Water Well Journal
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/629532
total cost and hours budgeted for the project. If a cost or time overrun occurs, most often the consultant has to absorb those. It's therefore in the consultant's best interest to streamline and coordinate the design and management of the project and avoid disputes whenever possible. In order to trim costs, owners often won't include the cost of the consultant's involvement or even his attendance at startup of a new or retrofit plant construction in his contract. Unfortunately, egos, unforeseen problems, and territorial wars often interject themselves into the mix during design and actual construction that ultimately result in problems or hard feelings. I have personally experienced and am not proud of past clashes with well drillers, electricians, excavators, and plumbers. In almost all cases, the problems could have been avoided with better and earlier communication between me and the other party. By the time a big problem rears its ugly head, the project is usually already in some trouble due to time or cost issues. The client is generally not interested or sympathetic in who is at fault. The client just wants the project finished and functional and within the allotted sched- ule and budget. The client is usually not willing (or able) to come up with the extra funds to pay for the problem. The operator, sometimes accurately, fears he will receive the blame even if the problem is beyond his control or isn't his fault. In addition, the operator may feel the consultant has only a repu- tation and ego to preserve and is not usually willing to budge towards an operator's request, even if the need is apparent. The operator, often over- looked and ignored, feels slighted and disrespected for the lack of input he was permitted during the design process. From my experience, none of these parties are seldom always right, and generally all are at least partly wrong. Unfortunately these disputes often end up in arbitration, or in extreme cases court, but almost always with mutual suspicion and resentment shared be- tween the operator or owner. A negative, uncooperative attitude benefits no one and usually leads to long-term issues between parties on a project that can last for years. Based on my experience, there are methods to avoid some of these prob- lems. I will address and suggest some of them as they apply to consultants and operators. For Consultants The consultant must remember the operator is a professional, just as he is, but usually with different priorities and needs. The operator not only must operate a diverse and compli- cated water system, he must also deal with equipment break- downs and repairs, budget concerns, endless forms and paperwork, constant changes in water quality, never-ending "new and improved" regulatory requirements and reporting rules, scheduling problems, safety issues, and all the other problems unique to the job. The operator as a fellow professional is entitled to the same respect the consultant feels he should be given. Many times the operator has obtained his training from a combination of schooling and field experience, or perhaps through years of hard work alone. Anyone who is this devoted to their profes- sion and has spent the years of work and training required to obtain the benefits of certification along with the responsibil- ity they now carry is fully entitled to the same respect and ENGINEERING continues on page 42 Twitter @WaterWellJournl WWJ February 2016 41 9 TR 9580-V M Ma ad de i in t th he U. .A. S .c s .ams-samplers www. obe erPro ow com/Po RUGGED RUGGED POWE POWE RUGGED POWE • • • • • • • 9 DURABLE DURABLE ERFUL ERFUL • • • • • • • 9 DURABLE ERFUL echnology ect Push Te ed Dir anc dv A er Capable ug em A st w Solid & Hollo e Head er Driv ug 5,000 ft/lb 2-Speed A ooling Push To ect aulic Tilting Dir dr Hy ack e R ag or St inch able High Speed W t djus . A 3,000 lb aulic Pullback dr . of Hy 55,000 lbs e c r Fo op Hammer o Dr ut SPT A es eatur TR F V 580- Advance d D i re ct t P Pus sh h echnology T T Technology T S ol l li d & H o l ll o ste m Au e e r C apable p able b l e g w 5 , 0 0 0 f ft/ / lb b 2 - S p e e d Au e e r Driv ri iv ive H e a d g Hydra u li ic c Ti il lt lt in n g D i irect Push T u sh h To o li ing ing g T Tooling T Storage Rack g 3 , 0 0 0 lb b. Adj djustab b l le Hi i gh h Speed W p e e d Winch nch Winch Winch 5 5 , 0 0 0 l lbs s. o f H Hydra aul l li c P u l llb lb a c k Force S PT T Auto D ro p H a am mm e r 580-VT R eatures F Featur F c. n AMS, I s-s m .a w. w w s a e 74 Y ce 1942 in S AM M S , Inc c. www. ms-s a w.a w ww 74 4 Years Y Ye inc ce 1 94 94 2 S ax: 208 F e: 800-635-7330 n o h P m s.co ler p m a s Fa ax : 2 0 8 Phone : 8 0 0 - 6 3 5 - 7 3 3 0 samplers.com 8-226-7280 m s.co ler p m a s s m s@a m a 8 - 2 2 6 - 72 2 8 0 ams@ams-samplers.com