About the Department
The Public Works Department is hiring an Environmental Compliance Inspector I. This position will handle permits, inspections, and monitoring of industrial and commercial wastewater discharge to ensure compliance with environmental regulations. Candidates who are committed to the City of Salinas values of accountability, collaboration, trust, innovation, and service excellence are encouraged to apply.
Summary of Duties: Under general direction implements required permitting and performs and oversees the inspection and monitoring of industrial and commercial discharges to the Industrial Wastewater sewer system and discharges to waterways and storm water drainage facilities for compliance with the City’s National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits and applicable Federal, State and local regulations and ordinances regarding water and wastewater discharges; explains regulations and assists business users with meeting compliance requirements; performs public education duties; performs laboratory analysis and instrumental measurements, including sample collection; and does related work as required.
Supervision Received and Exercised: Receives general direction from the Wastewater Crew Supervisor. Provides functional and technical training and direction over subordinate personnel as required.
Position Duties
- Performs site inspections, reads flow meters, conducts water sampling and performs laboratory analysis to compile monthly billing information.
- Inspects and monitors local businesses, industries, and residences for NPDES compliance and for requirements for permitted discharges to the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Facility.
- Performs basic testing of wastewater discharge to identify the amount and type of pollutants.
- Prepares summaries and responses regarding information gathered during site visits.
- Prepares reports (including notices of violation, notices of deficiencies follow-up and user requested information) and follows-up to ensure compliance.
- Complies and submits reports on water and wastewater discharges as required for NPDES compliance as required by the State of California and other agencies; assists with preparation of correspondence with the State and Federal regulatory agencies, including monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual monitoring reports.
- Recommends corrective actions and procedures needed by business and industry to meet discharge requirements.
- Assists businesses with compliance requirements as appropriate.
- Monitors a variety of discharge and pretreatment systems.
- Reviews and comments on industrial self-monitoring reports.
- Calibrates and maintains sampling and flow measurement equipment; recommends and assists with implementation of enforcement procedures, attends meetings/conferences as required.
- Attends other venues for the purpose of public education regarding NPDES issues.
Minimum Qualifications
Knowledge of:
- Principles and practices of wastewater treatment processes, pretreatment, and monitoring systems.
- Codes, ordinances and regulations applicable to the monitoring of business and industrial wastes and wastewater discharge.
- Operation and maintenance of monitoring equipment.
- Basic procedures and methods used in chemical, biochemical and bacteriological laboratory tests and analysis.
- Safe work practices.
- Development and implementation of source control programs (i.e., restaurant grease traps, and food preparation businesses).
Ability to:
- Plan, organize, and implement an effective source control inspection and monitoring program; organize and carry out site inspections and monitoring.
- Operate and maintain monitoring and flow measurement equipment.
- Gather, maintain and organize a variety of monitoring and source control data.
- Collect a variety of samples and perform analysis from locations around the treatment facility and from other locations in the field including samples for compliance with the City’s NPDES storm water permit.
- Determine appropriate safety procedures to be used in a given situation; communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing.
- Effectively organize tasks, plan time and meet deadlines.
- Work independently and make effective judgments in the field; tactfully enforce codes, ordinances, and other regulations applicable to Industrial Waste Control and NPDES violations.
- Establish and maintain effective work relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.
- Use personal computer and demonstrate proficiency in City standard word processing, spreadsheet and database software programs.
- Use personal computer to interface with programs and documentation transmitted by email or other means from customer base.
- Promote the mission, values and standards of an effective public organization, particularly in the area of customer service.
Skill in:
- Bilingual Spanish/English desired.
Education: High school/GED.
Experience: Four years of wastewater and storm water related work experience.
Licenses and Certifications: A valid State of California Driver’s License. Must obtain an Environmental Compliance Inspector's Grade I certificate or Laboratory Analyst from the California Water Environment Association and 832 PC Certification within 12 months of appointment.
Other Qualifications
Physical Demands and Working Conditions: Physical, mental and emotional stamina to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position; manual dexterity sufficient to operate highly technical tools to perform such essential duties as lab tests in the field; write, use telephone, business machines and related equipment; vision sufficient to read printed materials and distinguish between various colors; hearing sufficient to conduct in-person and telephone conversations; speaking ability in an understandable voice with sufficient volume to be heard in normal conversational distance, on the telephone and in addressing groups; physical agility to push/pull, squat, twist, turn, bend, stoop and reach overhead; physical mobility sufficient to walk on uneven surfaces in an outdoor environment and move about the work environment, physical strength to lift up to 50 pounds; physical stamina sufficient to sit for prolonged periods of time; climb ladders; crawl under buildings; mental acuity to collect and interpret data, evaluate, reason, define problems, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, make valid judgments and decisions.
A combination of business work and fieldwork environment. In the business office working environment, position is subject to sitting at a desk or standing at a counter for long periods of time, bending, crouching, or kneeling at files, pushing/pulling of file drawers and supplies, reaching in all directions and prolonged periods of time working at a computer terminal. In the field environment, position may be subjected to work in all types of outdoor weather conditions, including sun, heat, fog, rain and wind. Physical mobility sufficient to move about the office work environment, to move about uneven surfaces related to construction sites, and the ability to drive an automobile.
Employee must complete SB 1343 Sexual Harassment Prevention Training within six months of appointment and every two years thereafter.The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills which may be required.