Pilot Point water department manages system
Water is a growing concern for Pilot Point residents as the town’s population continues to rise.
But who’s on the front lines of keeping it flowing?
A small team of city workers is already out in the field: checking lines, fixing leaks and making sure every home in Pilot Point has clean, running water.
It’s a job that demands grit, patience and teamwork, often carried out in the heat, the mud or the cold.
Justin Smith, a water crew leader who has spent six years with the department, has seen firsthand how quickly Pilot Point has expanded.
“When I first got here, Mustang Creek didn’t have any homes yet,” he said. “Lakeview didn’t have any homes, and Yarbrough Farms was still building out Phase 1. Watching the city grow like that—it’s been really cool.”
Smith’s workdays are unpredictable.
“It’s always something different,” he says. “You never know what you’re getting into until you uncover it. But the best part is the accomplishment once you get done.”
That sense of accomplishment comes not from recognition but from a quiet pride in seeing a problem fixed, a main repaired, and a community’s water restored.
Nathan Tishmer, one of the department’s newer technicians, agrees.
“It’s the same, but it’s different,” he says with a grin. “Every situation’s a little new. As long as you’ve got guys you trust beside you, it’s fine.”
The work can be unpredictable and tough, but trust between crew members who depend on each other keeps everything running smoothly.
Behind them is Dustin Campbell, the city’s water superintendent, who began in the trenches himself 12 years ago.
He still joins the crew on-site whenever he can.
“It’s not much different from when I started,” he says. “I like to be out there with the guys.”
Campbell describes their work as essential but demanding.
“We’ve been in holes for several hours, trying to repair a water line that’s blowing you around in there,” he says. “It gets frustrating, especially in the summer heat. But at the end of the day, we’re all a team.”
Keeping the water safe takes expertise, time and state certifications.
“I’m the only person in Pilot Point to ever have an A water license,” Campbell says, referring to the highest level of certification available. “It takes over 200 hours of classes just to test for it. You miss family time dealing with stuff like that—but it’s worth it.”
He doesn’t dwell on the achievement.
“It makes you feel good when you pass something like that, but it’s not like you think you’re better than other people,” he said. “We all just try to do the best we can with what we’ve got.”
Campbell isn’t the only one striving for excellence.
A wooden plaque above his desk shines with every crew member’s cer- tifications, a quiet testament to the team’s dedication.
Pilot Point crew maintains superior rating
Each of them works steadily to gain more knowledge, more skills and more qualifications to make sure the water in every home stays clean and flowing.
From late-night main breaks to long summer days under the sun, their schedule doesn’t always end when the clock does.
Keeping morale strong is part of the job, too.
The crew works in close quarters and relies on each other to stay focused and positive.
“If one person’s sour about something, it kind of spreads,” Campbell says. “So, everybody tries to stay upbeat, especially around the new guys. You don’t want them thinking they made a mistake taking the job.”
Despite the physical challenges, the team has an obvious camaraderie.
Smith said they keep things light when possible.
“It’s a great group of guys,” he says. “We all know the work’s tough, but we make it work together.”
That mutual understanding turns labor into something more like teamwork under pressure, each member filling in where the other needs them most.
Water work may not be glamorous, but it’s constant.
The team responds to main breaks at midnight, works through heat waves and freezes, and keeps the system running even as Pilot Point continues to grow.
“You never know what’s coming next,” Smith says. “That’s part of what makes it rewarding.”
