People Behind the Pipes

Environmental Compliance Inspector II-Clean Water Florence Khaw conducts a catch-can test, which checks how irrigation is distributed over a landscape.

1. Describe your job.
As an Environmental Compliance Inspector for the Clean Water program, I inspect sites that use recycled water to make sure Regional Water Board’s regulations are met, inspect dental offices to reduce the amount of mercury entering the wastewater system, conduct cross-connection control tests where both recycled water and potable water exist, and audit residential and commercial sites to meet the District’s water conservation goals. I also administer the backflow device testing program for more than 3,500 devices in our area that protect the District’s water distribution system at commercial sites such as restaurants and car washes where chemicals may be used.

I do most of the recycled water inspections during the summer, when irrigation is used the most. I go out to different sites such as parks and golf courses and walk the site with a landscaper with the irrigation turned on. I make sure they are abiding by recycled water guidelines, including not having excessive runoff or overspray, breaks in the line, proper signage, and no evidence of cross connection. In making sure things are working the way they should be, sometimes I have to be a bad cop. I note what needs attention, prepare a report for each site, and have them fix issues that need to be addressed. An inspection can be done in 30 minutes or take up to 6 hours depending how large the site is, how many irrigation controllers they use, and how well the site is maintained.

For cross-connection inspections, I go out in the field when a new housing development is built that uses recycled water. Before homes can be occupied, I ensure the potable water going into the house does not connect with recycled water lines to ensure health and safety for future residents.

I also do pre- and post-lawn conversion inspections when customers apply for rebates with our water wholesaler, Zone 7 Water Agency. I make sure homeowners put in the proper drought-tolerant plants after removing their lawns, then approve their rebate up to $750 for single-family homes.

2. What do you like best about your job?
I get to talk to a lot of people, and I’m not just stuck in the office. It’s also a rewarding job. I moved to the United States from Burma in 1984, and coming from a third-world country, they have nothing like the systems we have here. We take it for granted that the water will always come out of the faucet. And for many places, there’s no such thing as recycled water either. In my job, I enjoy making sure people have safe drinking water and are using recycled water efficiently.

3. How did you get into this field?
My background is a bachelor’s degree in physiology with a minor in chemistry from San Francisco State University. I previously worked as chemist in a private environmental services lab and found out about a laboratory technician opening from former coworker who came to DSRSD before me. I worked as a lab tech for the District from 2002 to 2006. The Environmental Compliance Inspector position opened, and I jumped at that chance. I am glad I did, because it allows me to see the bigger picture of what the District does.

4. What is the biggest challenge of your position?
Being a woman in a male-dominated field has its challenges. When doing inspections, you can run in to difficult people who don’t always like a woman telling them what needs to be done. They may resist you and not respect your advice. You have to learn how to grow thick skin. But I try to use it as an opportunity to tell them they should be proud of what they’re doing, protecting the landscape and saving water for future generations by using recycled water. It gets better once you build relationships and they understand you’re not trying to hold authority over them but you’re working on mutual ground to meet the guidelines for proper recycled water use.

Florence Khaw sings at a Burmese community event.

5. What is something unique about you?
I’m often quiet and tend to be somewhat of a homebody. But my husband sings for fun at Burmese community events, and I will get up there and sing with him. We do traditional Burmese music. My husband and I even made a music video. We have a 20-year-old daughter and an 18-year-old son.

6. What is one of your favorite hobbies?
I have to say gardening. It is a stress reducer. We have a vegetable garden at home and quite a few fruit trees we planted. There are common things such as tomatoes and cucumbers, but we also have a jujube tree, fig tree, and chayote plant. I’m known for bringing in crazy monster-sized giant zucchini into the office to share. It makes me happy to see my coworkers enjoying fruits of my labor.