WORKING -- Kevin Curnutt

-- Story by Deepa Bharath, photo by Steve McCrank

HE IS

Pumping “dirty water on one end and clean water on the other”

WORKING WITH HIS HANDS

Kevin Curnutt, 31, samples, tests and treats ground water. A senior

field technician at Geomatrix, a Costa Mesa-based company, his work takes

him to a variety of locations, from a nearby freeway to the Chino prison.

A former mechanic with the Marine Corps, Curnutt was introduced to

ground-water treatment by a friend nine years ago. He underwent a 40-hour

hazardous waste training program to further qualify himself for the job.

“I was always interested in mechanical stuff,” he said. “And I like

the fact that I work outside.”

QUITE A STINK

What he does not like, however, is the evil smell of sewers combined

with the smell of the carbon used to purify the ground water.

His job involves driving to the site, setting up his equipment and

drawing water samples. He then passes the dirty water through carbon and

pumps out clean, or at least cleaner, water.

But it’s hard to do all that without causing a stink, he said.

“It smells like diesel and dirty, nasty sewer water,” said Curnutt

with a laugh.

THANK GOD IT DOESN’T SNOW

Weather can pose tough challenges too.

“I’m glad it doesn’t snow around here,” Curnutt said.

He also recalls an assignment that kept him busy from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m.

“We had to drive 250 miles, set up equipment and battle rain,” he

said. “That was something.”

But Curnutt has thought about “moving on,” he says.

“I’d like to have my own business some day. I have no idea when,” he

said, throwing his hands up in the air. “It would probably have something

to do with motorcycle maintenance or parts.”