SHELBURNE FALLS — The gray-haired man that residents might observe riding through downtown Shelburne Falls on a 50-year-old unicycle while talking on a cellphone has been in charge of the region’s wastewater treatment for 38 years.
The unicyclist is Dan Fleuriel, who retired Thursday from his position as chief operator of the Shelburne Falls Wastewater Treatment Facility at the age of 64.
“I take great satisfaction in getting water clean,” Fleuriel said. “But getting up for the alarm in the middle of the night, I won’t miss that.”
That alarm goes off at the treatment plant at 16 Gardner Falls Road, triggering a call system that Fleuriel receives on his cellphone. Usually the alarm is due to a power failure.
Local residents know to call Fleuriel whenever they have sewer trouble. He makes their needs first on his list, and rushes out to help people.
“I enjoy making things work. That has been a fun part of the job,” he said.
Fleuriel accomplished a lot in his time as chief operator, but not everything he had hoped. When he decided to retire, he made a list of what he wanted to change about the Wastewater Treatment Facility. Now that the day has come to retire, not everything has been checked off.
“I want to get a grant to add solar power to the roof,” Fleuriel said. He explained the biggest expense at the plant is the electric bill, costing at least $1,800 per month. He hopes to switch to renewable energy to save money.
Originally from Whately, Fleuriel joined the Air Force in 1975. He was stationed in California for four years.
When Fleuriel returned home from the Air Force, he attended Greenfield Community College. During his time as a student, he was hired part-time at the Sunderland Sewer/Wastewater Treatment Plant. From there, he was hired in Shelburne Falls to replace someone who was injured on the job.
“I went up there to prove myself,” Fleuriel explained.
From that initial job, he was quickly promoted to chief operator.
Lisa Provencher will replace Fleuriel. There were three employees at the plant while Fleuriel was in charge, although there are now two, with Fleuriel on call, until the new opening is filled. Provencher has worked under him for a year and half, and said she is ready to take over. Fleuriel raves about Provencher, saying she is more organized than he is.
“He likes to explain everything very well. When he leaves, we will know what we are doing,” Provencher said.
Provencher noted she almost left the wastewater treatment industry, but, “Once I met Dan, I knew I could work here.”
“This is one of the best-run plants in Massachusetts, because of Dan,” she added.
While Fleuriel is taking a step back and retiring from his chief operator position, he will still be working part-time at the plant.
“I will definitely be off the weekend rotation,” he said.
Along with the gradual hour decrease of the job, Fleuriel will supervise the Buckland community pool project, as well as the replacement of sewer lines.
“I don’t think I will have a whole lot of hammock time, but that’s OK,” Fleuriel said.
In Fleuriel’s time at the plant, he has seen trout, an eel, rabbits and many other small animals get stuck in the tanks. Fleuriel always cleans off the animals and brings them back to their habitat.
One particularly memorable moment came in 2009, when a resident flushed a goldfish down the toilet. Fleuriel found the fish, which turned out to still be alive, and placed it in clean water, nursing it back to health after a mile-long trip through the sewer system. The fish was ultimately returned to its owner.
“I can only imagine that fish returning to his tank and saying, ‘You won’t believe the week I just had,’ to the other fish,” Fleuriel joked.
Fleuriel said the job allowed him to make a home in Shelburne Falls, even though many people dismiss the occupation as “gross.” His retirement is also part of a broader trend, as a large percentage of operators are aging out.
“I have enjoyed working for the town. I’ve enjoyed being part of the community,” he said about his retirement. “I will stay part of this community. The people have made this all a great experience.”
Contact Bella Levavi
at 413-930-4579 or
blevavi@recorder.com.