People Behind the Pipes

Describe your job. 

Utility Billing & Customer Services Field Technicians are responsible for maintaining water meter infrastructure. Meters measure water use so that customers are billed correctly, and every property has at least one meter. Across the District, we have over 27,000 meters. 

I respond to reports of water leaks, low water pressure, and malfunctioning meters. I also turn water service on/off, program meters and transponders, and install meters for new residential developments.  

Utility Billing & Customer Services Field Technicians also interact with customers daily. We answer customer questions about water bills, AquaHawk leak alerts, and water service concerns. 

What do you like best about your job? 

I like that my job is not just maintaining water meters; it also involves a lot of interaction with customers. Often Utility Billing & Customer Service Field Technicians are the bridge between our customers and our staff, providing critical information about customer and departmental requests.  

How did you get into the water/wastewater industry? 

I started as a temporary meter reader with the City of Pleasanton, which allowed me to learn about the water industry and billing operations. Meter readers travel assigned routes to collect water usage data from each property’s meter. 

I worked my way up to becoming a full-time Customer Service & Utility Billing Representative, where I was able to learn more about the operation as a whole. Two large projects I worked on were a mass meter replacement project and utility billing software conversion project.  

These projects introduced me to advanced meter infrastructure (AMI). AMI is a new type of meter that automatically sends data to the water agency through radio transmission. This means that staff no longer need to visit each property to read their meter each billing cycle. Instead, we can focus more on customer service and meter repairs. 

From there, I joined Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD) when a lead position opened in the Utility Billing Division.  

What is the biggest challenge of your job? 

The biggest challenge for me is coordinating communication. A lot of our work involves different departments and part of our duty is to ensure that every department and customer receives the information they need.  

Another challenge is changing weather. A lot of our work is outdoors, where it could be drastically hot or extremely cold depending on the season. However, we need to make sure that we perform our duties and complete the tasks safely, regardless of the temperature.  

What is something unique about yourself? 

When not working for water, I teach hip hop dance classes in different studios. I also run my own dance group. I have been involved in dance competitions for almost two decades, nurturing students in dance and artistry, while supporting a healthy lifestyle. I have participated in dance competitions such as Hip Hop International and World of Dance.  

What are your favorite hobbies? 

Other than dancing, I engineer music for dance competitions. I also work on my DJing skills whenever I can to help enhance my music skills.