Meet our Industry Person of the Week, Raymond McCullough, a Water Systems Maintenance Worker III • Preventive Maintenance.
Q: How did you get started working in your field?
Raymond: I had a buddy who was a landscaper, and he told me to check out the water district. He said it was a good place to get into. Back then, it was more about who you knew, and someone gave me a chance. I got in through a temp agency, and EVMWD hired me on the first day. They said, “If you can keep up, you can stay.” That same day there was a water leak, and they handed me a bucket as a joke, they told me to keep it full and dry. Even though they were messing around, I took it seriously. I showed up the next day, and I’ve been here ever since, 25 years now.
Q: What advice would you give to someone considering this line of work or new to the field?
Raymond: Give it a real chance. This industry moves fast, but once you find your niche, there are so many different directions you can grow in. It’s not just one path, you can branch out into operations, maintenance, construction, water quality, whatever interests you. Just be willing to put in the work. Some people come in expecting everything right away, but if you stay hungry and committed, this field will reward you.
Q: Can you talk about a project you recently worked on?
Raymond: One recent project I was involved in was leading a team on a major valve replacement job; we replaced 176 valves in just four months. We also worked on draining, cleaning, and disinfecting 11 reservoirs, including replacing the grounding protection rods. It was a big effort and a tight timeline, but we got it done. Projects like that remind you how much teamwork and planning goes into keeping water systems running.
Q: Anything else you would like to add?
Raymond: I started this career digging holes, and 25 years later, I’m still here… and still loving it. This industry has taken me places I never imagined, I am able to travel to places like Alaska and Hawaii. Hydrant Hysteria especially has opened a lot of doors. For 20 years, I mostly knew folks from my own agency. But in the last couple years, through the competition, I’ve connected with people across the country, from New York to Florida, even Mexico. Now, every year we reunite at events and cheer each other on. It’s become more than just work; it’s a community.
THANK YOU, RAYMOND! WE LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING UP WITH YOU THROUGH THE #PUMPTALK COMMUNITY!
