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When you think of a day on the job at a water reclamation facility, you might picture hard hats, heavy machinery and…well, let’s just say it’s not exactly glamorous.
But at Jefferson County’s water reclamation facilities, the work sometimes includes something a little more unexpected: wildlife rescue.
From a red-shouldered hawk nicknamed “Parrot” to a rare tiger salamander named “Norman,” two recent stories prove that these facilities aren’t just about treating water—they’re about protecting the environment in every sense of the word.
Meet Parrot, the red-shouldered hawk
At the Trussville Water Reclamation Facility, Superintendent Jonathan Gardner was giving a routine tour when he spotted something unusual in one of the oxidation ditches. At first, the red-shouldered hawk floating there appeared to be dead—then it moved…