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Canyoudescribetomewhatatypicalday/projectwouldbelike?
Mostofourprojectsareperformedformunicipalities(ourbiggestclientistheCityofCharlotte).
Atypicalprojectissplitintotwobasicphases:designandconstruction.Weperformalotof
sewerrehabilitationprojects.Wewouldfirstmeetwithourclienttodefinethepartoftheir
sewersystemtheywanttorehab,theirbudget,timingfortheproject,anyspecificconcernsor
issuestoaddress,etc.Wewouldthenperformdesignoftheproject,whichincludespreparing
thespecificationsanddetailsthatcontractorswouldusetoperformrehabofthesewersystem.
Wewouldpreparecontractdocuments(specifications,details,plans,maps,bidforms,etc)that
contractorswouldthenusetopreparetheirbid.Thelowestbidderwouldthenbeawardedthe
contractbythemunicipality.Wewouldthenmoveintotheconstructionphase.Typically,the
municipalitywouldthenhireustowatchovertheconstruction(inspection)andperformmany
otherconstructionadministrationfunctions(processingpayrequestsfromthecontractor,holding
progressmeetings,addressingquestionsfromthecontractor,preparingchangeordersthatmay
beneededforsomethingthatwasntanticipatedduringdesign,etc.).
A typical day would involve almost all parts identified above. We typically have several projects going
on simultaneously at various stages of design and construction. I typically arrive in the office at about
7:30 AM and leave at 5:30 or 6:00 PM.
2)
Whatotherprofessionsdoyouinteractwiththemostduringyourprojects?Doyouworkwithagroupof
civilengineersspecializedwithenvironmentalaspectsorsolo?
Weworkwithconstructioncontractors,municipalityadministrators(mayors,citymanagers,
publicworksdirectors,cityengineers,etc.),salesprofessionals(typicallysalesofconstruction
materials).ThepeoplethatIworkwithinmyofficearetypicallyothercivilengineersthathave
thesamebackground/specialtyasme.
3)
Whatspecificallydoyouandyourcompanydo?
Asmentionedabove,wespecializeindesigningsewerrehabandmonitoringthesewerrehab
construction.Thisalsoinvolvestheevaluationofsewersystemssowehavemultiplefieldcrews
thatareevaluatingandmeasuringflowswithinthesewersystem.Wealsodesignnewsewer
systems.Toamuchlesserdegree,weevaluateanddesignstormsewersystems.
4)
Doyoutravelalot?
AllofourclientsareclientsareintheCarolinas,Virginia,andTennessee.Therefore,my
travelinginvolvesdriveabledaytrips.Imtypicallyoutoftheofficeadayortwoperweek.
5)
Whatwouldyourtypicalworkplacebe?
Weareasmallcompanywithlessthan30employees.Ourworkplaceisalotlessformalthana
lotoflargercompanies.IfImnotmeetingwithaclient,Iwearjeansandasweatshirtinthe
winterandshortsandflipflopsinthesummer.Thisisnottypicalformostcompanies.
6)
Haveyoudoneaprojectdealingwiththecontaminationofwaterandthecleanup,ifsocouldyou
pleaseinformmeonit.
Essentiallyallofourprojectsdealwithcontaminatedwatersincewedealwithsewersystems.
Oneofourmainjobsistohelpmunicipalitieseliminateoverflowsfromthesewersystemwhere
untreatedwastewaterisnotcontainedwithinthesewersystem(overflowsoftencauseuntreated,
contaminatedwastewatertobedischargedtostreamsandrivers).Thisiscausedbydefectsin
thesewersystemorbyexcessrainwaterandstormrunoffgettingintothesewersystemand
overloadingthesewerandcausingoverflows.Ourjobistohelpkeepwastewaterwithinthe
sewersystemsothatitgetstothewastewatertreatmentplantwhereitcanbeproperlytreated
anddischarged.Projectcostsvarywidely.Ivehadthemfrom$200,000upto$3,500,000.The
sizeofthemunicipalityusuallydictatesthesizeoftheproject.Ingeneral,smallmunicipalities
havesmallerprojectsandlargermunicipalitieshavelargerprojects.
7)
Whatarethemostchallengingaspectsaboutyourjob?
Probablythatmostmunicipalitiesdonotbudgetenoughfundstoproperlydothejobthatthey
askandexpectustodo.Theresultsthattheyexpectaresometimesdifficulttoachievewiththe
availablefunds.Itismyjobtohelpthemunderstandwhattheycanreasonablyexpectwithwhat
theyhavebudgeted.
8)
Howmanyhoursaweekdoyouwork?
Itdependsbuttypically40to45.Mycompanyisonly16yearsoldandIveworkedtherefor13
years(Ihave23yearsoftotalexperience).Itookusawhiletobuilduptothestaffinglevels
wherewearenowsoIworkedmorehoursseveralyearsagowhenwehadalotofworkandnot
quiteenoughstafftohandleit.