Water Well Journal
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/629532
T here has been a lot of writing re- cently in various trade publica- tions about the role engineers, contractors, owners, and operators each have to play in the design and operation of a water treatment plant or water sys- tem . . . and the problems resulting from this inevitable relationship. Various letters to me have indicated a current lack of respect and cooperation exists between many operators and en- gineers, as well as between engineers and contractors. Several years ago I wrote a column about the role consultants and contrac- tors each have to play in a successful design and project outcome. I would like to vary the topic this month and apply these tenets to consultants and operators of a water system. I have been privileged to work as a contractor, a water works operator, and a consulting engineer during my career. While performing the tasks unique to each job, I have been amazed at the ani- mosity and disrespect that often exists between these vital professions. I be- lieve this chasm and problems that often result are generally due to miscommuni- cation or a genuine lack of communica- tion between the parties. Added to this is a misconception about the role each party should have in the design and op- eration of water system improvements. I feel only through mutually sharing experience and knowledge can we all benefit in learning from the successes and failures of our industry brethren— and with a little luck, avoid making those same mistakes in the future. Most of these mistakes in design, construc- tion, or operation of the system are pre- ventable and often the result of small misunderstandings and miscommunica- tion between participants on a project. I intend to discuss the relationship difficulties shared by operators, contrac- tors, and consultants. You may notice I use the term "consultants" rather than engineers or consulting engineers. This is because in today's world engineers are not the only professionals responsi- ble for the design and supervision of water projects. Quite often, architects, hydrogeologists, construction managers, environmental scientists, and engineers specify and supervise the construction of all types of projects. Since this is a common practice, I will refer to all parties within this classification as "consultants." And although I fully recognize the importance and current respect gained and earned by the women in our indus- try, I will refer to each party within this column using the male gender terms only. This concession is done only for simplification. All About Honesty Often in my career, I've been either in the middle or on the edge of a con- flict or dispute between consultants, contractors, owners, and plant opera- tors—depending on which hat I was currently wearing. I have found after some long and intense soul searching as well as discussions with fellow engineers, owners, operators, and contractors the best way to handle these disputes. That's through honesty, mutual respect, open communication, and re- membering one overriding factor above all—the inescapable fact we are all sup- posed to be working for the good of our client or employer. That's what it's supposed to be about after all, isn't it? Producing cool, clean, and safe drinking water? The reputable operator wants to do a good job for his employer and customer, perhaps enhance his reputation a bit, maybe raise the family's bank account, and operate a water system that will safely and efficiently produce consis- tently clean and safe drinking water. Believe it or not, the consultant actu- ally wants the same thing. His survival, just as the operator's, is directly tied to the customer's ultimate satisfaction and whether or not he has properly repre- sented the client's interests during the project. The last thing a conscientious con- sultant wants is to design a project that doesn't work as intended. Worse yet, doesn't work at all. But we're all human and no less or no more than the guy in the trench or the one cleaning a filter. Consultants are certainly not deities, nor are they prone to making mistakes any less or any more than the average person. The problem is a consultant's mis- takes are usually more visible and ap- parent. The best way to visualize this is by remembering consultants are just ordinary people with ordinary needs and desires. Most of the consultants I know are everyday kind of people with spouses, kids, dogs, and mortgages. They don't want any conflict with any- one on a project—if for no other reason than it costs extra money the consultant had not planned on in his design or budget and doesn't have the time to deal with unexpected problems. Who does? In this way, operators and consultants are similar. Neither can afford to give work away, and a lot of uncompensated extra work will rapidly cause a sea of red ink on the bottom line or the bills at home to go unpaid. The best way to understand the con- sultant's limited role in a project is by understanding his normal contractual re- lationship with the client. Most current client/consultant contracts specify the ED BUTTS, PE, CPI ENGINEERING YOUR BUSINESS CONSULTANTS VS. OPERATORS Sometimes it can be easy to forget everyone is working toward the same goal of safe, clean water for the customer. 40 February 2016 WWJ waterwelljournal.com