Every summer, our Streets Division staff clean the wet wells of the City’s 11 storm water pump stations. The wet wells act as a catch basin for sediment and debris before the stormwater is pumped into the canal or bay. Staff use confined space safety equipment, including retrieval gear and air monitoring equipment, to enter the space. A large vacuum truck pulls the sediment and debris from the bottom of the wet well. This annual maintenance task is critical, as a build-up of sediment and debris can cause the pumps to jam and possibly fail during storms. In the photo, you will see Streets Lead Worker, Kenny Gatlin operating the vacuum truck and Streets Maintenance Worker, Matt Gaehwiler performing the required periodic air quality readings.