Our Water Treatment Plant (WTP) has a highly-skilled team of Maintenance Mechanics and Instrument Technicians responsible for keeping the Plant’s instrumentation and equipment in top working order. One of these team members is Maintenance Mechanic II Tripp Morgan.

“We help with just about anything involving up-keep of the Plant,” said Tripp. “From cosmetic work, like restriping the parking lot, to repairs and preventative maintenance on things like the HV/AC system, pumps, valves, etc. The biggest part of my job is preventative maintenance.”

Tripp and the maintenance staff work closely with the Operators and lab staff to ensure that the water treatment process runs smoothly 24/7. They also play a large role in keeping projects in-house versus contracting them out.

The Technicians and Mechanics are certified through the NC American Water Works Association and Water Environment Association’s Maintenance Technologist Certification program. Tripp has the Maintenance Mechanic I and II Certifications and is working towards level III, the highest level. He also has a C-Surface Apprenticeship from the NC Water Treatment Facility Operators Certification Board.

“I love the variety of work here and that every day is different,” said Tripp. “I’m always learning something new. I’ve learned a lot in the three years I’ve been here and still have a lot more to learn.”

Tripp joined Greenville Utilities’ Buildings and Grounds team in July 2015 and moved to the WTP six months later. He is also serving as a Lighthouse Observer.

Before he joined GUC, Tripp worked in construction. He did a lot of projects for a paper mill, gaining experience with concrete work, tanks and pumps, as well as site work. “Working on those projects and in that environment, has definitely helped me out here at GUC,” he said.

Tripp also has a musical background. He plays guitar and was in a band for ten years. “We played shows and toured a lot, but then marriage and life took over and here we are,” he joked.

Tripp grew up in Ayden and is a graduate of Ayden-Grifton High School. He and his wife, Mindie, live in Winterville. They have been married seven years and have one fur baby, a Blue Pitbull named Skie. Mindie works at ECU’s Dental School.

They like to travel, go to concerts, and attend Panthers and ECU football games. They also enjoy local music events as well as time on the river and with their families. His parents recently moved to a place on the Pamlico River in Bath, so they’re enjoying that now as well.

Tripp and Mindie’s most recent adventure was to Nashville, Tennessee, for the National Football League draft, where 600,000 people attended the League’s first draft in an open festival format. “We watched the Panthers draft picks and then enjoyed the rest of Nashville away from the big crowds,” he said.

Favorites: 
Podcast - Joe Rogan Experience
TV Show - Westworld
Snack - Doritos
Team - Carolina Panthers