#wasterwater

SARS-CoV-2 rates are rising across the USA, especially in the West - mask up to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Remember, the US government is now actively hiding COVID data across Turtle Island, hospitals are rarely testing or masking, and death certificates do NOT list COVID-related complications like heart attacks and strokes. That means we have to rely on public wastewater data (measuring viruses in sewer water), and even that's being suppressed, and everything's on a 2 week delay. So when the numbers we CAN see go up (like the current official 430,000 infections per day), that's just the tip of the iceberg...Right now wastewater numbers are about TWICE AS HIGH AS THEY WERE LAST JUNE, before the US declared the pandemic over.

These graphs are from wastewaterscan.org and Iowacovid19tracker.org. They collect a lot of local and national data too - look up your own area!

SARS-COV-2 aerosols hang in the air like smoke, and can infect you hours after the contagious person's gone. Keep yourself safe by wearing a well-fitting respirator mask (like N95s or KN95s) whenever you're in CROWDED and COVERED areas, and when CLOSE to people (that includes outside pride events, protest rallies, backyard cookouts, etc). Whenever possible, keep indoors air moving by opening windows, and improve air quality with HEPA air filters (ex. DIY Corsi-Rosenthal box fans).

If you're sick: https://tinyurl.com/currentlysick

Mask database: https://tinyurl.com/maskdb

Air filtration resources: https://cleanaircrew.org/

How To Talk To Your Loved Ones About COVID: COVID.tips

You do NOT want to get COVID-19 if you can avoid it - the initial infection can be nasty, and the long-term effects brutally disabling. Wearing a mask is the quickest and easiest way to break the chain of transmission, and to stand in solidarity with marginalized people fighting to survive across the globe.

Spread the word and take care of each other out there!

Biobot’s interactive tracker is no longer available:

(From Raw Data to Actionable Insights: Biobot’s Evolution of Public Data Sharing | Biobot Analytics)

Blog update 5/30/24:

We want to thank the public for all the love and support of this work over the years.

After more than three years of making COVID-19 wastewater data available to the public, Biobot has reduced its public data reporting efforts. As we expand our wastewater epidemiology technologies to other population health areas, we no longer have the resources to maintain our COVID-19 dashboard. We decided to sunset the dashboard now because of other publicly available sources of wastewater data, including at the local level through our customers and partners and nationwide through the CDC NWSS program. We are optimistic that government sharing of wastewater data will continue to improve.

This does not mean we believe COVID-19 is no longer a threat, nor are we stopping our work. We see great potential for wastewater to positively impact public health efforts and the healthcare ecosystem in many areas beyond COVID-19. We remain committed to leading in this space and pioneering new applications for wastewater epidemiology.

Wastewater data resources can be found at:

You can find our risk reports here

You can find CDC’s COVID tracker here

Check your local and state public health departments and wastewater treatment facilities as they may be sharing this information directly

Epidemiologists doing important data reporting for the public:

Your Local Epidemiologist, Katelyn Jetelina

Force of Infection, Caitlin Rivers

SALARY

$20.66 - $26.45 Hourly

OPENING DATE: 10/31/16

CLOSING DATE: 11/27/16 11:59 PM

JOB SUMMARY:

Under general supervision, to perform journey level semi-skilled work in one of the following areas: construction and maintenance of pipelines and water services; construction work in the fabrication and assembly of utility water projects; and in testing, overhauling, and repairing of water meters; perform skilled hand, air and airless painting of buildings, facilities, reservoirs, equipment and furniture; and to perform related work as required. The class of Water Utility Worker II is the journey level in the Water Utility Worker series. Supervision is received from the Water Utility Supervisor and the Water Utility Lead Worker. Incumbents in this classification have journey level knowledge and skills in one or more of the skilled crafts, mechanical, and construction trades and may provide coaching and mentoring to less-experienced workers in their fields of expertise. Incumbents perform a broad range of moderately complex tasks and duties requiring journey-level expertise in two or more of the following areas: the construction mechanic trade, the construction and maintenance of pipelines and water services; and the testing, overhauling, and repairing of water meters at a moderately complex level. Incumbents at this level are expected to assess and prioritize work to be done and to identify materials needed to complete a job in progress. As knowledge and skill is gained through on the job experience, certifications and satisfactory proficiency is demonstrated, incumbents in this class may reasonably expect to be placed on an eligibility list for Water Utility Worker III.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The following duties are typical essential duties for positions in this classification. Any single position may not perform all of these duties and/or may perform similar related duties not listed here:

Provides courteous and expeditious customer service to the general public and City department staffs;

Routinely adhere to and maintain a positive attitude towards City and Department goals;

Performs construction and fabrication of various utility water projects including footings, foundations, slabs, floors, frames, sidings, trenches, ditches, roads, metal sidings and roofs, mounts and enclosures;

Ensures proper use of safety equipment; wears protective apparel;

Performs arduous labor in the construction and maintenance of various utility water projects;

Operates Department vehicles and light and medium trucks; loads and unloads trucks;

Operates a forklift, roller, cement mixer, compressor, jackhammer, concrete saw, sandblaster, drills and similar equipment and tools;

Uses hand and portable power tools; cleans and maintains tools; maintains inventory of special tools;

Clears work area of debris and rocks; excavates trenches; digs trenches with hand tools; digs, backfills and tamps trenches; performs hand grading and tamping; may disc fields;

Operates a pipe locator and pipe threading machine; cuts pipes using power saws; lays pipe to grade;

Isolates, makes repairs, or replaces inoperative sections of piping;

Sets forms for thrust blocks; sets shoring bars and equipment into place;

Mixes, pours and finishes concrete;

Lays, tamps, spread and rolls asphalt;

Sets mounting frames, bars and bolts;

Installs equipment onto mounts, including pumps, engines, motors, drive shafts, piping and electrical panels;

Performs carpentry work; installs drywall;

Uses mortar mixes in the erection of block walls from cinderblock; lays brick;

Paints surfaces; sandblasts surfaces; manipulates compressed air hoses for paint sprayers to prevent constructions while spraying; erects scaffolding;

Installs large and small water meters;

Disassembles water meters and fire hydrant meters; cleans and examines the mechanisms and chambers for breaks and wearing;

Repairs or replaces damaged or worn out parts; solders meter parts as appropriate; reassembles the meter; paints meters;

Tests new and rebuilt meters; makes field tests of meters in place; exchanges meters as appropriate;

Makes necessary repairs to special recording registers in the field or shop;

Maintains meter history records;

Checks discs, diaphragms and bushings; assembles drive trains;

Performs meter checks as required; checks meters for tampering; replaces broken meter service valves; installs pressure recorders;

Installs meters; installs meter vaults;

May repair gate and other large valves;

May repair fire hydrants; may rebuild clay valves;

May inventory and maintain levels of rebuilt valves and hydrants ready for use;

Assists in the repair of sprinkler systems;

Assists in operation of power generators

Operates a boom truck in hoisting and setting large pipe;

Operates light tractors skip loaders, and backhoes;

Required to wear respiratory protective equipment to include Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA):

May be assigned responsibility of leading small crews (1 to 3 persons) on routine work assignments.

GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS

Any combination of education, training, and experience that would likely provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform in the position is qualifying. A typical combination includes:

Knowledge of:

Proper use of hand and portable power tools;

Proper methods, materials, tools and equipment used in the repair of water meters;

Methods of trench excavation, shoring and safety;

Basic safety in working with tools;

Basic mathematics;

Verbal English to understand and be understood; written English to communicate in writing at an intermediate level;

Appropriate safety precautions and procedures;

Principles of operation of meters;

Simple record keeping methods;

Operating procedures of light to medium motorized equipment;

Procedures and methods of water utility pipeline and equipment maintenance;

Methods of pipeline repair and connections;

Ability to:

Use hand and portable power tools in moderately complex repair and construction projects;

Take appropriate safety precautions in trench excavation;

Work in enclosed space while wearing protective clothing under conditions of extreme temperatures and toxic materials;

Perform heavy physical labor;

Operate a vehicle observing legal and defensive driving practices;

Operate light to medium motorized equipment;

Understand and carry out oral and written instructions; read and write at an intermediate level;

Establish and maintain effective relationships with those contacted in the course of work;

Maintain records;

Read, write and perform mathematical calculations at an intermediate level;

Replace, maintain, calibrate, repair and take accurate readings on water meters;

Operate pneumatic and power equipment;

Identify types of soil needing shoring;

Operate specialized pipe connection tools and jigs;

Locate, identify and determine causes and types of pipeline breaks;

Work from blueprints, drawings, sketches, specifications, and technical manuals at an intermediate level;

Troubleshoot basic water service performance problems;

Safely operate a gas welding and cutting torch;

Be physically capable of entering permit required confined spaces and wearing Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) equipment;

Operate an atmospheric tester for entry into confined spaces;

Wear protective respiratory equipment to include SCBA and personal escape respirator;

Use appropriate methods and procedures for water service disinfection;

Maintain a driving record that meets vehicle code standards and is acceptable to the Department and its insurance carrier.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:     Graduation from high school or G.E.D. equivalent,

                          And

Experience:   Two (2) years of experience in water system construction, installation, maintenance or repair.

                          And

Certificates:   Must have and maintain a State of California Department of Health Services (DHS) Water Distribution Operator Grade 1 certificate.  Must submit a copy of the required DHS Water Distribution Operator Grade 1 certification at the time of application

                          And

Possession of a valid California Class "C" driver's license required upon application.  Possession of a valid California Class "B" commercial driver's license with air brake endorsement, tanker endorsement and valid Medical Examiner's Certificate appropriate for the equipment to be operated is required six months after appointment.  Note: For out-of-state applicants, a valid driver's license is required and a valid California Class "C" driver's license must be obtained within ten (10) days of appointment (CA Vehicle Code 12505c), a valid California Class "B" commercial driver's license with air brake endorsement, tanker endorsement and valid Medical Examiner's Certificate appropriate for the equipment to be operated is required six months after appointment.

Necessary Special Requirements:

An employee within this classification may be designated as a "key responder" and as such shall be required to respond to non-normal working hour emergency operational conditions.

Must be clean shaven or trimmed facial hair in order to properly use personal respirators and SCBA equipment.  Must pass a respirator medical exam and be physically able to wear SCBA equipment.  Must be able to work in enclosed spaces while wearing protective clothing under extreme temperatures and hazardous environment.

Physical Tasks and Environmental Conditions:

Work involves exposure to potential physical harm, hazardous chemicals, and infectious disease including smoke, fumes, gas, treated water, high frequency noise, dirt, dust, grease, oil, chemicals, solvents and toxic agents. Incumbents need to be able to tolerate unpleasant odors, wet conditions, and uncomfortable climatic conditions.  There is frequent need to stand, stoop, walk, crawl, climb, and perform other similar actions during the course of the workday.

Incumbents require sufficient mobility to work in a field setting in varying weather conditions, to operate hand tools and mechanical and motorized equipment, to transport materials and supplies weighing up to 75 pounds, and to travel to various locations.  Must be able to see in the normal visual range with or without correction with vision sufficient to see color and read small print as well as distance.  Must be able to hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.  Employee accommodations for physical or mental disabilities will be considered on a case-by-case basis.