Sonya Spala

Senior Engineer

Describe your job.

I am the Engineering Supervisor for our Construction and Development division, which handles permitting, inspection, and fees for water and sewer connections for both residential and commercial businesses in our services area. My staff include engineers, engineering technicians, and construction inspectors. We review plans for development and check for sewer or water capacity for each application request to determine if there is enough capacity available. We are also responsible for issuing construction permits and coordinate closely with Developers and the cities of Dublin and San Ramon.

The Construction and Development team is also responsible for maintaining and upholding our District Standards, which are used to ensure that all connections to the DSRSD system are installed correctly and with equipment that meets DSRSD's expectations and industry standards. This allows the District to ensure that things such as water and sewer mains, manholes, grease traps, and fire hydrants are installed safely, operate correctly, and can be maintained for the future. 

Lastly, we work closely with the District's Planning, Engineering, Operations, and Maintenance staff to review customer drawings and submittals, assist with and inspect connections, and coordinate construction development activities to maintain consistent water and sewer service to the community throughout each construction project.

What do you like best about your job?

The people! Not only do I have a great team, but I have also always enjoyed working with a plethora of people with different backgrounds to solve problems.

How did you get into the water / wastewater industry?

Completely on accident. I was looking for a change from the energy conservation industry and applied for a variety of jobs outside of that sector including at a water/wastewater agency and the rest is history.

What is the biggest challenge of your job?

Working with a lot of people also means a lot of coordination and having to keep detailed lists, schedules, etc. This is typically the most challenging part of my job because it can also be tedious.

What are some of your favorite hobbies?

I love to learn so I have a lot of different hobbies which includes everything from crocheting to weightlifting and anything in between.nCrocheting, reading, weightlifting, swimming, and pickleball are all some of my current favorite hobbies.