Assessing Our Drinking Water Sources___

Using satellite remote sensing technology, Seyoum Gebremariam assesses the extent and density of harmful cyanobacteria blooms in Metropolitan’s storage reservoirs. 

A scientist who studies freshwater systems, Seyoum is part of a team that developed an award-winning digital dashboard that monitors cyanobacterial blooms. Also known as blue-green algae, cyanobacteria are microscopic organisms that can produce toxins as well as unpleasant tastes and odors in drinking water.

“Identifying variations in the occurrence or quantity of microscopic organisms in reservoirs from data gathered by a compact sensor aboard a satellite orbiting at a distance of hundreds of miles above the Earth's surface is a fascinating and challenging undertaking,” Seyoum said.

Checking for Contaminants___

Metropolitan employees in our chemistry unit are at the frontlines in protecting our water sources. A member of the chemistry compliance team, Nelyn Quitoviera uses advanced technology to analyze water for potential contaminants.

A chemist, Nelyn appreciates the modern instrumentation at Metropolitan that allows her to analyze our water more quickly. Fast turnaround of test results is needed for timely reporting and to support operational decisions.

“This technology enables me to confidently generate reliable and defensible high-quality data supported by robust quality control procedures,” Nelyn said.

Protecting Source Water___

Mauricio Santos conducts sanitary surveys of the watersheds impacting Metropolitan’s source waters to identify and address potential water quality impacts. An engineer, he often visits our reservoirs, including Lake Mathews and Diamond Valley Lake, to monitor water quality.

He works on region-wide water quality issues, helping to protect and ensure the safety of Metropolitan’s water supplies. This includes working with our partners on the Colorado River, a critical water source for Southern California and millions of people across the Southwest.

“In my position, I have gained a greater appreciation for how the Colorado River Lower Basin states interact in the name of water quality,” Mauricio said.

Diving for Samples___

For Jennifer Massoll, one minute she is in the lab analyzing water samples, while the next day she is scuba diving to observe the environment in our reservoirs for algae or other organisms that could lead to water quality or operational concerns.

The assistant limnologist collects and analyzes samples using a variety of instruments and technology. The samples are critical for operational decisions to best manage and protect the quality of Southern California’s drinking water supply.

“The balance of field work and lab work, and the ever-evolving environmental and climatic conditions that affect where, what, when and how we sample keeps my days interesting,” Jennifer said.

Testing our Water___

As a laboratory technologist, Tomasz Globisz, is on the front lines of water quality.

“When there is a concern about public safety, I am one of the first guardians of water to report to duty,” he said. “We can resolve issues before they become critical, and I can observe situations that could become potentially big events.”

Tomasz spends more than half of his time in the field gathering samples from the distribution system and all five of Metropolitan’s water treatment plants. The rest of his time is spent in the lab as he analyzes the samples collected and watches the results change over time.