Smears from the Poopologist: Diffusers, diffusers, diffusers. That time again to head down below and inspect, replace and fix any bad diffusers or the piping joints or brackets. We have fine bubble rubber diffusers. Some of the PVC lock tops can crack over time and sometimes we find leaks on the PVC joints of the piping. First, we lower the wastewater level to just above the diffuser trains and then lower the DO and look for any leaks and diffuser blow outs (meaning the rubber disc holes have torn the small holes into one big one).

Smears from the Poopologist: Been working on some reports these rainy days. I also decided to restructure my Jetting Program with the two new construction areas almost done. Instead of a three-year program, I made a four year one, with the new construction areas getting Jetted in four years from this year. It added in nicely because they're both next to each other.

Smears from the Poopologist: One of my favorite things to do at the plant is to make slides on the microscope and look at the wastewater 'bugs'. The chart on the lab wall showing old bugs, young bugs, the healthy mixture of a good sludge. I was trying to show some friends about my 'bugs' and slides and was looking on the internet for some good pics.

Smears from the Poopologist: My parts came in for the blowers, so today is blower Maintenace day. First, I tagout the blower I'm working on and check the power source is dead. I get my belts off first. There are three belts per blower. I stop here to open the bottom and top oil ports to let the old oil drain while I finish with the belts.

Smears from the Poopologist: One of my favorite times of year is the hands-on expo where I get to try out equipment. They have a bunch of vendors come with all their latest toys for the water/wastewater, streets repair and construction. Some vendors elect to be in the building where they give twenty-minute demos on small equipment like laboratory instruments or programs, mapping software, maintenance and inventory software and safety equipment and clothing.

Smears from the Poopologist: On call this weekend. So, I had the park crew leave me some flowers and plants to freshen up the water and wastewater grounds. I reached out to some of the landscapers in the area and asked if they had any reject pots they would consider donating. Luckily, I got one who did. They gave me four huge pots about 3ft wide and 4ft tall that had chips in them.

Smears from the Poopologist: It's 2am and I'm out in my truck and hi-vis gear flushing hydrants. All is going good and I'm actually enjoying my coffee, work and weather. Not much traffic and just a few early risers walking their canines. Around 5am, I'm on a sharp corner about four blocks from the highway, in an area where a lot of new model homes are going up and the construction traffic is nonstop.

Smears from the Poopologist: Yep, we were out trying to get some jetting done when things got really interesting, fast. My co-worker set up the Jetter and got the nozzle in the manhole and I parked the pickup at the upstream manhole and got the crawler ready to follow the nozzle back to video record the piping. I was standing there waiting for the nozzle to show up so I could signal my co-worker.

Smears from the Poopologist: Somedays the separation from work and home are beyond my control. I go home daily with the thoughts that I forgot to start something or turn something off. That I left tools near equipment that either will get caught in it if it starts up or that they will magically disappear. It haunts me all night that I didn't turn in paperwork or finish filing my permit requirements on time.

Smears from the Poopologist: Finally finished up hauling biosolids, but on the last day for some reason, when one of the truckers shut the pump off and closed the valve, the overhang pipe snapped and broke off from the flange. I called my vendor right away and he showed up around lunch time, took measurements and said he had all this in stock and could bring right away in the morning.