Knowing the system.
Ben and his team are always on the move.
Ben spent 12 years working as a union laborer saw-cutting concrete for construction projects around the Bay Area. Five years ago, he qualified as a water distribution plumber and began working on the pipes and infrastructure that keeps water moving.
Ben works out of EBMUD's North Yard in Richmond. He and his team members are constantly on the move even in these recent rains. Having grown up in Michoacán, Mexico and immigrating to the Bay Area at age 16, he still remembers the limited water available in his hometown. He enjoys teaching friends, relatives, and people on the street about the great system we rely on every day.
He says the question: “How many times have you been without water?” is always a conversation starter.
“As a plumber, you need to know what to look for. You need to know this system. It’s like a great treasure hunt, under the streets. I’m learning every day.”