Digging in the Desert

When asked to name his favorite piece of equipment, contractor Ruben “Sonny” de la Rosa III doesn’t hesitate. The owner of Valley Plumbing and Septic Service in Rio Rico, Arizona, quickly responds, naming his Kubota U15 mini-excavator.“These little excavators have completely changed our company. When I started in the business, it was my father [Ruben de la Rosa II] and me. He’d say, ‘Dig this up,’ and I’d grab my pick and shovel. Whether it took an hour or a day, that’s what I had to do,” recalls de la Rosa III.Digging now moves faster. If he needs to go