, AND THEY FORM A ARC AROUND SHASTA LAKE. THE DRAINAGE OUT OF THESE MINES CONTAINS THE HEAVY METALS: THE COPPER, THE CADMIUM, AND THE ZINC. AND IT RUNS DOWN INTO OUR STREAMS AND LITERALLY HAS KILLED ALL THE FISH LIFE IN THESE STREAMS. MY JOB PRIMARILY IS TO GO IN THERE AND TRY TO FIX THESE MINES AND REDUCE OR PREVENT THE DISCHARGES AND SEE IF WE CAN GET THE STREAMS TO AGAIN CONTAIN FISH. CALIFORNIA WAS WAY AHEAD OF-- OF OTHER STATES IN ADDRESSING WATER POLLUTION. THERE WAS LAWS ON THE BOOKS THAT PROTECTED WATER QUALITY AS FAR BACK AS THE MID-'50s. AND THEN WITH THAT PORTER-COLOGNE ACT, OF COURSE, COMING IN IN '69, THINGS REALLY TOOK OFF. WE NOW BECAME A REGIONAL BOARD SYSTEM THAT HAD OFFICES DESIGNATED THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA TO ACTUALLY COVER POLLUTION ON A REGIONAL BASIS. IT ACTUALLY LED THE WAY FOR CONGRESS TO ADOPT THE FEDERAL CLEAN WATER ACT THAT WE ALSO ADMINISTER AS REGIONAL BOARD EMPLOYEES. THERE ARE NINE REGIONAL BOARDS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE IS THE STATE WATER RESOURCE CONTROL BOARD, WHICH IS THE UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION OVER ALL NINE REGIONAL BOARDS. (Tang) THE WATER BOARD HAS THREE MAIN DIVISIONS. ONE IS PERMITTING AND ENFORCEMENT. THE OTHER IS WATER RIGHTS. AND THEN ANOTHER ONE IS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF GRANTS AND LOANS. (Pedri) WATER HAS TO BE SHIFTED AROUND IN CALIFORNIA. WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE, THERE'S NO WATER. WHERE THERE'S VERY FEW PEOPLE, THERE'S LOTS OF WATER. AND WATER RIGHTS IS A CRUCIAL ISSUE WITH REGARDS TO SHIFTING THAT WATER AROUND. YOU NEED A WATER BOARD BECAUSE YOU NEED THE RIGHT MIX OF TECHNICAL PEOPLE TO IMPLEMENT THE VISION THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE FOR WHAT THEY WANT OF THE WATERS OF THEIR STATE. MY NAME IS CHRISTINE SOTELO, AND I FORMERLY WORKED AT THE REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD, AND NOW I WORK FOR THE STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE STATE AND THE REGIONAL BOARD, I THINK, IS, IF YOU'RE WORKING FOR THE STATE, YOU'RE WORKING ON POLICY AND PLANNING ISSUES AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF WATER QUALITY ISSUES THAT ARE STATEWIDE. BUT IF YOU'RE A REGIONAL BOARD STAFF MEMBER, YOU'RE LOOKING AT AREA-SPECIFIC, REGION SPECIFIC-ISSUES, AND YOU'RE ACTUALLY OUT IN THE FIELD. YOU CAN GO OUT, AND YOU CAN TELL A DISCHARGER TO STOP POLLUTING. YOU CAN MAKE THEM CLEAN UP WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY'RE DOING THAT'S BAD TO WATER QUALITY, SO IT'S REALLY FULFILLING. WHERE I AM TODAY IS IN BRENTWOOD, CALIFORNIA, WHERE A 400-ACRE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WAS BUILT BACK IN THE LATE 1990s. AND I WAS DOING THAT ROUTINE INSPECTION FOR THAT PERMIT AND FOUND THAT A LOT OF THE SOIL FROM THE SITE ERODED AND ENDED UP FILLING IN THIS ALKALI WETLAND, WHICH IS HABITAT FOR CALIFORNIA TIGER SALAMANDER. BRENTWOOD, HISTORICALLY, HAS BEEN AN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY. AS AN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY, THE RUNOFF OR THE WATER THAT COMES UPON THE LAND PRETTY MUCH ABSORBED INTO THE GROUND. NOW, BECAUSE OF ALL THE DEVELOPMENT, A LOT OF THE GROUND HAS BEEN PAVED OVER. ALL THE RUNOFF GOES INTO STORM DRAIN INLETS, SO WATER IS A VEHICLE TO DELIVER THESE POLLUTANTS TO ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS. PART OF MY JOB ENTAILS ENFORCEMENT OF THE STORM WATER DISCHARGE PERMIT. THERE ARE TIMES WHERE WE ARE UNSUCCESSFUL IN WORKING WITH A DEVELOPER, TO SOME DEGREE, TO COMPLY. IN THOSE TIMES, WE HAVE TO INCREASE THE HAMMER, SO TO SPEAK, SO WE'LL CONTACT THE REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD, CHRISTINE SOTELO. (Sotelo) THIS WAS A SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION OF THREE AGENCIES, WHICH WERE THE CITY OF BRENTWOOD, DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME, AND THE REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD, BECAUSE WE ALL CAME TOGETHER AND TOOK ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST THE DEVELOPER. IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ISSUES AND PROBLEMS. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT DEALING WITH PEOPLE. WE ARE A REGULATORY AGENCY, AND AS SUCH, WE HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO. IN SOME CASES, IF WE TELL A PRIVATE COMPANY SOMETHING TO DO, IT MAY THEN HAVE TO SPEND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO SOLVE THOSE ISSUES. AND WE'VE HAD CASES THAT GO TO SUPREME COURT THAT CHALLENGE OUR AUTHORITY TO CLEAN UP POLLUTION PROBLEMS. SO I CAN'T SAY THAT THE JOB'S ALWAYS WITHOUT DIFFICULTY AND NOT WITHOUT FAILURES. IN THIS JOB, YOU CAN'T BE EVERYBODY'S FRIEND, NOT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO DO THE JOB RIGHT. AND I HAPPEN TO BELIEVE THAT TO DO OUR JOB, WE HAVE TO BE REGULATORS, AND WE HAVE TO BE-- MIGHT BE A DIRTY WORD-- BUT WE HAVE TO BE ENFORCERS. THERE'S--THERE'S A TIME THAT ENFORCEMENT IS NECESSARY AND SHOULD BE USED. (Sotelo) WHAT I FIND FULFILLING IS KNOWING THAT YOU BUILT ALL OF THE EVIDENCE AND KNOW THAT YOU ACTUALLY STOPPED THE POLLUTION FROM HAPPENING. THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO SEND TO THE DEVELOPERS TO TELL THEM THAT THEY CAN'T DO THIS AGAIN. THEY CAN'T BUILD AND DEVELOP AND NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE HABITAT FOR THE SPECIES THAT ARE LIVING IN THAT AREA. (Woodward) ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK I HAVE LEARNED IS TO TRY TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION, USE THE REGULATIONS TO HELP YOU WORK WITH THE PEOPLE TO DEVELOP A SOLUTION, NOT JUST COME IN LIKE A BULLDOZER AND SAY, "YOU HAVE TO FIX IT," AND WALK AWAY. (Sotelo) WHEN YOU WORK TOGETHER AND COLLABORATE, YOU END UP PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND IN THE END, IT'S JUST A BETTER OUTCOME. (Lacaro) I THINK IT'S CRUCIAL FOR MYSELF TO LEARN ALL THOSE ASPECTS, WHETHER IT BE POLITICAL, WHETHER IT BE SOCIAL, WHETHER IT BE, YOU KNOW, TECHNICAL, SO THAT I CAN COME TOGETHER IN THE MIDDLE AND HAVE AN AMALGAM OF ALL OF THAT AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO BEST HANDLE THE SITUATION. IT'S A GOOD BALANCE OF HAVING TECHNICAL SKILLS AND PERSON SKILLS, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO GET OUT THERE AND JUST BE ABLE TO TALK. THE BEST THING ABOUT MY JOB IS THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I KNOW THAT I PLAYED A SMALL PART IN PROTECTING WATER QUALITY. (Larson) I FEEL REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE MY JOB. I FEEL VERY LUCKY TO, AGAIN, LIVE AND WORK IN A VERY BEAUTIFUL WATERSHED WHERE I CAN DIRECTLY IMPACT THE WATER QUALITY OF THE RESOURCES THAT I LIVE IN, THAT I DEPEND ON EVERY DAY FOR LIFE. (Austin) WHAT I THINK IS SO GREAT ABOUT WORKING AT THE WATER BOARD IS THAT IT'S THE MOST TECHNICALLY CHALLENGING WORK THAT I'VE EVER DONE, AND, IN MANY CASES, WE DO GET TO SEE TANGIBLE RESULTS. YOU'RE NOT JUST GIVEN THE ANSWER. YOU'RE PART OF DEVELOPING THE ANSWER TO ANY PROBLEM OR SOLUTION, WHICH MAKES THE JOB THAT MUCH MORE INTERESTING. (Lacaro) I THINK THIS JOB GIVES ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUTSIDE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. IN FACT, OUR OFFICE ENCOURAGES US TO GET OUT AND SEE THE COMMUNITY, SEE WHAT OUR DISCHARGERS ARE DOING, RESPOND TO VARIOUS COMPLAINTS WHEN WE GET PHONE CALLS. IT GIVES ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT AND MEET THE PEOPLE THAT I WORK FOR, SINCE WE ARE A PUBLIC AGENCY, AND JUST KIND OF INVESTIGATE WHAT'S GOING ON. (Purdy) I THINK ORIGINALLY WHAT BROUGHT ME TO WANTING TO DEAL WITH WATER QUALITY ISSUES IS MY LOVE OF AND PASSION FOR THE OUTDOORS. IT'S WHERE I FIND A LOT OF JOY IN MY LIFE, AND I WANTED TO REALLY IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT FOR MY CHILD AND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. (Sotelo) IF WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IN LIFE IS TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER QUALITY AND THAT'S YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE, I THINK THIS IS THE JOB FOR YOU. IT'S WORTH EVERY MINUTE, EVERY HARD DAY, EVERY LONG DAY SPENT INSPECTING IN THE RAIN OR WRITING 35-PAGE REPORTS. I'VE NEVER STAYED AT A JOB FOR THIS LONG. AND I'VE STAYED BECAUSE I LOVE IT. [man singing] GONNA BE A CHANGE. GONNA BE A CHANGE. THERE'S GONNA BE A CHANGE. LA, LA, LA, LA. Captioning by <font color="#00ff00">CaptionMax</font> www.captionmax.com