We are FCC - Nº17

When did you discover your voca- tion for research? I couldn’t say at what age. Since I was very young I used to observe everything around me, paying spe- cial attention to the smallest details, looking for a logic in the things that surrounded me. I loved experimen - ting with materials, solving riddles and puzzles, simply discovering. What do you love most about your work? Too many things to call it work. I was born and raised in a coastal town and when I started studying for my degree I was uneasy at the thought of whether at some point, someday, I would have to give up having water nearby, “even if it was a stream”, I said at the time. I discovered the world of water almost by chance and without many expecta - tions at the time, but fate gave me an opportunity that I did not let slip away. After an internship in the laboratory of a WWTP, I became plant manager and within three years I was incorpo- rated into the contract for other sanita- tion systems with two other treatment plants. For almost three years now, I have been responsible for the Cabor- nio WWTP and recently for the piping and catchment department. Being in contact with nature, with wa- ter, treating it and bringing it to every home is simply magical. If we add to that the vision of the company, its prin- ciples and values and its commitment to continuous improvement, I can only say that I feel extremely fortunate and grateful for allowing me to continue learning and growing professionally and as a person. What technologies are used in this DWTP for water treatment? The Cabornio facility has a fine scree - ning at the inlet followed by an ozona- tion process. This system, consisting of four ozone generators, helps us to eliminate organic matter and any odors and flavors it may contain. This is followed by a coagulation and floc - culation process with lamellar settling. The water is finally filtered and disin - fected by injecting chlorine gas. The state-of-the-art equipment, equipped with numerous alarm and data control systems, together with the recently up- graded SCADA, allows our operators to monitor the treatment system 24 hours a day. Since the commissioning of this facility in 2014, has the water im- proved significantly, to the point of being one of the best waters in the world? Undoubtedly. The excellent quality of the water source is a reality, but to this we must add the care, down to the last detail, that the staff operating in the ETAP performs meticulously. This translates into the excellent opinions we receive in customer satisfaction surveys, placing Oviedo’s water su- pply as one of the best public services, the most appreciated aspect being the quality of the water supplied. What do you highlight about this facility? The equipment it has. It is a 21st cen- tury plant, very versatile, and althou- gh it is complex due to its hydraulic characteristics, it allows us to carry out many maneuvers that would be completely unfeasible in other older plants. There is a clear need to invest and update the infrastructure. I feel privileged, not all colleagues have the same fortune, it is necessary to renew the facilities. If we want to continue im- proving we need more means, it is a reality, and this vision has to be com- mon to all parties, from the users to the institutions. We have a great challenge ahead of us. What about the team that works with you? It is key that your team pursues the same objectives, that it has the same focus. My team is participative and wants to improve. When I am asked to take action to meet new challenges, I get excited. We are in a first-class service, being all on the same page is fundamental, and the incorporation of our new manager has a special role to play in this. Isn’t it wonderful to work here? Wonderful? I have always said that if I won the lottery I would continue wor- king... I think that says it all. Mariana Belén Suárez Responsible for the Cabornio DWTP and the conduction and catchment department. INTERVIEW T H E P L A C E 67 T H E P L A C E