Auburn University uses one million gallons of water per day, while the city uses 6.1 million gallons per day, according to Eric Carson, director of the water resource management department of Auburn.
This averages 100 gallons per person each day, city- and campus-wide, which is right on par with national averages of what a person consumes, Carson said.
Carson said students often do not think about the work required for safe and clean water, as well as working sewage services.
“It’s one of those things you don’t think about until there’s a problem, and you don’t have those services anymore,” said Matt Dunn, assistant director of water resource management.
Water resource management oversees water treatment and distribution as well as sewer collection and treatment for the citizens of Auburn, according to Carson.
Carson said they are also in charge of the Watershed Protection Program, which helps manage the quality of storm water runoff into streams and creeks.
Carson and Dunn, both Auburn graduates, are two of approximately 50 people who help deliver clean water to the city every day.
Both Carson and Dunn said their jobs vary from day to day.
Carson said his job is to oversee all three of the divisions the department works with.
One major part of Carson’s job, he said, is to oversee development of projects and stay ahead of problems. Another aspect of his job is to meet with the public and work with customers who are having problems with high water bills, sediment runoff and sewer odors, Carson said.
Carson said he even had a complaint from a customer claiming their hot water had not been turned on, only their cold water.
Carson said he has worked in the department for 18 years, so he has had plenty of experience solving customer’s problems.
Dunn’s job involves overseeing field operations and project management, he said. He also responds to citizen’s calls and complaints. Dunn said he has been with water resource management for 11 years.
Carson and Dunn oversee the water quality for all of Auburn, including on campus, and said because both use the same pipes, the water on campus and in the community should essentially be the same.
“Since the water is centrally located, it stays pretty fresh,” Carson said.
Because he works with both the city and the campus, Carson said his job is always interesting.
“When I was first hired my first boss told me, ‘There is one thing I can guarantee and that’s that you’ll never be bored,’ and he was right,” Carson said.
The many projects the department has worked on has kept Carson’s job interesting, he said.
Carson said water resource management has worked on countless projects to benefit the community, such as building a pump station at Lake Ogletree and an emergency repair on a sewer line in the parking lot of Hickory Dickory Park.
Regardless of the numerous projects, Carson and Dunn both said students generally do not think about the work the department does.
“What we do kind of goes unseen because people expect to turn on their faucet and have water or to flush a commode and have services,” Dunn said.
Dunn said although students are often unaware of what they do, they have started to become more aware because of environmental issues and water conservation.
“It is so easy to forget how lucky we are to have such an abundance of clean water,” said Megan Hood, member of Auburn for Water and sophomore in undeclared science and math, an organization trying to fight the water crisis in developing countries.
To help educate the community on water issues and the department’s work, Dunn said they offer targeted tours to groups or classes, and enjoy explaining how everything in the plant works.
Carson and Dunn both said they care about the people of Auburn and enjoy being able to give back to the community and make an impact by keeping the water and sewage safe and functioning.
“I hope I bring confidence to the people that the water they drink is safe, and when they flush the toilet that things are going to work properly,” Carson said.
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