Setefano A Malieitulua

Feb. 18, 2016

Anthro 1020 Thurs. 5:30-8:20
Rachelle Handley

Scientific Method

The Scientific Method has helped me in life through work abundantly. I am employed
for the city of Sandy, south of the Salt Lake County. I work in the Public Utilities Department in
the Water Construction Crew. My job is helping maintain the water system for the residents here
in Sandy. We are constantly working to defining problems, hypothesis, observing, analyze data,
and discovering a conclusion. We have problems throughout the city such as, water breaks, no
water, bad water samples, and so on with the many problem issues. The main focus in this essay
will be bad water samples from different residents.
Our residents here in Sandy may have turned on water to the faucet and discover, rocks,
sand, brown rusty water and sometimes smell. The residents here will call the on-call person for
Sandy. This call can come at any time of the day or night. Usually we receive calls at night
because the residents are home after 5pm through 6am. Water is used more when the residents
are home. Our job is respond and defining the problem. I have been on a call for many, but my
most recent is rust in the water. First, I will have the resident take a small sample in a water
bottle or jug, just for us to witness. Second, my hypothesis will find the closest hydrant to the
home, flush out the water system. I will see if any water in the hydrant will be rusty or if any dirt
has been flushed onto the road. If any rust or silt, I will continue to flush until I receive clear
water from the hydrant. Third, I will observe for any other homes on the block have had the
same problem with the water. Last, I will analyze any data that was previous to our call, like for
example, Fire Department flushing hydrants nearby or any construction the residents. The Fire
Department will flush and operate hydrants for exercise each year for maintenance. This could
cause disruption at the bottom of the pipe to be the cause of rusty water. Construction can cause
water if the construction is using water to fill a water tank on a truck. Trucks will use a fire
hydrant to fill a water truck tank. This will be the cause of disruption in the pipe. We will need
data and write out a work order for future problems in the area of this call. If there is more than
this issue, we will have to check our water storage area like, water tanks, water pumps and well
houses.
The conclusion of the scientific method will be to service our resident with clean water.
We will respond to the call until the resident is satisfied and the problem is solved. Many

samples are taken and many chemicals will be added from our Distribution Department or at the
water treatment plant, where the water is treated. Sandy City Public Utilities has to go through
many Bacteria Samples that are recorded by the State of Utah. These samples are taken
throughout the month and over 200 samples are taken at various areas in the city.