You want a drink of water? Easy. Turn on the tap, and you’ll have fresh, clean H2O flowing through the pipes to your house. It’s something we take for granted here in New Zealand. But who makes sure we have the water we need?
Meet Tom Walsh, one of our Water Treatment Technicians. Tom is part of the team that ensures Tauranga’s drinking water supply is safe for us all to consume. We have three water treatment plants around the city operating 24/7, including the recently opened $200 million Waiari plant. There’s a crew of people rotating around the different plants and water intakes to make sure they’re working as they should.
Tom’s been here almost three years, and every day has been different. There are never-ending challenges to overcome in keeping Tauranga hydrated. That diversity in work means the people in these roles come from a variety of backgrounds.
Tom says if you’re analytical and have an eye for detail you might make a good technician. “There is no pathway into my role. You can’t decide to be a Water Treatment Technician at school and work towards it. We all came from different fields of expertise.
“I came from industrial food manufacturing, processing fats and oils for consumption. I studied as I worked and gained a Level 4 Certification in Water Treatment with Multi-Stage processes. I’m now working towards my Diploma. I also have mechanical, electrical and engineering experience. Some of my teammates are ex trades or electricians.
“It’s definitely worth checking out the variety of jobs on offer at Tauranga City Council. Not all of it is office-based, you might be surprised at what roles are available that you never considered existed. TCC is a good employer, with flexible hours depending on the job you do, and great people to work with - everyone is super friendly and helpful.
“We like to show people around if we can so if you’re interested in a job with us and keen to learn more about how we manage the water, come have a look at what we do.”
