As one of the SJRA’s Groundwater Reduction Plan (GRP) Utility Lead Operators, Jacob is responsible for supervising employees and operations of the surface water treatment plant, transmission system, and water receiving facilities. His role is to manage the day-to-day activities of operators and water plant operations, ensuring the production of safe water that meets TCEQ water quality standards for our regional public drinking water supply. His role also serves as a subject matter expert regarding water treatment, laboratory practices and applicable regulations for surface water.
To the untrained eye, a day in Jacob’s job seems like 12 hours inside staring at computer monitors. However, when taking a step back, you’ll realize that he is one of the primary lines of defense to the public’s health and well-being for safe and potable drinking water. His duty is to monitor multiple instrumentations’ feedback within SJRA’s SCADA system and compare it with the laboratory chemical analysis to observe any anomalies or problematic areas during the treatment process and adjust them accordingly to prevent any further issues. As one of the unsung heroes in the water utility industry, operators believe that it is not just a mentality of “if” a problem occurs, but rather “when” it occurs so that they can ensure the problem will not jeopardize the public’s safety or the SJRA’s ability to continue to provide continuous treated water. Thanks to SJRA’s 24/7 treatment system monitoring and around-the-clock chemical lab analysis, SJRA’s daily operations are kept in check so that the community continues to receive the best drinking water Texas has to offer.
Altogether, Jacob’s favorite part about working for SJRA is that he truly feels like he has a purpose in his daily work. Whether it’s leading the next team into the future for success, providing knowledge and training to new employees, or helping the community move closer to the goal of a sufficient and stable source of water to help our planet, Jacob feels honored to be a part of the team at SJRA.
