SPONSORED CONTENT:

They’re the team you never think about, until the water doesn’t run.

Ashburton Contracting Limited’s (ACL) water division works around the clock to make sure homes, businesses, and public spaces across Mid Canterbury have clean, reliable water and often without residents even noticing.

Founded in 1995, ACL has been serving the Ashburton community for three decades. Its water team, a tight-knit group of engineers and field staff, are on-call day and night, responding quickly to pipe failures, leaks, and wastewater issues.

Engineer Anubhav Joshi says the job is constant, but meaningful.

“It’s like providing water for ourselves,’’ Anubhav said.

“So the water that gets into the system, it has to be the best we can do.”

Anubhav, often referred to as Joshi at ACL, oversees the planning and response when water-related issues are reported. Depending on the urgency, his team can swing into action within the hour. While he handles paperwork and logistics, it’s his crew on the ground who do the heavy lifting, often late at night or on weekends.

Corbin Davis, who works out in the field, said communication was the key and unexpected complications are common once the digging starts.

“We’re called out all times, midnight, 3am.

“You have to have all your gear on hand,” said Corbin, noting the investment ACL has made in reliable equipment, including their custom-built service truck.

Despite the hard work and sometimes “unsexy” nature of the job, Corbin said the supportive culture at ACL always stands out.

“The management’s good. You can go to anyone with any issue,” he said.

For team member Dave Pio, the role has also opened new doors.

“There’s plenty of training available (for) licenses, hands-on skills, and a good crew that makes every day enjoyable.”

Safety is a non-negotiable and team members manage their own traffic setups and look out for each other on-site, according to Anubhav.

“We’ve got to have each other’s backs,” he said.

“It’s not just your responsibility for yourself, but also for your co-workers.”

So next time you turn on the tap, spare a thought for the ACL water crew working quietly behind the scenes.

They’re fixing the unseen problems and sometimes before you even knew there was one.