City Doesn't Stop Even On Christmas

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Story Published: Dec 28, 2009 at 10:23 AM PDT

By Peter Bukowski

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YAKIMA -- Not everyone gets the holiday off. It doesn't make that person a grinch, someone has to make sure the city runs smoothly.

City workers didn't get up at 4:30 am to open Christmas presents. They got up because water was flooding into the streets after a water main broke on north front and someone had to clean it up.

And it took hours to get cleaned up. Houses were flooded. The streets were a mess as it took a crew of folks to get it locked down. And there are plenty of other people working today just to deal with water in the city.

Carol Jongeward, an administrator at the waste water plant for the city, understands when people turn on a faucet or flush the toilet this Christmas, they probably aren't thinking about the job she's doing.

"Probably don't like to think of waste water treatment plant with fondness at all. They just assume it work well and we don't wanna think about it," Jongeward says.

But for Carol and her co-workers, they understand the responsibility.

"I think it's a sacrifice for all of us that have to work a vacation especially one like this, but we all take turns so it's fair."

Jeff Pollard, who works with Jongeward at the waste water plants, says he has no problem working on Christmas. "It's a job that needs to be done."

And since it is Christmas after all, they do get a small present for their sacrifices.

"We get paid a little extra. It's you know, it's nice. And we have a good time. We're family," explains Jongeward.

So tonight, try and remember Carol's family and their sacrifice. Think of it as a gift to your family.

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