New Podcast Launches From Grassroots Effort From EVMWD by Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Oct 3, 2022 Member Submitted News LAKE ELSINORE —Stemming from an employee-led idea, The SCUUP (Southern California Underground Utilities Partnership) podcast has made its debut into the niche market of utility industry podcasts. Host, Ruben Murillo, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District’s Construction Maintenance Superintendent, invites guests to discuss water, wastewater and other utility industry-related topics. The SCUUP is driven by highly-motivated members of the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District construction maintenance team who wear hard hats and are bringing the idea of creating a utility industry-related podcast to listeners. The podcast takes a raw, innovative, and authentic approach to discussing important topics in the industry from individuals who work in the field every day. Ruben and special guests cover topics from launching a career in the utility industry to best practices to leadership to career advancement, and even includes highlighted episodes, From Her Perspective, with women’s experiences in the industry. Listeners will experience enthusiastic conversations on several platforms for free, including Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Overcast, Pocketcasts, Stitcher, Castbox, and Public Radio. “The SCUUP works as a space to highlight the utility industry and how to navigate a career within it,” shared Podcast host Ruben Murillo. “On The SCUUP we interview real people sharing real experiences and insights. Even if people aren’t looking to enter the utility industry, The SCUUP has overarching topics that can be relatable in other industries as well. Our team is passionate about the work we do- and we know we are not the only ones who are. This was a great opportunity to talk about the industry and get people excited about public utilities.” Initially when the staff had the idea to create a podcast, they were going to work on it independently. Drawing upon the newly adopted Strategic Plan and employee-led values creation, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District saw the opportunity to use the podcast as a communications tool to share information about innovations and tricks of the trade, as well as utilize it for job retention and awareness into careers in the field of water. “As communities grow, the utility industry continues to need innovative thinkers and talented workers to keep our services running smoothly,” said EVMWD General Manager Greg Thomas. “Ruben’s podcast sets the stage for those who might be looking to find a career within utilities, climb the ladder within an agency or how to better themselves and the organization. It is an asset to have this insight from so many seasoned professionals. We are extremely proud to support this employee driven venture.” Episodes in these podcasts highlight the stories of professionals on their career journeys into the utility industry. Episodes also help spread awareness about community-related matters, such as statewide water issues, the sewer industry, heavy construction safety, mentorship, leadership, personal growth, and optimizing career growth. #### EVMWD provides service to more than 159,000 water and wastewater customers in a 97-square-mile area in Western Riverside County. The District is a sub-agency of the Western Municipal Water District and a member agency of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Visit the EVMWD website at www.evmwd.com for additional information.
