If you ask Scott Farmer what he enjoys doing in his spare time, he'll tell you that outside of spending time with his family, he really likes to fix things. Most recently, he fixed a broken part on his refrigerator and explained to us (with excitement and great detail) the challenge behind locating the problem and then repairing it.

Scott's knack for solving problems goes a long way here at Greenville Utilities. As a Water Resources Engineer, one of his primary job responsibilities is operating and maintaining the hydraulic model for our water distribution system. This model allows him to create scenarios that evaluate system performance, water quality, and operational efficiency under various conditions, like changes in system demand, addition of large water customers, emergency situations, etc. Check out Scott's featured employee video on Spotlight.guc.com to see a brief demonstration of the hydraulic model.

"I recently used the model to show some of the hydraulic impacts of the cold weather events we had," he said. "We used this information to help plan and develop contingencies if needed. We also use the model to identify hydraulic system capacity improvements that are the most cost effective. Many scenarios can be computed so that hydraulic and economic impacts are validated before a shovel hits the ground."

Scott's other job responsibilities include managing and offering assistance on capital projects in the Water Resources Department. He helps with long-range planning based on the Department's 5-year plan, project management of engineering studies and major construction projects, and project development.

 "I really enjoy the diversity of my job," he said. "Each day I get to work with folks from engineering, the Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants, and the distribution and collection system. The job is dynamic and priorities change from hour to hour."

A Wilson County native, Scott got his first glimpse of an engineering future when one of his eighth grade teachers introduced him to STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) and showed him the resources to pursue it. In high school, Scott got involved in an internship with an engineering firm inputting old map information into a database. "I had fun in that internship and decided to go into engineering in college."

Scott graduated from North Carolina State University (NCSU) with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, and landed a job with Rivers and Associates for eight years as an engineering consultant. He joined Greenville Utilities in 2013 and was able to complete his Master of Civil Engineering degree at NCSU utilizing GUC's Employee Tuition Assistance Program. He jumped right into his new role not only here, but in the community.

Soon after joining GUC, Scott took part in the Greenville-Pitt Chamber Leadership Institute to learn more of the ins and outs of the community we serve, and he lives in. And in 2016, he was part of the first graduating class of GUC's iLead program where employees are able to dive deeper into the workings of Greenville Utilities and become better prepared as future leaders. "I appreciate being a part of the efforts to deliver service to our customers and the community," he said. "Taking part in programs like these gives you an even better understanding and appreciation of your community and fellow co-workers."

Scott and his wife, Lydia, have three children: Jack (7), Rebecca (5), and Hannah (3).  Lydia, a former teacher, homeschools the kids. She and Scott enjoy taking the kids on day trips, checking out new things. They also love to camp and go on longer trips. So far, their favorite extended trips were to Florida and Canada.

"We have fun no matter what we do as a family," he said. "We love it all, from church, to hanging out with the grandparents, to traveling."

Favorites:

Team — Wolfpack
Vacation Spot — Jupiter, FL
Ice Cream — Rolo ice cream