GLOUCESTER, Va. — A Gloucester Public Utilities Department employee is being recognized for his innovative idea that saved taxpayer dollars.
Joseph Doster is one of the department’s Senior Utility Maintenance Technicians. He noticed how much time and money the department was spending on performing maintenance on the county’s fire hydrants.
According to a release from the county, many of the hydrants are older, which makes it difficult for staff to turn the hydrants’ tops. Additionally, when turning the tops, pieces of the hydrants subsequently fall to the bottom of the hydrant.
In an effort to improve the maintenance process and save money, Doster built two new tools. The devices retrieve the broken pieces that fall to the bottom of the hydrants, allowing workers to rebuild the hydrants.
In doing so, the department did not have to do a full hydrant replacement, which would have cost taxpayers' money. The county estimates Doster’s new tool has saved about “$30,000 in staff time and materials since it was implemented just over a year ago.”
The department is applauding Doster’s inventive solution.
“This is a testament to the ingenuity of our incredible staff we have working for Gloucester County,” said Chris Dawson, Gloucester’s Director of Public Utilities. “We are grateful for Mr. Doster going the extra mile to help save our taxpayers some money and allow our staff more time to focus on other worthwhile projects.”
