05 Jun Each Day a New Opportunity at the Wastewater Treatment Plant for Wil Lawson
Driving across the bridge to OWASA’s Wastewater Treatment Plant on Old Mason Farm Road brings a different responsibility each time for Wil Lawson, the plant’s Operations Supervisor.
“You have to set your priorities once you come in the gate,” Wil says. “My day consists of dealing with contractors, doing rounds about the facility, checking lab results to make sure we’re in compliance with safety regulations.”
Wil studied Earth and Environmental Sciences at North Carolina A&T while at the same time earning a waste management certificate. That started the pathway to OWASA, where he has been in this role since the summer of 2018.
“I came on from another utility, SGWASA (South Granville Water and Sewer Authority),” Wil says. “I was also Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations Supervisor there.”
“It seemed like an every-blue-moon kind of opportunity that opened up here,” Wil adds.
The demands of the job can be high at times, especially when severe weather is on the horizon. Wil says that he likes to spend time relaxing with his two kids and is a big fan of the Green Bay Packers and UNC Tar Heels.
Wil says that he is able to align his values with his work in this role at OWASA.
“For one, we’re environmentalist, to a certain degree,” Wil says. “We do good for the community by cleaning up the dirty water. It’s one of those jobs people don’t think about…people don’t think of how wastewater leaves your house, especially during emergency events.
“Somebody’s always here, 24 hours, seven days a week.”