Instead of putting Toni’s insurance money into a bank account, the Gregoires decided to invest the money in Water Works. Owned by Dana, Water Works will provide an income for the Fraleys while they raise Kaleah, Gregoire said.

Gregoire, who was born and raised in Homer, said sometimes to get a job here, you have to be creative. As he put it, “Homer is a great place to live, but it’s a hard place to make a living.” Creating a small business for his family is one way to do that, Gregoire said.

“I’m hoping this whole thing works well for the kids,” he said.

With final Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation approval completed earlier this month, Water Works is up and delivering water to Homer area homes and businesses. Gregoire said its rates are competitive with other local water hauling businesses, Quick Draw H2O Service and Hank’s Water Company. Water Works’ rates for delivered water start at 3.6 cents a gallon and go up depending on delivery area, Gregoire said.

While Josh and Dana run the water-hauling end of the business, Gregoire operates another service of Water Works: building and installing cisterns and pump systems. Gregoire has come up with a design for a 9-foot-by-12-foot insulated building that includes a 2,500-gallon tank and an on-demand pump.

Homeowners don’t have to try to fit a cistern into a spare room or crawl space, and can set up the tank building so it’s accessible to delivery trucks. Gregoire said he will construct the building so its features are compatible with a house’s design, such as a log-sided structure he built recently. The on-demand pump eliminates the need for a pressure tank.

“So far it’s been fun to put it together for the kids,” Gregoire said of Water Works. “I like putting things together.”

Gregoire also built a loading facility that fills Water Works’ delivery trucks quickly. The quick turn-around makes deliveries faster and helps Water Works be more competitive, Gregoire said.

“Two minutes, two seconds, and 4,000 gallons later, it’s done,” he said.

Water Works has two trucks, a 4,000-gallon truck and a smaller, 2,500-gallon, four-wheel-drive truck for homes with difficult access. The big truck has baffles to keep water from sloshing around and causing it to tip or roll. The trucks also have credit-card and debit machines so customers can make payments on the spot — and earn the air miles some credit card companies offer.

“You can water your way to Mexico,” Gregoire said, joking.

A heavy equipment operator and a member of the International Union of Operators and Engineers Local 302, Gregoire said Water Works has signed on with the union so its employees can get union benefits. Gregoire used to run Builders Services, but is now working as an operator for other contractors.

Dealing with the loss of their daughter has been rough for the family, Gregoire said. Kaleah has been doing well with her aunt and uncle. Although Toni’s life was cut short, he said he can look back and cherish the time they had together. For him, Water Works has helped him get through the rough times.

“I think the whole thing is going to be good for the kids, and a good thing for the community,” Gregoire said. “It’s therapeutic for Bonnie and me.”

Water Works is located on East End Road next to the Kachemak Gear Shed and near Kachemak Drive. Its phone number is 235-5226.