Practicing Social Distancing Underwater
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Nothing says social distancing like being 50 feet under the surface of Lake Mathews. That’s what
Armando Riveroll, Jim Geissler
and
Nick Sharp
have been doing since the start of the COVID-19 emergency as divers of the Manufacturing Services Unit’s Valve-Dive Team.
For weeks now, they have been working their way along the six-level Lake Mathews outlet tower. Each level of the outlet tower, or “tier,” has five large diameter valves. Each valve has a protective screen that is roughly five feet in diameter and each is partially covered with thousands of invasive
quagga mussels.
This cleaning is critical and essential work that ensures Colorado River water supplies will continue to flow out of Lake Mathews into the region's distribution system.
This is especially important during a dry year like 2020, where supplies from the State Water Project are well below normal. Soon, the divers will reach the bottom level of 80 feet, where dives are limited to about 20 minutes to avoid “the bends,” also known as decompression sickness.
Sometimes known as hard-hat diving, maintenance diving doesn’t involve scuba tanks. Instead, communications and air cables connect the diver to a pontoon-type boat on the surface.
Armando
,
Jim
and
Nick
- like many professionals - started out as construction workers and decided to go underwater - attending commercial dive school, getting certified, and racking up journey-level experience before being hired by Metropolitan. Teammates
Jake Bast
and
Brad Wallace
are also on the dive team.
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Honoring Earth Day with Activities from Home
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First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day is turning the big FIVE-O this year! In light of social distancing requirements, here are some ways to honor nature and help to slow the virus spread.
1.
Take a Walk Outside
While social distancing
, celebrate Earth Day by exploring nature - alone or with your family or quarantine buddies. Be aware of all your senses; hear the birds, feel the wind, smell some green, and see the sky.
2.
Enjoy a Virtual Field Trip
Participating in a virtual trip to museums, national parks or even Mars
can be a great way to honor Earth Day.
Click here
to take a trip.
Your spring garden awaits and it’s a safe place to spend time. Whether you are transforming a whole yard or just a few colorful spring flower pots, Metropolitan’s online portal has information about landscape classes, water-wise garden inspiration, and a wheelbarrow of helpful how-to tips and videos.
4.
Join the “Green Team
”
Metropolitan’s Sustainability Interest Group plans many GREEN activities.
Click here
to connect to the Green Team’s website Earth Day ZERO-Waste Lunch Day.
5.
Waste Not
While working from home or reporting to the office, use reusable beverage and food containers and utensils for an Earth Day lunch!
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An Unforgettable Time and Internship
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As a college student, Metropolitan intern
Kevin Copeland
has experienced a roller coaster of emotions in the past couple of weeks adjusting to this “new normal.”
Saying rushed goodbyes to friends and classmates, and adjusting to the format of online classes have been the most difficult parts.
“I’m used to interacting with a lot of different people throughout each day, so being confined to my house has been challenging,” he admits. He is thankful that he is able to continue his internship remotely because the work helps to keep him occupied.
Kevin
is no stranger to Metropolitan. His mother, Ruth Copeland, spent 20 years as a Programmer Analyst in IT before retiring in 2006. She often brought him along to company picnics and holiday parties.
Today,
Kevin
is working in External Affairs. “When I first started, employees would tell me how they remember my mom pushing me around in a stroller,” he says with a laugh.
In early March,
Kevin
toured the Weymouth Plant on a work assignment. “It was my first trip out in the field and I was blown away,” he said. “I had read about our treatment process, but to see it up close gave me a lot more appreciation for the work our people do and the historical legacy of Metropolitan."
Before his current internship,
Kevin
worked at Southern California Edison, Sysco and the Bowers Museum. He will graduate from Chapman University in May with Bachelor’s degrees in both Marketing and Economics.
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