Newsletter
April 2019 
This Month's Meeting
April Technical Meeting
April 16, 2019
11:30 AM MDT - 1:00 PM MDT
Legends Sports Pub
677 S. 200 W.
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Venue website
Main Presentation:
We will have Nupi Americas (Niron) with us to discuss PP-RCT Piping Systems.
President's Report
by Brad Welch
I would like to start with a correction from my article last month. An eagle-eye reader noticed that my article listed Cove Fort as 100 square feet. That should have read 100 feet square, meaning each side is 100 feet long.
I also have another correction from my article last month. I mentioned Legends Pug and Grill, it should have been Legends Pub and Grill. Please forgive me, I have officially put my editor on suspension without pay.
Now that we have that out of the way, I would like to pose a question to our chapter. What kind of tools do you use to manage your work? Are you using a spreadsheet? Are you using a specialized software that was designed for the work your workflow? Are you using a trapper keeper? Is there anything you are using that you just love and could not live without?
I have used a few different types of project managing software and I don’t think I have found the perfect solution yet. I also use Excel to keep a to-do list. This helps me not forget some of the gagillion tasks I need to complete. I find myself writing tasks on random scraps of paper on my desk, but that quickly gets out of hand. Sometimes I feel like I am spending all my time trying to manage projects and not enough time actually getting the projects done. Other times I feel like I am doing great at working on projects, but soon realize some tasks might be slipping through the cracks because I was not paying close enough attention.
Now I would like you to pretend that my article is much longer. Instead of reading the rest of my article, please send me a response indicating what you have found to be most effective in project management. So, your response will not take any more time than you would have taken if you continued reading the imaginary remainder of my article. Thanks.
VP Technical Article
by Nick Allred
Have you heard the news about ASPE’s newest member benefit? It’s called ASPE Connect, a new online platform for you to connect, engage, and learn with your fellow ASPE members. In this online community, you will be able to network, share your insights and experiences, and gain knowledge from industry professionals from around the world. Through its interactive discussions, you can find answers to your design questions, get career advice, share your successes, brainstorm ideas, and build new relationships. And yes, I did copy these sentences.
After I completed setting up my access to ASPE Connect, I got a little discouraged for a few days. I started getting daily emails each night with the posts from that day and I wanted to turn it off. But after those first few days, I started skimming through the email, and a few days after that I find myself reading some of the responses to the questions that are being posted. It’s not something I anxiously look forward to with bated breath, but it is an email that I do enjoy reading. And if/when I have a question, I know I have a place to turn to.
VP Membership Article
by Jeff Zaugg
Spring is here and it is beautiful! I hope everyone is well. We try to do a member spotlight every month but unfortunately, I didn’t get one this month. I enjoy getting to know a little more about the members of our chapter. Sometimes I wonder how many people actually read this. The spotlight selections have been somewhat random but we have tried to select some of the newer members. We would welcome anyone that would like to share a little about themselves in our newsletter. If you are interested, please let me know. If you have felt left out because you haven’t been asked, then this is your opportunity to share something amazing, funny, interesting or just plain old weird with the chapter. Send me an email. Here is a picture of what I might look like with a little more hair. My brother got a go-kart for his kids so we had to try it out. The little track he made in his field was a little muddy but that didn’t stop us. Maybe it was more than just a little muddy. There were some pretty big puddles. The funny thing was, it wasn’t just mud. This was formerly a pasture and the mud smelled and tasted a lot like manure! It was so much fun, I just kept going and tried to keep my mouth closed, which wasn’t easy since I was grinning from ear to ear! I felt a little like Tommy when my brother offered to hose me down and I started singing “Maniac”. If you haven’t seen Tommy Boy, you’re missing out. Unless you don’t like Chris Farley, then I don’t know how to help you. Sometimes life dishes us out a crap sandwich but that doesn’t mean we can’t make the most of it. We all have good days and bad days. Sometimes the crappy-tasting bad days seem like they will never end but we get through it. Our attitude, friends and family can help. Don’t be afraid to reach out when you’re down. Don’t hesitate to lend a hand or an ear to those around you. Splashing through that mud and crap was a whole lot of fun. Sometimes I focus more on the crap and less on the fun. Getting cleaned up was cold not as fun, but it was worth it.
AYP Article
by Mauro Artica
I recently watched a video on Youtube named “Most expensive Plumbing fails”. There are actually quite a few videos that show failed attempts from people trying to fix a plumbing issue that ended up in disaster. All you need to do is run a simple search about this topic on Youtube or Google. You will find videos of burst water pipes flooding homes, sanitary sewer pipes backflowing into living spaces, and many more similar scenarios. As I watched some of those videos, I could not help to laugh a little, but I also thought that many of those issues could have probably been solved with a basic understanding of plumbing systems.
I recently had the opportunity to train a new employee in our engineering firm about venting waste pipe systems, he expressed to me he had never heard of venting systems before. There is a lot of value in our designs that keeps plumbing systems running smoothly, but most of it happens behind walls and inside plumbing chases, and therefore the value of work may sometimes go unnoticed. In some cases, our plumbing systems only get noticed when there is an issue or a problem, so perhaps we want our systems to go unnoticed. Take pride on your work and know you are making a significant contribution to society. As plumbing designers and engineers, we play a major role in the health, welfare, and safety of the public.
