In general, during my internship at the Benton Washington Regional Public Water Authority, I learned the processes/operations to meet the accepted quality of drinking water established by the Arkansas Department of Health. I worked with licensed treatment operators and learned how to operate and maintain the following process: flocculation systems, sedimentation basins, the granular media filtration systems, and the disinfection systems. In addition, I was taught how to perform tests, such as turbidity, alkalinity, pH, and metals tests to ensure the treated water meets the accepted requirements.
Finally, operators pointed out to me elements of facility that could have been designed and built better in term of safety and operation.
As a civil engineer, I believe this last learning is most valuable piece of knowledge because it allows me to visualize how to design better and more efficient water facilities.
