Why West Jordan Has One of the Best Water Operators in the State

What is the first thing most of us use in the morning? Whether it's getting a drink, taking a shower or using the toilet, we're using water.

What would you do if it wasn't there? That's not a question you are likely to ask because West Jordan's very own Francisco Recendez was awarded the American Public Works Association (APWA) Water Operator of the Year Award.

Recendez has helped keep our water running for 11 years, starting as a water operator. He now guides millions of gallons of water a day: from a glass of water for you, to hundreds of gallons for recipes at Papa Pita and Dannon Yogurt.

"I love to learn. I'm always asking questions," he said. "We have a great group of guys that I can bounce ideas off of. We ask each other, 'What do you think about this?' There is always a good outcome when we work together."

West Jordan Water By the Numbers

• 41 Active Sites: There are 41 different spots across the city working together to pull, pump, and move your water.
• 56 Million Gallons of Storage: Our giant tanks hold enough water to fill about 85 Olympic-sized swimming pools!
• 600 Miles of Pipes: If you laid the water pipes in a straight line, they would reach all the way from West Jordan to California's Disneyland.
• Changing Needs: In the winter, the city uses 12 million gallons a day. But in the summer, that number jumps to 50 million gallons.
• 8 Billion Gallons a Year: That's how much water West Jordan uses in a year, which is enough to keep Niagara Falls going for four hours straight.

Every day, Recendez watches the flow of every gallon of water from all 41 sites, across all 600 miles of pipes, through every storage tank.

Travis Kennedy, Water Operations Supervisor, said that Recendez's

"Career is a remarkable example of dedication, professional growth, and quiet leadership."

When the City of West Jordan dealt with a cyber incident (read more here), the computers that kept the water running were brought down. Recendez came up with a solution so fast that not a single customer missed their water.

"I'm grateful that I was recognized," Recendez said. "Sometimes you're just behind the scenes. You're doing all these things and you wonder if anyone notices. I'm appreciative because all of a sudden the City said, 'Hey, we see it.'"

"His professionalism, technical expertise and steadfast dedication have made him a cornerstone of the West Jordan Water Division," Kennedy said.

He may work behind the scenes, but West Jordan does and can rely on him and the water system team every day.

By Erin Dixon