Edwin Burnsed has helped maintain the sanitary sewers for the Orem (Utah) Public Works Department since 1985.
“His knowledge of the collection system is priceless,” says Scott Bergera, Public Works field supervisor for water reclamation and collection. “Ed’s diligence and high expectations on projects make him a great employee.”
As a crew leader, Burnsed operates the CCTV van, inspects all new installations, checks older lines, provides camera inspections for residents, updates the mapping program with lateral locations, generates inspection reports and helps other departments.
A seven-lane highway reconstruction through the middle of the city exemplifies Burnsed’s industrious nature. A major portion of the sewer system under the road would be replaced as part of the upgrade. The life expectancy of the new road was 70 years, and Burnsed’s responsibility was to ensure that the new PVC pipe was installed correctly.
“Ed worked daily with the project manager and contractor, monitoring the quality of the installation, then televising it,” says Bergera. “More than 10 years have passed since the project was completed, and we haven’t had a single problem with that line. Because of Ed’s dedication and professionalism, we’re certain it will continue to function properly for the next 60 years.”
Burnsed’s numerous innovative ideas have helped the city accomplish many unusual tasks. In one instance, a contractor bypassing a trunk line lost several sandbags down it. Burnsed modified a corkscrew attachment on the city’s continuous rodder and retrieved the sandbags, preventing a possible backup.
One of Burnsed’s responsibilities is to inspect sewer laterals using the Seeker from Aries Industries Inc. “Ed consistently goes out of his way to make suggestions that often prevent residents from spending thousands of dollars to excavate and replace the pipe,” says Bergera. “If it must be replaced, he provides accurate data to the contractor, minimizing cost to the property owner.”
Bergera has received numerous calls and letters from citizens thanking Burnsed and co-worker Chad Johnson for their diligence and hard work in finding solutions to problems. Burnsed will retire in April 2009.
