Kisha Ortiz, Resource Recovery and Reuse Work Planner at Metro Water Recovery
"When I applied for this position, I didn't even know what it was. I didn't know where it was. And what's funny is my dad retired from the refinery that's right behind this place. So I faxed in my resume. Didn't hear back for like two months. I thought, eh, this is not gonna happen. I don't even know what it is. But then they call me in for an interview. And I learned that there's a whole wastewater treatment facility here that treats all the Metro areas' wastewater. You don't usually think about where your water goes. When you flush it, you just want it to go away. You don't want to ever see it again. When I got here, I started out as a part-time clerk doing locates, and I learned a lot. Everybody has a passion for the job here, no matter where they work in this facility. And as you get closer and closer to waste water, you realize it's kind of important. Like I said, our effluent is recreational and irrigation used for feeding people. We're in a dry-air desert. This water needs to be reused. We're cleaning it to almost drinking water standards. And I realized it was important to me to pay attention to what I flushed. And maybe this is my purpose. It sounds hokey, but I have a purpose here. I feel like I'm doing something that I'm giving back more than I'm taking. We're trying to be environmental stewards. And I take that into my home life. Don't pour the grease down the sink. This river right here is being used by many people, not just us. So let's try to leave it better than we found it. So this job has been important to me for many reasons. I have a purpose and I'm leaving that with my kids. So I love my job. I don't know if you can tell."