A day in the Life

So, you want to know what I do every day? So do I! Just kidding.

Here is a typical day:

I arrive about 7am without donuts or a little later with donuts. I meet with co-workers and see what's going on around the plant. Then, I start the lab work. I check all the instruments, calibrate, and check quality assurance of lab water and instruments.

After the initial checks, I start collecting samples from different locations around the wastewater treatment plant. I collect small amounts to represent much larger volumes. The best part is that I drive a small electric car called a "GEM car."



So I race around in the GEM car and get the samples, bring them to the lab, and analyze them. I check pH, conductivity, and many other things. I do a lot of wet chemistry and some microbiology. I test the fluid coming in, process along the way, then the final effluent leaving the plant to irrigation or the river.

I make all the lab supply orders and do routine maintenance on instruments.

This week I am preparing to do California State lab certification (ELAP). To complete the tests, I have to perform about ten lab tests on unknown samples that the state knows the answer to. So, wish me luck!