Many professionals in the water treatment industry are passionate about water. For many, it is extra motivation beyond financial gains and a chance to impact families’ or companies’ health and happiness. For others, it is a life-long career working in the water industry and Dan Jimenez, owner of Santa Clarita Water Conditioning Inc., has been living that career for about 30 years now.
Everybody has to start somewhere, and for Jimenez his start was working for the city of Los Angeles Water and Power. “I worked in various positions in my 23 years of service (at LA Water and Power),” says Jimenez. “I gained knowledge in material acquisition, construction and water treatment. I worked around dams, reservoirs and the Los Angeles Aqueduct that William Mulholland built. I’ve worked around water all of my adult life.”
Jimenez joined LA Water and Power right after graduating from high school and there he began his journey into the water industry.
Starting a company
As the years passed along, Jimenez decided it was time to make a career move. He was looking to be more involved in the water industry and wanted to help make a change in the world by selling equipment to bring quality water to people. He says that in his last years with LA Water and Power he was working in chlorine stations used to treat the water distributed to the residents of Los Angeles.
“I met a supplier who introduced me to residential dechlorination using activated carbon,” notes Jimenez. “I needed a change in my career and decided that I’d start my own company. After being on the municipal side of water distribution systems I knew there was a need for whole-house filtration and water softening.”
So, in 2005, Jimenez became president and owner of Santa Clarita Water Conditioning Inc. where he uses his talents and experience to market different water treatment applications. He also performs presentations at expos and training for plumbing distribution centers.
Santa Clarita Water Conditioning is involved in several different organizations, including the Water Quality Association, The Better Business Bureau and the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce. The company also supports local sports programs for kids.
Hard water to hard rock
One of Jimenez’s hobbies includes playing the drums. He says he was in a band in high school and that it’s something he really enjoys doing in his spare time. In fact, he enjoys it so much that he started a band and named it after something that is symbolic in his everyday work life and the passion he has for producing safe, clean water.
“I’ve been playing drums since I was in the fifth grade. I started a band two years ago called Hard Water. A friend of mine suggested the name because I work towards eliminating hard water every day,” he says.
Using his marketing skills, the band plays at local bars around Santa Clarita helping create extra exposure for the company as well as bring awareness to fans about the effects of hard water. He also says the band is used to promote business at local expos.
On the job
As mentioned, successful individuals and companies in this industry share a certain driving factor and motivation. Jimenez says he gets his drive by educating the public on the facts about treating water.
He continues by saying that Santa Clarita tries to offer the best products that are available at a price that people can afford. It’s important to him that customers know the dangers of unsafe water and that there are solutions to fix those issues.
By speaking with customers, Jimenez is able to relay that message and do so in a way that creates a lasting business relationship. “I enjoy meeting different people every day and helping them choose the right product for their needs,” he explains.
By being active in the community, selling quality products and caring about the customer’s needs, Jimenez has been able to run a successful business during what he calls a “sluggish economy.” That’s something to be proud of as it has been hard for many small businesses to have success during the Great Recession.
Keeping up with the times
The trends in the water treatment industry are constantly changing and it is important that any company stay up-to-date with today’s technological advances. Businesses that are not developed online or in the social media arena can often get left behind.
Jimenez is doing everything in his power to make sure his company stays abreast with all the latest changes. “We have a website, we’re on Facebook and we have launched an online shopping cart on our website to ship water products anywhere in the U.S. for free.”
Besides keeping up with the latest social media trends, Jimenez also hopes to continue providing the needs of residential customers as water scarcity becomes more of an issue.
“I believe water quality is going to decline with increased population and a decrease in water supply,” adds Jimenez. “This will drive the need for treatment beyond what municipalities are providing.”
In the future, he adds, more people will become dependent on their own level of water treatment in the home instead of just relying on municipal water authorities to sanitize the water. Many people are also looking for ways to improve their water in a way that will also protect the environment. Santa Clarita is no different as it looks to build a new water system that is 100 percent environmentally friendly, maintenance-free and affordable.
Whether it is through his music, outreach in the community or delivering quality products, Jimenez is fulfilling a life-long career by creatively making a difference in the water treatment market and his community.