This new working relationship took work from both sides. On one hand, Vessel can be a lot to handle while she’s on the job. Vessel’s ball drive and high energy give her an incredibly high work rate, which can be difficult to manage in suburban and urban environments. Vessel’s assignments often require her to work within neighborhoods where there are more distractions such as traffic and curious pedestrians. Stephen has learned early into his career working with Vessel that sometimes she needs an extra set of eyes to keep her out of harm’s way. The unique nature of Vessel’s job means that she works in quite the variety of environments. However, once Vessel puts her work vest on, there is nothing that can distract her. According to Stephen, Vessel’s identification record is nearly immaculate. In fact, since Vessel was hired in the Fall, she has positively identified over 80 leaks, both above and below ground. Not only is this a prodigious amount of produc- tion, it is also efficient. During that time, Vessel only misidentified one CAW leak, and, even then, Stephen refuses to blame Vessel calling the one misidentification a “handler’s error”. A Model Employee To be clear, Vessel’s story is great, and she is a cute pet, but that does not lessen the impact she is having with her work. Prior to Vessel’s arrival, the process of identifying surface water as a treated water leak involved not only identifying the leak but also sending that water into the lab is make certain it is CAWwater. Because Vessel is only trained to identify water specifically treated at one of the CAW facilities, the need to test it diminishes significantly. Vessel’s ability to detect water underground also saves CAW time and money when it comes to digging in the ground. Stephen Sullivan notes a particular case when someone asked them to check for a leak at the base of the hill because water was running out. Vessel was able to identify the leak closer to the top of the hill which saved what likely would have been 60 feet of digging into a residential hill. This non-invasive way of identifying crucial breaks in water lines could prove useful in other urban or residential settings. On top of saving time and money for CAW, Vessel is also a public relations star. Because Vessel has public access training, she is able to travel far and wide. According to CAW, this training is a result of the desire to spread this idea to other areas of the United States. As other utility companies look for ways to reduce their unused water rate, they will look at Vessel as a shining beacon of using resources in a new way. In an industry that often looks towards technology to solve the latest issues, this is an opportunity to reassess how we can use the tools around us to solve the problems we face. To learn more about Vessel and see her in action watch this video!
A Flood of Positive Results Vessel only began working at CAW in early November 2019, but her handler, Stephen Sullivan, has a lot more experience when it comes to working with treated water. Stephen has worked for Central Arkansas Water for the last 13 years as a foreman in the construction sector, but his job changed dramatically last October when he was asked to work with Vessel. However, for Sullivan, the difference between laying pipe every day and working with Vessel is a huge one, but it is definitely a good thing. Vessel was initially wary to leave Tracy and Carrie, so trying to bond was initially met with some resistance. Each time Vessel smelled her trainers, she would become distracted and try to search the facility for them. However, Vessel soon learned to trust Stephen and the two have developed a strong working relationship. Since Vessel spends her time outside work living with Stephen as a pet, this bond is only set to grow even stronger. Stephen describes the strength of this relationship along the lines of trust; he believes that the more Vessel trusts him, the better she is able to do her job. Vessel’s partner in training Gauge smells treats in trainer Tracy Owen’s pocket.
LUKE CAROTHERS is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.
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csengineermag.com
may 2020
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